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Movies that feel like Barry Lyndon (1975)

If you loved Barry Lyndon, the closest films we have are Spartacus (1960), Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972) and Throne of Blood (1957). All three share Barry Lyndon's contemplative and epic feel, which is what we rank on before quality. 9 of the 12 picks below are included with a subscription right now on HBO Max, Paramount Plus Premium and Criterion Channel and others, checked against today's data.

An Irish rogue uses his cunning and wit to work his way up the social classes of 18th century England, transforming himself from the humble Redmond Barry into the noble Barry Lyndon.

πŸ… 78% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 8.1 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Stanley Kubrickcontemplativeepic

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If Barry Lyndon hit the spot, these will too

Spartacus poster
Spartacus
1960 Β· dir. Stanley Kubrick
πŸ… 93%β˜… 7.9history Β· drama Β· adventure

The same hand behind both of them: Stanley Kubrick

The difference: Leans harder into adventure than Barry Lyndon does

The rebellious Thracian Spartacus, born and raised a slave, is sold to Gladiator trainer Batiatus. After weeks of being trained to kill for the arena, Spartacus turns on his owners and leads the other slaves in rebellion. As the rebels move from town to town, their numbers swell as escaped slaves join their ranks. Under the leadership of Spartacus, they make their way to southern Italy, where they will cross the sea and return to their homes.

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Aguirre, the Wrath of God poster
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
1972 Β· dir. Werner Herzog
πŸ… 96%β˜… 7.8history Β· adventure Β· drama

Contemplative where it counts, epic underneath

A few decades after the destruction of the Inca Empire, a Spanish expedition led by the infamous Aguirre leaves the mountains of Peru and goes down the Amazon River in search of the lost city of El Dorado. When great difficulties arise, Aguirre’s men start to wonder whether their quest will lead them to prosperity or certain death.

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Throne of Blood poster
Throne of Blood
1957 Β· dir. Akira Kurosawa
πŸ… 96%β˜… 8drama Β· history

Drama with a pulse of stillness, in both cases

Returning to their lord's castle, samurai warriors Washizu and Miki are waylaid by a spirit who predicts their futures. When the first part of the spirit's prophecy comes true, Washizu's scheming wife, Asaji, presses him to speed up the rest of the spirit's prophecy by murdering his lord and usurping his place. Director Akira Kurosawa's resetting of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" in feudal Japan is one of his most acclaimed films.

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Ben-Hur poster
Ben-Hur
1959 Β· dir. William Wyler
πŸ… 87%β˜… 8.1history Β· drama Β· adventure

Epic history, and it commits to that

In ancient Judea, a Jewish aristocrat opposing Roman occupation of his homeland reunites with his childhood friend, now a Roman commander β€” setting in motion a saga of betrayal, adventure, tragedy, revenge, and faith.

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Watership Down poster
Watership Down
1978 Β· dir. Martin Rosen
πŸ… 83%β˜… 7.5adventure Β· animation Β· drama

Contemplative drama in both cases

When the warren belonging to a community of rabbits is threatened, a brave group led by Fiver, Bigwig, Blackberry and Hazel leave their homeland in a search of a safe new haven.

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Judgment at Nuremberg poster
Judgment at Nuremberg
1961 Β· dir. Stanley Kramer
πŸ… 93%β˜… 8.3drama Β· history

Both lean on scale more than on history

In 1947, four German judges who served on the bench during the Nazi regime face a military tribunal to answer charges of crimes against humanity. Chief Justice Haywood hears evidence and testimony not only from lead defendant Ernst Janning and his defense attorney Hans Rolfe, but also from the widow of a Nazi general, an idealistic U.S. Army captain and reluctant witness Irene Wallner.

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Fitzcarraldo poster
Fitzcarraldo
1982 Β· dir. Werner Herzog
πŸ… 78%β˜… 7.9drama Β· adventure

Drama approached the same way

Fitzcarraldo is a dreamer who plans to build an opera house in Iquitos, in the Peruvian Amazon, so, in order to finance his project, he embarks on an epic adventure to collect rubber, a very profitable product, in a remote and unexplored region of the rainforest.

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The Ten Commandments poster
The Ten Commandments
1956 Β· dir. Cecil B. DeMille
πŸ… 82%β˜… 7.9drama Β· history

Both working the same history territory

Escaping death, a Hebrew infant is raised in a royal household to become a prince. Upon discovery of his true heritage, Moses embarks on a personal quest to reclaim his destiny as the leader and liberator of the Hebrew people.

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Easy Rider poster
Easy Rider
1969 Β· dir. Dennis Hopper
πŸ… 84%β˜… 7.2adventure Β· drama

Drama of the same temperament

Wyatt and Billy, two Harley-riding hippies, complete a drug deal in Southern California and decide to travel cross-country in search of spiritual truth.

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Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India poster
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India
2001 Β· dir. Ashutosh Gowariker
πŸ… 95%β˜… 8.1adventure Β· drama Β· history

Both know what they want from history

The difference: 26 years apart, and the 2000s show

The year is 1893 and India is under British occupation. In a small village, the tyrannical Captain Russell has imposed an unprecedented land tax on its citizens. Outraged, Bhuvan, a rebellious farmer, rallies the villagers to publicly oppose the tax. Russell offers a novel way to settle the dispute: he challenges Bhuvan and his men to a game of cricket, a sport completely foreign to India. If Bhuvan and his men can defeat Russell's team, the tax will be repealed.

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Coach Carter poster
Coach Carter
2005 Β· dir. Thomas Carter
πŸ… 63%β˜… 7.4drama Β· history

Cut from the same drama cloth

Based on a true story, in which Richmond High School head basketball coach Ken Carter made headlines in 1999 for benching his undefeated team due to poor academic results.

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The Passion of Joan of Arc poster
The Passion of Joan of Arc
1928 Β· dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer
πŸ… 98%β˜… 8.1drama Β· history

Both are history through and through

A classic of the silent age, this film tells the story of the doomed but ultimately canonized 15th-century teenage warrior. On trial for claiming she'd spoken to God, Jeanne d'Arc is subjected to inhumane treatment and scare tactics at the hands of church court officials. Initially bullied into changing her story, Jeanne eventually opts for what she sees as the truth. Her punishment, a famously brutal execution, earns her perpetual martyrdom.

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In the mood for more contemplative?

all contemplative movies β†’

The best-reviewed films that share Barry Lyndon’s defining feeling.