Movies and Television

A British television series (each episode 30-minutes long) in which Lancelot does variousknightly (and some not so knightly) deeds.

Arthur and the Square Knights of the Round Table. Animation. 1984. Produced by Wrightswood Entertainment. 80-minutes.

A tongue-in-cheek retelling of the legend that suffers in comparison to Disney's The Sword in the Stone.

Camelot. Color. 1967. Produced by Warner Brothers. 150-minutes. Starring Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave, Lionel Jeffries.

The film version of Lerner and Lowe's stage musical, which in turn was adapted from White'sThe Once and Future King. The film attempts to tell the story of an idealized vision ofArthur's kingdom, without the pessimism that White's later novels exuded.

A Connecticut Yankee. Black and white. 1931. Produced by Twentieth Century Fox. 96-minutes. Starring Will Rogers, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan.

The second film adaption of Mark Twain's satirical novel (the first was a 1920 silent movieversion). A vehicle for humorist Rogers, the film takes many liberties with both Twain'snovel and the legend.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Color. 1949. Produced by Paramount. 108-minutes. Starring Bing Crosby, Rhonda Fleming, Cedric Harwicke.

Bing Crosby takes over the role of Sir Boss and adds his own personal stamp. The film is fullof wonderful pastiche that Crosby and Bob Hope perfected in the Road movies andHarwicke's portrayal of Arthur is the most eccentric to date.

Excalibur. Color. 1981. Produced by Orion Pictures. 140-minutes. Starring Nigel Terry, Nicol Williamson, Helen Mirren, Cherie Lunghi, Nicholas Clay.

Director John Boorman brings together all the disparate elements of the Arthurian tale into agraphically realistic vision. His combining of Arthur with the Wounded King of the Graillegend was a highly ingenious development.

The Fisher King. Color. 1991. Produced by Tri-Star. 138-minutes. Starring Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges.

This film has a very loose connection with the legend. Williams plays a street bum thatbelieves Bridges is a modern day Fisher King in search of the Grail.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Animation. 1981. (3 vols.). Produced by ZIV International. 210-minutes.

The life and loves of Arthur. Rather unoriginal adaption of the legend.

King Arthur, the Young Warlord. Color. 1975. Produced by Heritage Enterprises. 90- minutes. Starring Oliver Tobias, Michael Gothard, Jack Watson, Brian Blessed, Peter Firth.

Traditional British adaption of the story starring some British TV "regulars." Remains quiteconsistent with Malory's tale.

Knights of the Round Table. Color. 1954. Produced by MGM. 106-minutes. Starring Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer.

Typical Hollywood fifties costume adventure, with Taylor playing the role of Lancelot,hopelessly in love with Queen Guinevere.

Merlin and the Dragons. Animation. 1991. Produced by Lightyear Entertainment. 27- minutes.

Kevin Kline narrates a tale of the enchanter Merlin.

Merlin and the Sword. Color. 1985. Produced by Commworld Productions. 94-minutes. Starring Malcolm McDowell, Edward Woodward, Candace Bergen, Dyan Cannon.

Originally titled Arthur the King, this made-for-television movie focuses on Guinevere'sabduction and rescue by Lancelot, and the love between Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell. Theevents are viewed through the eyes of a twentieth century American woman, aided in hervision by Merlin's magic.

Merlin of the Crystal Cave. Color. 1991. Produced by BBC Television. 159-minutes. Starring George Winter, Robert Powell, Trevor Peacock.

An adaption of Mary Stewart's The Crystal Cave, this tells the story of Merlin's childhood,his training in magic and his eventual participation in Arthur's rise to power.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Color. 1975. Produced by Almi/Cinema V. 90- minutes. Starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin.

The cast of the BBC Television series take on the Arthurian legend, and proceed to spoofevery film adaption ever made of it, as well as any other medieval movies. It loosely followsArthur and his knights on a quest for the Holy Grail.

Parsifal. Color. 1982. Produced by Triumph, GAU-TMS. 255-minutes. Starring Edith Cleaver, Armin Jordan, Martin Sperr.

A German adaption of Wagner's epic Grail opera. The video version provides English sub-titles.

Sword of Lancelot. Color. 1963. Produced by Cornel Wilde, Bernard Luber. 115-minutes. Starring Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, Brian Aherne.

Originally known as Lancelot and Guinevere, this costume adventure focuses on theLancelot-Guinevere-Arthur love triangle and follows Malory's plot closely.

The Sword in the Stone. Animation. 1963. Produced by Disney/Buena Vista. 79-minutes.

Perhaps the most enduring adaption of the legend to film, this version of White's 1938 novelis best remembered for its wonderful Merlin character.

Sword of the Valiant. Color. 1983. Produced by Cannon Films. 102-minutes. Starring SeanConnery, Miles O'Keefe, Trevor Howard, Peter Cushing.

An interesting adaption the Gawain and the Green Knight story, in which Connery issuitably made up to portray the Green Knight who places numerous quests on Gawain's(Miles O'Keefe) shoulders.

Unidentified Flying Oddball. Color. 1979. Produced by Walt Disney Productions. Starring Jim Dale, Ron Moody, Kenneth Moore.

The latest and the loosest adaption of Twain's A Connecticut Yankee. Dale is an astronautflung back in time to Arthur's court.

© 1996 John J. Doherty

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