This master’s thesis examines the aesthetics and evolution of title cards in medieval films from the silent film era to the mid-20th century. With an interdisciplinary digital humanities approach the study explores the interplay between medieval manuscript traditions and cinematic practices. The paper reviews the terminology and structural elements of film title sequences emphasizing their dual function as both introductory parts and narrative instruments. While analyzing a database of some 100 films, this work follows the aesthetic transformations and technological advances that influenced the representation of medieval narratives in film. The research provides a visual representation of the main highlights of a database of medieval films, a historiographical overview and a selection of case studies with notable film examples. This thesis aims to contribute to an often overlooked aspect of motion picture in terms of representation of the Middle Ages, and to offer insights into how cinema has (re-)interpreted this period, making it more appealing and accessible.
This website is an integral part of the research. It offers an opportunity to explore the database and to examine the data visualizations.