The Filmic Materialisation of the Late Middle Ages in the Film Flesh and Blood (Paul Verhoeven, 1985): Art Direction and Costume Design

Abstract

Flesh and Blood was directed by Paul Verhoeven in 1985. The Department of art direction worked to reach a recreation of the Late Middle Ages in the film. It was headed by Félix Murcia, who was in charge of the art direction; and Yvonne Blake, who faced the organisation of the costume design. The work developed by both of them required a detailed historic-artistic research whose aim was to give plausibility to the facts performed in the fiction work, which was set in 1501. So, along the current paper all the elements which can be found in the staging are analysed since all of them played an important role in the film setting. These elements are the different scenarios, figurines and props which were involved in the staging.