Excalibur

UPC: 883929167982

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Violence, Nudity, Sexual Situations]

Summary: John Boorman directed this gloriously savage interpretation of Arthurian legend loosely based on Thomas Malory's novel Le Morte d'Arthur. By turns gleaming and filthy, tender and bloody, the film is a visually stunning epic which is never less than compelling. Nigel Terry is perfectly cast as Arthur, whose unwavering trust and faith are shown to be both quietly heroic and achingly na?ve. Interestingly, the quest for the Grail is the least effective part of the film, despite bold cinematography by Alex Thomson (who was nominated for an Oscar) and a fine performance by Paul Geoffrey as Perceval, whose greatest desire is attained in his dying sight. It is the scenes of Camelot in which Boorman is at his most effective, as Arthur is betrayed by the burning passions of Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi) and Lancelot (Nicholas Clay), whose boiling internal forces cannot be denied, whatever the cost. The wicked Mordred (Robert Addie) and Morgana (Helen Mirren) are commanding when onscreen, and Nicol Williamson's performance as the grandiosely self-sacrificing Merlin is outstanding. Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart also appear in this dense, passionate, and stirring triumph featuring a marvelous Trevor Jones score. The gruesome effects by Peter Hutchinson and Alan Whibley, however, and sights such as a knight having sex in full body armor make this a fairy tale strictly for adults. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi

Category: Fantasy

Awards: Best Cinematography – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Artistic Contribution – Cannes Film Festival

Features: Commentary by director John Boorman

Excalibur

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 03/08/2011

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DHMA null, DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD1 Dolby Digital Mono

Runtime: 141 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: French,Spanish

Matthew Doberman

One of the most ambitious, lavish productions of the Arthurian legend (as set forth in Sir Thomas Malory's La Morte d'Arthur), Excalibur largely fulfills its lofty pretenses. This is not a child's fairy tale, and director John Boorman fashions a violent, sexual world of swords, sorcerers, and seducers. Excalibur is a visual marvel, garnering Alex Thomson a well-deserved Oscar nomination for his cinematography (only the widescreen version of the film does his work justice). Boorman filmed in the lush hills of Ireland, and the movie is suffused with a misty, poetic feel that suits the tone of the material. The principals are generally stellar, and a variety of future leading men can be glimpsed in the supporting cast, including Gabriel Byrne, Patrick Stewart, and Liam Neeson. This is a big movie in every sense, and sometimes Boorman's desire to include everything in the film overwhelms him: the quest for the Holy Grail, for example, may strike some as confusing. Excalibur has detractors as enthusiastic as its fans, which can be said of any work as ambitious as this grandiose spectacle of a film. ~ Matthew Doberman, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Niall O'Brien  Actor 
Emmet Bergin  Actor 
Barbara Byrne  Actor 
Eamon Kelly  Actor 
Clive Swift  Actor 
Brid Brennan  Actor 
Charley Boorman  Actor 
Ciarán Hinds  Actor 
Patrick Stewart  Actor 
Garrett Keogh  Actor 
Liam O'Callaghan  Actor 
Trevor Jones  Composer (Music Score) 
John Boorman  Director 
John Boorman  Producer 
John Boorman  Screenwriter 
Rospo Pallenberg  Screenwriter 
Edgar Gross  Executive Producer 
Roberta A. Eisenstein  Executive Producer 
Nigel Terry  Actor 
Nicol Williamson  Actor 
Nicholas Clay  Actor 
Helen Mirren  Actor 
Cherie Lunghi  Actor 
Paul Geoffrey  Actor 
Robert Addie  Actor 
Gabriel Byrne  Actor 
Keith Buckley  Actor 
Katrine Boorman  Actor 
Liam Neeson  Actor 
Corin Redgrave  Actor 

Country: USA