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Excalibur
1981 141 min United Kingdom, United States of America R 16+
★7.3
Adventure, Fantasy
Director: John Boorman
🎭 Based on
«Le Morte d'Arthur»
byThomas Malory
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Description
Arthur fulfills his fate by bringing together the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot and unifying the country. However, this flawed monarch faces greater tests ahead in pursuit of love, the Holy Grail, and his nation's survival.
Budget:
$11M
US Gross:
$34.97M
Worldwide:
$35M
Starring
Nigel Terry
Actor
Helen Mirren
Actor
Nicholas Clay
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 1981
— Prize for Artistic Contribution
Saturn Awards 1982
— Best Costume Design
Cannes Film Festival 1981
— Palme d'Or
Saturn Awards 1982
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
BAFTA 1982
— Best Costume Design
Cannes Film Festival 1981
— Prize for Artistic Contribution
Saturn Awards 1982
— Best Costume Design
Saturn Awards 1982
— Best Fantasy Film
Saturn Awards 1982
— Best Director
Saturn Awards 1982
— Best Supporting Actor
Key opinion
John Boorman's Excalibur is widely regarded as a visually arresting and atmospheric adaptation of Malory's Morte d'Arthur that succeeds as a dark, operatic fantasy. While praised for its artistic ambition and immersive world-building, critics are divided over whether its dense narrative structure and stripped-back, logical storytelling compromise the mysterious, elusive nature of the original myths.
| Cinematography | The cinematography and visual style create a rich, evocative atmosphere that remains visually impressive despite the film's age. | |
| Score | The musical score, heavily utilizing Wagner and Orff, effectively anchors the film's operatic and mythic tone. | |
| Production | The production design and costume choices are lauded for their unique, fairy-tale aesthetic and authentic use of location shooting. | |
| Acting | Performances, particularly Helen Mirren's portrayal of Morgana, are widely considered strong and help ground the film's larger-than-life characters. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing and narrative structure are divisive; some appreciate the compressed, episodic approach, while others find the rapid jumps between time periods hinder emotional attachment to characters. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are split: some celebrate its tight, logical, and clear distillation of complex myths, while others argue this clarity sacrifices the essential ambiguity and mystery of the Arthurian legend. |