Excalibur

Genre: medieval legend  

With: Nigel Terry (King Arthur), Nicol Williamson (Merlin), Helen Mirren (Morgana), Nicholas Clay (Lancelot), Cherie Lunghi (Guenevere), Paul Geoffrey (Perceval), Gabriel Byrne (Uther Pendragon), Keith Buckley (Uryens), Katrine Boorman (Igrayne), Robert Addie (Mordred), Liam Neeson (Gawain), Corin Redgrave (Cornwall), Niall O'Brien (Kay), Patrick Stewart (Leondegrance)

Director: John Boorman

Screenplay: Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman (based on the book by Thomas Malory, adapted by Rospo Pallenberg)

Release: 1981

Studio: Cinema '84, Orion Pictures thru Warner Bros.

Rating: PG

MBiS score: 8.8/10 

 

‟God, send us a true king. We are unworthy... but the land bleeds, the people suffer.” 

 

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Story-line: in a rudderless, divided Britain of centuries past, two warriors, Uther and Cornwall, battle each other to rule the land. Desperate for victory, Uther retrieves Excalibur – the Sword of Power – with the help of sorcerer Merlin and brandishes it before Cornwall who acknowledges defeat and Uther’s kingship. Peace, however, will last mere hours as the new king falls hopelessly for Igrayne, Cornwall’s wife, during a feast offered to celebrate their truce. Thus begins, with a flurry of violence and lust, the legend of Arthur, Guenevere, Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table.

Pluses: impassioned acting by Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson (a formidable, enigmatic Merlin), Helen Mirren (the poisonous Morgana) and a strong cast, efficient, highly impressive direction that balances storytelling wizardry and cinematic artistry, a powerful and profound screenplay highlighted by quasi-mystic dialogues reminiscent of Shakespeare, magnificent and at times dreamlike cinematography, commendable editing, grandiose production values (sets, exteriors, costumes) that splendidly recreate the sights and sounds of olden times and an excellent musical score that heightens every mood and event (Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana is especially topical here).

Minuses: a warning is in order: a couple of scenes are gruesome and even barbaric.

Comments: you may have noticed that, as a movie fan, I am not particularly attracted to fantasies and mythical tales (I have only seen one STAR WARS episode and none from the LORD OF THE RINGS series) but I was very keen on seeing EXCALIBUR, a time-tested retelling of the old British legend. And guess what? It didn’t disappoint me one bit. Truth be told, this is an overwhelming piece of cinema, a thrilling, spooky, spectacular show! Tragedy, mayhem, love, treachery, sorcery, the eternal struggle between good and evil… and, for anglophiles out there, poetry in motion. ‟What does it mean to be king?” asks Arthur. ‟You will be the land, and the land will be you”, answers Merlin. ‟If you fail, the land will perish. As you thrive, the land will blossom.” 

 

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