Are you interested in some of the best period dramas on Amazon Prime? Then this article is for you. Because of the apparent effort placed into period-based films, one is bound to grow to appreciate them more deeply.
Additionally, the entire team, including the production designers, art directors, and even the authors, must work together to accomplish the enormous challenge of recreating a particular era that is now long gone.
Furthermore, artifacts like a storefront, an old muscle car, or costumes aren’t the only way to recreate virtual history.
It includes the tenor and way of life for the period the movie chooses to portray. The world we live in is full of narratives to be told, ranging in scope from intimate family sagas to conflicts that altered the course of history as we know it.
Prime Video is home to several period/historical movies with exceptional craftsmanship on display. A cursory glance at the list would show that the Second World War is unquestionably the most well-researched historical event.
Still, there are other treasures from Biblical times to the relatively recent end of the 20th century. After all, check out this selection of best period dramas on Amazon Prime that are currently streaming.
1. Beauty And The Beast (2014)
Beauty And the Beast tell the story of Belle, who lives in a small town where she has been raised by her father, Maurice, a bookworm who works at the local library.
When he dies suddenly, Belle’s mother, Lumière, moves the family back to Paris, where they live in a large apartment building.
Belle meets a handsome prince named Gaston, who falls madly in love with her. The two marry, but their happiness is short-lived when Gaston learns about Belle’s magical beauty and decides to steal her from his loving wife.
Furthermore, Belle escapes from Gaston’s clutches and returns to her father’s house, where she finds him dead.
She then travels to the castle of the evil enchantress Madame de la Grande Bouche, who transforms her into a hideous beast.
Madame de la Grande Bouche uses magic to make Gaston fall in love with her instead of Belle. Gaston eventually realizes what happened and rescues Belle.
They return to the palace, where they find that Gaston has married Madame de la Grande Bouché. However, Belle agrees to become Gaston’s bride to save her husband.
The top cast includes Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, and John Cusack.
2. The Girl With All The Gifts (2016)
The Girl With All The Gifts is also one of the best period dramas on Amazon Prime. Based on the novel of the same name by British author M.R. Carey, The Girl With All The Gift tells the story of Melanie, a young girl living in England during the early 1960s.
Melanie is born with a rare genetic mutation that gives her telepathic abilities. Her parents decide to keep her secret, but soon after, the government takes over her home and forces her to attend school.
At school, Melanie quickly becomes friends with another girl named Lisa, who also possesses telepathy. Soon, the government discovers that Melanie can read minds, and they test her to see how far her powers extend.
As time passes, the government begins using Melanie’s power to control people. Eventually, Melanie rebels against the government, and she and Lisa escape to an underground bunker.
There, they discover that the government has created a new race of super soldiers called “the Children,” who have no emotions or feelings.
The top cast includes Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Joel Kinnaman, Alexandra Maria Lara, and James McAvoy.
3. Gangs of New York (2002)
Based on the classic novel of the same name written by American author Herbert Asbury, Gangs of New York tells the story of four Irish immigrants who arrived in New York City in 1849.
They join up with a gang led by Bill ‘N’ Nubbin, and together, they begin working for Dutch Schultz, a mob boss who controls much of the city’s illegal activities.
Furthermore, Schultz orders them to kill rival mobster Meyer Lansky, but the four men refuse. They are arrested and sentenced to death, but they manage to escape before they die.
However, afterward, they quest to find out why they were framed. The top cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Robert De Niro, Colin Farrell, Jonah Hill, and Al Pacino.
4. Doctor Thorne (2015)
Doctor Thorne is one of the best-period drama series on Amazon Prime. It was released in 2015. It tells the story of Dr. Jonathan Thorne, a brilliant surgeon at St. Bart’s Hospital in London.
Additionally, his past haunts Thorne as he struggles to overcome his demons. He meets a mysterious woman named Charlotte, who helps him heal his scars.
Together, they embark on a journey through history, searching for answers about their pasts. The top cast includes Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies, and Ben Whishaw.
5. Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Hotel Rwanda is also one of the best period dramas on Amazon Prime to binge-watch. A must-watch movie is “Hotel Rwanda” because it is a rare film that will make you aware of a truth that at least half of the world is ignorant of.
The movie is based on the incredible true story of Paul Rusesabagina, who rescued hundreds of Tutsi people from Hutu extremists who were perpetrating genocide against the Tutsis.
“Hotel Rwanda” is a powerful human rights film about a great spirit that deserves to be shared but unquestionably needs to be heard by many more people.
Some moviegoers have dubbed it the “African Schindler’s List,” and I can see why. The top cast includes Don Cheadle, Chris Rock, Danny Glover, and John Malkovich.
6. Kesari (2017)
Kesari is a 2017 Indian war epic film directed by Abhishek Kapoor. It stars Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, and Anushka Sharma in lead roles.
Additionally, the film revolves around a young man named Kesav (Akshay Kumar), who joins the army after being inspired by his father’s patriotism. Meanwhile, he soon learns that the country he loves dearly is at war with its neighbor India.
He then takes part in a mission to capture a strategic location that could change the war’s course. The top cast includes Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Vicky Kaushal, and Manoj Bajpayee.
7. The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Next on our list of best period dramas on Amazon Prime is The Last King of Scotland. This 2006 historical drama film is set during the rule of Idi Amin, Uganda’s brutal dictator, between 1971 and 1979.
Furthermore, Idi Amin was born Osmond Henry Atto II but adopted the name of his Ugandan mother when he became king.
However, his reign saw widespread famine, political repression, and ethnic violence. In 1973, Amin ordered the execution of British prime minister Harold.
In 1974, he declared himself president for life. After seizing power, Amin began to exterminate his enemies systematically.
By 1976, an estimated 300,000 people had been killed. The top cast includes Forest Whitaker, Djimon Hounsou, David Oyelowo, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Michael Gambon.
8. Valkyrie (2008)
Valkyrie is a 2008 German World War II action film directed by Bryan Singer. It is based on the novel Das Boot by Wolfgang Herrndorf.
The film follows U-boat commander Lt. Hans Landa (Til Schweiger). Additionally, Landa is assigned to escort a group of prisoners across the Atlantic Ocean.
While en route, Landa encounters a ship carrying high-ranking Nazi officers. Furthermore, after sinking the ship, Landa discovers that one of the passengers is Hitler.
Later, Landa is sent back to Germany to assassinate Hitler. The top cast includes Til Schweiger, Tom Cruise, Emily Watson, Jürgen Prochnow, and Matthias Freihofen.
9. Black Hawk Down (2001)
Black Hawk Down is a 2001 American war drama directed by Ridley Scott. It is based on Mark Bowden’s nonfiction book of the same name.
It tells the story of Operation Gothic Serpent, which occurred in Somalia in 1993. During this time, two US Army Rangers were deployed into Mogadishu to rescue over 1,200 American soldiers surrounded by Somali militia fighters. The top cast includes Josh Hartnett, Colin Farrell, Ben Affleck, Sam Shepard, and Eric Dane.
10. The Patriot (2000)
The Patriot is also one of the best period dramas on Amazon Prime. It is a 2000 American war drama film directed and written by Roland Emmerich.
Based on the true story of William Wallace, a Scottish patriot who led the resistance against England’s King Edward I.
The film features Heath Ledger as Wallace and Mel Gibson as Edward I. Additionally. It stars Rachel Weisz, Jim Caviezel, Billy Crudup, and Paul Bettany.
11. Papillon (2017)
Henri Charriere, a prisoner at the notorious Devil’s Island jail, and the bond he forges with a fellow prisoner as the two attempts to escape are the subjects of “Papillon.”
It is a remake of the cherished 1980s classic starring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. Furthermore, suppose you can get over the shadow cast by the original, which this 2017 film does.
In that case, you’ll enjoy watching it because Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek unexpectedly embrace their roles quite effectively.
Additionally, the extraordinarily well-crafted musical soundtrack, which is unusual in movies of this nature, deserves special recognition. The top cast includes Charlie Hunnam, Rami Malek, Robert Pattinson, and Pedro Pascal.
12. The Lost City of Z (2016)
The Lost City of Z is a 2016 British documentary film about the search for the fabled city of gold, Machu Picchu.
It was directed by James Gray and produced by Martin Scorsese. Additionally, the film explores the history behind the legend of the lost city of gold.
Additionally, it examines how the discovery of the ruins changed the perception of South America. The top cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jared Harris.
13. Silence (2016)
Next on our list of best period dramas on Amazon Prime is Silence. Due to a fundamental misinterpretation of its subject matter, “Silence,” one of the two Scorsese films on this list, is regrettably not considered one of the director’s better efforts.
Although I agree that this movie is distinct from anything Scorsese has done, that doesn’t necessarily imply it’s a poor movie.
In addition, this movie, which lasts for close to 150 minutes, contains a lot of silences, living up to its name. Furthermore, i won’t even argue that the long-running duration has a payoff or that the average viewer would find it worthwhile.
But I will say this: “Silence” has stunning visuals and excellent acting. The top Silence cast is Andrew Garfield, Liam Neeson, Adam Driver, and Ken Watanabe.
14. The Courier (2020)
The Courier is an upcoming 2020 American action thriller film directed by David Mackenzie. It is based on the novel of the same name by Jeffery Deaver. Tom O’Connor is the author of the historical spy movie “The Courier.”
Additionally, the Dominic Cooke-directed movie shows a British businessman working with a Soviet commander during one of the most difficult times of the Cold War.
These two men set the groundwork for ending the Cuban Missile Crisis and averting a catastrophe as the possibility of nuclear war and widespread death and destruction increased.
The film stars Tom Hanks, John Goodman, Octavia Spencer, and Jason Isaacs.
15. The Man Who Knew Infinity (2013)
The Man Who Knew Infinity is a 2013 Indian biographical drama film directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. Based on the life of mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
The film tells the story of his friendship with English mathematician G.H. Hardy. This movie also features Dev Patel, Irrfan Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and Anandhi.
16. The Great Beauty (2012)
The Great Beauty is a 2012 Italian romantic drama film written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino. The film follows the lives of three people who live in Rome in the 1950s.
The people were played by Tilda Swinton, Adriana Li Cunati, and Lamberto Bava. The top cast consists of Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Adrien Brody, and Mathieu Amalric.
17. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
Last on our list of best period dramas on Amazon Prime is the Grand Budapest Hotel. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a 2014 comedy film directed by Wes Anderson.
The film is about Gustave H., a legendary concierge at the eponymous hotel in 1930s Europe. Gustave H was a character created by writer/director Anderson.
The film stars Ralph Fiennes, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, and F. Murray Abraham.
In conclusion, you should check out these movies if you want to watch some best-period dramas on Amazon Prime.
