Classic 'Excalibur' film coming up on BBC at 11pm Pacific

[pinboy3niner]

Very well-reviewed film, and especially delicious to hear the amazing voice of the late, great Nicol Williamson as Merlin.

"I didn't know how empty was my soul... until it was filled."

[rbnyc]

1. I LOVE that movie!

When I was a teenager, I could pretty much recite the whole thing.

I still knows the charm of making.

[pinboy3niner]

2. That Arthur quote resonated with me after going through my own personal catharsis

And Williamson always had that great voice and played it like an orchestra. Even if it were not such a good film it would be worth watching just to hear him.

[pinboy3niner]

3. I should have noted that the film is based on Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, 1485

Le Morte d'Arthur
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Morte_d%27Arthur

[sarge43]

4. Pinto, that was Arthur's (Nigel Terry) line

Merlin's best: "It is the doom of men that they forget."

[pinboy3niner]

5. I know the line was Arthur's

I just wanted to add it, but I probably should have noted the speaker.

Merlin had some great lines, but the full range of Williamson's voice isn't always on display. The best is when he dives into his bass range.

And who you callin' Shirley...um, I mean Pinto?

[sarge43]

6. My bad

Memo to self: Self, don't post until you've had minimum two cups of coffee

Recommend Seven Percent Solution. Williams plays Sherlock Holmes

[pinboy3niner]

7. Another good movie

I love Williamson's voice and how he uses it, but I probably should not take for granted that everyone knows what a great actor he was. Stellar in everything he did.

What a loss to all of us when he left us!

[Archae]

8. Ther guy who played Arthur just died recently, too.

April 30th.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Terry

I love that movie, have the DVD.

[pinboy3niner]

10. Thanks for the info

Seeing him looking so young in the film, it's hard to imagine him dying. Or even being nearly 70.

R.I.P.

[Frank Cannon]

9. One of my all-time favorites.

Amazing cast, including a lot of people who were relatively unknown at the time but have become huge since. (I'm thinking Patrick Stewart, Liam Neeson, Ciaran Hinds... I know there's a lot more.)

[sarge43]

11. Gabriel Byrne, Corin Redgrave and Helen Mirren

Boorman's son played the young Mordred and his daughter, Igrayne.

[TexasBushwhacker]

18. Don't forget the young Liam Neeson

He and Helen fell in love and were together for 4 years.

[sarge43]

19. Frank Cannon called it for Neeson

Didn't know they were an item - lucky girl ... lucky boy.

That was a power cast.

[pinboy3niner]

12. I was just watching on TCM an Ingrid Bergman film that had a young, fresh-faced Angela Lansbury

She won Best Supporting Actress for the film (Gaslight). Long way from Cabot Cove.

[CBGLuthier]

13. One of my favorite movie commentary tracks is director John Boorman's from this.

He is very proud of his work on this film. He talks about how much Nicol Williamson and Helen Mirren hated each other because of a love affair that had gone bad and how much it added to the movie. That and the simplicity of some of the lighting effects and that most of the movie was filmed very near his house. Great movie.

On another note how sad the end of Mr. Williamson. One of my favorites.

[Ron Obvious]

14. Great film!

Which led me into a life-long obsession with the music of Richard Wagner!

We still quote it extensively in our household:

"You'll have to do better than that!"

"Go to Sleep! Dream!"

"But how? I don't know how!"

"Look into the eyes of the Dragon and despair!" Why, yes in fact this does come up from time to time.

Of course, it's the voice that makes the quotes.

[Iggo]

16. "I couldn't have done it."

"Can ya make 'er love me, Merlin?"

"You must put it back!"

"Against ye!"

"Too late."

So many more...

[awoke_in_2003]

15. Strange women

lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. K&R

[uriel1972]

17. Come and see the violence inherent in the system...

Help! Help! I'm being repressed!

And O Fortuna rocks BTW.

It was my first experience of that piece, I have never been the same.

[hifiguy]

20. Wondeful movie

I remember seeing it in a theater back in the day.

[Paladin]

21. Pretty much the only Sword/Sorcery flick I can abide.

Beautifully done in all respects.