Excalibur (1981) Reaction & Review! FIRST TIME WATCHING!!

[@opinion8033]

When I was a child, this movie blew my mind. There was nothing like it in those days. The epic, the magic, the battles, the swords, the search for the Grail. One of my favorite movies of all time

[@fesswah]

I was a child as well, guessing about 12 yrs old. I am 55 now and still watch this movie with awe and amazement. No other movie based on King Arthur, Merlin, and Excalibur comes close.

[@billytidwell7229]

WOW! I can't believe you chose Excalibur. I saw this in the theater when I was a kid. The best King Arthur tale I've seen. 🗡

[@shanwatchesmovies]

Thanks! all my patrons really pushed for it. Totally worth it!

[@scottjo63]

@@shanwatchesmovies 5:53 that's Capt. Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) from Star Trek:The Next Generation.

[@Dmarcoot]

Me too!

[@oliviawilliams6204]

Personally was not impressed by it when i watched it as a kid. I liked Mist of Avalon much more

[@clit_niblr0375]

Excalibur is probably one of the better films of the Arthurian legends I've seen to date.

[@markkennedy5479]

The closing shot of a horsed Galahad (Percival) arriving to see the already distant boat bearing away his king is worth freeze-framing. It's the equal of a Dutch golden age painting.

[@BlackJar72]

In the source material, Arthur was taken by three queens to Avalon, the Isle of Apple (a magical fairy paradise), to rest until Britain is at its greatest need. I think we are to understand the dragon as more of a spiritual rather than a physical entity, and Morgana as having lost her magical youth when her power is diverted into summoning the fog.

[@jimtatro6550]

Gueniverre’s father was played by a young Patrick Stewart, Uther was played by Gabriel Byrne

[@nancyomalley9959]

And Cornwall is the first Dumbledore

[@susanmaggiora4800]

Nancy O'Malley 1st Dumbledore was Richard Harris. Cornwall is played by Corin Redgrave.

[@thunderstruck5484]

That was a Redgrave that played Cornwall I believe and Richard Harris played the first Dumbledore if I’m not mistaken thanks

[@thunderstruck5484]

And Ciaran Hinds played one of the knights in many of the scenes he was in Game of Thrones and really lots of movies the last 20 years thanks

[@leperwolf7287]

Patrick Stewart has looked almost exactly the same for over 40 years

[@stephendeluca4479]

Interesting to me how almost all the praise for the film is only in regard to how great a film it is IN ITS GENRE. It is one of my two favorite films of all time- next to 2001 A Space Odyssey. It is a moving, rousing, suspenseful, beautiful, intelligent, spiritual experience that I saw 36 times in the theaters in 1981 when I was 21. There are many quotable lines (especially "We have lost our way, Arthur", which I quote quite often these days), stunning photography, astounding music. What's not to love? You want action? It has action. You want a love story? It has that. You want intrigue and betrayal? Friendship, loyalty, duty, faith, tragedy, pathos? After you finish watching the film you feel like you've lived through something. That is the hallmark of a great film.

[@BigMike246]

I love the shots of the Lady of the Lake. That final shot of her hand holding the sword above the water is iconic. I get the chills every time I watch this movie.

[@jean-paulaudette9246]

"...clad in samite..."

[@KabukiKid]

I get the same chills too. One of the only movies to consistently give that to me.

[@ohauss]

Not as severe as chills go as Boorman's daughter got actually lying in that lake, holding up the sword....

[@KabukiKid]

@@ohauss LOL! Yeah, I doubt that water was toasty warm.

[@rbeck3200tb40]

Listen , strange women laying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.

[@danielallen3454]

That ending piece of music is from Wagner. Siegfried's Funeral March from "Gotterdämmerung".

[@shanwatchesmovies]

I didn't know this one, so thank you again Daniel!

[@ohauss]

It's not just the ending piece, it's at the very beginning as well.

[@danielallen3454]

@@ohauss Ah, so Boorman used it as bookends.

[@vapoet]

@@shanwatchesmovies Another piece, the portion you recognized was called O'Fortuna, composed by Carl Orff. It comes from a 13th century book of poetry named Carmina Burana.

[@omegablack7135]

Translated, "Twilight of the Gods."

[@Dacre1000]

O Fortuna was written for a Cantata called Carmina Burana (based on a series of medieval italian poems of the same name) by Carl Orff around 1936. It was not written for any film, but many did use it anyway.

[@jean-paulaudette9246]

Thank you! I have heard the piece called by both names, so I was confused.

[@kschneyer]

@@jean-paulaudette9246 The other major musical piece was the funeral music from Wagner's Gotterdamerung.

[@shootingreal5945]

Great retelling of the King Arthur story..even today this movie is held as the standard of this tale for many ppl(myself included) A excellent group of accomplished actors and actresses.

[@sadlobster1]

I'm definitely one of those people

[@Orlor]

It definitely was better then that Guy Ritchie abortion...

[@ericjanssen394]

@@Orlor Or that Sean Connery 90's thing with Richard Gere as a modern-guy Lancelot, which is still held as a standard by people who were never alive in the 80's. We MAKE them watch this. >: )

[@shootingreal5945]

@@Orlor Oh man..that God awful movie may give you eye cancer.

[@allisterfiend_2112]

This is the movie that made the music ‘O Fortuna’ by Carl Orff popular, everyone started using it years later. It was written years before the movie came out.

[@alfredoprime5495]

Siegfried's funeral march from Wagner's opera Göterdämmerung is also most epic.

[@elphabarichardson607]

And they all seem to misuse it except for Excalibur!

[@ryanricchio9832]

I think o fortuna is a drinking song!

[@TazorNissen]

It was used in Conan also, right?

[@VacuumJockey]

@@TazorNissen Nope. Milius had planned to use it for Conan, but Excalibur came out 6 months before Conan and shot that idea down. The good part is that Milius then hired Basil Poledouris to write the music for Conan. And today, as we know, the soundtrack for Conan is considered a masterpiece. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqCkiXSVh9Jla6M&ab_channel=CyberChaosCrew

[@nightmaster5593]

This movie has the coolest armor I've ever seen. Those knights look incredible!

[@AdrianColley]

The one gripe I have with this beautiful film is that all the armour and goblets sound like they're made of electroplated plastic, and not steel or iron. It's very peculiar.

[@nightmaster5593]

@@AdrianColley I definitely agree. It sounds like a high-end Halloween costume. Plastic makes sense on Storm Troopers. Not for this movie. Good call!

[@michalmach2261]

Armor was made from Aluminium.@@AdrianColley

[@jacobwalsh1888]

I love this movie but I strongly disagree. The armor is awful. It would have to be made of aluminum, you'd never be able to move in armor like that made out of steel. It's absurdly large and bulky.

[@discernimentotrascendental6026]

E le migliori ambientazioni. Tutto reale❤

[@johnmiller7682]

Basically, this movie rolls all the King Arthur stories into one.

[@Adino1]

The BEST OF

[@eadsst1]

It takes parts from various Arthur stories. Thus it is bith true and untrue to all.

[@GeraldWalls]

I always thought of the "dragon" referred to in Excalibur as the spirit of the Nature and the Earth. That is why when Merlin is channeling the dragon and Excalibur is plunged into the ground it stabs through Merlin and Morgana is able to trap him.

[@JulioLeonFandinho]

Yes... Merlin and Morgana dialogue during Arthur's wedding is very revealing about it, when they're speaking about the new world coming (christianism) in opposition to the ways of the 'old world' meaning pantheism, which is about reality being the whole Nature. The dragon would be just 'everything', reality, nature... when Arthur stabbed Excalibur in the ground, it's like stabbing reality, that's why everything started to fall apart right after that

[@brynmormeredith6270]

Yes, I think the dragon is the mystical embodiment of the Cosmos; encompassing everything that is both physical and metaphysical; which is why Merlin tells Arthur that if he were to see the dragon whole in one glance it would reduce him to ash, because no mortal could ever envision the Universe in its entirety- much less comprehend it.

[@thunderstruck5484]

This is a timeless classic that I never tire of watching thanks Shan

[@shanwatchesmovies]

My pleasure! and thank YOU for taking the time to watch :)

[@The_Bermuda_Nonagon]

Back in 2018 an 8-year-old Swedish girl found a 1,000 year-old-sword in a Swedish lake and my immediate thought when I heard the news was that she was now rightful queen of all England. : )

[@boboboy8189]

But the king arthur is combining 3 period of Times in England history. In my country Malaysia, we also has a story about famous legendary characters naked Hang Tuah throwing Kriss into a lake

[@SpencerMDay]

This is the definitive Arthur story, and while I enjoy your reactions you are too young to grasp how important this film is. It introduced young Americans to some great British talent and gave a large boost to the future films of knights and magic. Okay, maybe I’m being too nostalgic, but it was an important film from my youth.

[@nikolaiquack8548]

I don't think you are. It's one of the most influential fantasy films of all time. There would be no TLoTR if it weren't for Excalibur.

[@jkhristian]

They say Boorman did this when his Lord of the Rings adaptation fell through.

[@Thane36425]

We watched this in an English class a few years after it was released. The teacher, who was actually decent for a high school English teacher had us compare it to parts of "Le Morte d'Arthur". One funny thing came of it. This was a boarding school and one night during study time, one of the guys started screaming his head off and was running around the halls until some guys grabbed him. Turns out that his roommate, was in my class and we'd just seen "Excalibur" had pranked him. The desks in most of the two-man rooms were set back to back by the windows. Since study time was at night, the only lights on were the desk lights. He had put Scotch tape all over his face, then got on his desk and leaned over the top of the desks and said: "gaze into the eyes of the dragon" in a scary voice. His roommate completely lost it, saying the guy had glowing eyes and a demon face. He even wanted a room change because he swore the guy was possessed. He eventually calmed down but he never really saw the humor in the whole thing,

[@Eowyn187]

What a snooty thing to say

[@johnnyskinwalker4095]

@@nikolaiquack8548 I like it better than LOTR. I need some gore and nudity in my fantasy lol

[@gerstelb]

8:26 I always felt that it wasn’t any magic that compelled him to knight Arthur; he was impressed by Arthur’s bravery and honor.

[@anonimuso]

This is my interpretation as well. I think he says something like "I swear allegiance to the courage in your veins. So strong it is, its source must be Uther Pendragon.

[@pappajudas9267]

I always thought it was both.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

No magic at all. Strictly his sudden realization of Arthur's true valor and worthiness. Hence Merlin marveling "I didn't foresee THIS!" Introducing magic into this moment, my favorite in the entire movie, would cheapen its significance.

[@chrisclark7170]

This scene was an allegory for the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist. Here it took courage for Arthur to place his faith in the honor of his emeny.

[@anibalconcha6612]

When Urien holds the sword Excalibur in his hands, it can be seen that his hands tremble from the energy of righteousness that the sword transmits to him.

[@cadleo]

This was legit my favorite movie for most of my life. I recall going to the theatre expecting to see Star Wars for the 40th time and my dad said we would be seeing Excalibur. Like it was yesterday i remember saying, "I dont wanna see stupid Excalibur!". I was blown away. The line spoken by Merlin, "When a man lies, he murders some part of the world" stuck with me so much, it defined how I approach being honest to this day, nearly 4 decades later. Yay. I predict you will really enjoy it as its a great (albeit slightly inaccurate) retelling of the Arthurian legend with acting and filmmaking that still hold up today.

[@shanwatchesmovies]

Thanks for the background on the significance this film had on you Cadleo!

[@jonathanhill4366]

I think about that quote too. I think its pretty true.

[@cadleo]

@@jonathanhill4366 Sadly, being honest my whole life hasnt made me many friends. Thankfully the ones I made were worth calling friends.

[@cadleo]

@@shanwatchesmovies Only for Clan Shan! :D

[@boboboy8189]

Star wars is for man babies, this movie is for matures audiences

[@amaniwolf]

Sir Patrick Stewart's first big role. I spoke with him about it and he laughed at how young he was. Still love it after all this time.

[@michaelbastraw1493]

This was a big movie at the time. Post Star Wars, studios were willing to throw more money at the fantastic. Director Boorman was also someone, because of Deliverance, they felt could be given a certain amount of free rein. This was the first live-action fantasy film I'd seen that seem to take the subject matter seriously. They certainly incorporated the lived-in universe aesthetic of Star Wars. Best. Leo.

[@chimpinaneckbrace]

“Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.” - Dennis

[@mnomadvfx]

"Now we see the violence inherent in the system!" "HELP! HELP! I'M BEING REPRESSED!"

[@mnomadvfx]

It was also an idiotic sentiment disproved soundly by every invasion force that conquered the British Isles,. None more successfully than William 1st/William the Conqueror.

[@jimtatro6550]

Nicol Williamson is the best Merlin ever, another great Boorman film is Deliverance

[@machtnichtsseimann]

Agree, and agree.

[@martinkarnstein]

Deliverance is exceptional, perfect writing, filming and acting. Easily one of the most disturbing movies out there.

[@shanwatchesmovies]

I still haven't watched Deliverance yet. Worth a watch on the channel?

[@machtnichtsseimann]

@@shanwatchesmovies YES! A good compare/contrast re: Boorman's direction of these two films and "Deliverance" is quite the drama.

[@thunderstruck5484]

@@shanwatchesmovies o heck yes please watch Deliverance and react if possible it is a classic with Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds and Ned Beatty giving top notch performances in this disturbing haunting Masterpiece from early 70s cinema

[@steelers6titles]

A masterpiece, filmed in Ireland. Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren are tremendous. Based on Malory's "The Death of Arthur".

[@martinbraun1211]

Liam Neeson and Helen Mirren met on the set of this movie and lived together for the next four years.

[@martinkarnstein]

Can't blame Liam, hence Helen Mirren is so hot in Excalibur 👍🏻

[@shanwatchesmovies]

Thanks for the trivia Martin!

[@rumblewolf2999]

He also wooed Julia Roberts (among others). His track record is impeccable.

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

@@martinkarnstein I don't find her attractive. I like the Guinevere character-long curly brown hair.

[@steeleye2112]

@@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344 oh no complaints there but it's Mirren's attitude in real life that clinches it. She's a real badass

[@allisterfiend_2112]

Also, the three woman in the boat with King Arthur at the end were Faith, Hope, Charity. Lots of symbolism in this film.

[@tophers3756]

In legends the three women are Morgan Le Fey, the Queen of Northgales, and the Queen of the Wastelands.

[@allisterfiend_2112]

@@tophers3756 Sounds good, I have not read the Arthurian legend books in over 35 years, I could be confusing the three women with something else.

[@Malovane77]

I was under the impression they were the three fates, signifying that Arthur had achieved his destiny. In English myth, they were known as the wyrd, (pronounced as "weird").

[@thunderstruck5484]

Might I suggest DragonSlayer as an epic fantasy film which is probably the best portrayal of a Dragon that Ive seen and it is a classic! Thanks Shan

[@shanwatchesmovies]

I'll definitely add it to the list!

[@redsabreanakin]

I couldnt agree more. Now i haven't seen game of thrones or pretty much anything else with dragons (outside of Harry potter) but Verminthrax pejorative is the dragon by which all others are measured by..plus, its just a really good movie

[@bethannprather1462]

Really great suggestion!! Agree 100%

[@jesselester9722]

@@shanwatchesmovies please react to The Last Boy Scout (1991) it's my favorite Tony Scott movie. It stars Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, & a young Halley Berry before she was famous. It's also written by Shane Black.

[@KabukiKid]

Agreed! Coolest movie dragon, ever. Those FX still stand up today!

[@shainewhite2781]

2:06, The Sword was crafted by the Lady In The Lake, Nimue.

[@kwdenman]

Love this movie. My dad introduced me to it, and it's a favorite for as long as I can remember. "Come, father. Let us embrace at last"

[@cuteandfluffypikachu3405]

This is my favourite film I was 9 when I first watched this on vhs it was my Saturday film to watch I’m now 43 and still love it especially the music 😊😊

[@roningarrison]

This is one of my favorite movies, I adore it. Every other take on King Arthur just didn't work for me where this had some cool imagery that stuck with me while others just came and went and I can't remember them if I tried.

[@TeddGCM]

My favorite movie of all time. I can almost quote it word for word.

[@shainewhite2781]

7:47, Carl Orrf's O Fortuna is the most memorable piece of music used in over 100 movies and SUPERBOWL ads

[@LomanLawson]

a shame we don't get too many epics like this anymore!

[@ohauss]

Today, people are too busy to tell "the real story", which in all regularity is an archaeological and historiographical nightmare that will a trail of traumatized experts in its wake... That and the fact that where Excalibur is not afraid to use symbolism, most movies nowadays need to spell everything out. They don't deal in the metaphysical, they only show the physical.

[@georgeclinton4524]

I still will sometimes in the back of my head just go 'The King without a sword? The Land without a King! AHHH!!!'

[@fergalmoore862]

Also "The King and the Land are one!"

[@anastasiasheniloff2512]

Shan! I liked your reaction! This was a good film! Congratulations on 11.4k subscribers! Your channel is amazing!

[@kenttaylor9238]

Mordred has the coolest armor. The music is from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff's adaptation of 12th century monks

[@shanwatchesmovies]

Thanks! Turns out I had it saved on Spotify, just didn't know the name lol

[@TheAes86]

Which of course is about the 4 seasons.

[@TheAes86]

@@shanwatchesmovies Also Tristran and Isolde is the other musical piece I believe, the darker themes . The parts your talking about are the Fortuna Imperatrix movements in Carmina Burana.

[@themadpizzler6081]

Also Wagner's "Siegfried's Funeral March", was used in the more 'moody' parts of the movie.

[@rbeck3200tb40]

He is wearing Roman armor

[@Dacre1000]

The movie is not very kind to people who don't have a knowledge of Arturian lore. It stil works but it feels it was made for people that truly know at least about Mallory.

[@susanmaggiora4800]

Once and Future King is used quite a bit as well. Particularly in the overall character of Merlin.

[@Lezard_Valeth]

This is my all-time favourite movie. Yes there are technically better movies with acting, effects etc. But seeing this movie as a kid was basically Lord of the Rings before the Jackson movies of the books. I especially love Merlin and Arthur in this version, even though i love the whole cast. Easily the best version of King Arthur's story

[@lionofhighpark]

Interesting that you bring up Lord of the Rings, as Boorman was originally making a Lord of the Rings movie until rights issues forced him to change the story to King Arthur. The props sets and costumes were originally designed during preproduction of the (ultimately abandoned) Lord of the Rings adaptation.

[@Lezard_Valeth]

@@lionofhighpark I remember reading some weird stuff from that script. Like the fellowship beating Gimli almost to death so he can have some kind of vision and Frodo having sex with Galadriel. Still, would have been interesting to see it

[@domingorubies656]

@@Lezard_Valeth yep, can’t take the image of Frodo having sex with Galadriel off my head now

[@olivercook2589]

Great video and I loved your review and summary. I’m glad you enjoyed it

[@JuanRamirez-xh3kc]

Glad to see this all time classic re visited and or newly discovered by new younger generation of viewers. It is the ultimate cinematic King Arthur depiction IMHO.

[@JuanFromH-Town]

Favorite scene was the land coming back to life as they rode out. Imagery and music was awesome.

[@JonnyPhive]

I saw this in theaters with my Mom, when i was a kid. This was one of her favorite films of all time.

[@gojiberry7201]

Wow, I have never seen or heard of this ... will have to watch it now. Thanks for another great vid Shan!!

[@shanwatchesmovies]

Hope you like it! It has it's flaws but its still a very good film

[@Daniel24724]

The guy who made the music at the begining is... RICHARD WAGNER. That's why it sounds epic. He invented the "Epic" ! 😁

[@JulioLeonFandinho]

He didn't create epic, the whole Arthur/Camelot/Round Table story is epic and that's a medieval story, even more ancient, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, the true origins of "Epic"... Wagner's music in Excalibur was taken from his opera 'Tristan und Isolde', which is based in another medieval german epic poem.

[@Daniel24724]

@@JulioLeonFandinho All right, but Wagner is part of those who invented the "Epic music" . Without him, no John Williams. 🤷‍♂️

[@anonimuso]

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!! So glad you got to see it. @24:45 So, at the end, basically the other part of the Arthurian Cycle is Avalon. Avalon is where Excalibur was created. Avalon is where the ladies were taking Arthur I believe. If you would like to know more, you can read The Mists of Avalon. It has also been made into a movie or mini-series.

[@ericjanssen394]

And yes, Merlin's spell was the "secret" code from Ready Player One. Didn't think that movie WOULDN'T show off its 80's geekery, did you?

[@lorenwoirhaye4687]

I think Nigel Terry, who plays Arthur, mostly worked on stage. I have seen him in a couple of other film things. The characters are archetypal and many of the the actors were Shakespearean actors. That's the effect Boorman was after I think, kind of stagey.

[@jimtatro6550]

FYI: It’s the Lady of the Lake and the Sword in the Stone, great reaction as usual 😎

[@shanwatchesmovies]

Thanks Jim!

[@EmlynBoyle]

This movie was shot in Ireland, and my uncle worked on it as a props assistant. It's still awesome.

[@jayconant1587]

That's awesome what a lucky guy

[@thunderstruck5484]

The Merlin gags went over very well at the theater, movies back then such as Star Wars and raiders of the lost Ark had some humor which made the movie not only adventure but fun also and the only other King Arthur movie I enjoyed is King Arthur with Clive Owen thanks Shan!

[@shanwatchesmovies]

Ahhh, thanks for the insights. Makes much more sense now!

[@costaliberta5969]

i think the gags show character and human-like attributes. although merlin is a supernatural being, all the clumsiness depict he still has weaknesses, like being abstracted, or even naive, later being tricked by morgana. secondly, being humorous is only part of his personality, remaining authentic and true to himself, talking in riddles and making fun, outsmarting or 'trolling' the others and challenging their intellect. all part of his wisdom. depicts diversity, creativity and an ever-growing personality, which should be every man's main objective. his authenticity is probably the only way to remain pure and 'innocent' through the handreds of years. in fact, we never see deviousness or trickery in his actions, as opposed to morgana who is filled with lust and revengefulnes. those two characters contrast the eternal battle between good and evil. however in the end he confronts morgana with trickery, giving her some of her own medicine, repaying a dept, and in this whole scene he is dead-focused and serious. it is also the only time he actively destroys somebody. a trully powerful being... with character... and style. an achievement on its own merit.

[@AdrianColley]

Merlin's humorous moments all serve a purpose in the plot. His reaction to being jostled on the hill is to create a circle, which becomes the site of the Round Table. His muted reaction to being jostled by Perceval shows just how naive Perceval is, that he almost got himself killed by a sorceror (but really Merlin is a big softie). His amusing moments at the dance in Leodegrance's castle showed how frustrated he was with love ("this mad distemper that strikes down both beggar and king", which foreshadows his seduction by Morgana). When he and Arthur share a laugh over how a king should be afraid of enemies in the tangled forest of the brain, it serves two purposes: it reminds (or attempts to remind) Arthur of his first night in the forest learning how to be king, and it foreshadows Merlin's return in dreams. When Merlin fell into the river, he made the purpose clear with the line "remember: there's always something cleverer than yourself", which was supposed to teach Arthur that not all problems could be solved by sheer power.

[@thunderstruck5484]

@@AdrianColley exactly, excellent writing in my opinion thanks!

[@costaliberta5969]

@@AdrianColley yeah, nice... no school like old school...

[@shainewhite2781]

One of the best Fantasy Films ever made! It's supposed to be the most realistic version of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

[@oliviawilliams6204]

It's really not realistic in anyway, pretty much everything in it anachronistic, they go around armor that would not be invented for a millennia or so for example

[@crypticmirror]

@@oliviawilliams6204 Blame Thomas Mallory for that one.

[@bondrafabaond]

@@oliviawilliams6204 They didn't want to.porralt "History" They wanted to.portrait "Mithology". It's a Epic fantasy film.like the Lord if The Rings trilogy not a Historical drama.

[@oliviawilliams6204]

@@bondrafabaond except that Arthurian Legends have a real world basis based on History of Britain, detaching it from real earth history and the time it took place detach it from itself. While Tolkien is history of Middle Earth and they can do as they like with technological level. It’s low fantasy vs high fantasy

[@toastnjam7384]

This and another 80's fantasy movie are among my fav's. Drangonslayer, which also came out in 1981.

[@monsoon1234567890]

All I remember about this movie was that epic ending with the Lady of the Lake.

[@Serai3]

Listen, strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government! :D

[@chriskelly3481]

@@Serai3 Damn you for beating me to it!!! 😆😜 (It was always gonna happen) ...just because some watery tart threw a sword at you?!

[@Serai3]

@@nateman10 WHOOOSH!! I was making a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. :D

[@Serai3]

@@chriskelly3481 If I was to go around saying I was an emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!! :D

[@Stu-Vino]

Epic film. The cinematography and score are incredible.

[@colehamilton5917]

Yes, this is the definitive King Arthur movie. To find one that has a more lighthearted tone and keeps the main plot in focus, I recommend the miniseries Merlin staring Sam Neil.

[@JC-rb3hj]

I saw this at Grauman's Chinese Theater back in the day. It was epic on the big screen. I was familiar with Le Morte Darthur, that made the disjointed sections virtually unnoticeable. Great film, nice tackle Shan of a challenging and sprawling tale.

[@danielallen3454]

Yes, that piece of music is O Fortuna by Carl Orff. Composed in 1935 and 1936 from a collection of 24 medieval poems called Caramina Burana.

[@shanwatchesmovies]

Thank you Daniel! Turns out I had it saved on Spotify, just didn't know the name lol

[@JustinCredible61-g8n]

Nice review. Yes, despite its shortcomings, it still remains one of my Top Ten favourite movies, including Highlander. Maybe for men (and some women I'm sure!) there is a deep visceral connection between the Sword and Manhood, and maybe the deep, hidden desire to be pure and courageous. I myself have the Marto of Toledo Launcelot Sword above my mantel. It's a handsome piece, and each time I look at its beauty it fascinates me that the sword in general was the very first edged instrument designed to exclusively fight with and kill men as opposed to any other instrument up to then, which had been designed strictly for hunting and killing animals. I have read 'King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table' by Roger Lancelyn-Green (that has to be a pseudonym!) and I thoroughly recommend it. It is obvious that Boorman has endeavoured to include several of the individual stories laid out in the book, but added his own flavour to the Arthurian legend. He included the use of full plate armour, which, while looking stunning, wasn't worn until much later on in history as metallurgy evolved, but we have to admit that the effect is stunning, and combined with the music (L'e Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Mallory) and an ethereal green sheen over everything, makes what I believe is still an epic I will watch over and over again, despite its relative antiquity. As a matter of interest, my very favourite section of the movie is when Sir Uriens is tempted to keep the sword but ends up knighting Arthur. It's hard to keep back my emotion as, one by one, all the knights sink to their knees in the filthy water to acknowledge their new king. Thanks again.

[@shainewhite2781]

5:56, Patrick Stewart! Love him! He's in every movie I've seen him in!

[@CDP1861]

Logical. Perfectly logical. He indeed was in ever movie I saw him in. :-)

[@perrin6]

Great music in the movie was from operas ‘Parsifal’ and ‘gotterdamerung’ by 19th century German composer Richard Wagner.

[@hernanpisano7913]

The music used is not original.3 classical themes were used,adapted for Epicmusic : Carmina Burana by Karl Orff , and 2 themes from.2 operas by Richard Wagner : the prelude of "Tristan und Isolde" ,in the love scene between Lancelot and Guenevere, and the "Siegfried's Death and funeral march (Twilight of the Gods)",for Arthur's death

[@robpalmer9385]

Also Parsifal overture (Wagner)!

[@doreybain]

I'm glad you watched this movie. Before I saw this movie when I was very young, I thought a director's choices were self-evident if he followed the screenplay. My vision of this story was so different than John Boorman's it made me realize how influential the director is to a film.

[@PastHisPrime336]

I first saw this movie when I was about 8 years old and loved it. I've seen it many times since and for me it's one of the best tellings of the story of Arthur.

[@Mike-ol7gt]

Wow never thought I’d see a modern day reaction to one of my childhood all time fav films, good on you doing one buddy.

[@herbyragan7801]

If you want to see a different perspective, might I recommend Disney’s “The Sword in the Stone”. Fun little film.

[@scottjo63]

If you can find Disney's The Sword And The Stone. People are saying really bad things of what Disney is doing or have done to the classics.

[@Rocket1377]

@Scott Johanson: Those people are idiots. Most of Walt Disney's films are works of art.

[@coachmikesfilmroom3111]

Sword in the Stone is a great adaptation of T.H. White's Once and Future King.

All old Disney films are classics. Now, Disney is pure trash.

[@BandOfHarjaps]

@@nateman10 its probably just a matter of holding onto publishing rights.

[@IggyStardust1967]

OMG!! You're the FIRST reactor I've seen do this movie! Holy shit, Shan! I'm SO impressed that you would watch this.... it was "Epic" before Epic was a thing. I mean, 2001 was the real first Epic.... but this would be #2! I can't say how happy I am to see this! I mean, I'm literally watching this instead of going downstairs and hanging out with my wife. She's okay with it, as she knows my love for both reaction channels AND this movie! Also, I have a very high quality replica of this sword hanging on my wall. My first wife, Rest her Soul, bought it for me. There is SO much wisdom in this movie. "He has given, now you must!"... Also, the "king" at the beginning, is Uther, not Arthur. Uther Pendragon. Also, look closely, you'll see Liam Neesan(AH! You spotted him!), Patrick Stewart("IF A BOY, HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO BE KING, THEN A BOY SHALL BE KING!), Hellen Mirren(Arthur's Half Sister)... All of the music in this movie is by classical writers. You can buy the tracks by different orchestras, but I honestly LOVE this soundtrack as it stands. Around the 10:00 minute mark, when Arthur fought Lancelot... understand, Lancelot's armour is made of the same blessed metal that Excalibur is made of. When Arthur used his rage to bring forth Excalibur's power, he ended up breaking the sword. It went against God's will, it seems. You're 100% correct. As Morgana and Arthur's son was growing up, the knights were all deemed unworthy, and hung on the tree. All, except Percival. He was the only knight worthy of holding the grail, though it took him more than one attempt at it. The "source material" is basically legend, not any single book in particular. A few liberties were taken, but for the most part, the legend is pretty much there. Also, just for clarity, it's "Lady of the Lake", not "Lady of the Water". As Arthur's body was taken away, he was moved to a mystical location called "Avalon", where he, and the other Knights of the Round Table were buried, or at least memorialized. Okay, to answer your question about Mordrid killing his mother.... all his life he had known her as a relatively young and beautiful woman. When Merlin caused her to "grow old"(to her "natural" state), he believed she had been compromised, and was siding against him. At least, that's MY interpretation. He could have simply seen it as she wasn't who he thought she was. Fun Fact: The "Charm of Making" would be used by the WWE Wrestler "The Undertaker" during his "Ministry" storyline. In particular, he spoke it during his theme song in that era(late 90s). To your final question.... Yes, this *IS* the definitive King Arthur tale for me. I have seen a few others, but none even come close to how good this movie is. It stands the test of time, and I congratulate you for watching it!

[@ludovicoc7046]

A genuinely great film, but in certain scenes I can't help but think of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

[@adamwarlock1]

Yeah it's one of those weird times when the parody came before the original, like Goldmember and Spectre.

[@llenin6767]

When the one guy gets his arm chopped off, it's so very "tis but a scratch".

[@AdrianColley]

Especially the scenes where the peasants are literally toiling in dirt.

[@AutumnPheonix]

I'm so happy you've decided to watch this one. It's another staple from my childhood! I still remember the magic spell too.. I say it sometimes to freak out my kids. :-)

[@FireTiger941]

Epic film! Needs a proper special edition 4k release!

[@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344]

This film influenced me. That song "O Fortuna," when Arthur rides through the orchards, the fruit trees bloom and the petals cascade off his stainless steel armor, created my interest in classical music. I have classical playing 24/7 on a Tivoli radio.

[@giovanniayala9199]

Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart and Ciaran Hinds are all in there

[@misterprickly]

Don't forget Clive Swift AKA Richard Bucket (bouquet) as Sir Hector.

[@matthewdunham1689]

Gabriel Byrne also

[@Foksuh]

Gabriel Byrne, Helen Mirren, Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson and even Ciaran Hinds. It's a wild cast of actors. Edit: As for other Boorman movies -Zardoz: Boorman quote sums it up "Um, it was the '70s, and I was doing a lot of drugs. Frankly, even I'm not entirely sure what parts of the movie are about. ". -Deliverance: Good watch, classic movie with some tough scenes. -Hope and Glory: Haven't seen it but based on all the awards and ratings it's probably worth checking out.

[@John_Locke_108]

Looking forward to watching this reaction. I love this movie although some of that could be nostalgia because I first saw it as a kid in the 80's. So you can imagine how epic this film would be to a 10 year old.

[@susanmaggiora4800]

Yeah, I was 13 at the time. I was a huge fan of Robert E. Howard’s Conan novels, Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons, so of course I absolutely loved it.

[@rory7590]

One of the most underrated movies, in my view. Not a pixel of CGI to be seen, and yes it is visually amazing while managing to present the themes of Morte D’Arthur quote accurately.

[@willv7868]

BTW, Merlin's casting spell was used in Real Player One.

[@zmani4379]

Nice reaction - the Arthurian legends are part of the tapestry of Western culture - the mythos was used during the Middle Ages as a narrative in unifying Britain, this idea of various personal and tribal loyalties being set aside for a higher centralizing cause - a more classic onscreen rendering of this legend would be 1953 Knights of the Round Table; this film is more like an essay in dialogue with the myth - the performances are intentionally stylized and even abstract - this is depicting the evolution of humanity, and we see the actors at times presenting the characters as childlike or animalistic, as Arthur and those around him struggle to overcome their primitive weaknesses and pass the divine tests set before them, to bring civilization out of the Dark Ages - realism isn't the main aim here, and the disjointed quality reflects the episodic nature of the source material - one important aspect is the use of Wagner's music - a lot of the music is drawn from Wagner's Ring Cycle, which focus on a parallel set of medieval German legends - so Boorman is creating a kind of conversation between Wagner and the Arthurian legends, to draw out and examine the underlying mythic framework - we also see Wagner's Parsifal and Tristan and Isolde used carefully

[@rogermorris9696]

The movie was based on Arthurian legends, and is about the death of magic and the rise of the Christian faith in the UK.

[@ericjanssen394]

Specifically, it's credit-based on Thomas Malory's "Le Morte D'Arthur", pretty much THE college-literary source for all King Arthur stories.

[@oliviawilliams6204]

The Mist of Avalon do a better job at being about the raise of Christianity and the death of old Mysticism trough

[@Followme556]

One of the great movies of all time.

[@Jayyy667]

My older brother had this on vhs and would let me watch it as a kid in the late 80s

[@machtnichtsseimann]

We had it on VHS, too, and the men in the family would watch it from time to time. Many quotes to enjoy for years, too!

[@Jayyy667]

@@machtnichtsseimann hell yeah

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

The three women dressed in white were Guinevere and the nuns from the convent she had been banished to. This is where she was when Arthur grants her forgiveness and is given Excalibur which she had had in safe keeping.

[@paulhewes7333]

I remember seeing this in the theaters, taken there by my parents and not know wtf was going on.

[@kens97sto171]

This movie was very memorable when I saw it first.... The very ending when Arthur puts the sword thru his own sons heart.. I had never seen that much gore and blood in a movie.. The story is a classic.. who doesn't like a story about King Arthur and the knights of the round table... I agree with the comment below.. and defiantly recommend DragonSlayer as another movie to watch...

[@Jayyy667]

On 80s fantasy type flicks, check out Krull, Beastmaster, The Ewok Adventure and Ewok: Battle for Endor, Time Bandits and Ridley Scott's Legend. I believe I have pinpointed the time when Tom Cruise actually started to go insane, and it was the making of this film.

[@bluebird3281]

Hawk the Slayer as well

[@elphabarichardson607]

I am going to have to add Dragonslayer to this list!

[@bluebird3281]

@@elphabarichardson607 Yes good call.

[@elzar760]

1981 Clash of the Titans also.

[@elzar760]

And Seconded on Time Bandits. I’m waiting for someone to hit that one.

[@gerardcote8391]

So many actors in this movie became famous - Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Liam Nissan. The guy that plays Arthur's adopted father plays Richard on the BBC Comedy Keeping Up Appearences .

[@laurabryannan]

Other versions of this story? The only one worth watching is Monty Python and the Holy Grail. ^_^

[@elizabethscharnell9787]

My hubby and I saw this on our first date. Perfect for who we grew into now. Thanks for bringing back those memories and for the analysis and deeper dig.

[@mojav26]

Wikipedia said it better than I could... " In 1935-36, O Fortuna was set to music by composer Carl Orff as a part of "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi"... "O Fortuna" is a medieval Latin Goliardic poem which is part of the collection known as the Carmina Burana, written early in the 13th century. It is a complaint about Fortuna, the inexorable fate that rules both gods and mortals in Roman and Greek mythology. "

[@gerardvanwilgen9917]

This is my favourite high fantasy movie, and as far I am concerned there is no other Arthurian film that comes close, except for Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which is a hilarious version of king Arthur's story, one of the best comedies ever made. If you have not yet seen that one, it should be the next film that you review, when the memories of Excalibur are still fresh. Highly recommended! Another one, King Arthur, from 2004 is a decent adventure and action movie, but not a fantasy movie. I would call it "pseudo-historic".

[@carlomercorio1250]

Deliverance is Boorman's best. Zardoz is a hoot as well.

[@steeleye2112]

Agree, deliverance is far and away his best film

[@bluebird3281]

Waiting for any one to react to Zardoz !

[@JulioLeonFandinho]

Boorman made amazing movies, not only those and Excalibur, but also Hell In The Pacific or Point Blank

[@SidBarnhoorn]

Excellent reaction. The music was, among others, Carmina Burana by Carl Orff. It's mentioned most because it is very popular but most of the music used was by Richard Wagner, like his Tristan und Isolde Prelude, Parsifal Prelude and Siegfried's Funeral Music. Scoring was also done by Trevor Jones, among more epic Wagnerian style music also the diegetic music, like the dance at the beginning.

[@robseau]

Ah, so now you'll be able to get the reference whenever you hear the charm of making Merlin spoke "anal nathrak, uthvas bethud, do che-ol di-enve." Other movies has made references to this and folks who did not see Excalibur won't get it.

[@stevetheduck1425]

The words are in old-fashioned Irish Gaelic and are basically 'may the breath of the dragon carry you over... something'

[@bethannprather1462]

I love your reaction to this movie! An original that should NEVER be remade... It's awesome as it is. Also: John Boorman's son, Charley, plays Arthur and Morgana's son Mordrid (the youngest version we see in the gold armour). He's also Ewen McGregor's best friend now and they had the show "Long Way Round". Touring the world on motorcycles.

[@peterschmidt4348]

Liam Neeson had never ridden a horse prior to working on this movie !

[@Jayyy667]

Then he went on to Krull

[@allisterfiend_2112]

@@Jayyy667 I really like Krull! Glad you reminded me of that film, I might start requesting that one soon.

[@ohauss]

@@allisterfiend_2112 Krull is a great movie, though I think it works best if you've watched it the first time as a child. That helps look beyond the sometimes primitive FX and appreciate the story as the great fantasy romp it is...

[@vapoet]

Never the less, had had a certain set of skills...

[@ohauss]

This, it was given me to know: That many worlds have been enslaved by the Beast and his army, the Slayers. And this, too, was given me to know: That the Beast would come to our world, the world of Krull... ... and his Black Fortress would be seen in the land... ... that the smoke of burning villages would darken the sky... ... and the cries of the dying echo through deserted valleys. But one thing I cannot know: Whether the prophecy be true... ... that a girl of ancient name shall become queen... ... that she shall choose a king, and that together they shall rule our world... ... and that their son shall rule the galaxy.

[@yama5182]

THIS MOVIE ENDED for me Forever watching ANY OTHER VERSION of the Tale…seriously. THIS was it…🥰This is the BEST one.

[@bobmessier5215]

"The Mists of Avalon" was a brilliant TV miniseries about King Arthur. Highly recommended and told by Arthur's sister.

[@elphabarichardson607]

100% agree!

[@threepac]

Yup I remember that… the miniseries is almost like a remaster of this movie.

[@Malryth]

The BE ALL & END ALL King Arthur Story BAR NONE!!! It mixes the Romantic telling of the story with the Fantasy elements in an AWESOME "older" movie that has yet to be MATCHED..!

[@biguy617]

I love this movie. This movie, the Merlin miniseries starring Sam Neil as Merlin and Mists of Avalon are the best stories about King Arthur.

[@Shintigercurl]

according to legend, arthur isn't dead. he is merely sleeping in the island of avalon. and when the world needs him the most, he will return to lead men in our darkest hour.

[@Serai3]

By the way, every version of the Arthur story is a fantasy. There is no "real" version, since it's always been a mythology. There may have been someone like him that lived sometime around 600 CE (scholars say he was probably a Welsh warlord), but all the stuff about the Round Table and the Grail and Lancelot, etc., those are all mythological tropes that got attached to a guy we know almost nothing about, if he ever existed at all. Some of it, like the Grail aspects, are from the myth of the Fisher King, an older story. Some of it, like Lancelot, isn't even English, but rather the inventions of Sir Thomas Malory, a Frenchman who wrote _Le Morte d'Artur,_ and prettied it up with a lot of stuff he just invented out of whole cloth. (The Fisher King, starring Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges, would be a great movie for you to review. And no, it has almost nothing to do with King Arthur.)

[@porflepopnecker4376]

Boorman's daughter Katrine played Igrayne, Arthur's mother, and his son Charley played Mordred as a boy. I find the final battle to be like the fight scenes in "Batman Begins"--it isn't important to clearly depict the details of the action, but merely to convey an impression of what is happening. There was never meant to be a literal dragon. It's a conceptual composite of various elements in nature that come together as a supernatural force. Nicol Williamson's Merlin is definitely intended to be seriocomic, as an antidote to the stereotypical portrayal of the wizened old wizard. As you mentioned, repeat viewings of this film tend to be most rewarding.