Starring: Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay, Cherie Lunghi, Paul Geoffrey Directed By: John Boorman Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: HD DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen Number of Items: 1 Release Date: October 31, 2006 Running Time: 140 minutes Studio: Warner Home Video Theatrical Release Date: April 10, 1981
Amazon.com essential video: This lush retelling of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a dark and engrossing tale. Director John Boorman (Deliverance) masterfully handles the tale of the mythical sword Excalibur, and its passing from the wizard Merlin to the future king of England. Arthur pulls the famed sword from a stone and is destined to be crowned king. As the king embarks on a passionate love affair with Guenevere, an illegitimate son, and Merlin's designs on power, threaten Arthur's reign. The film is visually stunning and unflinching in its scenes of combat and black magic. Featuring an impressive supporting cast, including early work from the likes of Liam Neeson and Gabriel Byrne, Excalibur is an adaptation of the legend both faithful and bold. --Robert Lane
Description: Raised by merlin, young Arthur draws the mystical sword of Excalibur from the stone and becomes King. He grows to manhood and with his wife Guenevere and first knight Lancelot unites the country and founds the Knights of the Round Table. But the love between Lancelot and Guenevere, and the treachery of his sister Morgana and son Mordred cause King Arthur's pride to jeopardize the kingdom. An epic battle between the knights of good and evil decides the fate of Camelot,
AN EXQUISITE RETELLING OF L'MORTE D' ARTHUR ^ Boorman's masterful revamp of the arthurian legend is a lush visual, and audio treat that is every bit as stunning as when I first saw it on the big screen in the early 1980's. The cast is superb, and whether or not you're seduced by the idiosyncratic peculiarities of Nicol Williamson's memorable Merlin, Helen Mirren's calculating Morgana, or Nigel Terry's quietly, forceful Arthur or, indeed, simply want to hear one of the best cinematic meldings of Wagner's incredible music ever, you owe it to yourself to experience this hypnotically, beautiful film.
Not very good ^ 2 stars. Not for kids either. Quite a few butts bopping around. LOL
Great movie added to my collection ^ I purchased this movie along with the Mists of Avalon. They make a great combination. They tell the whole story well together of King Arthur.
Movie collector's calssic! ^ Okay, first and formost - if you are buying this movie, you are buying it because you seen it!
If you haven't seen and you are buying it because someone recommended it, then my review is going to tell you to buy! Period!
This movie is a classic! Period!
I was 6 years old the first time I seen it and I have been trying to find this movie for years, I am 34 years old now and I finally found it and purchased it right here on Amazon!
What are you waiting for, put in your order right now!
King Arthur and the Knights Of The Round Table ^ Excalibur (1981) is an epic fantasy action adventure movie about the legend of King Arthur and the Knights Of The Round Table in Camelot, attempts to recover the Holy Grail, and a magic sword called Excalibur. This movie came out in 1981 but still holds up well today. Directed by John Boorman, this movie makes the most of its limited budget. This movie obviously doesn't have any CGI effects, but the special effects are decent nonetheless. This movie is portrayed in a very "real" way - dirt and grime, blood, gore, etc. Being a sword and sorcery movie, there is a lot of violence and the battle scenes leave nothing in the bag. They are bloody and graphic, just like they should be. There is some nudity and some sex scenes as well. The acting is very good. Nigel Terry plays Arthur. Nicol Williamson plays Merlin. Helen Mirren plays the sorceress Morgana. Liam Neeson makes an appearance as Gawain. Nicholas Clay plays Lancelot. Cherie Lunghi plays Guenevere, and Paul Geoffrey plays Perceval.
This movie has a great epic fantasy atmosphere and imagery - magic, warfare, castles, fire, etc. The costumes for the characters are really well done. I especially like the armor the knights wear. Countless horses are used throughout the movie, mostly in battle scenes. Watching this movie again for the first time in many years made me appreciate the huge amount of effort that went into making this classic movie. Everything is REAL with a used look to it and presented in a very real way. The soundtrack is very good as well.
If you like epic fantasy adventure movies along the lines of Conan The Barbarian and Lord Of The Rings and are a fan of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, then you just might enjoy this movie. Highly recommended.
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