Prince Valiant (1997)

In a time now lost in the mists of memory, the great King Arthur rules in the legendary citadel that is Camelot. His Knights of the Round Table commit acts of derring-do and spend their ... See full summary »

Director:

Anthony Hickox

Writers:

Hal Foster (comic strip) (as Harold R. Foster), Michael Frost Beckner (story)

Stars:

Stephen Moyer, Katherine Heigl, Thomas Kretschmann

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stephen Moyer	...	Prince Valiant
Katherine Heigl	...	Princess Ilene
Thomas Kretschmann	...	Thagnar
Edward Fox	...	King Arthur
Udo Kier	...	Sligon
Joanna Lumley	...	Morgan Le Fey
Ron Perlman	...	Boltar
Warwick Davis	...	Pechet
Gavan O'Herlihy	...	King Thane
Ben Pullen	...	Prince Arn
Walter Gotell	...	Erik the Old
Anthony Hickox	...	Prince Gawain
Zach Galligan	...	Sir Kay
Hamish Campbell-Robertson	...	Sir Ector
Marcus Schenkenberg	...	Tiny

Storyline

In a time now lost in the mists of memory, the great King Arthur rules in the legendary citadel that is Camelot. His Knights of the Round Table commit acts of derring-do and spend their spare time jousting, much to the delight of the local citizens and especially to Princess Ilene, a guest at Camelot. Watching her from afar is a young, inexperienced squire called Valiant, and when the young Welsh princess is sent home to marry Prince Arn, Valiant contrives to accompany her masquerading as Sir Gawain. Meanwhile, the evil sorceress Morgan le Fey, sister to King Arthur, has convinced the tyrannical Sligon, ruler of the Viking kingdom of Thule, that he should steal Arthur's sword, the powerful and magical Excalibur, knowing that its loss could bring about Arthur's downfall. So into the fray comes Sligon's unstable and psychotic brother Thagnar, who manages to steal the sword. Pandemonium reigns. But Valiant is having problems of his own - kidnappers attempt to steal away the Princess, and...

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | prince valiant character | princess | prince | camelot | 

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Taglines:

He who holds the sword, rules the world.

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Genres:

Adventure | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for medieval action violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was re-cut by the German producers, while the director was away on Christmas vacation. They wouldn't fly him back to Germany to finish the film. Four key scenes setting up its humorous tone and all religious aspects were removed.

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Goofs

When Lady Ilene is first introduced into the harem, they tell her that she's Thursday. She says, "That's today," but her mouth says, "That's tomorrow."

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Quotes

Prince Valiant: He told them I was valiant, and that became my name.

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Connections

Remake of The Legend of Prince Valiant (1991)

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Soundtracks

What We Are Waiting For
Performed by Alannah Myles and Zucchero
Written by Phil Roy, Simon Wilson, Siobhan Maher
Published by Sony Tunes Inc./Philster Music ASCAP,
Bugle Songs Ltd. PRS, BMG Music Publishing PRS

User Reviews

Classic knights-in-armor tale offers so little that's new.

I can recognize the name PRINCE VALIANT in the Sunday comics, and this is the movie adaptation which is based from. As if I've had enough of these Camelot stories, the swift pacing turns it on for supplementing the royal action, which is interesting to keep you tuned in. This latest version nearly captures the lively HERCULES & XENA look that continues to popularize the culture here in the States. It's a pity that these routine battles lack a solid punch, turning this into a mild consequence. For a new and younger generation of PRINCE VALIANT followers who dismisses the 1954 original film because of its age, this new and improved edition will certainly be it. There is a sacrifice of royalty that made the black-and-white classics sweet and tangy. The best you can really do is keep on reading the comic strip because several movies based on original counterparts (including TV shows and cartoons) fail to recapture a certain essence that was once made to be original.

Details

Country:

Ireland UK Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 July 1997 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Prince Valiant

Filming Locations:

Llechwedd Slate Caverns, Llechwedd Slate Mine, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Constantin Film, Babelsberg Film, Celtridge

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1