First Knight
Although First Knight is missing elements that modern viewers have come to expect: Excalibur, Merlin, Morgan la Fay, and Mordred, think of this 1995 movie as a new slant on an old story. Of course the armor, the cinematography, the fight choreography (for the most part) and the swords are just fantastic and the chapel and the Celtic cross in the Roundtable room were brilliantly done. The mechanical gauntlet was a hoot (you need to see it to believe it). But most spectacular of all is the first view of Camelot.
Unfortunately, Malagant's castle is just too bleak (I mean, really! How many people are going to follow a leader who lives in a sewer?) And most of the costuming including the knights' "uniforms"although not authentic, did look good.
Academy Award nominations to Richard Gere as Lancelot for "You have to not care whether you live or die," and to Sean Connery as Arthur for "I feel it, my lovethe sunlightit's in your eyes."
David Appleton
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