Excalibur (film)
"Excalibur" was the number one film during its opening weekend of 10–12 April 1981, eventually earning $34,967,437 in the United States. , it currently has a 78% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 41 reviews.
John Boorman
Boorman achieved much greater resonance with "Deliverance" (US, 1972, adapted from a novel by James Dickey), the ordeal of four urban men, played by Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty, who encounter danger from an unexpected quarter while whitewater rafting through the Appalachian backwoods. The film became Boorman's first true box office success, earning him several award nominations.
At the beginning of the 1970s, Boorman was planning to film "The Lord of the Rings" and corresponded about his plans with the author, J. R. R. Tolkien. Ultimately the production proved too costly, though some elements and themes can be seen in "Excalibur".