Subgenre Sampler
Television > History: 84 Films to Buy & Rent
Doctor Who (Series 11) [Jodie Whittaker] (2018)
- Feat. Jodie Whittaker, Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole…
- The Thirteenth Doctor and first Doctor to be a woman, played by Jodie Whittaker, touches down on Earth where she recruits three new friends –…
Looming Tower, The (TV Mini-Series) (2018)
- Feat. Jeff Daniels, Tahar Rahim
- Mini–series exploring the rivalry between the FBI and the CIA in the lead up to 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan. Based on Lawrence Wright's…
Britannia (TV Series) (2017)
- Feat. David Morrissey, Kelly Reilly, Nikolaj Lie Kaas…
- A historical fiction series set in 43AD, following the Roman conquest of Britain and it's opposition by the wild warrior women and powerful Druids of…
Gunpowder (TV Mini-series) (2017)
- Dir. J Blakeson
Feat. Kit Harington, Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss…
- Three–part BBC dramatisation of the famous Gunpowder Plot in London of 1605 where activist Guy Fawkes conspires with a group of provincial…
Joanna Lumley's India (2017)
- Feat. Joanna Lumley
- Actress and presenter Joanna Lumley, who was born in India in the last days of The Raj, travels back this country to explore it's wildlife, culture,…
Knightfall (TV Series) (2017-2019)
- Feat. Tom Cullen, Jim Carter
- Historical drama series about the Knights Templar, the powerful and mysterious Catholic military order from the middle ages. Made by The History…
1916: The Irish Rebellion (2016)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Feat. Liam Neeson
- Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Irish Rebellion, this superb three–part documentary covers the impact of this seminal event.…
Joanna Lumley's Japan (2016)
- Feat. Joanna Lumley
- British actress and presenter Joanna Lumley continues her series of travel documentaries with a 2,000 mile journey across the four main islands of…
Roots (TV Mini-Series) (2016)
- Dir. Phillip Noyce, Mario Van Peebles, Thomas Carter
Feat. Laurence Fishburne, Matthew Goode, Derek Luke…
- A powerful new adaptation of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize–winning novel. This tragic story of resilience is told in four parts covering four…
Tutankhamun (TV Mini-series) (2016)
- Dir. Peter Webber
Feat. Max Irons, Jonathan Aris, Sam Neill…
- A four–part dramatisation of how a penniless, ostracised archaeologist named Howard Carter became a household name following his discovery of…
Banished (TV Mini-series) (2015)
- Feat. Orla Brady, Ewen Bremner, MyAnna Buring…
- British period drama created by Jimmy McGovern (CRACKER), set in the 18th century in the first penal colony founded by the British in New South…
Story of China with Michael Wood, The (TV Series) (2015)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Feat. Michael Wood
- Veteran historian and broadcaster Michael Wood follows his celebrated Story of India with this in–depth portrait of the most populous country…
Intrepid New Zealand (2014)
- Ambitious follow–up to Kevin Biggar and Jamie Fitzgerald's FIRST CROSSINGS (2012) finds the pair tackling a new set of legendary journeys…
Bonnie and Clyde (TV Mini-Series) (2013)
- Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Emile Hirsch, Holliday Grainger, Sarah Hyland…
- The legend of depression era outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker is given the full treatment in this evocative History Channel drama.
Da Vinci's Demons (TV Series) (2013)
- Feat. Tom Riley
- A lavishly produced historical fantasy which imagines Leonardo da Vinci's life as an artist, inventor and genius.
Season One: eight episodes…
Richard III: The King in the Car Park & The Unseen Story (2013)
- Dir. Louise Osmond
Feat. Simon Farnaby
- In the British town of Leicester, archaeologists unearth the skeleton of a man. The man's spine is deformed. His skull shows signs of violent trauma.…
Vikings, The (TV Series) (2013)
- Going beyond their bloodthirsty reputation, Neil Oliver charts the rise of the Vikings, from their prehistoric Scandinavian homelands to a vast…
Village, The (TV Series) (2013)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Feat. John Simm, Maxine Peake, Juliet Stevenson…
- A gritty riposte to the swell of glossy period dramas, this small scale epic charts the progress of a village of working class characters in early…
First Crossings (TV Series) (2012)
- This rugged adventure series literally retraces the steps of New Zealand's pioneer explorers in the intrepid, no–holds–barred style of…
Labyrinth (TV Mini-Series) (2012)
- Dir. Christopher Smith
Feat. Jessica Brown-Findlay, Vanessa Kirby, John Hurt…
- The search for the Holy Grail provides the link between two parallel story lines – one set in medieval France, the other during a modern day…
Story Of Wales, The (TV Series) (2012)
- An ambitious, all–encompassing 30,000 year history of Wales, as told by the BBC's Huw Edwards. Covers everything from the Tudor Court, to the…
Titanic (TV Mini-series) (2012)
- Dir. Jon Jones
Feat. Linus Roache, James Wilby, Timothy West…
- Four–part serial from the pen of DOWNTON ABBEY creator Julian Fellowes that tells the story of the doomed ship through four very different…
Fry's Planet Word (2011)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. John Paul Davidson
Feat. Stephen Fry
- This five–part BBC series joins Stephen Fry as he travel's the continents exploring the nuanced diverse world of human language.
Churches: How To Read Them (TV Series) (2010)
- Dir. Jonathan Mayo
- Six–part series presented by historian and author Richard Taylor, exploring ideas about God, salvation, life and death through visits to some…
Royal Upstairs Downstairs (TV Series) (2010)
- The secret lives of British servants and aristocrats are speculated on this prim history series which takes viewers on a tour of the houses and…
Turn Back Time (TV Series) (2010)
- Illuminating series that takes a group of modern shopkeepers and has them experience their occupations through differing periods of history beginning…
Andrew Marr's The Making of Modern Britain (TV Series) (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Following on from his "History of Modern Britain", Andrew Marr this time overviews the first half of the 20th Century, re–visiting the dramas…
Darwin's Brave New World (TV Mini-series) (2009)
- Feat. Socratis Otto, Richard Jongejan, Nicola Bowman
- Three–part dramatized series tells the story of Charles Darwin and his contemporaries, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley and Alfred Russel Wallace,…
Horrible Histories (TV Series) (2009)
- Feat. Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Sarah Hadland…
- Educational irreverance for kids, offering an unconventional take on history's funniest – and most gruesome – moments in a multitude of…
South (TV Series) (2009)
- Feat. Marcus Lush
- Another "love story" from intrepid broadcaster Marcus Lush, who this time explores the South Island of New Zealand, an area he fell in love with…
Underbelly - Season 2 (TV Mini-series) (A Tale of Two Cities: The Mr Asia Story) (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Feat. Roy Billing, Anna Hutchison, Matthew Newton…
- A prequel to the events of the original series, this is loosely based on the hard drug trade that hit New South Wales and Victoria between 1976 and…
A History of Scotland (TV Series) (2008)
- A fresh and exhaustive chronology of Scotland's fascinating narrative, full of battles and allegiances, political intrigue and religious conflict.…
Devil's Whore, The (TV Mini-series) (Devil's Mistress) (2008)
- Dir. Martine Brant, Peter Flannery
Feat. Andrea Riseborough, Dominic West, John Simm…
- Period romp set during the English Civil War concerning the devilishly manipulative Angelica (Riseborough), and her marriage to revolutionary Thomas…
India Reborn (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Fascinating and disturbing doco series that looks at India as the next superpower, and the juxtapositions to its mighty wealth that cloud its future…
John Adams (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Sarah Polley…
- Acclaimed miniseries on the life of America's second president and founding father John Adams. Simultaneously epic and intimate this is compulsory…
Underbelly - Season 1 (TV Mini-series) (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Feat. Vince Colosimo, Kevin Harrington
- Gritty, unflinching crime series dramatising the Melbourne gangland killings and seedy underworld, featuring Aussie actors who bear a striking…
Andrew Marr's The History of Modern Britain (TV Series) (2007)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Political commentator Andrew Marr turns his astute focus on the key events that have shaped British society since the end of WWII, including the…
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007)
- Dir. Yves Simoneau
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Adam Beach, Anna Paquin…
- Distinguished HBO western based on the 1970 book of the same name by Dee Brown.
A historical drama set in the 1860's and 1870's, the plot…
Gangland (TV Series) (2007)
- Hard hitting expose of today's nastiest gangs provides the viewer with both historical context and unprecedented access. Some of the stories are now…
Here to Stay (TV Series) (2007)
- An enlightening, culturally pertinent reference point for the current make up of New Zealand society, this six part series revisits a number of key…
James May's 20th Century (TV Series) (2007)
- Feat. James May
- TV presenter James May presents a candid look at the creations of the 20th century; ranging from weaponry to medical breakthroughs and the…
Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work (TV Series) (2007)
- Dir. Matt Reid
- In–depth television series spanning a year in the life of the British Royal Family and the myriad of employees that keep the Royal Machine…
Roman Mysteries (TV Series) (2007)
- Children's mystery series set in 79 AD, Rome, based on a series of kids books that focuses on a group of young friends embarking on crime solving…
Story of India with Michael Wood, The (TV Series) (2007)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Feat. Michael Wood
- Acclaimed historian Wood takes to the destination du–jour – India – in order to acknowledge its history and research its…
Ancient Rome (TV Series) (2006)
- Extensive series dramatising the rise and fall of the Ancient Roman Empire through six episodes each presenting a different turning point in the fate…
Battleplan (TV Series) (2006)
- A comprehensive history and analysis of military strategies, combat tactics, and the art of modern warfare.
Across eighteen episodes, historical…
Power of Art (TV Series) (2006)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- A scholarly, and indeed powerful, roam through art history’s seminal figures, with knowledge imparted by the revered Simon Schama.
Disc 1…
What Lies Beneath (TV Series) (2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Feat. Simon Dallow
- An eight–part series about New Zealand's archaeological heritage, presenting a series of intriguing site studies, with Simon Dallow asking the…
Empire (2005)
- Feat. Colm Feore, Emily Blunt, Jonathon Cake
- Glossy and occasionally patchy drama which reconstructs the events surrounding the assassination of Julius Caesar (Freore) and the succession of…
In Search of Myths and Heroes (TV Series) (2005)
- Feat. Michael Woods
- BBC presenter Michael Wood explores four of the most famous myths in the world – Shangri–la, the Golden Fleece, the Queen of Sheba, and…
Monarchy (TV Series) (2004)
- Historical TV Series presented by Dr David Starkey tracing the blood–stained history of the English monarchy covering all the epic battles and…
Augustus (TV Mini-Series) (2003)
- Dir. Roger Young
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Charlotte Rampling
- Peter O'Toole takes on the role of Augustus Caesar in this refreshing series focusing on the time when Augustus stepped into his adopted father's…
Days That Shook The World (TV Series) (2003)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- A monumental overview of the world’s most profound and history–defining events, this tome to humankind's great achievements and failures is…
Hitler - The Rise of Evil (2003)
- Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Stockard Channing, Peter O'Toole…
- Somewhat controversial account of Adolf Hitler's rise to power, attempting to fathom his potential for evil–doing.
An only…
Killing Hitler (TV Mini-series) (2003)
- Dir. Jeremy Lovering
Feat. Peter McDonald, Kate Ashfield, Kenneth Cranham…
- Accurate docu–drama merging archival footage with recreations and educated interview to portray and dissect 'Operation Foxley' – a secret…
Kings and Queens (TV Series) (2002)
- A solid TV documentary series tracing lives and reigns of 12 of England's most influential monarchs. Historian Dr Nigel Spivey draws from an array of…
Nuremberg (2000)
- Feat. Alec Baldwin, Jill Hennessy, Brian Cox…
- This two part miniseries follows the Chief Prosecutor through the Nuremberg Trials of 1945–46.
Scarlet Pimpernel, The (Mini Series) (1999)
- Dir. Simon Langton
Feat. Richard E. Grant, Elizabeth McGovern
- A lively television adaptation of the Baroness Orczy's famous novel set around the bloody chaos of post–revolutionary France and one English…
Barry Humphries - Flashbacks (TV Series) (1998)
- Feat. Barry Humphries
- Iconic Aussie entertainer Barry Humphries and his alter–ego's Dame Edna, Sir Les Patterson and Sandy Stone take us on a journey through a slice…
Rhodes (TV Mini-series) (1996)
- Dir. David Drury
Feat. Martin Shaw, Frances Barber, Joe Shaw
- Lengthy but worth–it biopic telling the story of Cecil Rhodes, the 19th–Century businessman who was sent to Africa to die, but came back…
Lost Civilizations (TV Series) (1995)
- Historical series covering nearly 7000 years of history over 25 countries. Brought to life with spfx technology and recreated historically accurate…
House of Windsor, The (TV Series) (1994)
- The story of the most famous family in the world – from the reign of the first Windsors, King George V and Queen Mary, to the long rule of…
Time Team (TV Series) (1994)
- Feat. Tony Robinson
- Stimulating television series featuring a group of enthusiastic archaeologists unearthing the secrets of British history from overlooked areas of…
Monocled Mutineer, The (TV Mini-series) (1986)
- Dir. Jim O'Brien
Feat. Paul McGann, Robert Fellows
- A four–part BBC historical drama depicting the life of Private Percy Toplis, who supposedly led a British army mutiny against training officers…
Peter the Great (TV Mini-Series) (1986)
- Feat. Maximilian Schell, Vanessa Redgrave, Omar Sharif…
- Emmy Award–winning mini–series about Peter I, Tsar of Russia from 1682, and his efforts to transform Russia in an "all European" country,…
Dunera Boys, The (Mini-series) (1985)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Ben Lewin
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Warren Mitchell, Julia Blake
- WW2 set mini–series following a group of suspected Jewish spies sent from England to a POW camp in NSW, Australia. Nicely balanced historical…
In Search of the Trojan War (1985)
- Dir. Bill Lyons
- A thorough, intelligible excavation of Homer’s epic poems and the speculation of a Trojan Society, historian Michael Wood takes us back in time via…
Nancy Astor (TV Mini-series) (1982)
- Dir. Richard Stroud
Feat. Lisa Harrow, Pierce Brosnan
- Rags–to–riches biography of the life of Nancy Astor, the first woman to hold a seat in the house of commons.
Scarlet Pimpernel, The (TV Mini-Series) (1982)
- Dir. Clive Donner
Feat. Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour, Ian McKellen
- Top–notch mini–series version of the classic tale of The Scarlet Pimpernel – an English nobleman who lived a double–life…
Our Heritage (TV Series) (1981)
- A unique series of television snippets, in which seven ballads by legendary Waitakere historian Jack Diamond are recited over historical imagery and…
Oppenheimer (TV Mini-series) (1980)
- Dir. Barry Davis
Feat. Sam Waterston, Shane Rimmer, David Suchet
- Excellent mini–series starring Waterson as nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who helped build the atomic bomb for the 'Manhattan…
Shogun (Mini Series) (1980)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Jerry London
Feat. Richard Chamberlain, Toshiro Mifune
- Exciting TV mini–series version of James Clavell's novel set in Feudal Japan, here in its complete form (DVD) or as a cut–down movie…
Strumpet City (Mini-Series) (1980)
- Feat. Peter O'Toole, Peter Ustinov
- Broad, sweeping Irish history of Dubliners in the early 20th century. Based on James Plunkett’s popular novel.
Dick Turpin (TV Series) (1979)
- Feat. Richard O'Sullivan, Alfie Bass
- Historical adventure series about the real–life 18th century highwayman Dick Turpin and his "Robin Hood" thieving of the rich to give to the…
Frost/Nixon Watergate Interviews (1977)
- Dir. Jorn Winther
Feat. David Frost, Richard Nixon
- The legendary 28 hour interview between the charismatic David Frost and former President Richard Nixon is touted as the greatest political interview…
Hunter's Gold (TV Series) (1976)
- Feat. Ken Blackburn, Andrew Hawthorn, Ian Mune…
- Classic kidult series follows young Scott Hunter as he searches for his father amidst the Otago Gold Rush in thismagnificent recreation of early New…
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (TV Mini-Series) (1974)
- Dir. James Cellan Jones
Feat. Lee Remick, Warren Clarke, Barbara Parkins…
- Rightly acclaimed series that reveals the fascinating life of the Lady Randolph Churchill, and mother of Winston. Adroitly scripted and acted –…
Ascent of Man, The (TV Series) (1973)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Feat. Jacob Bronowski
- Renowned TV series from the era of epic–length documentaries, this analyses the progress of mankind through scientific and technological…
Alistair Cooke's America (TV Series) (1972)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Feat. Alistair Cooke
- Considered one of the great TV documentary series, this is English broadcaster Cooke's personal view of American history and its teeming,…
Edwardians, The (1972)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. John Howard Davies, James Cellan Jones, Alan Clarke
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Timothy West, Robert Powell…
- Superb examination of eight famous Edwardians who helped shape the early 20th century. Impeccably presented and directed by some of the BBC's finest…
Rossellini's History Films: Renaissance and Enlightenment (The Age of the Medici, Cartesius, Blaise Pascal) (1972-1974)
- Dir. Roberto Rossellini
- Three TV films about some of the western world's major figures and moments, from Italian master Roberto Rossellini in the final phase of his…
Six Wives of Henry VIII, The (TV Mini-Series) (1970)
- Feat. Keith Michell, Rosalie Crutchley, Jane Seymour
- Accurate BAFTA–winning TV series chronicling the life of the notorious Henry VIII by way of six plays, featuring a notable cast and immaculate…
Civilisation (TV Series) (1969)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- "Not a history of the arts, but a history of life–giving beliefs and ideas made visible and audible through the medium of art." Kenneth Clark's…
Classic TV Commercials of the 50's 60's & 70's (1950-1979)
- Collection of American TV commercials from the decorous 50's, rampant 60's and radical 70's. Includes ads on every perfect housewifes dream products…