Excalibur (film)
Excalibur is a 1981 American epic fantasy film directed, produced, and co-written by John Boorman that retells the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table, based on the 15th-century Arthurian romance "Le Morte d'Arthur" by Thomas Malory. It stars Nigel Terry as Arthur, Nicol Williamson as Merlin, Nicholas Clay as Lancelot, Cherie Lunghi as Guenevere, Helen Mirren as Morgana, Liam Neeson as Gawain, Gabriel Byrne as Uther Pendragon, Corin Redgrave as Cornwall, and Patrick Stewart as Leondegrance. The film is named after the legendary sword of King Arthur that features prominently in Arthurian literature. The film's soundtrack features the music of Richard Wagner and Carl Orff, along with an original score by Trevor Jones.
Fantasy film
1980s fantasy films were initially characterised by directors finding a new spin on established mythologies. Ray Harryhausen brought the monsters of Greek legends to life in "Clash of the Titans" while Arthurian lore returned to the screen in John Boorman's 1981 "Excalibur". Films such as Ridley Scott's 1985 "Legend" and Terry Gilliam's 1981–1986 trilogy of fantasy epics ("Time Bandits", "Brazil", and "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen") explored a new artist-driven style featuring surrealist imagery and thought-provoking plots. The modern sword and sorcery boom began around the same time with 1982's "Conan the Barbarian" followed by "Krull" and "Fire and Ice" in 1983, as well as a boom in fairy tale-like fantasy films such as "Ladyhawke" (1985), "The Princess Bride" (1987), and "Willow" (1988).