IMDb > Excalibur (1981)
Excalibur
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Excalibur (1981) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 5)
Excalibur -- A spirited accounting of one of the most obscure periods of the world's history. This reprisal is magical in its execution and gives its audience something to watch.
Excalibur -- Another retelling of the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   30,543 votes »
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MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 30% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
John Boorman
Writers:
Thomas Malory (book)
Rospo Pallenberg (adaptation)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Excalibur on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 April 1981 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Adventure | Drama | Fantasy See more »
Tagline:
No mortal could possess it! No kingdom could command it! See more »
Plot:
A spirited accounting of one of the most obscure periods of the world's history. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 9 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(171 articles)
Supporting Actors: The Overlooked and Underrated (part 3 of 5)
 (From SoundOnSight. 24 May 2012, 8:28 PM, PDT)
The Boorman family's 40 years on the red carpet
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 24 May 2012, 9:23 AM, PDT)
Boorman Plans "Hope and Glory" Sequel
 (From Dark Horizons. 21 May 2012, 8:14 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
The best rendition of the Arthur legend See more (296 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
Nigel Terry ... King Arthur

Helen Mirren ... Morgana
Nicholas Clay ... Lancelot
Cherie Lunghi ... Guenevere
Paul Geoffrey ... Perceval

Nicol Williamson ... Merlin
Robert Addie ... Mordred

Gabriel Byrne ... Uther Pendragon
Keith Buckley ... Uryens
Katrine Boorman ... Igrayne

Liam Neeson ... Gawain

Corin Redgrave ... Cornwall
Niall O'Brien ... Kay

Patrick Stewart ... Leondegrance
Clive Swift ... Sir Hector

Ciarán Hinds ... Lot (as Ciarin Hinds)
Liam O'Callaghan ... Sadok
Michael Muldoon ... Astamor
Charley Boorman ... Boy Mordred
Gerard Mannix Flynn ... Mordred's Lieutenant (as Mannix Flynn)
Garrett Keogh ... Mador
Emmet Bergin ... Ulfus
Barbara Byrne ... Young Morgana
Brid Brennan ... Lady in Waiting
Kay McLaren ... Aged Morgana
Eamon A. Kelly ... Abbot (as Eamonn Kelly)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hilary Joyalle ... Lady of the Lake (uncredited)
Prudence Wright Holmes ... Sunshine (uncredited)

Directed by
John Boorman 
 
Writing credits
Thomas Malory (book "Le Morte d'Arthur")

Rospo Pallenberg (adaptation)

Rospo Pallenberg (screenplay) and
John Boorman (screenplay)

Produced by
John Boorman .... producer
Michael Dryhurst .... associate producer
Robert A. Eisenstein .... executive producer
Edgar F. Gross .... executive producer
 
Original Music by
Trevor Jones 
 
Cinematography by
Alex Thomson 
 
Film Editing by
John Merritt 
Donn Cambern (uncredited)
 
Casting by
Mary Selway 
 
Production Design by
Anthony Pratt 
 
Art Direction by
Tim Hutchinson 
 
Set Decoration by
Bryan Graves 
 
Costume Design by
Bob Ringwood 
 
Makeup Department
Anna Dryhurst .... makeup artist
Anne Dunne .... hair stylist
Anne McFadyen .... hair stylist
Basil Newall .... makeup artist
 
Production Management
Jack Phelan .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Barry Blackmore .... assistant director
Robert Dwyer-Joyce .... second assistant director
John Lawlor .... second assistant director
Peter MacDonald .... second unit director
Andrew Montgomery .... second assistant director
Ted Morley .... second assistant director
David Murphy .... second assistant director
Martin O'Malley .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Art Department
Trisha Edwards .... production buyer
Bob Hedges .... property master
Joe Lear .... master plasterer
Joe Lee .... construction manager
John Lucas .... associate art director
Owen Murnane .... master painter
Paddy Murray .... property man
Mario Novelli .... model maker (as Anthony Freeman)
David Rayner .... property man
Mervyn Rowe .... scenic artist
Bertram Tyrer .... associate art director
John Alvin .... poster artist (uncredited)
Cos Egan .... set dresser (uncredited)
Mark Hedges .... trainee propman (uncredited)
Brian Muir .... sculptor (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
Pat Brennan .... assistant sound editor
Tom Curran .... sound recordist
Ron Davis .... sound editor
John Fortune .... boom operator
Tony Message .... dialogue editor
Doug E. Turner .... sound mixer (as Doug Turner)
Lionel Strutt .... adr mixer (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Michael Doyle .... special effects
Peter Hutchinson .... special effects
Gerry Johnston .... special effects
Alan Whibley .... special effects
 
Visual Effects by
Wally Veevers .... special optical effects
 
Stunts
Ken Byrne .... stunts
Dominick Hewitt .... stunt double
Paul Kelly .... stunts
Chris King .... stunts
James McHale .... stunts
Ed McShortall .... stunts
Donal O'Farrell .... stunts
Bernard O'Hare .... stunts
Peter Spelman .... stunts
Alan Walsh .... stunts
Alan Walsh .... stunt double (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Brewster .... assistant camera
John Campbell .... assistant camera
Jack Conroy .... electrical supervisor
Louis Conroy .... electrician
Terry Eiffe .... electrician
Derek Hate .... electrician
Martin Holland .... electrician
Peter MacDonald .... photographer: second unit
Shane O'Neill .... assistant camera
Luke Quigley .... camera grip
Bob Smith .... camera operator
Arnaud Sélignac .... still photographer
Peter Versey .... assistant camera
Mike Fox .... second camera operator (uncredited)
Jon Sorensen .... assistant camera (uncredited)
Des Whelan .... second assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Robert Willoughby .... special still photographer (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daryl Bristow .... wardrobe master
Janet O'Leary .... wardrobe mistress
 
Editorial Department
Michael Kelliher .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Trevor Jones .... conductor: original music
Dick Lewzey .... music recording engineer (as Richard Lewzey)
John Richards .... music recording engineer
John A. Coleman .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Transportation Department
Arthur Dunne .... transportation manager
 
Other crew
Terry Baker .... stand-by crew
Philip Bernon .... rider
Telsche Boorman .... general assistant
Richard Collins .... rider
Seamus Collins .... rider
Con Cremins .... assistant accountant
Joe Cullen .... rider
Barry Cunningham .... stand-by crew
Daithi Curren .... rider
Tony Doyle .... rider
Terry English .... armorer
Nick Fitzpatrick .... armorer
Martin Forrestal .... stand-by crew
Donal Fortune .... rider
David Gavaghan .... rider
Beryl Harvey .... production assistant
William Hobbs .... fight arranger
Neil Jordan .... creative associate
Eddie Kennedy .... rider
Peter Leicht .... armorer
Tom Lundy .... stand-by crew
Marie McFerran .... production assistant
Bronco McLoughlin .... rider (as Bronco McLaughlin)
Kevin Moriarty .... location manager
Michael O'Farrell .... rider
Ray O'Toole .... rider
Michael Rowland .... horse master
Jean Skinner .... continuity
Arthur Tarry .... production accountant
Steve Tidiman .... armorer
Anthony Van Laast .... choreographer
Christy Yourell .... stand-by crew
Wayne Docksey .... animal wrangler (uncredited)
Craig Miller .... marketing consultant (uncredited)
Philip Sharpe .... technician (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies

Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
140 min | USA:119 min (edited version)
Country:
USA | UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Iceland:12 | Sweden:15 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 (cable rating) | Peru:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:15 | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 | USA:PG (cut) | USA:R | West Germany:12 (f)
Filming Locations:
County Kerry, IrelandSee more »
Company:
Orion Pictures CorporationSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
Most of the forest scenes and Excalibur (the sword) were back lit by green lights, giving it a magical quality.See more »
Goofs:
Factual errors: When Perceval is about to defend the queen in combat, he and Sir Gawain are shown bearing shields with the same device. As heraldic devices were supposed to be unique to an individual, this should not be possible. Further, the device shown is that later attributed to Sir Lancelot, therefore Sir Gawain would never use such a shield.See more »
Quotes:
Arthur:Rise, Father, please. I was your son before I became your king; if I am King.
Sir Ector:You are king, Arthur; the more so because you are not my son, and I am not your father.
Arthur:Not my father? Then Kay is not my brother?
Sir Ector:Merlin the magician brought you to me when you were newly born, and bade me raise you as my own. At first, I did so because I feared Merlin, but later because I loved you.
Arthur:Who is my true father?
Sir Ector:Only Merlin can tell you that.
Arthur:And who is Merlin?
Merlin:[enters suddenly from the forest] I... am the Merlin.
[...]
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in All Night Gaming (2012)See more »
Soundtrack:
Prelude to ParsifalSee more »

FAQ

When did Nicol Williamson flubb his lines?
Wasn't the fire in the rape scene hot?
Why is the film shot in 1.85?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
78 out of 102 people found the following review useful.
The best rendition of the Arthur legend, 26 February 2002
Author: Darkfalz

This is certainly the best version of the Arthur legend there is. The worst thing about new versions of old British legends are the fact they are often made by and starring Americans, and they often don't even make an attempt at a English accent (First Knight, Prince of Thieves etc) and these make them seem really stupid.

Merlin was a decent enough series, but a little too kiddy and straying from the works of Mallory.

The acting is rock solid, the effects although poor (it's 1981, let's be fair) don't really matter since they aren't integral to the story. This is about a quest and magic and swords and knights, not about special effects.

I own it on video and watch it now and again, and I hope that if Boorman ever makes Knight's Castle that he brings back Nicol Williamson as Merlin, because he's just too good in that role (despite the fact he must be really getting on by now).

Watch the movie, enjoy the legend!

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (296 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Excalibur (1981)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Richard Jordan? gregopego12
For Excalibur fans only: weakest part of the film cafais
My bike is my tribute to this film keggyhander
Things You Learned from watching Excalibur Darth_Ferior
Merlin vs Gandalf obin_gam
So who or what is Merlin, exactly? mihailosrb
See more »

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