Excalibur — Excalibur( UHD/ Blu Ray)
From the early 1980’s, Excalibur is a cinematic retelling of the legend of King Arthur. It’s an epic, but always well-paced affair- blending atmospheric, at times bloody battles, sword and sorcery intrigue, and rousing-to-downbeat moodiness. Here from Arrow Video- both in the UK and stateside- is either a triple Blu-ray or UHD set. Taking in a new 4k scan, three commentary tracks- two new, and a blend of new and archive extras
Excalibur appeared in the year 1981. Been filmed in various Irish countryside locations and on epic soundstage sets. It was directed by Rosehill, Carshalton, Surrey born John Boorman. Between the mid 60’s and mid 2010’s, he has twenty-two features to his name- taking in the likes of survival thriller Deliverance (1972), horror sequel Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977), spy drama The Tailor of Panama (2002), and doppelganger thriller The Tiger's Tail (2006).
The two-hour and twenty-minute film opens at night in the woods, as we torch light-lit battle is going on, from the smoky mist appears the silver-skulled plated and bearded Merlin (Nicol Williamson). Taking part in the battle is Uther Pendragon- a moustached Gabriel Byrne. He is lustful for the wife of the Duke of Cornwall, so Merlin manages to shift Uther’s face- so he can sneak in & have sex with her. After this, Uther is ambushed by the duke's men- in his last moments, he pushes the magical Excalibur sword into the stone.
As the films unfold, we get the expected beats in the story- the sword is pulled, King Arthur's castle is built, and the Round Table is constructed. The Knight Lancelot (Nicholas Clay) appears to become Arthur's right-hand man. And magic and manipulation are abundant, with the latter part of the film focusing on the rather grim trek for the holy grail.
The picture manages to blend glossy and glinting amor, with muddy to green forest colourings. With a spectral green glow appearing whenever the Excalibur sword is nearby.
Cast-wise, we have Nigel Terry as King Arthur- believable, shifting from a naïve/bumbling squire, to an unsure young king, to a battle-fighting warrior, to a tried Oldman. We have Helen Mirren as his witch half-sister, Morgana, who always tries to manipulate things. With support roles from the likes of Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, and Clive Swift
I recall seeing Excalibur as a pre-teen, and as you’d imagined, I loved it- with its brutal battles, its mix of rousing knight action, and darker/ bleaker tints- that nod towards fantasy and horror. I’ll have to admit I was somewhat nervous when re-watching the film all these years later, and I’m not a sword & sorcery-obsessed child anymore, but I’m pleased to say I wholeheartedly enjoy the epic romp of the film.
The set is available as either a three UHD or Blu-ray; I’m reviewing the former. On disc one, we have a 4K restoration of the film from the original 35mm negative. This is so clean and clear- full of wonderful clarity and depth. Also on the first disc, we have three commentary tracks- the first two are new. One is with Brian Hoyle, author of The Cinema of John Boorman, and the other is with filmmaker David Kittredge, director of Boorman and the Devil. And we get an archive track with director John Boorman. I played the first of these, and Mr Hoyle does an astoundingly in-depth job. He goes from discussing the use of Wagner's music in the picture. He talks about the layers of different Arthurian texts/references within the film. We find out that Boorman wasn’t interested in recreating the Middle Ages, but wanted to create a fantastical take on the time. We found out many of the scenes were shot with no direct sound, so, among other things, the director could direct actors via a megaphone. He talks about why he thinks Boorman was a true visionary and how the picture is full of contrasts. He chats about the film's Irish location and largely Irish cast who came from a theatre background. Later on, he talks about the Camelot set- and how it shifts over the film from looking very golden and new, to more tarnished. He discusses how Mirren’s Morgana character is basically a blend of three female characters from across several Arthurian texts. We find out how Liam Neeson got his role of Gawain, and much more.
Moving on to the second disc, we get a great selection of new/never-before-seen extras. These take in: The Making of Excalibur: Myth into Movie ( 48.19) a never-before-released documentary directed by Neil Jordan during the production of Excalibur. To Be a Knight and Follow a King ( 28.12) interview with director John Boorman and actor Charley Boorman. When Death Was but a Dream (25.07) interview with creative associate Neil Jordan. The Charm of Making (26.11) interview with production designer Anthony Pratt. Confessions of a Professional “Pain-in-the-ass”( 1 hour 15 mins) interview with 2nd unit director Peter MacDonald. Anam Cara ( 37.34) featurette on the working friendship of John Boorman and co-writer Rospo Pallenberg featuring a newly filmed interview with Pallenberg. Divided Nature ( 30. 47) featurette by film historians Howard S. Berger and Kevin Marr, Trailers, and Image galleries.
The third disc takes in a high definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation of the 120-minute TV Version of the film, previously unavailable on home video. Excalibur: Behind the Movie(52.24) a retrospective documentary in which cast and crew look back on the making of the film.
The finished release comes with a reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options. A Collectors’ perfect-bound booklet containing writing by Charlie Brigden, K.A. Laity, Kimberly Lindbergs, Josh Nelson, Philip Kemp, John Reppion, Icy Sedgwick and Jez Winship. A double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options, and six postcard-sized reproduction art cards.
This release from Arrow Video truly is as epic as the film itself. With the beautiful 4k print, three commentary tracks, and a huge selection of largely new extras. If you have even a passing interest in anything Arthurian, or sword and sorcery in genreal, this is a must.