November 4: Excalibur

Excalibur

John Boorman’s medieval masterpiece Excalibur captures the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table in epic emerald hues and rolling landscapes blanketed in mysterious fog. When a young Arthur (Nigel Terry) pulls the mystical sword from the stone, he becomes king, and with the help of the wizard Merlin (Nicol Williamson), marries the beautiful and somewhat mercurial Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi), fulfilling his heart’s desire. Despite the prosperity his kingdom enjoys, the unrequited love between Guenevere and his best knight Lancelot (Nicholas Clay), creates a jealous fracture within Camelot that spreads to a crippling, melancholy pall over the land. Only the holy grail can restore peace and prosperity to the kingdom that once held so much promise. The ensemble performances create a Shakespearean feel to Boorman’s vision, and Helen Mirren is an enchantress as the power-hungry Morgana. Alex Thomson’s stunning visuals received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography. “Behold! Excalibur! Forged when the world was young, and death was but a dream!”

“Exquisite, a near-perfect blend of action, romance, fantasy and philosophy, finely acted and beautifully filmed by director John Boorman and cinematographer Alex Thomson.” – Variety

“Give Boorman credit for the loopy grandeur of his imagery and imaginings, for the sweet smell of excess, for his heroic gamble that a movie can dare to trip over its pretensions – and still fly.” – Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine

Garret Mathany discusses Excalibur on the New Beverly blog.