King Arthur | Welcome To The Basement

[@Mechahendrix]

"It's important to his character, it's not important to us" is my favorite WTTB meme

[@LissaLo13]

A future month theme idea: McGuffin Madness. Craig makes a list of movies that feature a McGuffin object/character/whatever. Matt can still choose one as a practice “test” and then Craig chooses one as a final exam. In my mind this is one of the blessed three episode months so that Matt can have two shots at it before Craig’s choice comes into play.

[@rpgcasey1923]

March McGuffin Madness?

[@TheFleahost]

Yes!!

[@oaf-77]

And for every right answer he gets a muffin

[@oscardolan5792]

Love the theme of matt not knowing what a mcguffin is, adds an element of humanity which the show certainly has no shortage of but that is very welcome nonetheless

[@jensibowable]

Yes please

[@annaheff7332]

If you ever make WTTB merch, I want a mug or something that says “it’s important to his character, it’s not important to us”

[@nathanplacer4176]

I can't agree more!

[@JDexia]

I want a line drawing of Matt, arms aloft, shouting "Take a look at THESE hands!"

[@DavidSweetPrime]

The meet-cute exchange is the greatest moment in basement history

[@dylansporrer1198]

The first time "It's important to his character. It's not important to us" was said I was cackling. By the third time I was thinking "This joke is wearing thin" then it kept happening and wrapped back around to hilarious.

[@AnthonyValli]

I hope Matt edits that clip into future episodes when applicable.

[@N0Sbackfire]

I think we need a "It's important to his character, it's not important to us." printed on a shirt.

[@barrybadranath]

Probably the funniest episode of WTTB to date. The youll never be James Bond line got me.

[@hermes_job_observer144]

@13:40: unintentionally good acting, lol! 🤣😂😭😢 👑"They can't desert ~Arthur~." 😢

[@ScottKorin]

It's important to his character; it's not important to us. 😂

[@MrBearpierro]

After hearing Matt do the voice of Keira Knightley I've come to realize she is the vocal polar-opposite of Gregory Peck. Great episode fellas.

[@Montag451]

Arthur: *exists* Craig: It's important to his character but not important to us.

[@katolujancamacho6154]

This is incredible. This is one of those movies that I had such a strange, vague memory of for so many years and could not identify. All I could remember was the green lit dark cave-like scene of everybody inside the temple! Thank you welcome to the basement for once again reminding me of a movie, even if it wasn't one necessarily worth remembering

[@JTMitchell87]

I'm not the only one? For me, it was the scene on the ice. Man. I totally forgot this movie even existed.

[@mitchell2491]

I love this joke from the Hitchcock/Truffaut interview: It might be a Scottish name, taken from a story about two men in a train. One man says, 'What's that package up there in the baggage rack?' And the other answers, 'Oh that's a McGuffin.' The first one asks 'What's a McGuffin?' 'Well' the other man says, 'It's an apparatus for trapping lions in the Scottish Highlands.' The first man says, 'But there are no lions in the Scottish Highlands,' and the other one answers 'Well, then that's no McGuffin!' So you see, a McGuffin is nothing at all.

[@peanutbutteroven2660]

I was hoping for another "Matt and Craig watch a bad modern movie" episode and I got my wish! Also, it's important to his character, it's not important to us.

[@fugithegreat]

The only impression this movie made on me when I watched it back in the day: why does Guinevere not get any decent armor? Her entire midriff is completely exposed, good luck making it out of that battle alive. I guess she'd make a sexy corpse with all those strategically placed leather straps.

[@bloodwrage]

It’s part of the pagan magic that helps a 90 pound woman flip a fully grown man head-over-heels with basically no effort

[@paintedjaguar]

Hey, NOBODY in this movie gets any decent armor. At least her outfit is stylin'.

[@captainnutella67]

I'm just excited that Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen were in a movie together before the Hannibal series

[@jamesgumm2281]

Love you guys so very much!

[@hermes_job_observer144]

@24:27: Craig, did you say, "Djinn, Djinn"? That was my cat's name. (i named her after the dog owned by the King of Djinns in "I Dream of Jeanie". i always loved those episodes where Jeanie had to watch him!). If that's what you said, i've never heard that cheer, but i am rather uncultured, so... Oh, and they should have let you use those wet dollar bills to paper mache the models, lol!

[@versebuchanan512]

The "We will go home" song is legitimately beautiful.

[@drskelebone]

Gwen doesn't get any dang armor? "Hey, we're all going to to wear mail, but we think you'd look best in BLUE." WTF?

[@pianoface]

Craig gets into one music video and thinks he's an expert 😂

[@calebtennison9353]

Notification Squad 🤙🏻 /grabs “Basement Popcorn”🍿

[@Fryinberg]

"It's important to his character, it's not important to us". 🤣

[@seanhenry2921]

Those deeds of freedom? Deeds, not words.

[@EnormousKingCrab]

I love this show.

[@thejackal007]

" It's important to his character; it's not important to us" is now my second favorite WTTB repeating bit. Will either Matt or Craig be able to remember my favorite?

[@corbelius6]

I Love this Movie and like this more than all of the other King Arthur movies.

[@corbelius6]

It's a Great drinking and partying as you folks drink as it's going on.

[@hermes_job_observer144]

@23:15: Matt trying to understand the meaning of the "Mcguffin" is ironically becoming a Mcguffin in itself, i think, lol! 🤣

[@Swishy_Blue]

Thanks for a real video on April the First.

[@TitaniumSeraph]

That was very nice of you to get that cola for Craig. BUT! I got really excited for a sec to see Craig with a crown on his regal mane. You guys were super giddy this episode. Haha Definitely one of my favorites now.

[@kintreveis1019]

This one was hilarious great work

[@pattygee7267]

I'm so glad this isn't an April Fool's Joke!

[@GreatWightSpark]

Tristan in this is one of my favourite characters. Mads and Viggo both make great shaggy-haired, horseriding warriors - A shame Jaime Lannister was such a prick, or they and Nikolai could be a Danish trio worthy of a tapestry!

[@CcreapLuvBeats]

Much love guys!

[@RobertWF42]

You guys missed the best line in the movie: Lancelot: "You look frightened. There's a large number of lonely men out there." Guinevere: "Don't worry. I won't let them rape you."

[@myfaceisblue]

To give the movie a little bit credit, the whole "freedom" yammering that Arthur does the whole movie is not pulled out of nothing, though the filmmakers don't quite grasp the kind of freedom they should be talking about. Arthur's supposed to be basing his ideals on Pelagius, who was a real person. Pelagianism was a controversial heterodox position in the 5th century, which posited that original sin did not corrupt humanity. Through free will, human beings can live perfectly virtuous lives free of the original sin that the Catholic orthodoxy, largely helmed by St. Augustine, would preach. So Arthur in the movie is a Christian heretic, whose role model has been condemned from religious life (and to tie things into Britain a little bit, there's a lot of claims of the popularity of heretical christian beliefs in Britain by the Venerable Bede, a 8th century historian, though he had his own axe to grind). It's honestly crazy that they tried to put 5th century theological disputes in their king arthur action movie, I suspect it's because the word "freedom" probably read well to mid 2000s American audiences. With some more thoughtful choices and more engaging actors, this movie could actually be really cool imo. Sincerely, A classics grad student who adores this show and has been watching since season 1!

[@craigjohnson6423]

Like almost everything in this movie, it could have worked, but they didn't know how to clearly lay out who Palagius was, how Arthur found and applied the philosophy, and how it would effect his reign.

[@myfaceisblue]

@@craigjohnson6423 I believe the Director's Cut does have some scenes of child Arthur talking to Pelagius and establishing the philosophy a bit more, shame that got cut from the theatrical release. Definitely needed a tie-in for kingship other than Merlin's sorta random "you're a Pict because of your mom, so you should be king now"

[@biper4HD]

I love this movie!!!

[@dylansporrer1198]

From here on out, anytime I'm late I will use "An armature rap video was being filmed in the... swimming area" as my excuse.

[@cfraute]

There's a potentially interesting version of the Cinema Inversion Tank where rather than watching one movie you watch several movies that are all takes on one story like King Arthur

[@RubesGoodBrainCoffee]

I'm impressed: Matt has King Crimson in his record collection! And it's no less than Starless and Bible Black, too!

[@Fryinberg]

I also believe Clive Owen should have been the next James Bond. He brings a sort of George Lazenby vibe. I think he could have pulled it off.

[@maria244]

I really hope we get to see 13 going on 30 in the basement now!!

[@BasicDrumming]

Great video.

[@2.0wen]

I saw this new video and I just had to comment, You guys should watch The Descent 2 especially since my birthday is this Sunday, April 3rd. Maybe you guys watching that could be a birthday present ;)

[@Agent57000DM]

My mom loves this movie for some reason. She bought the Director's Cut.

[@MWTravesty]

The artifacts from Temple of Doom that Indy steals and returns to the village are MacGuffins. They have no real value and serve no real purpose, and what they are doesn't even matter, they could be literally anything and it wouldn't change the movie. The only thing that matters about them is that they are the driving force of the plot.

[@TroubleToby3040]

So... They matter to Indy's character? They don't matter to us?

[@QuestForPerfectSound]

Seen it: Gun Shy? I remember it like a fever dream. It's Liam Neeson movie where he plays super constipated undercover cop, meets a nurse who's giving him enemas and they fall in love.

[@orf32]

I’m glad Matt also liked Don’t Look Up. Almost everyone decided if they liked it or not before they even seen it. Because of you know, idiots. That’s why I HAD to watch it. Laughed my ass off and even shed a tear at the end.

[@hadassah179]

That blue lighting scene was very Meatloaf.

[@ChekhovsGun]

Oh my god Craig, thank you for teaching the world what mcguffin really means!!

[@DavidHohShow]

Mads Mikkelsen turning up in this reminds me of another swordplay adventure movie he surprised me to appear in: Paul W.S. Anderson's The Three Musketeers (2011), which Ray Stevenson is also in! If you've never seen it, it might be a good candidate for watching a remake of a movie already featured in the basement (or rather, a retelling of the same story.) It's very whacky, with some exquisitely over-the-top action set pieces I didn't see coming. Mads plays Rochefort and Christoph Waltz is Cardinal Richelieu.

[@JeremyPhillips1981]

The first time I ever fell asleep in the cinema was during this movie.

[@Ninzumecha]

I think From Beyond and Phantasm would make good episodes

[@Icedsobaka]

I have a recommendation for Seen It, The 2002 Gaspar Noe movie Irreversible, I would love to see you guys thoughts on that

[@avatarkc]

This movie was another victim of my post-Lord of the Rings need for fantasy. I think we rented it five or six times before buying the dvd.

[@TroubleToby3040]

Serious question... Have you seen Excalibur? One of my all-time faves, and much more of a "fantasy" film of King Arthur. I love it.

[@paulmitchum8658]

Thanks. Now I'm required to listen to all 12 minutes of 'Fracture.' Clive Owen, of course, went on to be the anti-Bond in 'Children of Men' and 'The International.' Seen 'em?

[@Misadventures_85]

Children of Men is in the "Seen It?" of Bollywood (second season episode)

[@Goldenspiderducck]

Those Saxons would’ve kicked a whole lot more ass had they been John Saxons. You know it’s true.

[@DaddyGamerReviews]

Would love to hear your thoughts on Perfect Blue, picked it up blindly not long ago and it quickly became one of my favorite psychological thrillers! I uses animation and editing to really push what can be done with storytelling in film and in the end you end up experiencing the protagonists mindset as the movie progresses.

[@dylansporrer1198]

@Daddy Gamer They mention it during Seen It in the "Memories" episode. Along with a few other anime films.

[@DaddyGamerReviews]

@@dylansporrer1198 ah ok cool. I don't always remember their seen it segments

[@mrtveenstra]

I keep waiting for your review of "Drive my Car".

[@Asle_Kaspersen]

Is that king crimson album or am i. Mad

[@grfgtbhh34]

Was the movie original,y 4:3 or is that just the DVD?

[@siv9939]

In season 2 episode 10 of the 80's G.I. Joe cartoon there is a McGuffen called the McGuffen Device. Maybe watching it will help out Matt. I found it on KZbin.

[@smacksalad]

Pan and scan version, from 2004?! We were such primitives!

[@GingerMandrill]

Tears of the Sun and King Arthur were perhaps Antoine Fuqua practicing for his eventual Magnificent Seven remake. Except he never really got any better at it. Fuqua's films are consistently just ...... fine, nothing more or less.

[@TroubleToby3040]

Other than Training Day, I agree with this.

[@GingerMandrill]

@@TroubleToby3040 Never was all that impressed with TD either but fair enough, definitely his best. Peaked early!

[@TheMaestroso]

Saw this in theaters back in the day, and holy shit did I not retain ANY information about it besides Clive Owen

[@harryo82]

I've seen this movie and now I watched this video. And I still can't remember anything about this movie.

[@blahlbinoa]

I saw this in the theaters when it came out. I enjoyed it, but it could of done with a few minutes shaved off, lol

[@Rapamaru]

Can you please watch "Time of the gypsies"?

[@BrentLonkey]

is Matt's struggle to understand mcguffins also a mcguffin?

[@trisblackshaw1640]

Only for Matt.

[@gorillazfan85]

I love the inclusion of the King Crimson album though aesthetically I would have chosen their album "Lizard". Oddly enough though, the album Starless and Bible Black does not include the title track, the song Starless is on their next album Red.

[@paintedjaguar]

12:45 Don't make fun of the scarf. It's about the only accurate bit of costuming in this whole wretched movie.

[@Dawidsu]

Craig is talking about The 39 Steps and there's a band-aid on his finger. That is suspicious...

[@hellfire45]

We must know! The Batman! Seen it?!?!?!

[@ShonkyAdonis]

It turns out I'd seen this movie and completely forgot the whole thing.

[@dawidmamczur]

Maybe the whole concept of the MacGuffin is the MacGuffin of real life?

[@nealwhaley63]

I thought for sure a Burger King crown would be the gift……but RC is good, too.

[@DeniseFaraday]

Hey Matt and Greg, I would've suggested that you view Guy Ritchie's King Arthur Legend Of The Sword as a WOTB episode, but you would curse me out while reading this, so have you at least 'Seen It'?

[@scottjacoby2594]

I would argue here that The McGuffin is in fact a McGuffin for WTTB.

[@Gillsing]

I thought the thumbnail looked kind of cool, so maybe it'd be a movie I'd like to watch, so maybe I shouldn't spoil it by watching this episode. But then I watched it anyway, and recognised the scene on the ice, with the axe. So I probably already saw this movie and forgot all about it. But perhaps this was the first time I encountered the idea that King Arthur was actually an officer in the Roman legion? Because that idea got lodged in my head as some kind of pseudo-truth.

[@hayhay6634]

It's important to his character, it's not important to us.

[@tarransanders21]

You really got a lot of mileage out of that 'it's important to his character, it's not important to us' line, did you?

[@craigjohnson6423]

So it seems the line was important to my character, but not yours.

[@tarransanders21]

@@craigjohnson6423 Thanks Craig. I will use it to make my character more important.

[@danethanor]

I think Ross Perot liked RC and MoonPies.

[@hadassah179]

the eye liner is the same reason why the egyptians did it for eye protection from the sun,

[@bad-people6510]

Ah but Daniel Craig has been to Camelot in 1995's _A Kid in King Arthur's Court!_

[@DarthBleak]

I like the alternate version better

[@hypetelevision]

I may tenancy this…. Fresh out

[@annaheff7332]

I’m surprised Matt mistook Keira Knightly for Jennifer Garner, for me it’s always Natalie Portman and Keira Knightly who I can’t tell apart!

[@jordanhunter366]

all skinny white women look the same to me too

[@PixieLovesItAll]

@@jordanhunter366 Mood. Especially from media from 1995-2005, when the beauty standards to get internationally famous were so ridiculously strict.

[@kefka989]

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Movie. Scene it?

[@michaelsinclair2662]

algo

[@tahnadana5435]

why king arthur? why not children of man?

[@JimandPamfan]

It's TV but seen it... Our flag means Death? Taika Waititi has done it again. I watched the What we do in the Shadows series on your recommendation and it was my favorite show of 2021. OFMD captures the same spirit and humor 10/10 would recommend

[@rebelsatcloudnine]

Seen it? Tuskegee Airmen and or Red Tails? Tuskegee Airmen is one of my favourite flight movies, it was an HBO film produced in the mid-'90s. It has a limited production, which shows at times, but it had real P-51 Mustangs and real heart showing the hardships that these pilots had to go through to become recognized pilots. Red Tails, however, is a dull action based movie that pretends to show racism and tries too hard to be an important film. Instead, it creates a comical portrayal of some of the greatest fighter pilots. Also, the Germans are played to such a comical extent, that they belong in a Bug's Bunny war propaganda film. I find Red Tails to be incredibly disrespectful to those pilots who paved the way for future generations.

[@themoviedealers]

I guess it's a woad trip movie.

[@GelatinousStube]

Ray Winston’s King Arfur. Just as good now as it was when first released. …it wasn’t good.

[@AnthonyValli]

My favorite genre of Welcome to the Basement episodes is forgettable early 2000s fantasy / action movies.

[@jensibowable]

Like a baby arm and an apple

[@tazmon122]

i think Craig should take a chance on Don't Look Up. it's literally just a reboot of Armageddon but replace Michael Bay with people who have respect for the word "art" when it comes to the medium. if Craig can PAY for Armageddon in theaters, then no reason for him to dodge Don't Look Up. speaking of certain early season episodes of this show....is it just me, or is King Arthur pretty much just In The Name Of The King? definitely in the reactions to this movie there are some major similarities.

[@jazztrombone]

Is McGuffin the McGuffin of this show?

[@NapiurPictures]

Fun fact: the Woads are named after a herb named exactly the same, that grows widely in Britain, and was used for coloring clothes to an indigo shade. That’s why the Woads are using war paint with the exact same shade. Also, Britons is a legit name of a certain people living in Britain at the time. Still, I agree with all the points you make. Very disappointing movie.

[@Razamataz420]

Pizza Pizza.