The Best King Arthur Movie?
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Guy Ritchie 's new movie, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, starring Charlie Hunnam in the title role, will drop next month. So, I thought this would be a good time to review and compare all of the best films to adapt Arthurian Legend so far, that way we can see how Legend of the Sword stacks up to the rest, when it hits theatres. Will Hunnam's Arthur measure up to Nigel Terry's Arthur in Excalibur, Disney's animated Arthur in the Sword in the Stone, or even Graham Chapman's Arthur in Monty Python and the Holy Grail? In this video I breakdown, review and rate those and other great King Arthur movies to prepare for Legend of the Sword. There are a few exceptions I cut out for time, and because they didn't rate as highly as the other for me (Sorry Sean Connery), but If I missed one of your favourite King Arthur movies, TV series or other dramatizations of Arthurian Legend, let me know what it is in the comments below.
Also, participate in the "Best film King Arthur" poll, posted at the end of the video.
If you want to purchase any of the movies in this video, and would also like to support this channel, please use the links below:
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) Blu-ray amzn.to/2tri09n
Excalibur (1981) Blu-Ray amzn.to/2trzdPW
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Blu0Ray amzn.to/2trDwum
Disney's The Sword in the Stone (1963) Blu-Ray amzn.to/2t2lm3e
Camelot (1967) Blu-Ray amzn.to/2vopP0S
King Arthur (2004) Blu-Ray amzn.to/2t2cBpC
All of the footage used in this video is credited, in accordance with UA-cam's Fair Use guidelines.
Check out my analysis of real history vs 2004 King Arthur film staring Clive Owen! ua-cam.com/video/jaEhjMWaSv8/v-deo.html
Guy with arms and legs cut off would be in excruciating pain not acting like nothing happened. I changed channel after movie got to this part. I would rate it zero or less if an option.
Arthur Pendergrass was) not a king but Dux Britannia
EXCALIBUR HANDS DOWN. It is a perfect film.
Excalibur is not only the best version of King Arthur, it's a magnificent movie in its own right. The score, the acting, the sets. That final ride of Arthur and his Knights is simply masterful. Its breath taking
I saw this movie as a child. When I did, it became my favorite movie for years. To this day, it is still one of my all time favorites. They don't make movies like that, anymore.
In my top 10 movies of all time.
Excalibur and the TV Mini series "Merlin" with Sam Neil are my favorites.
For me it's Excalibur hands-down it has my favorite version of King Arthur and my favorite version of merlin
Ouais, c'est pas faux !
Karl Mueller the lady if the lake used to scare the Shit out of me as a kid
totally
How could The Lady of The Lake scare you? She was so gentle and beautiful.
Not to mention Helen Merrian is the best portrays of Morgana le Fay.
Excalibur is so good that it breaks my heart. Everything is beautiful and the music is like a dream.
Thanks to Wagner
Music was Trevor Jones. Lovely work, especially A Challenge To Honourr
Hells yeah.
@@sarahwade6720 the film includes Wagners Preludes to Tristan and Isolde & to Parsifal as well as Siegfried's Funeral Music as leitmotif for Excalibur and King Arthur.
If you could put liquid epic in a bottle, the label would read "Excalibur."
Roy Batty
Thats a fact.
lmfao
Excalibur was one of the films that made me love movies as a child, it will always have a special place in my heart. Today I love it most for the eerie, mythical atmosphere throughout.
Maik Kellerhals Same. How old were you when you first saw it?
Not to mention Helen mirren melted my heart. I'm still in love with her till this day.
Same!
@@themig71 I was born in 1985; thus, I was only a baby when this came out
@@sadlobster1 umm not to sound like a jackass but it came out in 1981...so umm you were not born yet
“EXCALIBUR” had the best film version of King Arthur. There is no comparison.
I agree, Excalibur 1981, the best.
Excalibur bruh. Excalibur all the way. Fantastic fantasy film.
Agreed, I've watched the movie dozens of times and it has YET to lose its splendor in my eyes
It's so dense. Every single image has so many things going on...
But this time for real.
I agree, Excalibur is the Grail of King Arthur movies. I applaud you Sir.....
Alwayyys...when ya least expect it.
100%
The haunting, atmospheric and dreamlike Excalibur hands down. It can't be beat. Nigel terry is the definitive King Arthur.
Exactly! I like the way you worded your comment. So true.
. . . and Nicol Williamson was the definitive version of Merlin.
1981 Excalibur... Hands down bar none the best version of the sword and the man Arthur.
NOT EVEN A QUESTION.
Excalibur is not only the best Camelot movie ever made it's the best medieval era movie ever made by far. There's not even a close second. (Edit: except to The Simpsons comic book nerd clones below in some of these comments.)
You're not only an idiot, you're the biggest idiot by far
@@tylermcneeley3136 Fuck you tyler. Ronnie is right.
uh, I don't think so. Excalibur may be the best screen telling of the Arthur legends but its representation of the middle ages is bat shit insane. As a film in that period Braveheart was far superior although it was not the Arthurian tale and is in no way meant to be historically accurate. Still a great film.
@@theutonic001 No he isn't.
@@kennethfharkin Any idiot can tell Excalibur is not to be historically accurate, but Braveheart is very bad when it comes to being historically accurate. Sure it looks more accurate but the Scots in that movie are wearing kilts for one, the main love interest is supposed to be 9 years old by the time the movie takes place, and William Wallace was already a knight when he started his rebellion and was supposed to be a minor noble, not some dirt poor farmer. And the Scots wouldn't have shown off their asses in a field unless they liked the feelings of arrows up their rectums. The Braveheart movie is terrible, not just from being historically inaccurate, but also from how bad the writing is by making the villains irredeemable sociopaths with no nuance, and portraying William Wallace as a blood thirsty psycho that thinks revenge is a worthy cause instead of trying to save Scotland and continue fighting a rebellion, but it's ok cause he shouts FREEDOM. And no, Excalibur is bad as well, the best adaptation of King Arthur is Camelot.
Script, Visuals, Cast, and Wagner are you kidding me. John Boorman's version is KING!
Excalibur! One of my fav Merlin quotes, “looking at the future is Iike looking at the cake. What do you really know until you take a bite....and then, of course.....it’s too late.”
...too late.
Nigel Terry hands down. His Arthur had this special quality that if he were a real person, I'd follow him to the death. You just can't help but believe in him.
Steven Green guards, knights, squires...prepare for battle!
Steven Green “One cannot gaze too long at the sun” -Guinevere
…And the usage of Wagner’s compositions is absolutely brilliant!
@@thomasfitzsimmons897 it really is a brilliant movie. You look at a screenshot and it looks cheesy as shit, but once you see it in motion. The colors, costumes, set design, music, it all comes alive and the cheesiness gives way to an elegant masterpiece of a film. Its absolutely magical, its like watching a living painting.
He was amazing in the role. He was a cheerful ambitious young squire to a humble king who goes mad and becomes an epic king once more. The rollercoaster of different emotions he used was amazing. Best told Arthurian tale in a film by far
There is no comparison. Excalibur, thanks to Nicole Williamson's Merlin is Unique.
Excalibur. The end.
Im 25 years old and even i know EXCALIBUR is by far the best King Arthur movie..... BY FAR.
True dat.
I'm 26 years old and I don't know why we're stating our ages
And now you're 29 and if you live for another 100 years you'll still be right.
It would be difficult to beat Excalibur even by today's standards.
You can do it, the question is: Do we have competent writers to do such thing?
It's not possible by today's "standards".
They wouldn't even get the Standards right. get it?
@@Nothing2CHere4U Today standards are pretty bad, only early 2000 on LOTR days was possible to try and do something better.
But Excalibur cast was the type of cast of one of a lifetime type, would be very hard to get the right people again back then.
@@CommanderTato No. Standards. Get it?
Why am I conversing with a bot account?
Oh, nevermind.
@@Nothing2CHere4U Are you having a bad day bro? Why the agressiveness.
Legends say Williamson took Nigel Terry to Avalon, and there he waits for when we need a new King Arthur movie to be made.
...(come father, let us embrace at last).....Excalibur was the best!.
Excalibur was just before my time, I saw it in the late 90s when I was 14 after borrowing it from the public library. It looked like a cheesy fantasy movie at first, but I was blown away by it. The original print of that movie should be put in The Smithsonian. I will never forget that movie, masterpiece.
It is essentially all British (if filmed mainly in Ireland), so it might belong in the British Museum or the Wallace Collection, but not the Smithsonian.
Excalibur is my fave King Authur movie and one of my favorite fantasy movies of all time!
Word!
This video Should've been titled "What is the 2nd best King Arthur story behind Excalibur"...there's no question.
Crunch Buttsteak Dirk Hardpec
Thick mc run fast
Agreed. Crunch.
Hard to argue here.. Excalibur 1981 was John Boorman's dream project.. and the one that got me interested in the whole legend (but must admit that Holy Grail is a close runner up 'cause of the hand grenade scene).
I came here solely to say this
Excalibur is and will forever be THE ONLY FILM THAT DEPICTS THE STORY OF KING ARTHUR. It is one of the few films that brings me to tears no matter how many times I may watch it. This movie touches your soul and transports you back to a time when men were MEN and a man's word meant something. There was a MORAL CODE OF HONOR to be upheld among all men that is rooted in righteousness which is something that's seriously lacking in this world today...
1981 Excalibur
There can only be one... true king. Excalibur is still the standard. Nicol Williams is awesome as Merlin
Excaiblur is probably one of my favorite takes on the Arthurian legends
Excalibur is the best, when Arthur and his knights are riding through the cherry blossoms and Wagner is blasting. It just doesn't get better.
I m sorry, in tat particular part director Jhon Boorman used "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff.
@@grgklein369 yep, Wagner is used mostly in the end (siegfried funeral)
EXCALIBUR, The best !! Epic !!
It's been 38 years since Excalibur has been released. It's been 38 years others have tried and failed to match it. Excalibur was a perfect storm of directing, acting, artistic vision, poetry, music and storytelling. Yes it has aged in some parts. But the epicness and the world building are still what makes it a unique masterpiece that is still as beautiful and enthralling today as it was back then. We can only hope we get such a good arthurian movie ever again! Also - could anyone play a better Merlin than Nicol Williamson? :)
Peter Jackson could offer some ability but in WOKE world be stupid.
@@chasam1234 Old Pete maybe, but current Jackson could not
This is an older comment but I wanted to say how much I agree with you about Nicol Williamson. I love Nigel Terry as Arthur; I think his warm and empathetic performance would make anyone want to follow him anywhere. But Nicol gives my favorite performance in the film. He's wise, knowing, loyal to Arthur, mysterious, occasionally manipulative and slippery but in the end with a true vision that guides his actions. He's also occasionally used for some delightfully hammy comic relief, which he plays with just the right light touch. In fact when he's "captured" by Morgana and leaves the film for a while it noticeably loses some energy.
Best Merlin, hands down. I haven't seen anyone else play the part balancing these complexities while still clearly having such fun.
@@cherylhulting1301 To me, Nicol Williamson was the perfect version of Merlin. His last conversation with Arthur on the eve of the final battle with Mordred still haunts me all these years later.
_"Merlin . . . if only you were at my side, my old friend, to give me courage. There are no war war tricks that will fool Mordred and Morgana. More than I ever did, I need you now."_
Arthur smacks an armored fist against a rock.
_"Merlin, where are you? If only you could see wield Excalibur once more."_
Arthur dozes off, only to awaken at the sound of Merlin calling his name.
_"Merlin! Where have been these many years? Is it true that Morgana -"_
*"Stories. You brought me back. Your love brought me back to where you are now. In the land of dreams."*
_"Are you just a dream, then, Merlin?"_
*"A dream to some . . . a NIGHTMARE TO OTHERS!!"*
Boorman's Excalibur, hands-down.
Excalibur hands down none of the others come close.
"Excalibur" My intro to Wagner -- WOW!Amazing in a big sound theater.
Ask a stupid question and you'll get an obvious answer.
Answer: *EXCALIBUR*
Excalibur 1981... no comparison (other than in books)
John Boorman’s Excalibur of course. One of my favorite movies, period.
Excalibur is the true exposition of our once and future king.
Excalibur is by far the best. Its not even close lol. Excalibur is a work of art that will always be with humanity. The others are shit that have been and will be forgotten to media.
Yup! Nigel Terry, hands down! I have it on DVD too! Just plain the best, with the deepest character development.
Excalibur was the best Arthurian movie ever and the best soundtrack so all you youngsters watch it because everything else was crap
Excalibur is the greatest motion picture film ever made. That's a rock fact.
Meh !!!
lol
Ouais, c'est pas faux !
Nice Sifl and Olly reference with the Rock Fact.
But more to the point; to this day, Excalibur stands as the definitive version of Arthur put on film.
At least, that's what I and others think
2nd only to the original star wars I'd say, but what do i know?...
Second. Second greatest.
The road warrior stands, at least in my opinion, as the first.
Excalibur. One of my all time favs. Stunning cinematography. A legend in itself.
excalibur by far..carl orf's carmina burana alone is worth the admission...boorman nailed the entire scope from merlin to arthur to the torment of lancelot and guinevere, to the holy grail...stirring beyond imagining..incredible job...second would be the musical camelot with harris and redgrave and third, monty python and the holy grail because it's hilarious...the latest one by ritchie sucked...big time
"You're right. I'm not yet a knight! You Uryens, will knight me and as knight to knight, I care to offer you Mercy!" Excalibur all the way!!!
One of the most powerful scenes I've seen on film.
Actually the line was “As Knight to Knight I carried out for your mercy”. Just saying.
@@charlesquillen35 No, thats even better!!! Carried it on his shoulders...Thx
@@charlesquillen35 "as Knight to Knight I CAN OFFER YOU MERCY (It's difficult to hear it...especially the word CAN)".
Oh cool, I always thought it was "...that is knight to knight, I carry put at your mercy!" Whatever the line, I always end up with manly tears
excalibur from 1981 hands down
Excalibur, Excalibur, Excalibur.
Love, live this movie.
🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
Agreed. Excalibur is the best by a mile. I loved it!
EXCALIBUR!!!!! And as a bonus, NO COMPUTERS.
EXCALIBUR
"..while it's not perfect.." HERESY!
EXCALIBUR!
EXCALIBUR is a legend itself
Ouais, c'est pas faux !
Anal nathrach, orth' bhais's bethad, do che'l de'nmha
Excalibur blew my mind when I saw it in '81...and I'm still waiting for a worthy contender.
1981Excalibur 👍👍👍👍
Excalibur is a 5 star Masterpiece! The union between God and the mythical Dragon (Red and Green Celtic and Anglo saxon). The king and the land. The Sword and the the people. Blood and the righteous crusade for the Grail found only with clean spirit at the end of despair. Gotterdammerung the circle of death and rebirth in the struggle for life. Ultimately the battle between good and evil. The movie I first watched at the age of 10. The movie captured me with fascination captivating me into the mist of folk law so much so that it was an awakening for me unlike anything before or since.
I have adopted into my spirit its inner meaning that I have carried throughout my life.
None are even in the same category with the incomparable Excalibur! You failed to mention the powerful music, O Fortuna from the Carmina Burana by Carl Orff - accompanying Uther riding into battle at the movie beginning. Right there, from the start, the viewer knows that he is being presented with unsurpassed storytelling. I have seen many other attempts to use Carl Orff's masterpiece, to give weight to an unworthy scene in movies since - without success.
No doubt touched my mind... EXCALIBUR was the clear Winner, the story and actors were awesome...!
Excalibur. No question. Saw it when I was 14 and have watched it about 50 times since. One of those movies that just gets better the more you watch it.
We ALL know it's Excalibur!
Excalibur, forever Excalibur! For me the best film on King Arthur ever!
The best King Arthur movie was the Clive Owen from 2004, most realistic story of Ambrosius Aurelianus & the Battle of Badon against the Angles & Saxons invaders.
It’s EXCALIBUR. No question. It replayed last week at one of the cineplexes and I made sure I took my fifteen year old son to see it.
I have to say EXCALIBUR is the best of all but for Arthur and Merlin in a TV show Im a huge fan of the MERLIN series. Yes it has its own story but when the historical moments happen its so good. The parts mentioned in the Arthurian Legend.
Excalibur, everything else is crap
except for Monty Python.
fromundatarzan King Arthur was poor but not crap. Excalibur A, Monty Python B, King Arthur C. The rest of the films after 1980 aren't worth commenting on.
The Knighting of Arthur in Excalibur is a fantastic scene
King Arthur 2004 is my Fave as it comes closest to the real King Arthur. However, from a fantasy standpoint, Excalibur wins!
Excalibur hands down. I had the privilege of meeting and seeing much of that cast perform live for the RSC. I must admit though Mads Mikkelsen's Tristan in King Arthur broke my heart when he died at the end. Loved his character. He embodied my idea of a knight no armour needed. If you really want to break it down asks who was the actor that played each character the best.
Clive Owens Arthur Was the best Arthur. Excalibur was a better movie but Clive Owen made me believe he was Arthur better
Hands down, Excalibur! Action, Visuals, Mystery, Story. Loved it when I was a kid and still to this day.
Excalibur and Nigel Terry, I have honestly not read anything in the books, and only watched a few of the movies..but I rank..
1. Excalibur with Nigel Terry by john Boorman..Epic, mystic, dreamy and felt like a knight movie that glowed.
Excaliburs music, costumes and camera photo and lighting was simply brilliant put together, Nigel Terry sounded a bit silly as a young arthur, but as an older Arthur, he delivers some epic monologs.
2. Artur..with Clive Owen, well. I guess I liked the way the incorporated a story of romans and the veda people that may actually depict a more true to that time story, though how much reality in the myth there is is highly dubious, though I am not that fond of clive owens acting, which seem to be a little stiff and when not..it feels like over acting, some scenes were okay though that he did, so he was not a complete disaster.
3
I just couldn´t stand the artur movie with Sean Connery ( love him in other movies) and richard gere..that one was horrible.
Excalibur alone pulls the sword out of the stone. Brilliant, haunting, utterly unforgettable work of cinematic art, unmatched and unparalleled. I had the great privilege of experiencing a live performance by Nigel Terry for the Royal Shakespeare Company--playing a Shakespearean king. No wonder he was chosen by John Boorman to play. King Arthur--he was a natural for these larger-than-life characters. He was absolutely sublime on stage, brought me to tears with the powerful emotions he conveyed to the audience. I actually went back to see the performance a second time just to watch his superb acting and listen once more to that wonderful voice. A truly unforgettable once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Excalibur is a masterpiece! It stands the test of time. Nigel Terry brought the role of King Arthur to life! I loved Merlin as well. My 20 yr old son barely watched it a couple of days ago and he agrees. He loved it!
EXCALIBUR !!! EXCALIBUR !!! EXCALIBUR ..... no doubt, no questions, no discussion !!!!!
For me, it was the 1981 version. I loved this as a kid. It was so romantic and exciting.
King Arthur is the only film that gives insight to the times of the real Arthur lived. There is very little fantasy in the story, and it shows how corrupt Rome had become when they pulled their troops from Britain. The other stories were fantasy from start to finish. I liked Excalibur much like the superhero movies of today, but the source of story was a fantasy created by a monk centuries after Arthur lived, and your premise was the best King Arthur film.
I love the revised Guy Ritchie version of Arthur in the Legend of the Sword. I am yet to watch Excalibur but based on these comments, the movie is a must watch.
I saw Excalibur the first time in 1981, and it has not been replaced by any other movie on the subject, in fact, it is one of the best movies ever made.
Definitely Excalibur. But Monty Python runs a close hilarious second.😁
The knighting of Arthur by Uryens is certainly one of the greatest and most moving scenes in motion picture history -- in the greatest telling of the story of King Arthur, hands down.
I sorta like the scene when Perceval returns with the grail and wakes Arthur , and the speech thereafter.
Yeah before that scene, I was only half interested in the movie, then when Arthur shows true humility and courage, that's when you know its a badass movie, better than any action scene
Excalibur is my all time favorite. First time i saw it, as a child, i fell in love w/ the movie
Excalibur is by far the best choice, though how do you find the portrayal of Arthur in the 1990s Merlin Mini-series?
2004 King Arthur movie is so Good... 💐🙏
Excalibur all the way.
Absolutely awe inspiring.
End of.
Excalibur 1981 without a doubt
Excalibur was a master piece. I never get tired of watching it.
Excalibur! 80's Arthur is the defining Arthur. So well done! That sword could have been a lightsaber and Arthur could have been Luke Skywalker with Obi-wan as Merlin. So good!
Damn thats a Great analogy
I think this if nothing else is a great opportunity for anyone who hasn't watched Excalibur, to go watch it. One of the greatest films ever made, it manages the incredible feat of bringing to life the mysticism, paganism and mythology surrounding Arthurian legend. One of the few other things I've watched that manages this is the tv series Robin of Sherwood from 1983-1985. Which unsurprisingly also had a 'lord of the trees, Herne the Hunter' angle to it
And Christianity of course.
Why do people always overlook that aspect? The Holy Grail, duh?
Totally agree, Excalibur was the best Arthur movie ever
Merlin is my favorite adaptation it was such a good show even tho it had a terrible ending and Ik it doesn’t follow le Morte d Arthur, it was a still a great show
This was a fun trip through a number of movies I haven’t seen. I’m glad to see so many love Excalibur as much as I do. And of course as a kid I felt The Sword In the Stone was a cool movie too.
Excalibur hands down, what a great film, great acting all around, has emotion, is very grounded and has depth. The new Guy Ritchie was a fun watch and comes in second place, would be great if Guy has a chance for a trilogy, If I was Netflix or Amazon I would found his endeavor ;-)
Rich B guy ritchie‘s movie was crap. Come on
@@spartanwarrior1 From the trailer alone, I saw nothing I would consider "fun"
My favourite retelling is actually the Merlin TV show. I know, it derives in many places but it has so many beautiful character and emotional moments. Plus, spanning over 5 seasons gave it the necessary time to develop character relationships.
literally. 100%. yes. Merlin is amazing
Nigel Terry is the best Arthur on film...But the best Arthur of all is a Blond girl, clad in blue, yelling Excalibur like no other :D
fate stay night
Yes saber is the best
Saber is the best King Arthur
Yup. Saber is much better than any of these.
exsu-CALIBAA!!!!
saber is best arthur!
Excalibur tops it all with King Arthur as second.
Is this a trick question?
Hands down "Excalibur".
Go to ---> 10:15. Done.
81' Excaliber is the greatest imo. Anyone who hasn't watched it give a try. 🏰
Excalibur is one of my favorite films of all time. I can quote it almost word for word and it was a very important part of my childhood. Nothing before or after comes even close to what it did.
People seem to be underestimating the 2004 Clive Owens version of King Arthur it's actually very good and tells a much different story about Arthur.
I quite like it; it's my favorite movie about Arthur after "Excalibur." It does tell a very different story about Arthur but it fascinates me by calling up how many different "tribes" of people roamed over that land. I like Clive Owen's take on Arthur; it's a little darker and realistic in tone. It's definitely worth checking out.
The 1981 version with Nigel Terry is my favorite.
But you forgot “The Mists of Avalon.” Definitely a story more about His sister Morgana. Made in the mid 90s with Angelica Houston,& Julianne Margoles as Morgana.
For television, so not included.
For me, it's Excalibur: it is the only film faithful to the feeling of the esoteric ancient symbology, or the Arthurian tales, you can sense that the actors, the writers, the photography all understood the feeling of those tales and emanated perfectly. Any western European has this tales deep in our deep self. And merlin was perfect.
IF EXCALIBUR IS MY FAVORITE THEN IT IS THE GREATEST! ( draws sword and salutes Excalibur) lol I was goofing the quote Patrick Steward says.
No other movie has the same impact as the knights riding with King Arthur to the tune of Carmina Burana in Excalibur. The story is a bit wonky at times but it makes up for it with the sheer incredible acting. I've seen other King Arthur films but Excalibur is the only one that I keep going back to. The fact that the title of the movie is the name of the sword itself makes it even more powerful.
not to sound repetitive.... Excalibur..... is the one, ...it has yet to be equalled or surpassed!!!