Excalibur

Rating:
Summary: Excellence Found in Excalibur !
Review: Astonishing adaptation or take on the Arthurian legend by director Boorman ! The only minor flaw (even for 1981) was to make certain visual aspects of the film look out of the "norm" for that time period. In fact some costumes and props looked too modern or futuristic. For example, the Round Table had a very modern-art deco 20th (21st?) century look to it. Some of the female costumes (while I'll admit were quite sexy)made Madonna's stage outfits look like Goodwill fashions. Also, the motley crue of soldiers the wicked Mordred enlisted resembled StarWars stormtroopers (only in black)with mangled headgear and armor.

Aside from this one little anomoly it is a true dvd collector's keepsake (at the price most retailers are selling this , it is a steal)! All actors and actresses,well, not much more can be said than what other previous satisfied reviewers have commented on. There's a multitude of awesome first rate acting abilities presented by Neeson, Byrne, and Stewart who were basic unknowns at the time.Helen Mirren's Morgana is simply wicked and cunning and Nicol Williamson's Merlin is mature,wise, intellectually gifted yet still sees the world and people through a child's naive giddy sense of amazement and wonder ! He lives in the land of prose and therefore enjoys giving his students or enemies riddles that foretell things yet to come ! In any Arthurian legend captured on film King Arthur's admirable attributes lie in his intelligence and diplomacy where Sir Lancelot's are in his physical strength and good looks. Likewise, Boorman gives these two the same treatment for his version. I'll also give Boorman an A+ for making this a real adult version (I don't mean adult in the porno sense, but in the mature nature of the word "adult").He was daring enough to show nudity,but in the right context in relation to the story.It was done in a very artistic manner (although I know friends of mine who argue and chuckle when they say that having Uther keep his armor on during the seduction of Igrayne was a bit hokey).The nude love scenes resembled painted works of art by some of the masters.

The other effects were limited but just as outstanding (quite admirable for a time when computer graphics were unheard of) ! The action, suspense, scenery,locations and sets well exceed any viewer's expectations...I know it did mine.

Rating:
Summary: As Close to Camelot As We'll Get
Review: This is an excellent English cast doing what the Brits do best - making a movie about their own history. Although Merlin is somewhat campy figure (Nicol Williamson), he's the perfect foil for Helen Mirren who plays Arthur's sister, Morgana. Nicolas Clay best known for his portrayal of the lover in "Lady Chatterley's Lover" is the ideal choice for Lancelot. His face exudes innocence combined with forthright sexuality. Nigel Terry playing Arthur is a newcomer who does an admirable job. I heartily recommend this movie for those who enjoy authentic history, not Hollywood's idea of history ala the musical "Camelot."

Rating:
Summary: Better than ever
Review: I'm sure I have seen this film at least a dozen times. I sat down with my newly acquired DVD of it, never expecting what a thrill it would offer. The Kurosawa-like visuals and the thrilling and dramatic music of Wagner and Carl Orff came to life like I hadn't seen them in years. This all-time film classic of love and chivalry, betrayal and redemption simply must be experienced on DVD if you want to watch it at home. I just had to get up, wipe away the tears, and write this review after viewing it.

Rating:
Summary: gothic power,ancient betrayal and timeless beauty
Review: Isn't that what myths and legends are all about?I practically grew up with this film as a young teen during dungeons and dragons days and countless showings on HBO back in the mid 1980's . How many times have I seen the film even BEFORE DVD? Don't ask . It is simply one of my favorites because director John Boorman captures the essense of humanity on film the way Shakesphere did on paper and Frank Lloyd Wright did in concrete . But alas , it is the darker side that lurks in us all . Only Boorman's talent can bring it to life on film . It's here for all to see . "You have broken the unbreakable!" uttered in a Wagerian background is but one of the countless scenes of beauty that make this film a true materpiece . And on that note , "Why do you come for the grail!?".

Rating:
Summary: A Dream to some, A nightmare to others!
Review: For years, I only ever saw the beginning of this film. Gabriel Bryne is practically unrecognisable as the brutish Uther, in what must be one of his best acting performances. It's his lust for Igrayne that sets the film in motion. To satisfy his hunger, Uther must make a deal with the mercurial Merlin, which, needless to say, he later regrets.

So Arthur starts out on his hero's journey, in scenes quite similar to young Luke Skywalker's tutelage by Yoda in 'The Empire Strikes Back', with Arthur both beguiled and horrified by the creatures of the forest, featuring the ubiquitous owl present in such films of this period. After the boy king draws the sword from the stone, he is much in need of guidance. However, Merlin is an excellent teacher who seems to draw knowledge from Arthur rather than leading him to it. Yet it's not long before Arthur is seduced away from Merlin to other attractions, such as Guenevere. It's around about here that I usually stopped watching the film when I was younger. It was Boorman's battles that had first attracted me, so shiny and brutal as sword impales and thrusts armour.

It's true that Arthur's Round Table is rich and lush, but rather boring. A time of plenty, but very little drama, apart from Gawain's slander. Arthur does not hear Merlin warn him about Guenevere, and ignores the evidence of his own eyes, as Guenevere becomes a tease and a burden to all his men and in a bizarre and highly staged dance in Leondegrance's fortress. It's also taken time for me to like Nicholas Clay's performance as Lancelot. Cherie Lunghi as Guenevere has never really convinced me. The DVD edition makes her chirpy Irish accent even clearer, which is an irritation. Their romance is treated as on the level of a high school fling, the sort of thing that is done so much better in your average episode of Buffy each week. You squirm in your seat as Guenevere catches sight of Lancelot at the drawbridge of Camelot, with Morgana playing the role of bitchy friend. Clay's wig at the end is also quite embarrassing: did the make-up artist also work on Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Having said that, most of the other characters do grow old with a bit more grace. Of course, the main reason why their treacherous romance is so unconvincing is due to the fact that it is the only part of the film that feels rushed. I'm pretty sure Lot was supposed to be Gawain's father in Malory, but Ciaran Hinds looks no older than Liam Neeson here!

However, there are plenty of fine performances. Nicol Williamson has never played a better role than Merlin, and there are lots of other more familiar faces, like Patrick Stewart. It's the unknown actors who also catch the eye. Ciaran Hinds makes the most of a small role as Lot. Hinds is one of my favourite actors, and it's a pity he hasn't done much more film work like Neeson and Bryne. Arthur is also Nigel Terry's biggest role to date, and I think he makes an excellent transformation from squire, to boy king, to battle hardened warrior, peaceful monarch, and cuckolded husband. Helen Mirren plays her most seductive role as Morgana, and Charley Boorman makes a deliciously evil Mordred. As I've watched this film again, I'm more and more impressed by Paul Geoffrey's portrayal of Perceval. He seems to have been introduced as a counterpoint to Arthur, the young boy who dreams of being a knight, but whose cowardice makes him fear that he has lost the grail forever. Of course, it looks as though Bedevere was just one knight too many, but you do think that Perceval would have made an excellent king if he had obeyed his gut instinct.

All in all, a beautiful, luscious Pre-Raphaelite movie, with Wagner's music to produce the adrenaline high. There is a slight suspicion that this film could be quite right wing, timed to coincide with Thatcher's lamentable rise to power. Certainly, fascists have abused the Arthurian myth and Wagner before now, in their own bid for world domination. However, I believe that Boorman and Rospo Pallenberg were just attracted by such an excellent and archetypal story, and had been trying to make the film for years before the doomed British film renaissance so proudly proclaimed by Colin Welland. This film is indeed a "dream to some, a nightmare to others!" I'm on the side of the dreams, the charm of making and the breath of the dragon. Ireland, my ancestral homeland, has never been filmed so darkly and sublimely. Excalibur is a film I reach for again and again, and its haunting images will never leave me.

Rating:
Summary: Flawed, but still good
Review: This film has some flaws. Its too short. It should have been a trilogy. Some of the lines are cheesy and not all of the actors were chosen well. It works best for those who know the legend. On the other hand the music is great,visuals are sumptuous and fortunately it's not watered down for the Disney-loving kiddies.

Rating:
Summary: "For when a man lies, he murders some part of the world."
Review: Boorman's vision remains far superior to all other filmed versions of Arthurian legends to date. Adventurous, haunting, lyrical, humorous, as well as beautifully shot and engagingly acted, Excalibur is one of those rare cinematic gems for me where every scene is my favorite. Nicol Williamson's playful yet formidable Merlin doesn't utter a single unquotable line of dialogue. The audio is top-notch, and the video transfer is commendable although the print is occasionally grainy and some of the black shades are considerably lighter than the letterbox bars. The director's commentary abounds with charming anecdotes and curious tidbits, such as the little-known fact that the relationship between Williamson and Helen Mirren (Morgana) was adversarial off-screen as well as on. My only disappointment stems from the inexplicable fact that Excalibur has never been issued in the form of a deluxe special edition of some sort, which could treat the viewer to some of the deleted footage that Boorman alludes to in his commentary, or perhaps the complete screenplay as some special edition discs offer, or cast and crew interviews, or production drawings, or whatever. This film has long deserved to be recognized among the ranks of the Criterion Collection. Or maybe I'm just delusional.

Rating:
Summary: A Gem in the Rough
Review: This film is very loosely based on Malory's MORTE D'ARTHUR- more a modern reflection than an adaptation. Many plot elements were omitted or significantly changed. Basic themes are different, too, and parts (the Grail Quest) are more dependent on other sources than on Malory.

True to Malory or not, this is one of my favorite films. However, as director John Boorman admits, it was made on a shoe-string budget. It sometimes shows. There's a Hammer Film glitz to the court scenes and battles often feel claustrophobic- a dozen horsemen filmed tightly to suggest entire clashing armies. Still, with limited resources, Boorman created a credible, gritty yet lyrically atmospheric epic.told with masterful economy- efficiently establishing and developing themes, motivations, etc. He invented a generic Medieval setting in which pagan and late Medieval elements coexist- allowing details (types of armor, costumes) to be chosen for what they said about characters rather than historical accuracy. (Interesting note: Neil Jordan is credited as a "creative associate".)

There are few features on the DVD- no cast/crew interviews (difficult for a twenty-year-old low budget film) or biographies. However, there is a trailer (amusingly dated kitsch) and director's commentary.

Boorman's superb commentary describes the simple special effects used and almost doubles as a "Making of Excalibur" documentary. Highlights: The film was shot in several seasons near Boorman's home in Ireland. The winter bleakness is real as are the spring wildflowers. The battle horses were polo ponies. (They don't shy close up.) Boorman gossips about actors including his early work with Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne on this film. Arthur's mother, Ygraine, who appears in the troublingly graphic depiction of Arthur's conception, was played by Boorman's daughter. Curiously, what bothered her while filming the scene turns out to be very different from what audiences find disturbing.

Rating:
Summary: The best Arthurian film interpretation
Review: Of course, many would disagree and state that the older movies capture Malory's originaltext and vision. There are many Arthurian films, i.e. Knights of the Round Table, Sword of Lancelot, etc. But Boorman's is the finest. It makes the legend come alive with brilliant color, drama and music. It is graphic. There is nudity and blood. But such film should be appreciated and not seen by a more immature audience. The use of Wagner's music is perfect. It truly captures and enlivens the moments. Scene: Lancelot and Guinevere meet for a liasion in the forest. Wagner's Tristan and Isolde Prelude music plays. And the final scene: Three queens take Arthur on a barge. Wagne'rs music to the Ring opera plays. I suggest you get the soundtrack which is a rare thing to get a hold of. If you can't, get the following classical: Tristan and Isolde Prelude to Act 2, Siegfried's Funeral March - both by composer Richard Wagner. And Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana - O Fortuna " a work for chorus that is beyond belief, used in the film as music to accompany the battle scenes. Not only the music makes this film great. Great performances by the actors, in particular Nigel Terry and Mirren as Merlin and Morgana. Also check out Liam Neeson doing the role of one of the knights. This is the best interpretation of Malory on film. Great music, great drama, great performances.

Rating:
Summary: Don't miss this one !!!
Review: I love movies like this that shows the ages of knighthood.I think it was done as best as anyone could of hoped for. I have seen the VHS and DVD versions and own them both. If you like the classic tales of the past, You will love this one. I gave it 5 stars due to the way it makes you feel throughout the entire movie. THUMBS UP !!!!