Excalibur (1981): Epic Dark Fantasy

John Boorman's Excalibur is still many film fans' go-to story of King Arthur. And it's a movie I love to stare at because it is simply gorgeous.A dark fantasy epic, its visual brilliance and story of light, might, and right continue to captivate filmmakers and audiences.Merlin is here and he's tricky; Morgana is here and she's witchy. Noble Arthur loves Guinevere, but she's twitchy (because of Lanceleot).It's as uplifting as it is haunting. And loaded with practical effects, like handcrafted suits of armor, the film feels as everlasting as the subject matter.Join me for this discussion of green and gold glowing, armor so bright it's like staring at the sun, and the need to check in on your heroes when your film takes a big detour.Directed by John Boorman. Screenplay by Rosso Wallenberg and John Boorman. Cinematography by Alex Thomson.Starring:Nigel TerryHelen MirrenNicholas ClayCherie LunghiPaul GeoffreyNicol WilliamsonConnect with us on Bluesky:@not-ni-theaters.bsky.socialAnd to read more of Will's writing or check out more podcast episodes, you can visit him at: willturntale.com