Comparison of Two Films About King Arthur Essay -- Film Movies Compare

Few works of literature or legend are as varied as that of King Arthur and his round table, forever retold by all(prenominal) generation. Without question, the defining work of Arthurian Literature is Sir Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur. Morte dArthur is a compilation of all the King Arthur legends that existed before Malory. Malory tried to bring all the stories unitedly into one cohesive whole. Morte dArthur is a trove of stories about magical encounters and various quests that is loosely centered on the rise and fall of King Arthur. Since it was written, there rush been countless interpretations and adaptations. Today, we not only have countless Arthurian books, except many movies on the subject as well. In this paper I accept to compare and contrast two such Arthurian movies, Excalibur and King Arthur, and discuss what each film adds to the treasury of Arthurian lore. It is hard to believe that two entirely opposite movies are based on the same literature. The movie Exca libur is like a modern day Morte dArthur, while the more recent King Arthur differs greatly from all former Arthurian works by attempting to be historically plausible. ExcaliburAlthough Excalibur is based mostly on Malory, it also contains stories from Chrtien de Troyes and Alfred, Lord Tennysons Idylls of the King. The film takes scenes straight from Malory, but it also changes Malory slightly by condensing some of his many details and mixing them with stories from other Arthurian writers. It smoothes over many of Malorys contradictions then manages to throw in some plot twists of its own. ExcaliburThe first scene of the film introduces the most important symbol of the film, Excalibur. Throughout the entire movie at every critical juncture, Exc... ...with machines. two of her fingers were broken. Arthur receives another shock when he realizes that these ministrations were performed by a priest. The priest believes that to torture heathens is an act of kindness that would enable t hem to enter heaven. The final blow that completely crushes Arthurs legal opinion in the Church is the news he receives on Pelagius excommunication. How can the Church excommunicate a man who believes in such lofty and glorious ideas? finisWhile Excalibur keeps both the content and form of Malory, King Arthur tries something new by trying to translate the barely-fitting together cacophony of Morte dArthur into a historically plausible film. though Excalibur is more enjoyable to real King Arthur lovers, King Arthur is strangely refreshing in its extreme adaptation of the overused story, while being still familiar in its core.