Delayed Reaction: Excalibur

The Pitch: King Arthur. There's a story in that.

Excalibur is an admirable and significant mess. The acting is overwrought. The story is rough. The production is impressive and informative. There's no simple way to discuss this movie. It helped launch the careers of several actors (stateside, at least) like Helen Mirren - who I didn't recognize at all, Patrick Stewart, Liam Nesson,and Gabriel Byne. It set a new benchmark for what a medievel fantasy production should look like. It's even a fairly faithful retelling of the Le Morte d'Arthur story. Excalibur has significance. However, that movie was tough to get through. The story has very little flow. Scenes happen. Then other scenes happen. The both fit in the same movie, but they seldom flow from one to the next*. If I didn't already know Arthurian legend, I'm not sure I could've followed this. The acting is, to be generous, of variable quality. Nigel Terry, as King Arthur, just isn't very good. He tries so hard in every single scene and it shows. Nicol Williamson does have a pretty inspired Merlin. At times, he was the only thing that kept me going.

*My understanding is that there are different versions floating around and a lot had to be cut for the theatrical cut, which I believe is what I saw.

Side note: I wish someone would've told them to cool it with the use of "O Fortuna". After the third or forth time it came up, it became self-parody. Part of me saying that is through my 2017 eyes, where that song is damn near toxic as a song to be used earnestly.

Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend