- Directed, Co-Written and Produced by John Boorman
- April 10, 1981 (US) / July 2, 1981 (London)
- Based loosely on the 15th century Arthurian romance Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory
The story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. There is just so much packed into this one film.
They do not make films like Excalibur anymore. Not only is this a work of art but it is a very masculine film. I’m not talking testosterone driven idiocy but rather driven by complex strong male characters and one very strong female character. Its individuals are indomitable while caught up in events that shape the world. It is a story of passion and power. It is an epic of how hubris and lesser desires can undo things built upon the noblest of intentions. There is the theme that humans cannot escape who and what they are. All with some fantastic acting and some of the best authentic looking costumes you’ll find in any fantasy movie.
There is some serious depth in this epic film. Excalibur touches about how those in charge are connected to their nation. As Arthur (Nigel Terry) goes so goes England. When he starts to falter so does England. Leaders are only as healthy as the land, and the land is only as healthy as they are. Their good stewardship is what insures prosperity. As much as this is about human weaknesses, it is also about the responsibility of leaders to their people.
Arthur has high ideals and struggles did adhere to them. He cares but the pursuit of his goals causes him to neglect his love Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi). He is blind to his failing marriage and indifferent to what his wife is going through. There are moments when flexibility to social customs rather than rigid adherence is called for and he misses that.
The story takes place at the end of the age of magic and the beginning of the age of man. Massive transitions from one era to the next and the inevitable difficult birthing pains that come with it. A stand in for changes of eras.
There is also the theme that others cannot fight your battles. You must face your issues alone. Maybe with help, but not have others handle them. Especially a king or a leader. When Guenevere’s honor is in question he hands the duty of standing up for her (though he should not) rather than stepping in himself.
The small touches, the clues that let the audience know without slapping them across the face, are what help make this movie. Boorman uses the hint of green light to indicate magic or the magical. Not bright or heavy but noticeable.
Nicol Williamson as Merlin is often a scene stealer. Williamson’s Merlin is a wily wizard who borders on being a con man yet despite being the template of the vague advisor he has the best intentions of the people in mind. He is mercurial and moves carefully with Morgana Le Fay.
Helen Mirren plays Morgana Le Fay. She not only witnesses the conception of Arthur (like that wouldn’t psychologically damage a child) but knows it wasn’t her dad who did it. No wonder she went evil. The actress playing her as a child was sweet yet unnerving. She was creepy even then!
Reportedly Williamson and Mirren had a beef with one another from something that occurred in a performance of Macbeth. Whatever it was, it certainly helped what they did here. Two pals would not have been the same. Neither likes the other, but one sees potential for greater power while the others sees a danger.
This is dialogue and character heavy. At nearly 2 1/2 hours that could make a slow and plodding film. John Borman makes the dialogue and the characters and the sets hypnotically engaging. You understand each and every character presented. Their motivations. Their feelings. Everyone is given a moment/time commensurate with the status of the narrative. And given the number of characters, big and small that show up here, that’s an impressive feat.
There are elements of brotherly love. Romantic love is featured as is lust. Dreams of a better tomorrow or golden future. It takes the human condition and human passions and filters it through fantasy into a form that gets past your biases and preconceived notions. It has so much to say.
This is not a fun and light movie. It treats things depressingly serious though not unrealistically seriously. The grand music and framing of the shots give it a dream I feel. It’s unusual and unsettling as if you’re watching something play out as you sleep. It’s real, but it’s not.
Whether you like it or not, this focuses on strong male characters. High in aspirations and often very flawed and complex. Sir Lancelot. Arthur himself. They battle with their doubt but are not hampered by them. They strive to achieve their ideals but fall shorter.
Excalibur is a classic. An absolute masterpiece of strong filmmaking. It is hypnotic and unlike any other fantasy film I’ve ever seen.
