ABSTRACT
Films from the second half of the 20th century have survived, and there appear to be sufficient references to leadership in these to allow us to develop an understanding of how leadership was understood by our ancients. Novels, films and dramas were forums through which such foundational stories could erupt into conscious though. Science fiction films are particularly useful for our purpose of rebuilding theories of leadership because they are awash with depictions of leaders, and so they offer remarkable resources for understanding how leadership was envisioned (if not practised) in the early 21st century. Films made at the time for family entertainment by the Disney Corporation were argued to have provided populations with an understanding of the Middle Ages that was palpably inaccurate but appeared to be historical truth to cinema-going audiences.
