re: Excalibur (1981)...Nostalgia vs. objectivity

The third or fourth film released by Orion pictures, it is sometimes called the "Boorman Family Project" as director John Boorman (known mainly at that point for Deliverance) employed all of his children as cast and crew for the film, Excalibur is still remembered for a significant number of highly regarded actors getting fairly early screen time - mainly stage actors making the transition.

Helen Mirren - still in her 30s ( ) - was practically the elder stateswoman, film wise, having been around since the late 60s. Nicol Williamson (Merlin) had been all over British film and television for almost 20 years, but had only recently been seen in Hollywood films and American television - sometimes called "The British Brando" - Williamson and Mirren famously hated each other. Boorman thought this would be great as they wouldn't have to pretend to intensely dislike each other ( ).

Others in the stellar cast - Byrne, Neeson, Stewart - all household names in the U.S. - were virtual unknowns to the American audience at the time.