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How can a medievalfantasyepic that came out in 1981 possibly look better than most of today’s fantasy films and TV shows? Well, that’s exactly the case with John Boorman’sExcalibur, a legendary adaptation of the King Arthur myth.
The Lord of the RingsandGame of Thronesare without a doubt the benchmarks for modernfantasyepics, but before them,Excaliburbroke new ground in the genre. Interestingly, this film originally started as anunproducedLord of the Ringsadaptation, before evolving into a retelling of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Nearly 44 years later, despite massive advancements in filmmaking technology and CGI, the light-soaked, color-drenchedExcaliburnot only holds up but also outshines most modern fantasy content.
ExcaliburRemains The Definitive King Arthur Film
Being one of the most famous stories of all time,the legend of King Arthurhas been adapted countless times for the screen over the past century. Yet,Excaliburis arguably the best of them all. The film draws heavily from Sir Thomas Malory’s 15th-century romanceLe Morte d’Arthur, which translates toThe Death of Arthur. Boorman’sExcaliburisn’t perfect, but it remains the definitive Arthurian film, and it doesn’t look or feel like any of its predecessors or successors.
At the time of its release,Excalibur’s reception was arguably just about moderate. The film earned $35 million in the United States and Canada on a budget of $11 million. To put this in perspective, that year’s highest-grossing movie,Raiders of the Lost Ark, made over $212 million at the North American box office on a budget of $20 million.Excalibur’s reviews were also mixed to positive at the time and currently holds a 72% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film went on to win an award for Best Artistic Contribution at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival, and its cinematography earned an Oscar nomination.
HowExcaliburInfluenced Zack Snyder’s Films
Excaliburis clearly one of those films defined by its legacy over the years, rather than its contemporary performance. The film’s visual style set the precedent for countless other period pieces and remains the benchmark for any Arthurian retelling. It’s safe to say that filmmaker Zack Snyder is one ofExcalibur’s biggest fans.TheMan of Steeldirectorcalled it his favorite film ina 2012 Newsweek interview, and labeled it a perfect meeting of movies and mythology.
In fact,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justicepays homage toExcalibur. The iconic flashback sequence shows Bruce Wayne and his parents walking home from seeingExcalibur, just before they are tragically murdered. And it doesn’t stop there. Superman sacrificing himself to kill Doomsday with a Kryptonite spear mirrors Arthur’s act of killing Mordred with Excalibur. Snyder has also often expressed his wish todirect his own Arthurian film adaptation.
Why Every Fantasy Fan Must WatchExcalibur
Unlike Modern Content,ExcaliburFeels Heavy And Real
Much likeGame of Thrones, John Boorman’s take on King Arthur is not a family-friendly fairy tale. The heroes aren’t perfect, the battles aren’t sanitized, and instead,Excaliburis a raw and violent story at its core. Yet, it carries an otherworldly quality, enriched with striking imagery and heavy symbolism. Unlike the stylized sword fights of modern fantasy,Excaliburpresents combat as slow, heavy, and exhausting. The sets, costumes, and props feel incredibly tactile, perfectly immersing the viewer in its mythical medieval world.
ExcaliburLaunched The Careers Of Big-Name Actors
Another reasonExcaliburstill holds up is its cast, featuring actors who would go on to become legends in their own right. The film primarily stars Nigel Terry as Arthur,Helen Mirrenas Morgana Le Fay, Nicholas Clay as Sir Lancelot, Cherie Lunghi as Guinevere, and Nicol Williamson as Merlin. More importantly, it introduced relatively unknown Irish actors in their first major roles – actors who are now well-renowned, including Ciarán Hinds, Gabriel Byrne, anda young Liam Neeson. Patrick Stewart, though not Irish, also citesExcaliburas his first major film project.
Music And Visual Style MakesExcaliburUnforgettable
The score, featuring works by Richard Wagner and Carl Orff, along with original music by Trevor Jones, adds to the film’s epic feel. But what makesExcaliburtruly timeless is itsdistinct visual style. The use of lighting, for example, adds a mystical layer. For example, whenever magic is at play, a green glow reflects off the knights' armor or appears within the scene itself, which enhances the film’s otherworldly atmosphere.
Have Modern Fantasy Movies Fallen Off?
Bold Visuals and Gore Outshine Today’s Digital Age
Excaliburis a classic reminder of how visually lavish movies used to be. While the digital vs. film debate may never be settled, the film’s rich, glossy grain elevates its aesthetic in a way thatmodern fantasy contentstruggles to match. In fact, comparingExcalibur’s visceral imagery with today’s drab digital color palettes almost makes it feel like filmmaking has regressed, at least in the fantasy genre.
And it’s not just the colors. The film fully embraces its darker side without taking itself too seriously – something many modern fantasy films and TV shows struggle to achieve today. Thegrit and goreinExcaliburfeel even more real thanGame of Thrones, especially in the brutal final act, which is filled with hacked limbs, blood, and death.
Morgana’s lair is equally grim, littered with decaying corpses and bones picked clean by crows. Due to this, the film’s original 3-hour runtime was cut down to 140 minutes and receivedan R ratingin the U.S. Interestingly, HBO aired both versions: the PG-rated cut during the day and the R-rated version at night.
ExcaliburFeels Like ALord of the RingsOf Its Era
The imagery inExcaliburwas inspired by John Boorman’s original vision for his unproducedLord of the Ringsscript.Speaking to IndieWire in 2012, the British filmmaker expressed his initial disappointment, which later turned into relief after Peter Jackson made his trilogy.
[We] couldn’t get it made. And really I’m so pleased we didn’t because if I’d made it, rather clumsily at the time, it would mean that Pete Jackson‘s fantastic trilogy would not have been made. So he owes a lot to me.
One could even argue thatExcaliburfeels like a live-action adaptation ofTolkien’s novelbut with a distinct late-70s or early-80s aesthetic. For fantasy fans,Excaliburis essential viewing; and for creators, a wake-up call to restore the genre to its magical glory.Excaliburis available for rent on Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, and Microsoft Store.
