 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
He was a magic actor.
That's very sad.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The last performance Nigel Terry that I saw was in a 2007 episode of Doctor Who, with David Tennant, 'The Doctor's Daughter'. And very good he was too.
But, apart from an odd varying accent, he will always be my favourite King Arthur. I was absolutely potty about Excalibur on release. I remember seeing it umpteen times. At the time I thought it was the first film to attempt to put all the well known parts of the legend in one place. Loved everything about it, including the design, and of course Nicol Williamson's turn as Merlin (an earlier title), which is at times pretty Doctor-ish. Presenter Chris Kelly also said so in an edition of kids' hour tv cinema review show, Clapperboard. It was an interview special with director John Boorman, Cherie Lunghi (Guinevere) and Terry. Boorman replied that they were "in the same tradition".
I thought it odd that Clapperboard, a kids' hour version of Barry Norman's show, featured it in some ways, as it was given a AA - or 15 – (PG in the US?) certificate.
Annoyingly there was no soundtrack album, just an album of the classical pieces, which I got. Whilst the film turned me onto Wagner and Carl Orf's Carmina Burana for a while, I quite liked the original scoring provided by Trevor Jones. The bootleg I managed to get unfortunately has a glitch. I know, serves me right!
I did however manage to get hold of the UK quad movie poster, and three mini posters from my local 'bug hut'/cinema, the Futurist, Elsecar.
Obviously Dave Gibbons and Steve Parkhouse liked it too, as they used virtually the same image of Merlin for the cross-over from Tom Baker to Peter Davison comic strip in the then Marvel Comics monthly Doctor Who magazine. Let's face it, that skull cap and gown does make him look very Time Lord-ish too.
The last chapter for me in this story is that in my neighbouring village of Elsecar, here in the UK, four times a year there is a bottle collector's fair (and we thought film music fans were mad!). Of the hundreds of people that turn up, and pack the local pub - The Market - out, are three nice folks from Cambridge - Vicki and her husband Bernie and his dad Brian. The first time I saw Vicki I asked her if anyone ever told her she was the spitting image of Cherie Lunghi as she appeared in Excalibur. She replied "often", and has greeted me every time with a kiss and hug as a result. Some result! Friendly lot, these Cambridge types.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It was really one of those films where I wished for long afterwards, that there could be more (or a tv series even) stories from within the opening and closing of it. That is, episodes, adventures even from the middle period once everything is set up, and before things start going bad.
But with the same cast, and mood. Sort of spin-offs rather that actual sequels. Not something you could do when the story's finished!
The nearest thing we got was Robin of Sherwood for the other English legend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Posted: |
May 5, 2015 - 7:33 AM
|
|
|
|
By: |
Ado
(Member)
|
It was really one of those films where I wished for long afterwards, that there could be more (or a tv series even) stories from within the opening and closing of it. That is, episodes, adventures even from the middle period once everything is set up, and before things start going bad.
But with the same cast, and mood. Sort of spin-offs rather that actual sequels. Not something you could do when the story's finished!
The nearest thing we got was Robin of Sherwood for the other English legend.
Goodmorning Paul.
I agree, then again, I am not sure it could be pulled off just so. There was something remarkable about Boorman and his crew. Alex Thomson running the camera- there is something about the luster to the images, and some things not being in focus at all times, the feeling of things not being entirely seen, the proper use of smoke and fog. Too, the list of top notch (I think mostly) British talent, would be pretty hard to put together in television probably.
In any case, that movie set me reading the very interesting and rich books on Arthurian Legends, and following Boorman. I am still waiting for a proper bluray of his also really fantastic Hope and Glory.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
