‘Excalibur’ magical

Press, 3 August 1981, Page 13

‘Excalibur’ magical

REmcr hans petrovk

EXCALIBUR

Directed by John Boorman Screenplay by Rospo Pallenberg and John Boorman With the film festival over and things returned to "normal" at the cinemas for a couple of weeks before the school holidays, now- is the time to catch up with one very important film — "Excali’bur" (Cinerama). The name is grandiose and so is the film: the name conjures up a certain magical charm and "Excalibur." the movie, has it. On first viewing. I found it difficult to know what to make of the film as it seemed to be a cross between the Arthurian legend, according to Malory and Monty Python, with definite overtones" of "Star Wars” and all those characters gadding about in plastic suits of metal armour.

In fact these knights seem to love those suits so much that they manage to feast, roister and even copulate without taking them off. This is no mean trick, and neither is the film.

The almost extravagant beauty of the countryside (filmed in Ireland). Camelot, and even the battles, is immediately obvious to the eye. However, it was only "on second viewing that I realised the coherence of the whole concept — including Nicol Williamson's peculiar but powerful performance as Merlin.

Merlin, who is pivotal to the whole plot, is a strange character who can be power-

ful, pompous and petty — all at the same time; and Williamson is excellent, being able to change from Shakespearean resonance to a West Country whine — all in the same sentence. To create the role. Williamson dispenses with such trappings as a conical hat and,- instead, wears a skintight skull cap, which makes him look more like Ming the Merciless (also played by a first-rate actor. Max von Sydow).

This was the dawning of the Age of Pisces in Britain, when the Christian Church already had made a few inroads into the country, leaving only a few desperate residues of "the old faith such as Merlin, who knew that his magical days based on the harmony of nature were numbered.

His remaining hope is to establish a once and future king who can. unite and stabilise the kingdom. This he does, if only for the brief and shining glory that once was Camelot. In "Excalibur,” Merlin stands in the shadows of Arthur’s reign, while a

panorama of brave deeds, bloody battles, human passions and inhuman treacheries unfolds.

Part-magician and partcon artist. Merlin uses trickery and true magic to meddle with the affairs of men and toy with history. Sharing the ..occult arts with Merlin is Helen Mirren as a nicely nasty Morgana (or Morgan la Fay. which is why “fata morgana” is another name for a mirage). Morgana is Arthur's evil half-sister who coaxes Merlin to reveal his magic, and then employs it to trap him in his own crystal web (much like Superman at his secret hideout in the North). Nigel Terry is King Arthur, and Cherie Lunghi is Guenevere. although she looks and acts more like a flower girl than a queen, particularly at their hippieChristian wedding.

The director, John Boorman. remains faithful to Thomas Malory’s definitive “Le Morte D’Arthur,” adding only a few touches of his own (such as the best explanation yet of Morgana’s enchantment of Merlin), and an ending straight from Tennyson about the casting of Excalibur back into the waters and Arthur’s departure for Avalon. At times, Boorman's visions are as high-camp as Ken Russell at his best (or worst). However, on second thoughts, the Arthurian “purist" should not be offended by “Excalibur” — and the kids like it too. ~