In what was a change of pace in his career, British director John Boorman (“Deliverance”) tackles the mythic fable of King Arthur (played by Nigel Terry) from his childhood through the establishment of the Round Table to its end.
Grade: B
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Theatrical release poster by Bob Peak
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It outlines the iconic king’s life starting all the way back to his early days as an underdog peasant.
Helen Mirren plays the sensual enchantress Morgana le Fay, a role that proved her ability to pull off a fantastic villain.
Nicol Williamson plays Merlin, Cherie Lunghi is Guinevere, and Nicholas Clay is Lancelot.
Boorman shows great eye in the casting of all the roles. The superlative ensemble also Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, all cast in small roles, all thespians that would become major players in the upcoming decades.
Boorman cast Williamson and Mirren opposite each other as Merlin and Morgana, knowing that the two were not on friendly terms due to personal issues during a production of Macbeth seven years earlier.
Even though he was 35 years old, Nigel Terry plays King Arthur from his teenage years to his ending as an aged monarch.
Several members of the Boorman family appear: his daughter Katrine played Igraine, Arthur’s mother, and his son Charley portrayed Mordred as a boy. The number of Boormans involved in the film prompted some journalists to label the movie as “The Boorman Family Project.”
Made on a budget $11 million, Excaliber was moderately popular at the box office, earning $35 million.
Recycling/Of Similar Interest
The subject had been treated before in several films, including MGM’s lavish production, Knights of the Round Table.
My Oscar Book (11th edition)
Oscar Nominations: 1
Cinematography: Alex Thompson
Oscar Awards: None
Oscar Context
The winner of Best Cinematography was Vittorio Storaro for Warren Beatty’s epic, “Reds.”
The other nominees were Miroslav Ondrick for “Ragtime,” Douglas Slocombe for “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and Billy Williams for “On Golden Pond.”
Credits:
Produced, directed by John Boorman
Written by Rospo Pallenberg, Boorman, based on Le Morte d’Arthur by Thomas Malory
Cinematography Alex Thomson
Edited by John Merritt; Donn Cambern (uncredited)
Music by Trevor Jones
Production companies: Orion Pictures; Cinema ‘84
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date: April 10, 1981
Running time: 141 minutes
Budget $11 million
Box office $35 million
