EXCALIBUR (1981): The High Budget Arthurian Romance Film That's Horny?... - Nerd Legion Ep. 46

A dense, enigmatic, and bombastic epic, John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur brings the Arthurian romances to life in all their symbolic glory. Featuring a stellar cast, including Helen Mirren, Nicol Williamson, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Ciarán Hinds, and Gabriel Byrne, the film is an opportunity to see many lauded British and Irish actors early in their careers. Excalibur leans into the episodic and mysterious nature of the Arthurian stories, leaving it to the viewer to interpret and understand the events unfolding on screen. The film also provides a visual feast with amazing costuming, epic set-pieces, and stunning cinematography, all of which add to its larger than life feel. While challenging and, at times, confusing, Excalibur holds up well in the modern day and its ambition is second-to-none.

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Editing by Adanion
Art by Atantalas

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0:00:00 - Intro to Excalibur and the stories it draws from
0:10:41 - Arthurian magic vs magic in modern fantasy and the difficulty of translating Arthurian romances to film
0:17:51 - Excalibur as an "epic"
0:28:45 - Uther Pendragon is uncontrollably horny and the accomplished cast
0:37:44 - The origin of Arthur
0:45:46 - Knighting Arthur, subverting expectations, and the concept of chivalry
0:55:15 - Lancelot's character and his relationship with Guinevere
1:02:37 - The connection between the king and the land and the Grail visions
1:12:31 - Is Excalibur overly complex? Final thoughts

#excalibur #lastfreenation #podcast