Excalibur (1981)

Director:

John Boorman

Writers:

Thomas Malory (book)
Rospo Pallenberg (adaptation)

Release Date:

10 April 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

No mortal could possess it! No kingdom could command it!

Plot:

A spirited accounting of one of the most obscure periods of the world's history. This reprisal is magical in its execution and gives its audience something to watch.

Plot Keywords:

Knight | Excalibur | Evil | King | Sword

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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

Also Known As:

The Knights (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

140 min | USA:119 min (edited version)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Iceland:12 | Sweden:15 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 (cable rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:15 | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 | USA:PG (cut) | USA:R | West Germany:12 (f)

Filming Locations:

County Kerry, Ireland

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The Charm of Making spoken by Merlin & Morgana is an attempt at Old Irish that translates to: "Serpent's breath, charm of death and life, thy omen of making." The phonetic rendering, as spoken in the movie, is: /ana:l nathrakh, u:rth va:s bethud, dokhje:l djenve:/. In Irish, the phrase is: 'An?il nathrach, ortha bh?is bheatha, do thuar dhéanamh', which is pronounced similarly but not exactly as in the movie.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Perceval is about to defend the queen in combat, he and Sir Gawain are shown bearing shields with the same device. As heraldic devices were supposed to be unique to an individual, this should not be possible. Further, the device shown is that later attributed to Sir Lancelot, therefore Sir Gawain would never use such a shield.

Quotes:

Uther: Merlin! You come when you're not asked... and pay no heed when I call you!
Merlin: Oh, I have slept... for nine moons. What I did for you wasn't easy. Now you must pay me... the child is mine, Uther... you swore an oath.
Uther: They were hasty words, Merlin. This is flesh and blood!
Igrayne: Uther, is this true? Don't let him take the child!
Uther: I swore an oath, Igrayne. I made a pact with Merlin.
Igrayne: It was you, you came to me that night!
[shouts]
Igrayne: You are the father!
Merlin: It's not for you, Uther... hearth and home, wife and child.
Uther: To kill and be King... is that all?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Throg (2004)

Soundtrack:

O Fortuna

No Richard Gere, guaranteed

This is by far the best Arthurian film offering - sure, sure it gets a bit loopy with the Quest for the Grail, but I'm pretty sure such a Quest would involve some loopiness. The acting is v. good given the material, the atmosphere is strong and the use of Wagner is, at times, inspired. Oh, and there's no Richard Gere looking purty...