King Arthur

The Librarians – And the Crown of King Arthur

  • Title: The Librarian – And the Crown of King Arthur
  • IMDb: link

The Librarians - And the Crown of King Arthur

Based on the series of TV-movies starring Noah Wyle as the latest in the line of secret protectors tasked with keeping potentially dangerous magical artifacts out of the hands of those who would abuse their powers comes TNT’s new drama The Librarians. Premiering ten years ago The Librarian: Quest for the Spear introduced Flynn Carsen (Wyle) and the world of the Library and I’m a little surprised it has taken a decade for TNT to decide to broaden the scope of the franchise with an ongoing series (although it’s influences can certainly be felt in shows like Warehouse 13).

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2004 – King Arthur

  • Title: King Arthur
  • IMDb: link

King Arthur

Released in 1981, John Boorman‘s Excalibur remains the standard against which every King Arthur film is measured. Setting itself apart, Antoine Fuqua‘s film (released in theaters 10 years ago today) chose to ignore the more mystical and mythological aspects of the King Arthur legend while providing a more grounded version set during the end of the Roman occupation of Britain.

Here Arthur (Clive Owen) is a half-Celtic Roman cavalry officer in charge of a select group of indentured knights: Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd), Tristan (Mads Mikkelsen), Gawain (Joel Edgerton), Galahad (Hugh Dancy), Dragonet (Ray Stevenson), and Bors (Ray Winstone). Rome’s withdrawal should mean the end to their service, but the group is tasked with final mission to rescue an important Roman family from the invading Saxon horde. The result of which will spill the blood of Arthur’s knights, introduce him the Welsh warrior princess Guinevere (Keira Knightley) and her father Merlin (Stephen Dillane) – Arthur sworn enemy, and change the course of his destiny.

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Arthur, King of the Britons

Excalibur.  Arthur and Guinevere.  Camelot.  The Knights of the Round Table.  Merlin.  Everyone knows these names, and each conjures up images of magic, grandeur, tragedy, and action.  With another new Arthur flick on its way to theaters this Friday, The Last Legion, we take a look back at four of Arthur’s more memorable experiences on the big screen.

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Here are four distinctly different takes on the King Arthur legend.  Another, The Last Legion will be released in theaters everywhere this Friday.

Excalibur

King Arthur’s tale has never been so well done.  The classic love triangle that brought about the end of Arthur’s (Nigel Terry) reign and the downfall Camelot is beautifully told here by director John Boorman.  The movie tells the tale of Arthur’s origins and birth including Uther’s (Gabriel Byrne) mad lust for Igrayne (Katrine Boorman) that leads to his death and the birth of Arthur.  The movie’s main focus is on Arthur’s Camelot, his wife Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi) and his best knight and stalwart friend Lancelot (Nicholas Clay).  The consummation of Lancelot and Guenevere’s love along with the scheming of Arthur’s half-sister Morgana (Helen Mirren) bring Camelot crashing down and lead to Arthur’s death.  Not the happiest of tales but an unbelievably romantic one nonetheless.


King Arthur

Director Antoine Fuqua gives us a dirty, brutal, and more realistic look at Arthur (Clive Owen), Guinevere (Keira Knightley), Merlin (Stephen Dillane), and the Knights of the Round Table: Lancelot (Ioan Gruffudd), Tristan (Mads Mikkelsen), Gawain (Joel Edgerton), Galahad (Hugh Dancy), Bors (Ray Winstone) and Dagonet (Ray Stevenson).  For those who love the magic and the mystery of the Arthur legend you should look elsewhere, but for a different take which tries to place the characters of legend in the real world it’s an entertaining adventure.  The Director’s Cut DVD includes extra footage, alternate and deleted scenes, featurettes, and commentary from the director.


First Knight

In this regrettable, and better off forgotten, take on the legend an aging Arthur (Sean Connery) prepares to marry the younger Guinevere (Julia Ormand) who falls for the dashing and troubled Lancelot (Richard Gere).  Gere and Ormand bat eyes at each other before stealing a kiss that brings down the kingdom.  King Arthur was never so much a soap opera as it is here.  And to make it worse the film ends with Arthur’s death, Camelot’s ruin, and Lancelot and Guinvere living happily ever after???  Seriously, WTF!!  Not worth the film stock which was used to shoot it, and don’t even get me started on the spotlessness of the entire movie!  What, there was no dirt in Camelot?  A long way from director Jerry Zucker‘s best film.


The Sword in the Stone

Disney does T. H. White’s King Arthur.  One of the most lasting Arthur tales, even for those (like me) who aren’t in love with White’s Arthur, is this animated 1963 take on the young boy known as Wart (Rickie Sorensen, Richard Reitherman, Robert Reitherman) and his fulfillment of destiny as he pulls the sword from the stone.  Mostly memorable for its music and Merlin’s (Karl Swenson) battle with Madam Mim (Martha Wentworth) as the pair transform into every creature imaginable to a young child.  Far from Disney’s finest hour, but a good film to introduce the legends of King Arthur to younger children, and sweet and memorable in its own way. The “Gold Classic DVD” includes a deleted song, a scrapbook, short animatics, featurettes, and sing-a-long versions of “Higitus Figitus” and “That’s What Makes the World Go Round.”

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