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Excalibur

  • 19811981
  • 1515
  • 2h 20m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
61K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,635
414
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Excalibur (1981)
Home Video Trailer from Warner Home Video
Play trailer2:30
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • Fantasy

Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.Merlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.

IMDb RATING
7.3/10
61K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,635
414
  • Director
    • John Boorman
  • Writers
    • Thomas Malory(book "Le Morte d'Arthur")
    • Rospo Pallenberg(adaptation)
    • John Boorman(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Nigel Terry
    • Helen Mirren
    • Nicholas Clay
Top credits
  • Director
    • John Boorman
  • Writers
    • Thomas Malory(book "Le Morte d'Arthur")
    • Rospo Pallenberg(adaptation)
    • John Boorman(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Nigel Terry
    • Helen Mirren
    • Nicholas Clay
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 415User reviews
    • 117Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 wins & 10 nominations total

    Videos3

    Excalibur
    Trailer 2:30
    Excalibur
    Excalibur
    Trailer 2:25
    Excalibur
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 27
    Video 29:09
    Sneak Previews Season 3 Episode 27

    Photos187

    Nigel Terry in Excalibur (1981)
    Cherie Lunghi and Nigel Terry in Excalibur (1981)
    Excalibur (1981)
    Nigel Terry in Excalibur (1981)
    Excalibur (1981)
    Cherie Lunghi, Nigel Terry, and Nicol Williamson in Excalibur (1981)
    Excalibur (1981)
    Nigel Terry in Excalibur (1981)
    Helen Mirren in Excalibur (1981)
    Cherie Lunghi and Nigel Terry in Excalibur (1981)
    Excalibur (1981)
    Nicol Williamson in Excalibur (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nigel Terry
    Nigel Terry
    • King Arthuras King Arthur
    Helen Mirren
    Helen Mirren
    • Morganaas Morgana
    Nicholas Clay
    Nicholas Clay
    • Lancelotas Lancelot
    Cherie Lunghi
    Cherie Lunghi
    • Guenevereas Guenevere
    Paul Geoffrey
    Paul Geoffrey
    • Percevalas Perceval
    Nicol Williamson
    Nicol Williamson
    • Merlinas Merlin
    Robert Addie
    Robert Addie
    • Mordredas Mordred
    Gabriel Byrne
    Gabriel Byrne
    • Uther Pendragonas Uther Pendragon
    Keith Buckley
    Keith Buckley
    • Uryensas Uryens
    Katrine Boorman
    Katrine Boorman
    • Igrayneas Igrayne
    Liam Neeson
    Liam Neeson
    • Gawainas Gawain
    Corin Redgrave
    Corin Redgrave
    • Cornwallas Cornwall
    Niall O'Brien
    • Kayas Kay
    Patrick Stewart
    Patrick Stewart
    • Leondegranceas Leondegrance
    Clive Swift
    Clive Swift
    • Ectoras Ector
    Ciarán Hinds
    Ciarán Hinds
    • Lotas Lot
    • (as Ciarin Hinds)
    Liam O'Callaghan
    • Sadokas Sadok
    Michael Muldoon
    • Astamoras Astamor
    • Director
      • John Boorman
    • Writers
      • Thomas Malory(book "Le Morte d'Arthur")
      • Rospo Pallenberg(adaptation) (screenplay)
      • John Boorman(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

    Storyline

    Edit
    The myth of King Arthur (Nigel Terry) brought once again to the screen. Uthur Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) is given the mystical sword Excalibur by the wizard Merlin. At his death, Uthur buries the sword into a stone, and the next man that can pull it out will be King of England. Several years later, Arthur, Uthur's bastard son, draws Excalibur and becomes King. Guided by Merlin, Arthur marries Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi) and gathers the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur's evil half-sister Morgana (Dame Helen Mirren) sires a son with him, who may prove to be his downfall. —Greg Bole <bole@life.bio.sunysb.edu>
    • knight
    • knights of the round table
    • holy grail
    • arthurian legend
    • king arthur character
    • 375 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • No mortal could possess it! No kingdom could command it!
    • Genres
      • Adventure
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • 15
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The initial fight scene had to be filmed three times. It was filmed at night, and all of the film came out underexposed the first two times, due to a fault in the exposure meter. The cameraman had a nervous breakdown over the issue and quit.
    • Goofs
      During the final battle scene against Mordred, the background audio track of men yelling and swordplay is clearly a re-tread of the Leon De Grance castle battle. In the final battle scene, one can clearly hear the "throw the rope" line that Merlin yells to Arthur from Leon De Grance castle battle, as well as the yell from Arthur as he jumped from the castle into the moat. (00:37:02 same as 02:88:18, 00:40:12 same as 02:09:58).
    • Quotes

      Merlin: STAND BACK! Be silent! Be still!... That's it... and look upon this moment. Savor it! Rejoice with great gladness! Great gladness! Remember it always, for you are joined by it. You are One, under the stars. Remember it well, then... this night, this great victory. So that in the years ahead, you can say, 'I was there that night, with Arthur, the King!' For it is the doom of men that they forget.

    • Alternate versions
      CBS edited 20 minutes from this film for its 1985 network television premiere.
    • Connections
      Edited into Wizards and Warriors: The Kidnap (1983)
    • Soundtracks
      Prelude to Parsifal
      by Richard Wagner

      Specially recorded by London Philharmonic Orchestra (as The London Philharmonic Orchestra)

      Conducted by Norman Del Mar

    User reviews415

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Excalibur. The best of the King Arthur films.
    Excalibur is a truly atmospheric film. It has the ability to take you back to the time it depicts, without using sentimentality or rose tinted spectacles. Having seen the film numerous times, I still get more out of it with every viewing. It certainly seemed to start many careers on the right path and many of the actors are very well known now. My only sadness is that Paul Geoffrey and Nigel Terry, two of the main character actors, seem not to have become such household names. They both stand out in the film and to my mind have made it what it is, brilliant. Great direction, production, photography and music. King Arthur himself would have been proud of it.
    helpful•82
    10
    • sinicolson
    • Feb 16, 2006

    FAQ9

    • What is Excalibur about?
    • Is this film based on a book?
    • Where were the forests located?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 2, 1981 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • John Boorman's Excalibur
    • Filming locations
      • Powerscourt Estate, Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland
    • Production companies
      • Cinema '84
      • Orion Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $11,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $34,967,437
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,519,706
      • Apr 12, 1981
    • Gross worldwide
      • $34,971,136
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

    Related news

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    Apr 7ScreenRant.com

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