Excalibur
Warner Bros.
April 10, 1981
I remember seeing the movie Excalibur when it was released 40 years ago in April of 1981. It was the first of what would be a steady stream of fantasy-themed films that were issued in the 80s, with Dragonslayer coming out a few months later, and The Sword and the Sorcerer, The Beastmaster, Conan the Barbarian and The Dark Crystal coming in 1982.
Even after the passage of 40 years, Excalibur remains entertaining. It was a particularly 'British' film and that, I think, is one of the reasons for its success. The inclusion of a Joseph Campbell-esque theme, and the use of the Wagner music for the soundtrack, gave the film a gravitas that counters the occasionally stilted dialogue and less-than-stellar acting.
The 50-minute, 2013 documentary Behind the Sword in the Stone, recently retitled Excalibur: Behind the Movie, is available at a number of streaming platforms. It contains interesting anecdotes anecdotes and observations about the making of the film, and is well worth watching.
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