Excalibur (1981)
Shot entirely in the shimmering green of Ireland, Excalibur
is a film of surpassing passion and visual splendor. Producer/director
John Boorman went back to Le Morte d'Arthur for inspiration,
and while some truncation of Malory's work was required, the
resultant film succeeds in being not only adventurous and sensual
but also literate and deep. Excalibur also focuses on
an interesting angle of the legend-the twilight of the pagan
world as Christianity spread throughout Britain.
Excalibur also broke the anachronistic tradition of using
medieval sets and costumes to depict this Dark Ages myth. Instead,
Boorman opted for a unique and original design style. True, it
is not necessarily historic, but it is dreamlike and utterly
captivating.
The battle scenes are visceral and gruesomely realistic (setting
the trend for later efforts, such as Henry V and Braveheart).
An all-British cast of Shakespearean actors (among them Nicol
Williamson, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, and a young newcomer
named Liam Neeson) bring these mythical characters to believable,
full-blooded life. Finally, a captivating soundtrack of Wagner,
and original music by Trevor Jones (Last of the Mohicans),
help the film to surge with passion and mysticism.
Alas, Boorman's three-hour director's cut has never been seen,
but even at 140 minutes, Excalibur is arguably the finest
Arthurian film ever made.
Paul Andrew MacLean
© 2003
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