Excalibur
1981 · Movie · R · 141 min · ★ 7.0 · 65% critics
A mythic, dreamlike retelling of the Arthurian legend follows a boy’s rise to kingship after claiming a magical sword, then the forging of a famed brotherhood of knights. As the realm faces betrayal, dark magic, and shifting loyalties, a perilous quest tests the kingdom’s unity and the ruler’s bond with the land.
Based on Le Morte d'Arthur
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Details
- Years
- 1981
- Release date
- 1981-04-10
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 141 min
- Critic score
- 65/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (1,151 votes)
- Budget
- $11,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a dark, operatic take on classic legend with vivid armor, magic, and bloodier battles, in the vein of Conan the Barbarian; Not for you if you need tight pacing and grounded realism.
Pros: lush 80s fantasy vibe; memorable music and sets; exciting battles | Cons: episodic, uneven pacing; campy melodrama; sometimes confusing dialogue
Themes
- witch
- adultery
- holy grail
- love triangle
- england
- magic
- prophecy
- fog
- mythology
- castle
- vision
- knight
- +9 more
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Cinematography · 1982 · nominated
Cast & crew
Nigel Terry
as King Arthur
Nicol Williamson
as Merlin
Helen Mirren
as Morgana
Nicholas Clay
as Lancelot
Paul Geoffrey
as Perceval
Cherie Lunghi
as Guenevere
Robert Addie
as Mordred
Gabriel Byrne
as Uther
Keith Buckley
as Uryens
Katrine Boorman
as Igrayne
Directed by John Boorman