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Excalibur (1981)...Nostalgia vs. objectivity
Posted on 1/18/17 at 1:48 pm
Posted on 1/18/17 at 1:48 pm
Excalibur is a re-telling of 'La Morte d'Arthur' directed by John Boorman (UK) Starring:
Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Nicolas Clay.
Also: Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson.
While I was 9 when the film was released, I didn't see it until age 12 or so only because it was one of the only three beta-max movies my best friend owned. (the other two being Weird Science and Emmanuel IV
) So the tape was in a constant state of replay it seems, and we loved it - especially the armor and weapons/ fight scenes, as they were much more bulky and menacing than any medieval battle gear we'd seen up to then- Add to this, we were HUGE Conan The Barbarian fans and D&D plalyers in Jr. High, losing many issues of Heavy Metal magazine to confiscating teachers.
I watched it last night for the first time in MANY years, worried that I would pick it to death and ruin my old love of it...but I was impressed to see how well it has held up over time, in spite of some poor stunt sequences here and there and the glaring but surprisingly few really POOR pre-CG special FX.
My point is, while recognizing it's faults I still consider it one of the best Sword and Sorcery movies ever, if not the best King Arthur movie...how much of this praise is based on personal bias/ nostalgia vs. what it earns on it's own merits, I have no clue. I can say that for it's time it was bold, brutal, dark, and dirty...and beautifully shot at the same time. (the green lights not-withstanding)
It's really hard for me to be objective here, so help me out.
PS: I see it has an 82% RT rating. Not bad...makes me feel much better.
Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Nicolas Clay.
Also: Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson.
While I was 9 when the film was released, I didn't see it until age 12 or so only because it was one of the only three beta-max movies my best friend owned. (the other two being Weird Science and Emmanuel IV
) So the tape was in a constant state of replay it seems, and we loved it - especially the armor and weapons/ fight scenes, as they were much more bulky and menacing than any medieval battle gear we'd seen up to then- Add to this, we were HUGE Conan The Barbarian fans and D&D plalyers in Jr. High, losing many issues of Heavy Metal magazine to confiscating teachers. I watched it last night for the first time in MANY years, worried that I would pick it to death and ruin my old love of it...but I was impressed to see how well it has held up over time, in spite of some poor stunt sequences here and there and the glaring but surprisingly few really POOR pre-CG special FX.
My point is, while recognizing it's faults I still consider it one of the best Sword and Sorcery movies ever, if not the best King Arthur movie...how much of this praise is based on personal bias/ nostalgia vs. what it earns on it's own merits, I have no clue. I can say that for it's time it was bold, brutal, dark, and dirty...and beautifully shot at the same time. (the green lights not-withstanding)
It's really hard for me to be objective here, so help me out.
PS: I see it has an 82% RT rating. Not bad...makes me feel much better.
13
Posted on 1/18/17 at 1:51 pm to 19
I took a medieval lit class in which we studied the Grail cycle stories, and Excalibur was the movie the prof chose for class. It was a relatively good representation of the mythology. I've watched it in recent years and still like it. Phenomenal cast.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 1:53 pm to 19
I thought it was pretty good.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 1:59 pm to PowerTool
I'd love to see what all ended up cut from the whole grail quest...it almost could have been done as a sequel given all the Grail Knight stories out there.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:04 pm to 19
We watched it in 9th grade, loved it then and love it now. Even the bad dubbing adds to the eerie quality of it.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:08 pm to 19
I remember liking a Knight movie from my childhood and always thought it was this one, but I think from a quick Google search its Hearts and Armour. Anyone seen that?
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:08 pm to 19
I've watched it at least twenty times. It's worth a watch just for the supporting cast who went on to be major stars. I just recently realized that Ciarán Hinds was in it.
It holds up 100% for me.
The scene with Arthur kneeling while he's in battle with Sir Uryans and giving him Excalibur so that Uryans can knight Arthur... still give me chills.
That and, "Any man who would be a knight and follow a king, follow me."
It holds up 100% for me.
The scene with Arthur kneeling while he's in battle with Sir Uryans and giving him Excalibur so that Uryans can knight Arthur... still give me chills.
That and, "Any man who would be a knight and follow a king, follow me."
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:08 pm to 19
You're not too much older than I am. This was definitely a staple of my childhood. I revisited it not too long ago, and although it seems somewhat disjointed at times, I agree that it's held up pretty well.
You should revisit Emmanuel IV.
You should revisit Emmanuel IV.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:10 pm to 19
Excalibur is a movie that I really enjoy because it is unapologetic fantasy, and there were few movies like that at the time.
These days fantasy is in style. Back then, it was a real risk. You had to assume that the audience was going to "get it." Excalibur is a bold movie for that reason.
Objectively, this is a three out of four stars movie. It is solid. It holds up well over time. In my opinion, this is the best King Arthur movie because it focuses on the chivalric ideal of Arthur and the magic of Merlin as opposed to the "gritty, realistic" attempts of later Arthur movies.
Where the movie suffers: the story is disjointed and time rushes by. Its timeline is huge for a movie of its length. You don't really get a sense that scene A influences scene B very much in this movie, and it makes you wonder about the motivations of some characters, and how they feel what they feel for each other. The script doesn't do a great job of building relationships between characters.
Where the movie soars: The embrace of ideals. The gutsy way in which Merlin is weirdly portrayed. Helen Mirren is a fantastic villain. Even the dude who plays Mordred is a real bastard. You HATE that guy. There is sincerity in the acting and the directing. There are touching moments in this movie, like the scene where King Arthur retrieves Excalibur from Guinevere at the Abbey, or when Percival tells Uriens how he almost had the Grail.
If you think this movie is great, you're not alone. It deserves to be remembered and watched. I sincerely wish another King Arthur movie gets made in this vein. I want magic spells, and Grail quests, and watery tarts distributing swords. You can tell that the people who made this movie really loved doing it.
These days fantasy is in style. Back then, it was a real risk. You had to assume that the audience was going to "get it." Excalibur is a bold movie for that reason.
Objectively, this is a three out of four stars movie. It is solid. It holds up well over time. In my opinion, this is the best King Arthur movie because it focuses on the chivalric ideal of Arthur and the magic of Merlin as opposed to the "gritty, realistic" attempts of later Arthur movies.
Where the movie suffers: the story is disjointed and time rushes by. Its timeline is huge for a movie of its length. You don't really get a sense that scene A influences scene B very much in this movie, and it makes you wonder about the motivations of some characters, and how they feel what they feel for each other. The script doesn't do a great job of building relationships between characters.
Where the movie soars: The embrace of ideals. The gutsy way in which Merlin is weirdly portrayed. Helen Mirren is a fantastic villain. Even the dude who plays Mordred is a real bastard. You HATE that guy. There is sincerity in the acting and the directing. There are touching moments in this movie, like the scene where King Arthur retrieves Excalibur from Guinevere at the Abbey, or when Percival tells Uriens how he almost had the Grail.
If you think this movie is great, you're not alone. It deserves to be remembered and watched. I sincerely wish another King Arthur movie gets made in this vein. I want magic spells, and Grail quests, and watery tarts distributing swords. You can tell that the people who made this movie really loved doing it.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:14 pm to 19
I remember liking it as a kid. Caught it a while back and thought it has held up well.
One thing that struck me on rewatch is how long Liam Neeson has been doing movies.
*oopsy. Neeson
One thing that struck me on rewatch is how long Liam Neeson has been doing movies.
*oopsy. Neeson
This post was edited on 1/18/17 at 2:25 pm
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:16 pm to Backinthe615
quote:
how long Liam Nesson has been doing movies.
Yes! I revisited another favorite from my childhood not too long ago, and there he was in this.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:23 pm to Mo Jeaux
Creepy fact, the chick who Uther rapes at the beginning (Arthur's mother)is the director's daughter
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:28 pm to Mo Jeaux
Holy shite...I forgot all about Krull! (flea market throwing stars, anyone?)
I didn't know Neeson was in that one...I do remember him in The Bounty.
Nice post uo there, btw
Glad to see I'm not alone in loving this flick.
How awkward must it have been for Byrne, doing the full-armor rough-sex scene with Boorman's daughter?
Think John needed them to do multiple takes?
ETA: ya beat me, but yeah I didn't know that until today. I knew young Mordred was his son, but not Igraine.
I didn't know Neeson was in that one...I do remember him in The Bounty.
Nice post uo there, btw
Glad to see I'm not alone in loving this flick.
How awkward must it have been for Byrne, doing the full-armor rough-sex scene with Boorman's daughter?
Think John needed them to do multiple takes?
ETA: ya beat me, but yeah I didn't know that until today. I knew young Mordred was his son, but not Igraine.
This post was edited on 1/18/17 at 2:31 pm
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:31 pm to 19
Great movie from my childhood. Rubbed a few out to Helen Mirren and her fantastic rack.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:33 pm to SpqrTiger
Nice...we are definitely on the same page.
Well, I guess I can release the inner nerd and admit my friends and I would start chanting the charm of making during class...religion class.
Well, I guess I can release the inner nerd and admit my friends and I would start chanting the charm of making during class...religion class.
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:36 pm to 19
I listened to the commentary. I think it was controversial at the time and I think the director came across as creepy when talking about it. "Why wouldn't I want my daughter to be in this scene?"
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:44 pm to 19
One of my all time favorite movies.
green is metaphor for magic, which is why the film was washing in green lighting
quote:
the green lights not-withstanding
green is metaphor for magic, which is why the film was washing in green lighting
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:47 pm to athenslife101
Dragonslayer as well. That SOB dragon still holds up today.
Story is very good.
Excalibur has a little too much Wagner/Orff. Need to layoff the "Carmina Burana".
Best Cast Ever. Feel bad for Nicol Williamson(Merlin).
Next time I saw him was in 1997's SPAWN as Cogliostro. He did not deserve that!
Story is very good.
Excalibur has a little too much Wagner/Orff. Need to layoff the "Carmina Burana".
Best Cast Ever. Feel bad for Nicol Williamson(Merlin).
Next time I saw him was in 1997's SPAWN as Cogliostro. He did not deserve that!
Posted on 1/18/17 at 2:53 pm to Midget Death Squad
quote:
green lights
Yeah I put that in parentheses cuz it was one of the early "criticisms" back in the day. It may have been used alot, but there was a shitload of magic going on, especially early...and it looks fricking cool, too.
...But Spielberg is a genius for the little red dress.
ETA:
quote:
Williamson
"Do nothing. Be still.
Duh-reeeeeeeeeem"
His delivery is just priceless.
This post was edited on 1/18/17 at 2:56 pm
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