Looking Back at King Arthur 2004

[@eikrzatarra7867]

I don't give a damn if it's inaccurate. This movie has a special place in my heart.

[@BetterWithBob]

As it should be!

[@alcedob.5850]

yeah, it is after all a legend with so many many variations. So how dare those filmmakers give an original twist on the story instead of simply copying or compiling existing versions, lol. Movie is cool and it is all that matters in the end

[@eikrzatarra7867]

@@alcedob.5850 you are so true

[@baizuo3954]

Its the most accurate one ever filmed. Everything is relative, and there are very few records from the 6th Century Roman England.

[@darkglobe406]

@@baizuo3954 yeah they did far more grounded and realistic take on arthur and merlin actually . most of those old movies look like half fairytales or soap operas . i was 16 when this movie came out and i loved it .

[@Anynom]

A wonderfully underrated movie, glad for the focus on it!

[@BetterWithBob]

I hope it gets vindicated soon

[@michaelhawkins7389]

@@BetterWithBob King Arthur should have died ....... even in the extended cut of the film, it is said and hinted at multiple times that he is going to die but he doesn't...... it takes away the threat and ruins the film slightly

[@BIATEC88]

Or woefully over rated by some I would suggest.

[@michaelhawkins7389]

@@BIATEC88 it's underrated because , people seem to forget about this film

[@darkglobe406]

@@michaelhawkins7389 nah the tragedy was that he actually wanted to protect his men , to spare them this faith he would give his life for theirs but he was denied while his men have fallen but he carries on to do greater things . this movie is a masterpiece compared to what hollywood is producing these days , gladiator 2 trailer looks more like a parody than the actual sequel .

[@jeepamir508]

Two best moments of the movie for me: 1. Arthur's announcement of the last mission for him and his knights. And then everyone's reaction to it. It's so realistic and shows you, that even though knights wanted freedom, their loyalty to Arthur was still far greater than their quest for freedom. Which brings me nicely to 2. The moment knights return to Arthur on the battlefield. I like how all of them realized that through all of their struggles, sacrifices and dids, they did manage to find themselves a freedom and home. A new home. A home with their leader. A home that needed their protection. And the final shot of all of them standing together is so powerful. The definition of comradery and loyalty.

[@BetterWithBob]

Couldn't have said it better myself

[@steveferris1667]

"How do you do that?" - " I aim for the middle" So many great little moments like this has kept it as a favorite of mine for years.

[@BetterWithBob]

Haha yes!

[@immortaljanus]

That's one of the best quotes in cinema history ever. 😁

[@stickiedmin6508]

It took a few watches for this to really sink in, but Ray Stevenson's Dagonet is far and away my favourite character. It's hard really to explain why. He speaks something like twenty words in the whole movie, but the performance is *_powerful._* He's absolutely loyal, unhesitatingly courageous, utterly selfless, but still with a warmth that leads the released slave boy Lucan to trust him instinctively. It's one of the simplest and most direct roles in the movie, but it's done perfectly. Straight to the point. So little screen time, but portraying a lot of depth. Ray Stevenson is sadly missed. "Goodbye old friend. We'll be along soon."

[@BetterWithBob]

That's what good acting is after all. Saying so much with so few words, and in a sense filling in the blanks for the audience.

[@stickiedmin6508]

@@BetterWithBob Sadly, being the strong, silent one can make an actor easy to miss. Next time you find yourself watching it, keep your eye on Dag. He's *_always_* the first one to move, first to react. A thought that's only just occurred to me: As the first one of the knights we see fall, Dagonet is perhaps a placeholder role for all those who died before the events of the movie? We hear about them, briefly - their bravery, their valiant deeds, their unfaltering loyalty, their selflessness when protecting the innocent . . . Ray Stevenson's role lets us _see,_ briefly what all those other knights were like? Whether I'm onto something, or just crazy, it was a cool video mate. Thanx.

[@BetterWithBob]

@@stickiedmin6508 that is a fantastic analysis 😊

[@op_14-s2x]

Tristan's fight with Cedric at the end and his death scene live rent fee in my head since my teenage days. Still the coolest character in this movie

[@BetterWithBob]

Something that good definitely shouldn't be charged rent!

[@redwaldcuthberting7195]

Cerdic.*

[@FreyaNorthstar]

I remember being captured by this scene where Vanora sings a song to everyone while holding her youngest. Singing about missing their land. They all became silent, and all looked deep in thought, and sad. Incredible scene ❤ And i agree, what a great cast!

[@BetterWithBob]

I love that scene so much

[@stinabringsarve5787]

Same here! Can still sing it from memory ❤️

[@lovealegria]

l love the entire score of this movie but then again it is Hans Zimmer.

[@Uhtred-the-bold]

That explains it. That song has stuck with me since the first time I heard it

[@Zenith_123]

Hollywood does not portray white people having any sort of ancestral connection to a homeland now. Strictly forbidden.

[@MTJDisorder]

Ray has such a presence in this film even without many lines. RIP! THIRTEEN!

[@2ndSonofSekhmet]

Can we talk just for a second about the scene where Hugh Dancy says "I don't kill for pleasure, unlike some," looking at Mads, when they went on star together in Hannibal where Mads played Hannibal freakin Lecter"?

[@BetterWithBob]

Hehe I never watched the series myself

[@Cthulhu013]

@@BetterWithBob Watch Hannibal. OMG. You're in for a treat if you choose to. Just saying.

[@domspears252]

That's amazing! Even the reply from Mads Mikkelsen sounds like a Hannibal Lecter pun..."Well you should try it some day, you might get a taste for it".

[@CoffeeFiend1]

@@Cthulhu013 Definitely this. A lot of great actors actually pull off their magnum opus on the series/show screen rather than the bigger budget movie screen (Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy are other great examples of this). Mads is great and has done some excellent movies but has always been underutilized. Hannibal though.... Was literally made for every part of him, he may never surpass it, it was damn near perfection.

[@BetterWithBob]

@@CoffeeFiend1 Yeah for sure. John Hannah was fun in The Mummy but Spartacus was where he really got the chance to show what he could do. Obviously more screen time and a longer running story helps

[@fubecafy]

Ah man, I LOVE King Arthur 2004. I was but a wee lad working at a small-town movie theater when it came out. I built the reel (most were still analog back then - *all* of them, in my rinkadink theater), and watched it at like 2AM to make sure I hadn't made any mistakes in the splicing, and instantly fell in love with it. Between shows, when things would get slow, I'd take a break, and go in and sit in the theater and watch 20 minutes of it before going back to work. Every time I watch this movie it takes me back to the smell of theater popcorn and butter, and Sprite that tasted vaguely of paper (since we weren't allowed to get free drinks - we did so anyway, but often had to reuse our cups so as not to throw off inventory counting). Good times, good movie.

[@BetterWithBob]

Aww great story 😊

[@ladyphoenixgrey3923]

The scene where Lenora sings is by far my favorite in the entire film. Hugh Dancy closing his eyes and briefly mouthing the words along with her makes every single one of the others instantly feel real. You can see the longing for home in their eyes as the song she sings just rings out into the cold, empty air of a land not their own. They just want to go home. And by the end, they make it home. One way or another… Also, when Lancelot tells Arthur, “Don’t bury me in some small, sad, little cemetery. Burn me. And cast my body to a strong east wind.” it just drives that longing even further. He’s so desperate to escape this life that he refuses to even be buried in the soil. “At least let my ashes go home.” is a sentiment that has stayed with me for 20 years. “Land of bear and land of eagle… Land that gave us birth and blessing… Land that calls us ever homeward… We will go home across the mountains…”

[@BetterWithBob]

Wonderfully said :)

[@jasongarcia1886]

This was and still is my favorite King Arthur movie

[@BetterWithBob]

Awesome XD

[@Killtrobal]

what do you think about Excalibur?

[@ScottJarreau]

I loved this movie and this was also my first Clive Owen film and I've been a huge fan ever since.

[@BetterWithBob]

Awesome ^_^

[@columbatiberius2176]

I have a lot of fondness for this one, but probably my favourite Arthurian adaptation is Sam Neil as Merlin.

[@BetterWithBob]

I haven't seen that but will be watching soon. The cast looks incredible. And they actually have Nimue!

[@columbatiberius2176]

@BetterWithBob it was so weird how different Nimue is between BBC Merlin and Sam Neil Merlin. I hope you enjoy it. 👍

[@Marveryn]

am still partial to excalibur mostly cause of the music i think. and the creepy Kid. In this one they try to make it more grounded author which was fine but if your going to claim its a historical retelling of the legend then you know you going to get critique by historian. Should had been said it was a re imagine on where the start of the legend began.

[@BetterWithBob]

@@columbatiberius2176 I've now seen one episode and I was like "phew, a heroic Nimue for a change"

[@BetterWithBob]

The marketing is done by a different team, so the movie may have been made with the latter in mind, but the marketing people may have decided to sell it as truth in the hopes of getting butts in the seats

[@fabiendalmasso]

Are we not going to talk about the wonderful score ? It adds so much to the epicness of the movie, even if it has deep vibes with Pirates of the Caribbean.

[@18Hongo]

It has deep vibes with both Pirates and Gladiator. Largely because Hans Zimmer was very into reusing his themes around that time.

[@ΧΑΡΗΣΚΟΥΡΗΣ-ψ3ν]

​@@18Hongo And Jablonsky also recycled it for Transformers.

[@bryannunez9151]

Bro this movie was SOO GOOD loved the brotherhood that was shown And it was soo good

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah that part really got me too

[@cvanvslivs2406]

“King Arthur” legend was a mix of various Late Roman and Romano-British warlords. Lucius Artorius Castus was a 2nd century commander so he was more of just a name inspiration. The most obvious inspiration was Ambrosius Aurelianus, a 5th century Romano-British warlord. However, Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus (383-388) also served as the inspiration because he married a local princess and usurped Emperor Gratian with his Romano-British legions. According to Notitia Dignitatum, there were 500 Sarmatian cataphracts in London in 4th-5th century. They may serve as the inspiration of Arthur’s “knights”. The official state religion of the Late Roman Empire was Nicene/Chalcedonian Christianity. The “Pelagius” character in the movie was a reference to the minor Pelagian heresy. It denied Original Sin and emphasised human free will. However, no one cared about it and it quickly died out. My major issue of this film is that none of the main characters dressed up like proper Late Roman soldiers and all Anglo-Saxons just looked like generic Hollywood barbarians.

[@imperatorgub6681]

True. Late Roman military had some serious drip too.

[@julieb.5860]

i'm 68 and I've read and seen a lot of interpretations of this myth. Not all, by very much. I also have had an interest in Great British history for most of my life. I have always liked the concept behind this; it's no more or less valid than other interpretations. Since no one knows the definitive facts, people have played with this story in many ways throughout history. Some I like more than others. I have no problem with this one. Thank-you.

[@Zed-fq3lj]

the year of three great underrated epic movies: King Arthur (Extended), Troy (Director's Cut) and Alexander (Final Cut only) 🥰🥰🥰

[@BetterWithBob]

Aha I haven't seen any of the Alexander cuts

[@jpgr8937]

I haven't watched the Final Cut of Alexander but I didn't like the theatrical or director's. Is it considerably better?

[@Zed-fq3lj]

Well, first, it's 45min longer, that a lot of extra valuable material that contributes to the story, battles are better explained and presented making battle of Gaugamela definitely the best historical battle ever put to film. The sequence of non-linear story telling is done better, the story overlaps in a more natural and interesting way. It's a far better movie overall. However, the movie's original flaws are still there: insufferable shouting by actors, Farrell occasionally lost in space, Jolie totally miscast practically sabotaging Stone and the whole segments with her in it (by refusing to wear period garments and so on), some dramatic elements poorly executed by Stone and cast etc...But the Final Cut (If you can find it) still makes 'Alexander' an above average historical epic, underrated yes. And Vangelis' score will forever rise above that movie as another one of his masterpieces 🤩@@jpgr8937

[@arturoroldan4839]

@@jpgr8937 The movie is unsavable unhistorical boring garbage, there is no version of it that is good.

[@AT1972ASDF]

​@jpgr8937 The final/ultimate cuts are "more," which expand on some things nicely. But the core is unchanged, so if you didn't like theatrical it won't fix its flaws

[@heroperseus007]

Worked on this movie as a featured extra. What a great time. So many great experiences.

[@ThePsh07]

It feels great to rewatch old favorites with new perspectives, & it’s that much sweeter when they still hold up. 👌

[@BetterWithBob]

You said it!

[@CTEagleCeltic]

I bought this on DVD, it was so damn epic, and beautifully shot… watched it hundreds of times.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

Mads Mikkelsen, need I say more... I loved his portrayal of Tristan, kinda like a ninja or something. It's also fun, as a dane, to see how much praise Mads gets from internationals, when I find his international roles (besides Hannibal) to be a bit lacklustre. The roles, not the actor. Mads' acting in danish movies is titanic and it helps a lot that his characters are interesting and full of conflict!

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah he does a lot of heavy lifting in most of his Hollywood roles

[@bryanmatthews2370]

I loved this movie when it came out, a few years later when I got it on dvd, and I still love it.

[@gp4517]

You didn’t mention the Richard Gere/Sean Connery movie The First Knight in your list of Arthurian media! A childhood classic of mine simply because it was one of the very few VHS my parents had that wasn’t an animated Disney movies 😆

[@sersastark]

i loved, and still love, this movie.

[@BetterWithBob]

Me too now

[@wavetactics13]

It has been some time since I last saw this, but one thing that sticks with me is the characterization of Arthur and the knights.

[@BetterWithBob]

In what way?

[@Swearengen1980]

@@BetterWithBob Probably that it's the first realistic portrayal on screen. They made an effort to portray period correct knights who were just bad ass warriors, including Arthur. No armor suits or other nonsense way out of time line like most movies.

[@PrismaWueste]

This movie has a special place in my heart. I do love the monumental film genre, medieval films and epics. I watched it with my friends back in the day on a sleepover and we were hooked. Some time later we discovered that there was a video game from that film aaaaaaand ohh boy did i love this game. Back in the day where coop games were awesome! Simpler days with better films (and games) ;) Thanks for the reminder Bob (excellent work as always), gonna watch this gem on the weekend again!

[@BetterWithBob]

There may be a free version of the extended cut on the Internet Archive...not that I'm condoning illegal video sharing...

[@stickiedmin6508]

​@@BetterWithBob "Extended?" Wasn't the director's cut version of this movie actually _shorter_ than the theatrical? Were there other versions?

[@jenniferb8097]

I like this movie when I was younger too! I haven't seen it in a while, but now I honestly kind of want to re-watch it, si thank you for covering it.

[@BetterWithBob]

The extended version is free to watch on the Internet Archive XD

[@jenniferb8097]

@@BetterWithBob good to know, thank you!

[@jenniferb8097]

@@BetterWithBob I found it. I only now just realized that Lancelot's father is the Black Fish from Game of Thrones 🙃

[@BetterWithBob]

@@jenniferb8097 I knew he looked familiar! And Pelagius is Ser Alliser Thorne

[@jenniferb8097]

@@BetterWithBob yes! I noticed that too. Also, I think you'd mentioned, but Stannis the mannis is in this too

[@ClaimedMinotaur]

No mention of the music? The score in this movie is absolutely phenomenal. The song Knight's March, in particular, lives rent free in my head on a regular basis.

[@juliemassam933]

I really liked this movie, need to watch it again soon.

[@rightsarentpolitical]

I was bummed about the specific knight deaths and thought the age gap was.. disturbing, but otherwise remember really liking it.

[@BetterWithBob]

It's free to watch on the Internet Archive. Extended version and all XD

[@mihaiionita5648]

My introduction to the Arthurian myth was also the Sam Neil Merlin from 1998. Damn I love that film, recentlu rewatched it in its entirety on KZbin of all places. The music still gets me.

[@BetterWithBob]

It's on my list. I can't wait to see Lena Headey as Gwen

[@MadTwatter7]

@@BetterWithBobIf you’re going to watch it there’s a 4K version on KZbin

[@NaquanGreen-zt4gr]

​@@BetterWithBob The Fates of both Gwen and Lancelot is still being thought of till this very day, specially with the ending of the miniseries where Merlin may have left out on certain things and made a little slight alterations Avalon is conveniently left out of the whole thing, Arthur's reconciliation with Guinevere and lancelot's Redemption.

[@Zenith_123]

This is objectively a great movie. We watch it every year in my house.

[@BetterWithBob]

A tradition I need to take up 😄

[@HymOfInvincibility]

I adored this movie when I was younger, and it still remains the best King Arthur movie for me. The BBC Merlin is definitely the definitive Arthur, and easily the best tv show. So I agree with you on that! Loved this and the Troy video, and I hope you're planning on covering Kingdom of Heaven sometime soon!

[@BetterWithBob]

@@HymOfInvincibility oh for sure. My latest Kingdom of Heaven rewatch had me amazed at what a masterpiece it was

[@wesleyredmond3464]

One of my favorites as a teen 🤘🏻🤘🏻 still enjoy watching it

[@mrjamieson4741]

This was one of my favourite films growing up!

[@ViolentEuthymia]

I remember this movie as being one I enjoyed a lot as a teenager, I will probably never rewatch it to maintain that feeling just incase.

[@BetterWithBob]

Watch the extended version and you'll feel the same aha

[@Affenzunge]

Love this movie just because it brought me Joel Edgerton as Gawain (my favourite arthurian knight)

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah it's good casting. If they ever did a more canon accurate version he'd still be good to play it

[@mariazamora6824]

​@@BetterWithBoband then he was also in The Green Knight about Gawain! Some analyses of the movie (and stories I believe) suggest he was the Green Knight himself in disguise.

[@RestingJudge]

My Dad used to read the Arthurian legends to me when I was little so I'm a sucker for just about any iteration of it (aside from that most recent movie). This one we watched a good many times together, glad to see it get some love!

[@BetterWithBob]

What's your favourite version? I'm still discovering a few

[@RestingJudge]

@@BetterWithBob Excalibur is probably the most accurate in spirit I would say. It's just unashamedly Arthurian. I think a lot of the movies and shows based on Arthur or Robin Hood suffer from a similar attitude directors and screenwriters had about comic book films before the early MCU got started, they're embarrassed by the source material and feel they somehow need to make it more grounded in order for audiences to engage.

[@oobrocks]

I adore this film, almost perfect. Owen was super good and so was everyone 🎉❤

[@BetterWithBob]

I'm seeing its virtues the more of it I watch

[@oobrocks]

Cool

[@ericgeddes3353]

I loved Kiriya Knightly too. Another actor I really like iis Ioen Gruffed (apologies for the spelling) who is Lancelot in this. He also played Horacio Hornblower. I've always thought it was a shame he didn't get more major roles. I haven't seen this particular movie in quite a long time but I remember liking it.

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah I'd imagine Rise of the Silver Surfer and the Razzie nomination may have affected his standing. And he seemed to have the bad luck to be part of a lot of TV shows that got cancelled after one season

[@marynazure]

@@BetterWithBob He was in a fairly recent Australian TV show called 'Harrow', I think the first season was done really well, and it actually continued on for a second season (not sure if there's a third though)

[@tightropewalkergirl6485]

@@marynazurethere is a third, also check out a show he was in called Forever

[@marynazure]

Fantastic video! Let me also add that the music was amazing, and I listen to the soundtrack frequently

[@BetterWithBob]

Hans muthaf****n Zimmer!

[@obikenobi8855]

One of my all-time favourites, knowing that it is far from perfect, but it just clicked with me. Never understood the hate the internet has for this movies. Thanks for the vid

[@violenceislife1987]

One of my top favorites.

[@martinaseidel3316]

love these videos from you, you are so level-headed and loving of the craft. and there is so much to love about king arthur. i only saw it a few years ago one evening and i was sad i hadn't seen it earlier because of how good it is. idc for historical accuracy, but i do care about believable character dynamics and arthur and these people being his friends and battle buddies immediately struck a chord with me.

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you for watching :)

[@CJPlays1908]

I had the PS2 game as well growing up and have nothing but fond memories! Had forgotten about this movie so glad this vid came up on feed!

[@BetterWithBob]

Aww thank you very much :)

[@jacobscott1854]

Just watched this a week ago and really enjoyed it again. This movie really hits at the western idea of freedom and individualism.

[@BetterWithBob]

Theatrical or extended version?

[@oontgrad]

Hell yeah young you, a young man after my own young heart. I too enjoyed this film when I first saw it all those years ago, and I didn't even know there was a director's cut, so thanks for giving me something to watch

[@BetterWithBob]

It's free to watch on the Internet Archive 🙂

[@tehMonarch]

I was also in love with kiera knightly in 2004 :P I enjoyed this movie at the time, but went on to study history in university and movies like this didnt really survive my more historically critical lens later on, it was a fun adventure for me at the time tho :) thanks for covering it!

[@BetterWithBob]

Thanks for watching :)

[@Nosliw837]

I was about 18 when this came out and hungry for any film with historical backdrop regardless of anachronistic or flat out falsehoods because it often gave me a place to start if they introduced a concept I had never heard, or something I might have disagreed with. Anyway, this one is an absolute pleasure and Stellan Skarsgard's(sp) portrayal is a huge boon to this film. King Arthur has it's problems, but many do, especially when based on sketch "histories."

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah I think you spelled it right 🙂

[@heatheremms1107]

I LOVED this movie when it came out. I actually liked the theatrical cut better then the directors cut. I am glad you took time to praise it because you were able to articulate why...when my teenage self just could not.

[@ReviewsWithAL_]

My brother from another mother 🔥🔥

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you my guy

[@agent_meister477]

I love this movie, I always have, and it went a long way in engendering a passion for British history that I still have today.

[@BetterWithBob]

@@agent_meister477 aww lovely 😊

[@agent_meister477]

@@BetterWithBob RUUS!!

[@chrissatake6158]

definitely one of my favorite movies

[@adamknapps2860]

It was great the cast of knights were all heavy hitters today and Tristan was my favorite

[@kbre2292]

The extended version is awesome. I rewatch it every couple of years.

[@BetterWithBob]

I imagine I'll get up to your level soon lol

[@myfaceismyshield5963]

The thing about Roman names is that there were an insane amount of people with the exact same name... it was common to even give your children your full name. Not just first name and last name but middle names etc. too. So even though a guy with that name wasn't a warrior and lived 200 years earlier, another guy with all the same names could easily have existed later.

[@BetterWithBob]

Fair enough

[@Valkanna.Nublet]

My favourite version of the Arthurian legends is Mary Stewart's trilogy of four books. The first three centre around Merlin: The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, and The Last Enchantment. They are followed by a forth book that finishes up Arthur's story. She keeps Merlin's magical side minimal, with just a touch of visions, while most of his advice comes from a knowledge of engineering, astronomy, and other things, which he explains in mystical terms (good for appearances) Because of this the books are more grounded in reality than most Arthurian stories. I have a soft spot of the 80s Excalibur. Mainly due to their portrayal of Merlin. Though including Oh Fortuna helps too. I also enjoy Sam Neil's Merlin from '98. I'm sensing a theme here :D

[@jedirayden]

Recently watched your video on Troy, saw this in the recommended videos, and I really liked both films. Both came out the year I turned 24, and although I hold Troy in considerably higher regard, I felt both were enjoyable versions of myths/legends portrayed in that more "grounded, realistic interpretation" that was very trendy at the time. Troy is in my top 3 favorite films of all time, and this is nowhere near that but it still has a special place in my heart. My first introduction to the legend of King Arthur as a boy in 1980s America was The Sword In The Stone, (I've actually never seen 1981 Excalibur) and I remember in elementary school I found a book in our library that was a collection of the Arthurian legends, clearly based on Malory's works, and I must have read that book 20 times. I always loved those stories and so when I heard that they were making a King Arthur film in that "gritty, more grounded" style and it was being directed by the man who'd directed Training Day, I was all in. I still watch it every now and again to this day. I still find it highly enjoyable. This movie also introduced me to both Clive Owen and Mads Mikkelsen.

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you for your comment :) It was great to hear your thoughts...or read lol

[@peytonbrown5394]

King Arthur (2004) is by far my absolute favorite rendition of King Arthur. My whole life I've never paid attention to critics (they're down there with lawyers, politicians, journalists, and lobbyists) so when I found out like a year or two ago that it got bad ratings I still to this day cannot figure out why. This is one of the most highly underrated movies to exist.

[@BetterWithBob]

Sometimes I agree with them and I see their point

[@animalfreak462]

Even though that movie wasn’t that accurate, because King Arthur took place in sub Roman Britain, after the Roman’s left Britannia, and let the Celtic Britons fend for themselves from the Picts and Scots, and then the Anglo-Saxons, but that was a great movie! I loved the tone, and especially the soundtrack, it’s so dark and epic, and it’s one of the best soundtrack ever, along with the lord of the rings soundtrack!

[@BetterWithBob]

The soundtrack is really underrated

[@kateyes13]

My favorite Arthur retelling from the early 2000s is the Mists of Avalon. I’m sure my regard is heavily colored by nostalgia glasses but it hits the notes of mysticism in a satisfying way for me. Plus I love the colors and textures of the costuming!

[@BetterWithBob]

I've had that recommended a couple of times so I must check it out

[@Jordyb33123]

Watched this for the first time on a ferry that everyone got sea sick on and our parents needed to just get us away for a while whilst they were ill themselves. Watched this after prison of Azkaban so you can understand I thought it was terrible at the time but so worth a rewatch after which I’m glad I did!

[@jessicacarroll6081]

I just watched all your videos in one day. Really great analysis and not pretentious👍 make some more

[@BetterWithBob]

Yes ma'am!

[@MatJan86]

Thanks for reminding me about this movie. never knew it had extended relese.

[@bobsbigboy_]

Excalibur by John Boorman (1981) will always be my favourite

[@lizardog]

Thank you for your wonderful analysis of this gem. This movie has a special place in my heart, as well.

[@BetterWithBob]

Thanks for watching :)

[@JoshuaHopkins-j9o]

A truly amazing cast... playing modern interpretations of legendary mythological characters... thought it was great. Skarsgard was a real beast... still can't believe he pulled that off

[@henryplantagenet219]

Thank you so much for this. I felt like a weirdo loving this film from the first time in the cinema. The main theme is still in my day-to-day epic step up from the couch and get things done! - mix. Especially the cast is great. Clive Owen is …. fine. His knights are great. I feel that is something that makes this films good. It’s not the one big hero that has character and soul. Ray Winston - what shall I say - I love him! The man between hero and everyday John Smith. I always felt I wanted to see more of Mads Mikkelsens‘ Tristan. And Ioan Gruffudd, charming, smart and lost in time as always. This film will remain. One thing I miss - Arthur survives. Some ending with Guinevre dragging the deadly wounded Arturius besides a foogy lake… that would be a picture… wouldn’t?

[@BetterWithBob]

Possibly they had an eye on a sequel if it did well lol

[@Inkand_]

The Arthurian Chronicles from Bernard Cornwell are my favorite read on the Arthurian legend, recommend to everyone the read.

[@BetterWithBob]

I think a friend of mine recommended those to me a few years ago

[@Inkand_]

@@BetterWithBob really great books, my favorite of all time! not a single but of edgy arthur to be seen in them.

[@marissathebooknerd]

The music in this movie gave me goosebumps...I loved the soundtrack ❤

[@BetterWithBob]

The genius of Hans Zimmer 😊

[@sacredscars5758]

Loved this movie and still do!

[@kubeck]

Love this movie, and still pop it in and watch somewhat regularly!

[@BetterWithBob]

Awesome 😊

[@jjkrayenhagen]

This movie always make me think of the Thirteenth Warrior.

[@christian11111]

As someone who knows nothing about the Authorian legend, and only saw the sword and the stone Disney movie before seeing this around the age of 12, I agree with your child self and current day self. I think it’s only gotten better for me upon rewatch. I had no preconceptions of Arthur and his men, so seeing this take on them seemed grounded and awesome. The combat was well choreographed, the writing and story was good, and the acting I thought was good as well. Also as a Christian myself there was something attractive about this story, basing his actions on his drive for individualistic freedom, and the feud between him and the main bad guy is classic awesome bad guy motivation. The bad guy being driven by his desire for a challenge, a challenge he didn’t think would ever come again, only to die happy at the hand of his enemy, yeah that’s tropy but good every time.

[@BetterWithBob]

Nothing wrong with tropes in and of themselves aha

[@MrJaxon620]

This movie holds a special place among n my heart❤

[@THE_REAL_POLITIK]

So regarding the female warriors in Pictish society, I think Antone Fuqua drew inspiration from the real-world ICeni queen Buoddicca when creating the character of Gwenivere for this particular film. Further given the Western Empire withdrew from Britain 200 years before that law was passed it seems likely everyone would be needed to defend the island.

[@BetterWithBob]

Supposedly they based her on Queen Medb from the Irish epic 'Táin Bó Cúailnge' (The Cattle Raid of Cooley in English). It's considered the Irish version of The Iliad, so kinda neat that they used inspiration from another mythological figure to enhance the story

[@iainengland8058]

Man love your videos, I would really love a video about Solomon Kane!

[@BetterWithBob]

Ah I haven't seen that but you never know one day 😉

[@legion5938]

I love this film i was amazed in cinema its still good

[@BetterWithBob]

Agreed!

[@HolandaChiquita]

I grew up watching and loving this too and actually watched it last night with my husband. He never seen it before, but as he's French from Bretagne, he adores King Arthur legends. I'd say one of the best series is still the French ''Caamelot'' series and the film they brought out recently. I hope you get a chance to see it.

[@BetterWithBob]

ooh thanks for the recommendation :)

[@PatrickKniesler]

Good placing of that "we are blessed snd cursed by our times."

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you :)

[@GallowglassVT]

For all its problems, this opened me up to the world of Dark Age action and honestly, compared to some recent stories set in and around there or in worlds inspired by it like a good chunk of heroic fantasy, a good chunk of it actually holds up well.

[@BetterWithBob]

Which stories in particular?

[@GallowglassVT]

@BetterWithBob in terms of TV, I automatically think of Vikings. Like, I had problems with it from the get go, but it only got worse as it went on for me. On a related note, the recent adaptation of Bernard Cornwall's Arthurian series had a lot of the same issues. As far as the books I mentioned go, I see any of John Gwynne's series as being pretty definitive examples. He just seems to understand that kind of vibe, especially in battle sequences, in a way many authors sometimes struggle to.

[@BetterWithBob]

@@GallowglassVT aha I was IN Vikings and I still haven't watched any of it

[@GallowglassVT]

@@BetterWithBob fr? If I ever decide to revisit it, I'll have to keep an eye out for you.

[@NaquanGreen-zt4gr]

​@@GallowglassVT Here's hoping that the series on MGM plus does not get picked up for a second season, probably one of the worst TV adaptations of a well-received and beloved book series based on the Arthurian Mythology Honestly both Netflix's cursed and MGM+ the winter King are in the same category of questionable adaptations of King Arthur and Arthurian Myth.

[@jrgenpetterson1562]

I love this movie. Grounded, filmed in Ireland with beautiful landscapes, filters like the LOTR, a really good cast and it has a solid story imo. The most memorable scene for me is Vanora singing "We will go home".

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah that scene is very memorable. I remembered it even as a child

[@jmanusmc2006]

Weather intentional or not this movie has a very strong undertone of brotherhood and camaraderie. Scene where all the knights look at each other and without saying anything know what the other is thinking. They will not abandon their leader and friend. Those actors performances made you believe They've been in combat together countless times and they're portrayal displayed a bond depicting what you see with a real world Veterans.

[@wingweaver023]

I really enjoyed this one

[@BetterWithBob]

Yay!

[@tomigun5180]

I like it because it show the world how our (we Hungarians consider ourselves to be the relatives of the Scythians and Huns) legends traveled with the Sarmatian mercenaries to the West. The sword in the ground is a Scythian myth, it's the same story as how Atilla found his sword. The Red Dragon banner is also a Sarmatian one. Edit: This also explains the presence of quality recurve bows, that were made and used only by the nomadic people of the steppes at this time. You could make a review of The Last Kingdom, that was shot mainly here in Hungary and was my favorite series in the last few years.

[@BetterWithBob]

Ooh I did mean to check that one out

[@sterlingpratt5802]

Always had a yen for this flick. Loved the broody atmosphere and CO's haggardly idealistic take on Arthur. Also, props to Fuqua, because I believe he really tried to get out of his wheelhouse and stretch his wings as a director with this one, and that ought to be appreciated.

[@BetterWithBob]

That's a very good point on the latter.

[@jessiematthews6339]

I saw this in theaters on my 25th birthday and loved it. I have it on DVD and still love it. I'll probably buy it digitally at some point. I thought it was a fun twist on the Artuhurian legends and a great summer movie that wasn't too heavy and dramatic.

[@BetterWithBob]

Then happy 45th to you this year :)

[@TheXelsky]

I absolutely love this movie. It definitely has some cringe moments watching it as an adult but boy does it deserve more praise than it gets

[@BetterWithBob]

Ah, cringe culture has been dead for a while

[@n.a.m.a.e.n.a.i]

the most enduring 21st century attempt at a King Arthur retelling is actually fate stay night

[@danderson6290]

It's one of my favorite movies.

[@Mavakor]

I’ve never seen one of your videos before today but I’ve now watched this and your Troy video back to back. I just really enjoyed both of these. Fantastic. I really do hope you get around to a Kingdom of Heaven video. Complete the trilogy of “Awesome in the extended version” films 😊

[@BetterWithBob]

Oh for sure! I was going to do one this year because I misremembered it as coming out in 2004 but I'm not sure I can't wait until next year now 🤣

[@WhoIsCalli]

This was fun, thanks

[@BetterWithBob]

Thank you!

[@terririnella4032]

it's fun to watch a King Arthur movie that doesn't revolve around the Love Triangle, that said, you can finally see where that story comes from.....if nothing else, you can see the bond between Arthur and Lancelot

[@BetterWithBob]

Yeah I'm not a fan of the love triangle myself

[@HamanKarn567]

This film, Gladiator, Troy and Kingdom of Heaven were great films to grow up on. I already got into history and stuff through other media but these helped a lot even if tjey weren't the most accurate or accurate at all. This one in particular really does feel under rated and forgotten. I know people throw out those terms but this is one of the few videos I've ever come across on KZbin even bringing it up remotely.

[@BetterWithBob]

Happy to be the first lol

[@youngkingdom8131]

Do Stardust next. Underrated masterpiece as far as I’m concerned, and from this same era.

[@BetterWithBob]

Already covered it in another video

[@ubelorias2973]

I only remember this movie from one scene, and it's the one that i think is talking about raining while it snows being a bad omen

[@levisimpson516]

Bad press caused me to miss seeing this in the theater, and I've always regretted that because when I did finally get around to watching it, I loved it. I had a lot of fun watching this movie and it was overall enjoyable with a great cast behind it and some really fun scenes.

[@BetterWithBob]

From what little I can remember, I enjoyed seeing it in the cinema too

[@DistantLights]

I liked this movie a lot as a kid, fit in with the ancient history boom that happened after Gladiator

[@teddyberserker]

Strip away the historical attempt and you have an excellent story with compelling characters that would have been a classic if designed and marketed as grimdark fantasy. Even so, this remains one of my favorite films and I vehemently defend it at every opportunity.