Excaliber - 1981

Orion Pictures, Warner Brothers

Directed by John Boorman

Cast:

• King Arthur – Nigel Terry
• Morgana – Helen Mirren
• Sir Lancelot - Nicholas Clay
• Guinevere – Cherie Lunghi
• Perceval – Paul Geoffrey
• Merlin – Nicol Williamson
• Mordred – Robert Addie
• Uthur Pendragon – Gabriel Byrne
• Gawain – Liam Neeson
• Leondegrance – Patrick Stewart
• Igrayne – Katerine Boorman

Story: Based on the Le Morte D'Arthur, this film combines the romance of the era of knights in armor with the sword and sorcery of the Arthurian legend. Uthur Pendragon has united the nation of England, yet he lusts after Igrayne, the beautiful wife of his former rival. He breaks the truce and has Merlin cast a spell to hide his true identity for one night of passion with Igrayne. But the price of that night is the son who issues from it. The child is Arthur, and Merlin has him raised by a nobleman who raises him with humility and honor. It is Arthur who pulls Excaliber from the stone where Uthur plunged it years before. The young Arthur is now king, and must unite the kingdom once again before he can build his Camelot and wed his beloved Guinevere. Battles are fought, Lancelot engaged as his champion, and the kingdom is prosperous until the failings of the human condition overwhelm them all.

Review: If you enjoy films that reveal the beginnings of famous actors, look no further that Excaliber. The young Helen Mirren shines as the evil half sister of Arthur, Morgana. Liam Neeson shows all the passion and power of later roles as Gawain. Both Gabriel Byrne and Patrick Stewart command a presence in the film that make this a seminal start for both. Nigel Terry and Nicol Williamson are excellent as Arthur and Merlin, although somewhat melodramatic and larger than life, but then again those are the roles they were meant to play. The scenery is beautiful and the photography flawless. What really sets Excaliber apart from others before it are the fight scenes. Knights in armor are slow moving men in heavy metal skins lifting heavy metal objects in an attempt to hit the other fellow before they are themselves hit. There are no swashbuckling moves, no feints or finesse to the battles. These are bloody, brutal fights that ring true in the mind of the audience. Nudity and violence are two reasons for the little ones not to watch, but teens in high school and above should enjoy the film without a lot of smirking and giggling.