Merlin (1998/II) (TV)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Steve Barron

Writers (WGA):

David Stevens (teleplay) and
Peter Barnes (teleplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 April 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Action | Romance

Tagline:

The most magical adventure of all time.

Plot:

The legendary wizard tells his story of his war against Queen Mab of the Sidhe and his creation of Camelot.

Plot Keywords:

Magic | Wizard | King | Lake | Arthurian Legend

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Golden Globes. Another 7 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Sam Neill	...	Merlin
Helena Bonham Carter	...	Morgan Le Fey
John Gielgud	...	King Constant
Rutger Hauer	...	King Vortigern
James Earl Jones	...	Mountain King (voice)
Miranda Richardson	...	Mab, Queen of the Old Ways / The Lady of the Lake
Isabella Rossellini	...	Nimue
Martin Short	...	Frik
Paul Curran	...	Arthur
Lena Headey	...	Guinevere
Jeremy Sheffield	...	Lancelot
Mark Jax	...	Uther
John McEnery	...	Lord Ardente
Thomas Lockyer	...	Cornwall
Jason Done	...	Mordred
Billie Whitelaw	...	Ambrosia
Daniel Brocklebank	...	Young Merlin
Agnieszka Koson	...	Young Nimue
Emma Lewis	...	Elissa
Justin Girdler	...	Young Galahad
Roger Ashton-Griffiths	...	Sir Boris
Nicholas Clay	...	Lord Leo
Sebastian Roché	...	Gawain
Rachel de Thame	...	Lady Igraine (as Rachel Colover)
John Turner	...	Lord Lot
Keith Baxter	...	Sir Hector
Janine Eser	...	Lady Elaine
Peter Woodthorpe	...	Soothsayer
Robert Addie	...	Sir Gilbert
Nickolas Grace	...	Sir Egbert
Peter Benson	...	1st Architect
John Tordoff	...	New Architect
Timothy Bateson	...	Father Abbot
Alice Hamilton	...	Young Morgan
Peter Eyre	...	Chief Physician
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	1st Physician
Peter Bayliss	...	2nd Physician
Talula Sheppard	...	Lady Friend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeanie Gold	...	Nun
Christian Simpson	...	Vortigern's Guard
Rory Byrne	...	Noble Child at Camelot (uncredited)
Minja Filipovic	...	Young fairy (uncredited)
Joseph Mawle	...	Village Man (uncredited)
April Mills	...	Ma' Lay (uncredited)
Isabel Rocamora	...	Fairy (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Barron

Writing credits (WGA)
David Stevens		(teleplay) and
Peter Barnes		(teleplay)
Edward Khmara		(story)

Produced by
Robert Halmi Sr.	....	executive producer
Dyson Lovell	....	producer
Chris Thompson	....	line producer

Original Music by
Trevor Jones

Cinematography by
Sergei Kozlov		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Colin Green

Casting by
Lynn Kressel

Production Design by
Roger Hall

Art Direction by
Michael Boone		(as Mike Boone)
John King		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Karen Brookes

Costume Design by
Ann Hollowood

Makeup Department
Nuala Conway	....	hair stylist: Sam Neill
Nuala Conway	....	makeup artist: Sam Neill
Mark Coulier	....	prosthetics designer
Shaune Harrison	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Kylie Marr	....	hair artist
Kylie Marr	....	makeup artist
Jemma Scott-Knox-Gore	....	contact lens technician
Aileen Seaton	....	hair designer
Aileen Seaton	....	makeup designer
Amber Sibley	....	prosthetics artist
Jane Walker	....	hair artist
Jane Walker	....	makeup artist
Norma Webb	....	hair artist
Norma Webb	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Geoff Dibben	....	additional second assistant director
Toby Hefferman	....	third assistant director
Terry Madden	....	first assistant director: second unit
Jonathan Scott	....	third assistant director: second unit
Richard Styles	....	second assistant director: second unit
Gareth Tandy	....	first assistant director
Rebecca Tucker	....	second assistant director
Timothy Webber	....	second unit director (as Tim Webber)
Arthur Wooster	....	action director: second unit

Art Department
Leon Apsey	....	supervising carpenter
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Peter Bigg	....	dressing props
Brian Bishop	....	matte artist
Brian Bishop	....	scenic artist
Brian Blues	....	supervising carpenter
Dennis Bovington	....	construction manager
Peter Dorme	....	draughtsperson
Frederic Evard	....	stand-by art director
John Greaves	....	storyboard artist
Michael Hedges	....	supervising carpenter (as Mick Hedges)
Andrew Holder	....	chief sculptor
Margaret Horspool	....	draughtsperson
Douglas Ingram	....	storyboard artist
Terry James	....	supervising plasterer
Paul Kirby	....	draughtsman
Sonja Klaus	....	assistant set decorator
Alan Lee	....	illustrator
Iain Lowe	....	supervising rigger
Christopher Mason	....	supervising painter
Mitch Niclas	....	stand-by props
Dean Norgate	....	stand-by
Norman North	....	stand-by
Paul Nott-Macaire	....	stand-by
Dermot Power	....	conceptual artist
Ray Rose	....	property storeman
Ted Stickley	....	dressing props (as Edward Stickley)
Warren Stickley	....	stand-by props
Vonn Stropp	....	artist: creature concept art
Andy Thomson	....	junior draughtsperson (as Andrew Thompson)
Jamie Wilkinson	....	propman
John Wright	....	stand-by
Peter Mann	....	stand-by constructor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Vicky Brazier	....	post-production sound
Paul Carr	....	re-recording mixer
Robert Farr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stephen Gilmour	....	sound assistant
Peter Glossop	....	production sound mixer
John Ireland	....	sound effects editor
Robert Ireland	....	sound effects editor
Tim Lewiston	....	post-production sound
Shaun Mills	....	sound maintenance
Rocky Phelan	....	post-production sound
Lionel Strutt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Elaine 'Chucks' Thomas	....	post-production sound (as Elaine 'Chuck' Thomas)
Gareth Cousins	....	sound recording engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Terry Bridle	....	special effects technician
Richard Conway	....	special effects supervisor
Sam Conway	....	special effects technician
Ben Cronin	....	matador artist
Dave Eltham	....	special effects technician
Darrell Guyon	....	special effects technician
Steve Hamilton	....	senior special effects technician
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses
Luke Murphy	....	special effects technician
Ceri Nicholls	....	special effects trainee
Alan Perez	....	additional special effects staff
Caroline Roemmele	....	additional special effects staff
Nick Smith	....	underwater special effects diver
Paul Stephenson	....	senior special effects modeller
Andrew Thompson	....	additional special effects staff
Tim Willis	....	senior special effects technician (as Timothy Willis)

Visual Effects by
Hani AlYousif	....	digital effects compositor
Avtar Bains	....	visual effects artist
William Bartlett	....	visual effects artist
Oliver Bersey	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
Tim Burke	....	digital effects compositor
Murray Butler	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
Matthew Cope	....	visual effects coordinator
Andrew Daffy	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
Nick Drew	....	visual effects coordinator: Jim Henson's Creature Shop
John Fuller	....	animator
Timothy Greenwood	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London ) (as Tim Greenwood)
Karen Halliwell	....	creature supervisor
Tim Keene	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
Stefan Lange	....	visual effects cameraman
Arnon Manor	....	visual effects
Karl Mooney	....	digital effects compositor
Alex Parkinson	....	3D programmer
Martin Parsons	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
Sirio Quintavalle	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
George Roper	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
Pedro Sabrosa	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
Fiona Walkinshaw	....	digital visual effects: Framestore (London )
Timothy Webber	....	visual effects supervisor (as Tim Webber)
Richenda Wheeler	....	animator
Angus Wilson	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
Roy Alon	....	stunts
David Anders	....	stunts
Nina Armstrong	....	stunts
Dani Biernat	....	stunts
Tracey Caudle	....	stunts
Gerry Crampton	....	stunt coordinator
David Cronnelly	....	stunts
Graeme Crowther	....	stunts
Ben Dimmock	....	stunts
Sadie Eden	....	stunts
Stuart Frift	....	stunts
Nic Goodey	....	stunts
Paul Heasman	....	stunts
Paul Herbert	....	stunts
Nick Hobbs	....	stunts
Rob Inch	....	stunts
Rowley Irlam	....	stunts
Ian Jay	....	stunts
Paul Jennings	....	stunts
Mark Mottram	....	stunts
Daniel Naprous	....	stunts
Brian Nickels	....	stunts (as Brian Sonny Nickels)
James O'Donnell	....	stunts
Andreas Petrides	....	stunts
Dominic Preece	....	stunts
Seon Rogers	....	stunts
Kiran Shah	....	stunts
Lee Sheward	....	stunts
Tony Smart	....	stunts
C.C. Smiff	....	stunts
Mark Southworth	....	stunts
Anna Stacey	....	stunts
Eddie Stacey	....	stunts
Mark Sugden	....	stunts
Ian van Temperley	....	stunts
Terry Walsh	....	stunt coordinator
Paul Weston	....	stunts
Nick Wilkinson	....	stunts
William Willoughby	....	stunts (as Will Willoughby)
Paul Herbert	....	stunt double: Martin Short (uncredited)
Tom Lucy	....	stunt double: Sam Neill (uncredited)
Daniel Naprous	....	stunt double: Jeremy Sheffield (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Casey	....	electrician
Nick Coward	....	video operator
Adam Dale	....	aerial camera operator
Tommy Finch	....	gaffer: second unit
Catherine Frift	....	clapper loader
Mike Frift	....	camera operator
John Gamble	....	first assistant camera
Gifford Hooper	....	aerial camera operator
Eddie Knight	....	gaffer
Rupert Lloyd-Parry	....	grip
Simon Mills	....	focus puller
Stewart Monteith	....	best boy
Dean Morrish	....	assistant camera
Phil Murray	....	grip
Ron Nicholls	....	grip
John Payne	....	grip
Stuart Reid	....	electrician
Peter Robertson	....	Steadicam operator
Martin Shepherd	....	focus puller
John Turner	....	electrician
Oliver Upton	....	still photographer
George White Jr.	....	electrician (as George White)
Helen Williams	....	clapper loader

Animation Department
Jean Marc Ky	....	animator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Harry Audley	....	additional casting
Noel Davis	....	casting: U.K.
Oded Levy	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daryl Bristow	....	wardrobe supervisor
Paul Colford	....	costumes
Charlotte Finlay	....	wardrobe mistress
Edwin Francis	....	costume coordinator: Rome
Philip Goldsworthy	....	wardrobe assistant
Marcus Love-McGuirk	....	wardrobe daily
Justine Luxton	....	costume design assistant
Rupert Steggle	....	wardrobe assistant
William Steggle	....	wardrobe set supervisor
Emma Walker	....	costume textile artist
Mark Wyndham	....	armour costumer

Editorial Department
Kevin Lester	....	associate editor
Dominic Strevens	....	assistant editor
David Yardley	....	associate editor

Music Department
Geoff Alexander	....	music realization
Edmund Butt	....	music realization
Gareth Cousins	....	music realization
Andrew Glen	....	music realization
Janice Graham	....	music realization
Julian Kershaw	....	music realization
Kipper	....	music realization
The London Symphony Orchestra	....	performers
Wayne Morley	....	music realization
Simon Rhodes	....	music realization
Victoria Seale	....	music coordinator
Tony Stanton	....	music realization
Phil Todd	....	music realization (as Philip Todd)
John Bell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Trevor Jones	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Tony Lewis	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gary Birmingham	....	artist driver: Sam Neill
Gerry Gore	....	transport captain

Other crew
Andrea Barron	....	research
Patricia Barr	....	unit nurse (as Pat Barr)
Tamana Bleasdale	....	floor runner
Loren Boothby	....	advisor: legend
Jean Bourne	....	script supervisor
Ruth Breslaw	....	assistant production coordinator
Chris Brock	....	location manager
Tina Ellis	....	assistant accountant (as Tina McConnell)
Bryon Fear	....	assistant: Dyson Lovell
Ben Fogg	....	production runner
Fiona Gosden	....	floor runner
Debbie Hanney	....	utility stand-in
Andy Hennigan	....	financial controller
Robin Higgs	....	assistant location manager
Sarah Hinch	....	script supervisor: second unit
Helen Holdcroft	....	animal coordinator
Dylan Jones	....	rider
Rita Kozma	....	assistant accountant
Louise Kramskoy	....	assistant: Steve Barron
Simon Marsden	....	assistant location manager
Fry Martin	....	assistant accountant
Paula McBreen	....	production coordinator
Alan Meacham	....	utility stand-in
Daniel Naprous	....	horse master
Gerard Naprous	....	horse master
Tim Osborne	....	title sequence
Jonathan Pilcher	....	production assistant
Nick Waldron	....	location assistant
Piers Hampton	....	project producer: Jim Henson's Creature Shop (uncredited)
Robin Higgs	....	location manager: Wales (uncredited)
Allin Kempthorne	....	body double: Sam Neill (uncredited)
Oded Levy	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Ian Madison	....	associate: Sam Neill (uncredited)
Elliott Meddings	....	location assistant (uncredited)
James O'Donnell	....	swords (uncredited)
Jonathan Pilcher	....	production runner (uncredited)
Mark Sugden	....	rider (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hallmark Entertainment
• NBC Studios

Distributors

• Alpha Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Canadian Television (CTV) (1998) (Canada) (TV) (original airing)
• Future Film (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1998) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Special Effects

• Framestore (digital visual effects)
• Jim Henson's Creature Shop (creature effects and CGI dragon by)
• BUF (CGI griffins by) (as BUF - France)
• Mill Films (I) (additional composites) (as Mill Film)
• Moving Picture Company (MPC) (additional composites) (as MPC)
• Computer Film Company, The (CFC) (additional composites) (as CFC)
• FB-FX (costume props)

Other Companies

• 2020 Casting  extras casting
• Corporation of London, The  thanks to
• Goldcrest Post Production London  post production sound (as Goldcrest)
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Motion Control Cameras Ltd.  visual effects
• MovieTrack  post production sound
• Varèse Sarabande  original soundtrack available on (as Varèse Sarabande Compact Discs)

Runtime:

182 min | 60 min (3 episodes)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | USA:Not Rated | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Anglesey, Wales, UK

Company:

Hallmark Entertainment

Trivia:

Isabella Rossellini's voice was dubbed over Agnieszka Koson's for young Nimue.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Obvious contact lenses on the young Merlin.

Quotes:

Merlin: Will you be able to handle Mordred?
King Arthur Pendragon: It's just one more battle. And right is on our side.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: The Best of Molly Shannon (2001) (V)

Can you say Average

If you are deciding whether to watch "Merlin", my advice would be to ignore all the extreme comments in this section; some would have you believe that this is the worst movie ever and others that it is a film masterpiece. The fact is that it is a well executed but philosophically shallow (family friendly) telling of the traditional version of the Arthurian legends; with some alterations. As you can probably tell from the title, this story is more focused on Merlin than on Camelot and King Arthur. If you ever wondered what it would be like to see William Shatner play a medieval wizard, you can find a close approximation in the way Sam Neill plays Merlin. This is not as bad as it sounds because Neill is intrinsically more likable than Shatner and because ham acting is necessary in his scenes with Miranda Richardson, who gives her usual dominating performance as both Queen Mab and her sister-the Lady of the Lake. Isabella Rossellini plays Neill's love interest, she looks amazingly young considering her high mileage and the viewer has a lot of time to reflect on her age/appearance because her character is staggeringly boring.

Martin Short and Helena Bonham Carter are very effective in comic relief. And comic relief is the real strength of this production as the dialogue of the villains is often intentionally very amusing (don't want to scare the family too much). Unfortunately this makes Mab and her two allies far more likable than any of the other characters.

While "Merlin" is far superior to 2004's "King Arthur", it is not even remotely in the class of John Boorman's "Excalibur". "Excalibur" is obviously a much better looking film but it is also a much more ambitious film philosophically. And "Excalibur" does not have the plot holes that draw attention to "Merlin's" moronically contrived storyline. Basically "Merlin" is dumbed down enough to make good family viewing but has enough intentionally funny performances and subtly humorous dialogue to entertain more sophisticated viewers.