All language subtitles for [English - en] Excalibur_ Behind the Movie (2013) _ Full Documentary [DownSub.com]

JOHN'S FILM WAS A REAL MOVIE,

SO WE WERE ALL VERY,
VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

I THINK FOR ALL OF US
WHO WERE IN "EXCALIBUR,"

AND IT BEGAN
SO MANY AMAZING CAREERS.

THE FIRST IMPORTANT MOVIE
THAT I WAS EVER INVOLVED IN.

TO PUT WAGNER BEHIND
THE ARTHURIAN LEGENDS

WAS AN EXAMPLE OF PURE
IMAGINATIVE CINEMA,

AND I THOUGHT, "MMM. WOW.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE."

NARRATOR: IN 1981,
JOHN BOORMAN'S EPIC MOVIE

"EXCALIBUR" HIT THE BIG SCREEN.

[WAGNER'S "SIEGFRIED'S
FUNERAL THEME" PLAYING]

♪

♪

NARRATOR: BOORMAN'S FILM CAREER
HAS SPANNED 6 DECADES.

HIS MOVIES INCLUDE
"POINT BLANK"...

FETCH.

"HELL IN THE PACIFIC"...

LOOK. YOU DO IT
THIS TIME.

I'M TIRED OF--

OK. I'LL SHOW YOU
ONE MORE TIME

AND NEVER AGAIN,
RIGHT?

DO YOU
UNDERSTAND THAT?

NARRATOR: AND THE ICONIC
AND CONTROVERSIAL "DELIVERANCE."

[PLAYING "DUELING BANJOS"]

IN 1980, HE BEGAN SHOOTING
WHAT WAS TO BECOME

THE MOST DIFFICULT MOVIE
HE HAD EVER MADE,

A FILM THAT TESTED
THE ENDURANCE OF ALL INVOLVED.

IT HAD BEEN HIS LIFETIME'S DREAM
TO MAKE THIS FILM,

TURNING A LEGEND INTO LIGHT
FOR THE WORLD TO SEE.

THIS REUNION OF CAST
AND CREW RECOUNTS

THE MAKING OF BOORMAN'S EPIC
MOVIE "EXCALIBUR."

BOORMAN: I MEAN, I'D MADE,
YOU KNOW, SOME DIFFICULT FILMS.

I MEAN, GOING DOWN THAT RIVER
IN "DELIVERANCE"

WAS VERY, VERY TOUGH,

AND SHOOTING A FILM
"THE EMERALD FOREST"

IN THE AMAZON FOREST,
THAT WAS PRETTY TOUGH, TOO,

BUT I THINK "EXCALIBUR" WAS
PRETTY MUCH THE TOUGHEST FILM

BECAUSE THERE WERE
SO MANY ELEMENTS TO IT.

THERE WAS, YOU KNOW,
SPECIAL EFFECTS

AND ARMOR AND LOADS OF EXTRAS

AND THE HORSES
AND THE TOUGH LOCATIONS.

IT WAS ENORMOUSLY DIFFICULT,
AND THEN ALL THE SPECIAL EFFECTS

TO GO ALONG WITH IT,
WHICH WE WERE DOING IN CAMERA,

SO IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT,
AND THE WEATHER.

THE FILM LOOKS WONDERFUL BECAUSE
WE WERE SHOOTING

USUALLY IN LITTLE BITS.

JUST THE SUN WOULD COME OUT
FOR 30 SECONDS,

AND WE'D CATCH IT.

YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THE TIME
IT WAS PISSING WITH RAIN.

IT WAS KIND OF
THE FIRST EXPERIENCE

OF MOVIE MAKING
AND STUFF LIKE THAT,

AND IT WAS ON A BIG SCALE.

YOU KNOW,
IT WASN'T A SMALL FILM.

IT WAS A BIG, PROPER
HOLLYWOOD PRODUCTION

IN THE MIDDLE OF WICKLOW,

AND IT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT
EVENT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE,

BUT FOR ME IT WAS--
I HAD TRIED TO GO

TO THE NATIONAL FILM--
I WAS A WRITER BASICALLY.

I HAD TRIED TO GO
TO THE NATIONAL FILM SCHOOL

IN BRITAIN.

I GOT A PLACE IN IT,
BUT I COULDN'T AFFORD TO GO

BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY

BECAUSE IT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE
AT THE TIME,

SO JOHN BASICALLY PROVIDED ME
WITH A FILM SCHOOL REALLY

BY ALLOWING ME TO MAKE
THAT DOCUMENTARY ON IT.

WE HAVE OUR KING!

[CHEERING]

NIGEL TERRY:
MAINLY IT WAS PHYSICAL.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

IF THERE WAS SMOKE,
THERE WAS SMOKE.

IF THERE WAS WATER,
THERE WAS WATER.

IF THERE WAS FIRE,
THERE WAS FIRE,

AND THAT'S WHAT BOORMAN WANTED.

THERE WAS NO CGI
OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

IN A WAY--AND I HAVEN'T
SEEN IT FOR A WHILE,

BUT THAT WAS SORT OF
THE CHARM OF IT.

I DID A THING CALLED "TROY,"

WHICH WAS A WHILE AGO NOW,
AND OF COURSE IT WAS ALL CGI

AND BRAD PITT AND SO ON
AND SO FORTH,

BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE
ALL THAT THEN.

I MEAN, THAT DIDN'T
SORT OF EXIST.

WHEN PEOPLE LIKE THAT FILM,
THEY THINK--

THEY LIKE ITS
SORT OF ROUGHNESS, YOU KNOW?

TAKE EXCALIBUR.

FIND A POOL
OF CALM WATER.

THROW THE SWORD
INTO IT.

NO.

BOORMAN: WELL, I SUPPOSE
IF I WAS MAKING IT TODAY

THERE WOULD BE THE LOT
OF POSSIBILITIES

THAT DIDN'T EXIST THEN,

SUCH AS COMPUTER
GENERATED IMAGES,

AND THE EFFECTS COULD HAVE
BEEN MORE SPECTACULAR.

WHETHER I WOULD HAVE DONE,
IT'S VERY HARD TO SAY

BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS MAKE A FILM
ACCORDING TO THE LIMITATIONS

YOU HAVE AT THE TIME,
AND OFTEN THOSE LIMITATIONS

BRING ABOUT THINGS
THAT YOU FIND SOLUTIONS.

"NOBODY LOOKING,
IS THERE?

I'LL HAVE A GO."

MAYBE JUST A HESITATION,
AND THEN TOUCH IT,

AND THEN "HMM."

FFWWSH!

THEN I WAS MAKING THE FILM
HERE IN IRELAND,

AND I--SO I STARTED LOOKING
FOR YOUNG ACTORS.

I WENT TO THE THEATER IN DUBLIN,
AND I FOUND

SEVERAL VERY, VERY GOOD ACTORS,
LIAM NEESON BEING ONE,

AND GABRIEL BYRNE
BEING ANOTHER.

NEITHER OF THEM HAD MADE
A FILM UP TO THAT POINT.

THEY HAD BEING WORKING
IN THEATER,

AND OF COURSE HELEN MIRREN,
WHO PLAYED MORGANA,

WAS ALSO VERY INEXPERIENCED.

SHE WAS A VERY,
VERY GOOD THEATER ACTOR,

BUT SHE HAD DONE
VERY LITTLE FILM.

DON'T YOU KNOW ME,
LORD MERLIN?

MORGANA OF CORNWALL.

MIRREN: FOR MANY OF US IT WAS,

IF NOT OUR FIRST EXPERIENCE
On FILM,

IT WAS CERTAINLY ONE OF OUR
FIRST EXPERIENCES ON FILM.

TO BE SHOOTING IN THE INCREDIBLE
BEAUTY OF WICKLOW AND BRAY

AND THAT AREA WAS SO AMAZING.

IT WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE
VERY MAGICAL TIMES, I THINK,

FOR ALL OF US.

I WAS DOING "OF MICE AND MEN"
IN THE PEACOCK THEATRE

DIRECTED BY RAY McANALLY,

AND JOHN BOORMAN CAME TO SEE IT,

AND I MET HIM AFTERWARDS.

THERE WERE 2 OR 3
OF US ACTORS MET JOHN,

AND HE TALKED ABOUT HE WAS
GOING TO DO

THIS FILM "EXCALIBUR" BASED ON
THE ARTHURIAN LEGENDS,

AND IT WAS GOING TO BE A FILM,
AND OF COURSE,

WE WERE ALL TERRIBLY EXCITED,

AND HE WANTED TO KNOW
DID WE RIDE HORSES,

AND OF COURSE, WE ALL LIED.

SAID, "ABSOLUTELY
WE RIDE HORSES.

WE'RE IRISH, AREN'T WE?"
YOU KNOW.

HE'S OUR BEST
AND OUR BRAVEST.

WHY THEN IS
HE NEVER HERE?

BYRNE: I THINK VERY FEW
OF US KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING.

HAVING COME FROM THE THEATER,
I JUST ASSUMED THAT YOU

JUST PUT A CAMERA DOWN,
AND YOU DID IT ONCE,

AND YOU WENT HOME.

I REMEMBER BEING STRUCK
BY THE FACT THAT--

I WAS DOING A SCENE
WITH NICOL WILLIAMSON

ON A HORSE,
AND TWO DAYS LATER,

NICOL WILLIAMSON
WAS NOT THERE,

AND I WAS ON TOP
OF A LADDER

DOING THE SAME SCENE,

AND I SAID TO ONE OF THE GUYS,
"WHY AM I ON A LADDER?"

AND HE SAID, "OH, THIS IS
FOR THE CLOSEUP."

NO IDEA
HOW FILMS WERE MADE.

AND JOHN WAS
A TERRIFIC TEACHER, TOO.

HE WOULD SET UP SHOTS
FOR THE CAMERAS,

AND HE WOULD TELL YOU
WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR

AND WHAT THE CAMERA WAS
ACTUALLY GOING TO DO

AND WHAT WAS GOING TO BE SEEN.

SO HE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD
AT GIVING YOU SOME TRAINING

IN BEING AN ACTOR
IN FRONT OF A CAMERA

AS DISTINCT
FROM BEING ONSTAGE.

HE ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE OCCUPIED

WITH WHAT HE WAS DOING

OR WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO DO,

AND I WAS AWARE THEN THAT--

PERHAPS FOR THE FIRST TIME
THAT ONE OF THE THINGS

ABOUT FILMING IS THAT YOU HAVE
TO MAINTAIN A LEVEL

OF CONCENTRATION
EVEN THOUGH THE MOMENTS

OF BEING ON CAMERA,
OF ACTUALLY PERFORMING

ARE QUITE MINIMAL
IN THE COURSE OF A DAY.

[GROANING]

ONLOOKERS: AW.

INITIALLY, I WAS UP
FOR KING ARTHUR,

AND I SAW JOHN SEVERAL TIMES,

AND IT WAS RIGHT
BEFORE CHRISTMAS THAT YEAR,

AND THEN WE BROKE
FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY,

AND THEN I FOUND OUT JUST
AFTER CHRISTMAS

THAT I DIDN'T GET THE PART,

AND I WAS GOING OUT TO DINNER
THAT NIGHT WHEN I FOUND OUT

WITH EDNA O'BRIEN,
WHO'S AN IRISH NOVELIST.

WELL, SHE WAS AT THE HOUSE
WHERE THE DINNER PARTY WAS,

AND I ENDED UP SITTING
NEXT TO HER,

AND SHE SAID, "OH, SO PAUL,
WHAT ARE YOU UP TO,

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

AND NORMALLY I WOULD HAVE SAID,
"OH, NOTHING,"

BUT FOR SOME REASON
I JUST SAID,

"WELL, I JUST VERY NEARLY GOT
A BIG PART IN A BIG MOVIE."

AND SHE SAID,
"OH, WHAT WAS THAT?"

AND I SAID, "WELL, IT'S A MOVIE
THAT JOHN BOORMAN

IS MAKING. IT'S GOING TO BE
CALLED 'EXCALIBUR,'"

AND SHE SAID, "OH, I SEE."

ANYWAY, THE DINNER WENT ON,
AND THAT WAS

THE END OF THE EVENING.

A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER,
MY AGENT CALLED AND SAID,

"OH, JOHN BOORMAN WANTS
TO SEE YOU AGAIN,

BUT THIS TIME IT'S
FOR THE ROLE OF PERCEVAL."

I MAKE YOU A KNIGHT.

RISE, SIR...

PERCEVAL.

PERCEVAL.

IT WAS MY FIRST FEATURE FILM,

AND IT WAS SET IN IRELAND,
IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OF IRELAND,

AND IT WAS PRETTY MAGICAL.

IT WAS PRETTY MAGICAL,
AND IT WAS

A BEAUTIFUL SUMMER, TOO.

I WAS ACTUALLY WORKING
AT THE RSC.

I WAS PLAYING VIOLET
IN "TWELFTH NIGHT"

AT THE ALDWYCH IN LONDON,

AND THEY STARTED SHOOTING
BEFORE I HAD FINISHED MY RUN,

AND IT WAS REPERTOIRE,
SO IT WAS VERY GLAMOUROUS REALLY

AND EXCITING BECAUSE
ON A SATURDAY NIGHT

WHEN I'D FINISHED TWO SHOWS,
I WOULD BE PICKED UP

BY A CAR AT THE STAGE DOOR,
DRIVEN TO THE AIRPORT

AT SORT OF 12:00 NIGHT,
GO ON TO AN AIRFIELD,

GET INTO A TINY
TWO-SEATER PLANE,

AND FLY THROUGH THE NIGHT
ACROSS TO IRELAND.

BEAUTIFUL STARRY SKY
WITH THE MOON.

FLY TO IRELAND,
LAND IN DUBLIN,

GET IN A CAR,
BE TAKEN TO MY HOTEL,

GET TO MY HOTEL ABOUT 2:00
IN THE MORNING,

AND THEN BE ON SET
ABOUT 7:00,

SO I WOULD GET 5 HOURS' SLEEP,

AND THEN FROM THE STAGE
IN LONDON I'D BE

ON A FILM SET IN IRELAND.

SO IT WAS VERY EXCITING FOR ME.

IT WAS MY KIND OF BREAK,
YOU KNOW--BREAK IN MY CAREER.

I'VE MADE THESE
ONLY FOR YOU.

I'VE MIXED INTO THEM
THINGS THAT WILL HEAL YOU,

NOT TOO QUICKLY,

AND THEY'LL MAKE YOU
A LITTLE SLEEPY

SO YOU CAN'T ESCAPE.

MY FAMILY, MY KIDS ALWAYS CAME
WITH US WHEN I MADE FILMS,

MY WIFE AND KIDS,
SO YOU ALWAYS THREW THEM IN.

IN FACT CHARLEY,
WHEN HE WAS 4,

WAS IN "DELIVERANCE."

HE WAS THE LITTLE BOY
AT THE END.

WHEN JOHN VOIGT
GOES BACK TO HIS WIFE,

THERE'S A LITTLE BOY.

IN KATRINE'S CASE,
SHE WAS JUST THE RIGHT AGE.

SHE WAS VERY YOUNG, 19, I THINK
SHE WAS AT THE TIME,

AND CHARLEY THEN PLAYED
THE YOUNG MORDRED,

AND THIS VERY BLOND,
BEAUTIFUL BOY

WITH THIS MALICIOUS
QUALITY TO HIM.

I CAN'T BELIEVE ACTUALLY
IT'S BEEN 30 YEARS SINCE--

OR OVER 30 YEARS SINCE
IT'S HAPPENED,

AND I THINK--MY ROLE WAS A ROLE
CALLED MORDRED,

AND I PLAYED YOUNG MORDRED,
AND I THINK PROBABLY

I GOT THE PART PROBABLY BECAUSE
ROBERT ADDIE,

WHO PLAYED MORDRED OLDER--

WE LOOKED KIND OF SIMILAR,

AND SO I THINK THAT'S
THE ONLY REASON I GOT THE PART,

AND PLUS THE FACT THAT MY FATHER
DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY ME,

SO I THINK THOSE WERE
TWO REASONS.

PROBABLY THE MONEY ONE
WAS PROBABLY

THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.

HE PROBABLY, IN ACTUAL FACT,
CAST ROBERT ADDIE

JUST SO HE DIDN'T
HAVE TO PAY ME.

THAT'S PROBABLY HOW IT WENT.

I WOULD DESCRIBE MY FATHER
AS A DIRECTOR AS HELLISH, OK,

IF YOU'RE THE CHILD.

HE'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL
TO OTHER ACTORS AND PATIENT

AND REALLY THOUGHTFUL
AND ALLOWS THEM

TO TAKE THEIR TIME
AND DOES THE TAKES.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE
CHARLEY AND I, YOU KNOW--

I REMEMBER DURING
"HOPE AND GLORY,

WHEN WE WERE FILMING THAT,
THEY HAD AN INCREDIBLE SET.

THEY BUILT AN ENTIRE STREET,
VERY EXPENSIVE SET,

AND IT WAS ALL SORT OF SUBURBIA,

AND THEY CREATED
THE BACK GARDEN

OF MY FATHER'S CHILDHOOD HOME,

THIS LITTLE SORT
OF CABBAGE PATCH GARDEN,

AND THEY LAID GRASS
AND FLOWERS,

AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT
OF CRAZY PAVING GOING

DOWN THE CENTER OF IT,
AND MY FATHER

AND THE ASSISTANTS
HAD SAID 20 TIMES,

"DON'T WALK
ON THE GODDAMN GRASS,"

AND SO ALL THE ACTORS ARE
IN BETWEEN TAKES, SMOKING FAGS,

CHATTING, AND SUDDENLY,

THERE WAS THIS SCREAM
ACROSS THE LAWN.

"GET OFF
THE FUCKING GRASS, KATRINE!"

[KNIGHTS SHOUTING]

I REMEMBER
MY FIRST JOUST.

IT LOOKS FAR WORSE
THAN IT FEELS.

CLIVE SWIFT: WELL, HE--
AS I SAID,

BECAUSE I WAS
IN HIS FIRST FILM--

HE HAD COME FROM MAKING
DOCUMENTARIES AT BBC BRISTOL,

AND I LIKED HIM VERY MUCH.

HE'S VERY CHARMING,
AND OBVIOUSLY, I THOUGHT,

HAD A BRILLIANT MIND,
A BRILLIANT FILMIC MIND.

HE'S QUITE STRONG.
HE KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS,

AND HE WANTS TO GET
WHAT HE WANTS ACTUALLY.

BOORMAN: IF YOU CAN'T GET
YOUR BLOW IN,

DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS,
YOU KNOW?

DON'T JUST WALK IN
LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW?

WE WERE ALL SO INEXPERIENCED,
SO WE DIDN'T

REALLY HAVE ANYTHING
TO MEASURE IT AGAINST, YOU KNOW,

AND HE WAS VERY PATIENT
WITH OUR LACK OF EXPERIENCE.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS DEALING
WITH MANY ACTORS

WHO JUST HAD NO IDEA
ABOUT THE TECHNICALITIES

OF FILMMAKING.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS
VERY, VERY PATIENT WITH US,

AND I PISSED HIM OFF ONE TIME
BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA

ABOUT SETTING UP SHOTS,
AND WE SORT OF

REHEARSED THIS SCENE,
AND THEN I WENT AWAY,

AND THEY SET THE SHOT UP,
AND THEN I CAME BACK,

AND I SAID "OH, NO. I DON'T
WANT TO DO IT LIKE THAT."

BECAUSE I WAS USED TO WORKING
IN THE THEATER,

WHERE YOU CHANGED THINGS
LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW,

SO I SAID, "NO, NO.
THAT DOESN'T WORK.

SHE WOULDN'T EVER DO THAT.
SHE'D STOP, OR"--

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT
THE TECHNICALITIES WERE,

AND HE GOT VERY CROSS WITH ME
BECAUSE HE HAD JUST SET

THE WHOLE SHOT UP,
AND THERE I WAS BEING

A BOLSHIE ACTRESS, SAYING,

"OH, NO, NO. I'M NOT GOING
TO DO IT LIKE THAT."

OH, I THINK ALL OF US
WERE INTIMIDATED

BY WORKING WITH JOHN,

AND HE OF COURSE WAS ALREADY

A LEGENDARY DIRECTOR.

HE HAD DONE "POINT BLANK,"

"HELL IN THE PACIFIC," I THINK,

AND A VERY EARLY FILM
"CATCH US IF YOU CAN."

THAT'S THE FIRST TIME
I CAME ACROSS HIM, I THINK.

THE DAVE CLARK FILM THAT HE DID
IN BLACK AND WHITE.

WHAT WILL YOU DO
IN SPAIN?

TEACH TOURISTS SKIN DIVING.
EVER DONE IT?

MMM. I HAD TO DO IT
ONCE FOR A COMMERCIAL.

JOHN WAS AN INTIMIDATING
PRESENCE ON THE SET,

AND HE MARSHALLED
THAT HUGE PRODUCTION

WITH GREAT GRACE,
BUT YOU CERTAINLY FELT

THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GET
ON HIS WRONG SIDE.

THERE WAS A RUMOR GOING ROUND
IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS

THAT HE HAD FIRED TWO DOGS,
TWO BIG IRISH RED SETTERS,

AND THAT THE OWNER
OF THE TWO DOGS

WAS SLUMPED OFF WITH THESE
NOW OUT-OF-WORK DOGS,

AND SO THEY WERE SAYING,
"OH, MY GOD.

IF HE'S FIRING DOGS, WE BETTER
KEEP OUR HEADS DOWN."

HE TOOK HIS ANGST OUT
ON THE DOGS.

I REMEMBER HE SACKED THE DOGS

BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T PERFORM
TO HIS PLEASURE.

THEY LOOKED TERRIFYING,
BUT THEY DIDN'T ACT TERRIFYING,

SO HE SAID "SACK THOSE DOGS!
I DON'T WANT THEM PAID!"

HE WAS WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH.

HE, TOO, IS ONE THAT DOESN'T
SUFFER FOOLS GLADLY,

BUT IF YOU'VE GOT
YOUR STUFF TOGETHER,

THEN HE'D JUST LEAVE YOU ALONE
AND LET YOU GET ON

AND DO THE JOB.

I WENT UP TO HIM A COUPLE
OF DAYS AFTER WE WERE STARTING--

AFTER WE HAD STARTED SHOOTING
RATHER,

AND I SAID "JOHN, AM I DOING
WHAT YOU WANT?

IS THAT WHAT"--
AND HE SAID, "WELL, YES.

I WOULDN'T HAVE
CAST YOU OTHERWISE"

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW,
"YOU DO YOUR JOB,

AND I'LL DO MINE, OK?"

SO, YEAH HE WAS
VERY GOOD TO WORK WITH.

CUT.

BOORMAN, ON MEGAPHONE:
I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

SORROW AND MISERY,

AND WHAT HE IS SAYING
ABOUT THE KNIGHT,

LOOKING AT HIM,
LOOKING AT THE KNIGHT,

REACTING,
GETTING MORE ANGRY, OK?

NEESON: I WAS ON THIS
BEAUTIFUL WHITE HORSE,

MY SUIT OF ARMOR,
AND WE ARE UP

SOMEWHERE NEAR SALLY GAP,
AND IT'S--

IN THE MOVIE, IT'S A TIME
OF PESTILENCE.

THERE'S SMOKE AND FIRE
AND REFUGEES EVERYWHERE,

AND WE'RE ALL--ALL THE KNIGHTS
ARE QUESTING FOR THE GRAIL,

LOOKING FOR THE GRAIL,
AND IT'S JUST A BAD TIME

IN THE STATE OF CAMELOT,

AND THERE WAS A BREAK IN FILMING
AND A LOT OF THE EXTRAS

WERE TRAVELING PEOPLE,

AND THERE WAS A BREAK IN FILM,
AND I WAS ON MY HORSE,

AND THIS GUY COMES UP AND SAYS,

"SIR, HOW MUCH FOR THE HORSE?"

I SAYS, "WHAT?"

HE SAYS, "HOW MUCH
FOR THE HORSE?"

I SAID, "NO, NO.
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.

IT'S NOT MY HORSE."

"AH, COME ON NOW, SIR.
HOW MUCH?"

AND I SAID, "I CAN'T SELL IT.
IT'S NOT MY HORSE, DUDE,

"IT'S NOT MY HORSE.

IT BELONGS TO--YOU HAVE TO GO
AND SPEAK TO THAT GUY."

"NO, NO. NO I DON'T
WANT TO SPEAK--

I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU,"

AND I'M NOT TELLING YOU
A LIE.

HE REACHED INTO HIS RAGS
AND PULLED OUT

A FISTFUL OF NOTES,
I KID YOU NOT,

WOULD HAVE CHOKED A DONKEY.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY THOUSANDS
OF POUNDS WERE IN THERE.

HE WAS PREPARED, "COME ON,"

TO BARTER FOR THIS HORSE.

WOULDN'T TAKE NO
FOR AN ANSWER AT ALL.

THE START OF THAT FILM,
IT WAS ONLY 14 ARMORS,

AND IT WAS BASICALLY
7 PRINCIPLES--

LANCELOT, GAWAIN, WHOEVER,

AND THAT'S WHAT IT STARTED OFF
AS, 7 ARMORS,

AND I THOUGHT,
"WELL, GREAT, YOU KNOW."

THAT THEN ESCALATED
TO 14 ARMORS

BECAUSE THEY DECIDED
THEY NEEDED DOUBLES FOR THEM,

AND THAT THEN ESCALATED
TO THE ARMY,

AND THEN OTHERS CHARACTERS
CAME IN.

ANYWAY THE TOTAL FIGURES--
TO CUT A LONG STORY SHORT--

IT FINISHED UP
FROM 14 ARMORS TO 106,

AND I ONLY HAD 3 MONTHS
TO MAKE THEM

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER BEEN
ON A FILM

WHERE THERE WAS AN ARMORER
MAKING ARMOR, REAL ARMOR

FOR THE ACTORS TO WEAR,
AND SO YOU COULDN'T REALLY

DAINTILY WALK
FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.

YOU MOVED ONE LEG,
THEN YOU MOVED THE OTHER LEG.

THIS IS PRETTY GOOD.

STEWART: IT WAS DIFFICULT
IN THAT IT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE.

THERE HAVE BEEN TWO MOVIES
IN MY LIFE

WHERE ONE
OF THE PRIMARY MEMORIES

IS OF SEVERE DISCOMFORT.

"EXCALIBUR" WAS ONE OF THEM
BECAUSE WE WERE IN ARMOR

PRETTY MUCH ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE MOVIE,

AND THE OTHER ONE WAS "DUNE"
WHERE WE WORE

THESE QUILTED RUBBER SUITS
IN THE MEXICAN DESERT,

AND ONE OF MY PRINCIPLE MEMORIES
IS OF GETTING BACK

TO MY CAMPERVAN
AT THE END OF THE DAY

AND TAKING OFF MY CLOTHES
AND THEN DEALING

WITH ALL THE BRUISES
AND NIPS AND CUTS

THAT YOU GOT
FROM THIS DAMNED ARMOR

BECAUSE IT WAS EVERYWHERE,

AND WE WEREN'T ALLOWED
TO TAKE IT OFF,

YOU COULDN'T FREE YOURSELF
FROM THIS STUFF AT LUNCHTIME

BECAUSE IT WOULD TAKE
THE WHOLE OF LUNCHTIME

TO TAKE IT OFF
AND PUT IT BACK ON AGAIN.

BOORMAN: I HAD TO MAKE
A DECISION

ABOUT WHAT PERIOD
I WOULD MAKE IT IN,

AND I WANTED TO TELL THE STORY
RIGHT ON THE CUSP

BETWEEN THE DRUIDS
AND CHRISTIANITY.

ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU CAN'T
DEFEAT PEOPLE'S EXPECTATIONS,

SO IT'S A GREAT MISTAKE
OF TRYING TO MAKE IT

KIND OF REAL, YOU KNOW,
THAT THESE WERE ROUGH CHIEFTAINS

IN THE MIDDLE AGES,
WHICH IS POINTLESS

BECAUSE THE MYTH IS MUCH
STRONGER THAN THE REALITY.

SO I CHOSE THIS SORT OF
12th CENTURY ARMOR

BECAUSE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED IT.

THEY HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE.

THEY HAD SEEN
THE 12th CENTURY ARMOR,

WHICH WAS A LONG WAY OFF
FROM THE PERIOD

THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN,
WHICH WAS RIGHT

ON THE BEGINNING OF PERHAPS
THE 6th CENTURY,

BUT I PUT IT PSYCHOLOGICALLY
ON THE CUSP OF DRUIDS

AND CHRISTIANITY.

MERLIN SPOKE OF THE ONE GOD
TAKING OVER FROM THE MANY GODS.

WE WERE TAKING IT
OUT OF TIME, OUT OF PERIOD,

INTO THE WORLD OF MYTH.

I WILL SHOW YOU
NICOL WILLIAMSON'S HAT,

WHICH IS THIS.

SHOW IT NOW?

AND IT WAS A SORT
OF SKULL CAP,

AND NICOL HAD TO WEAR THIS
ALL THE TIME,

AND OF COURSE A SORT OF
SIEGE ENGINE THING,

A GREAT BIG THING,
JUST SORT OF FELL ON HIS HEAD,

AND HE HAD
A LITTLE BREAK FROM THIS,

BUT I REMEMBER HIM SAYING--
I REMEMBER HIM SAYING--

I SAID,
"ARE YOU ALL RIGHT, NICOL?"

AND HE SAID, "TWEET, TWEET,"

AND THAT NOT WAS ALL HE SAID,
AND THEN HE WENT DOWN FOR A BIT.

HE WAS ALL RIGHT
FOR A WHILE,

AND THEN THEY HAD A BREAK,
AND THIS ON HIM,

BUT THIS WAS HIS HAT,
AND HE WORE THAT

ALL THE BLOODY TIME.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT HAD
PADDING IN IT

AND THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER,

BUT PROBABLY SAVED
HIS BLOODY LIFE

BECAUSE IT MIGHT HAVE
KILLED HIM I THINK.

ANYWAY, THERE YOU GO.

WELL, I ALWAYS HAD IT IN MIND
TO CAST NICOL WILLIAMSON.

I WANTED THIS RATHER ECCENTRIC
WAY OF PLAYING MERLIN.

ORION AT THE TIME HAD MADE
SEVERAL FILMS

WITH NICOL WILLIAMSON,
AND THEY'D ALL FAILED,

AND THEY SAID TO ME, "LOOK.
YOU CAN CAST ANYONE

IN THE WORLD YOU WANT
BUT NOT NICOL WILLIAMSON."

SO I LOOKED AND THOUGHT
ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE,

AND I JUST COULDN'T GET
NICOL OUT OF MY HEAD,

AND EVENTUALLY I WAS HAVING
LUNCH WITH MARY SELWAY,

WHO WAS THE CASTING DIRECTOR
AND I SAID,

"MARY, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I'M GONNA CAST NICOL,

"AND TO HELL WITH ORION.

I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SAY."

NICOL WILLIAMSON.
NOW THERE'S A CHARACTER.

HE WAS GREAT.

HE WAS VERY MUCH
LARGER THAN LIFE.

I MEAN, HE WAS A BIG MAN
LITERALLY AND ALSO SPIRITUALLY.

AND THE THING ABOUT NICOL
WAS THAT HE WAS

AN AMAZINGLY TALENTED ACTOR,

BUT HE DIDN'T SUFFER
FOOLS GLADLY.

HE WAS NEVER ONE
OF THOSE KINDS OF PEOPLE,

SO HE WOULD OCCASIONALLY--YEP.

HE WOULD OCCASIONALLY
BLOW UP A LITTLE BIT,

BUT HE WAS WONDERFUL.

HE WAS WONDERFUL TO ME.

I HAPPENED TO BE GETTING MARRIED
DURING THE FILMING,

AND HE GAVE ME
A SORT OF STAG NIGHT

AT THE PLACE THAT
HE WAS STAYING, WHICH WAS

THE IRISH ARTS CLUB IN DUBLIN,
WHICH WAS A SISTER

TO THE CHELSEA ARTS CLUB
IN LONDON,

AND I REMEMBER WALKING IN
WITH NIGEL TERRY,

WHO WAS KING ARTHUR,

AND ONE
OF THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS

INTO THIS LITTLE
PRIVATE DINING ROOM,

AND NICOL HAD ABOUT
A DOZEN BOTTLES OF WINE

FROM THE VINTAGE OF MY BIRTH
OPEN AND BREATHING

ON THE SIDEBOARD,

AND THAT WAS JUST
THE BEGINNING

WILLIAMSON: BASIL, COME
AND EARN YOUR STIPEND.

THAT'S IT.

LEFT A LITTLE,
RIGHT A LITTLE.

LONG JOHN,
THE SILVER BULLET.

MAN: POSITIONS.
YES. HOLD, PLEASE.

THAT'S IT.
WE'RE OFF TO THE MOON

AND HE WASN'T A PREDICTABLE
MERLIN IN ANY WAY.

FIRST OF ALL HE HAD
THAT STEEL HELMET ON,

AND HE HAD THE STAFF,

AND HE HAD THAT VERY ECCENTRIC
WAY OF DELIVERING HIS LINES.

I DREAMT
OF THE DRAGON.

I HAVE AWOKEN HIM.

CAN'T YOU SEE
ALL AROUND YOU,
THE DRAGON'S...

BYRNE: I REMEMBER I HAD TO WEAR
A SUIT OF--

IN THE SUIT OF ARMOR,
FOR SOME REASON,

IT WAS DIGGING INTO MY NECK,

AND I HAD TO SAY,
"THE LAND FROM HERE

"TO THE SEA SHALL BE YOURS

IF YOU ENFORCE
THE KING'S WILL."

AND THE ARMOR WAS STICKING
INTO MY NECK,

WHICH MADE MY VOICE
GO HIGHER, AND IT WAS LIKE...

[HIGH-PITCHED] "THE LAND
FROM HERE TO THE SEA

SHALL BE YOURS IF YOU
ENFORCE THE KING'S"...

[NORMAL VOICE]
AND NICOL WILLIAMSON SAID,

"WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, MAN?"

AND THEN HE HAD TO DO
SOME GAELIC.

"ANÁL NATHRACH,"

THE DRAGON'S BREATH.

ANÁL NATHRACH,
ORTH' BHÁIS' BETHAD,

DO CHÉL DÉNMHA.

WILLIAMSON: IT REALLY IS
A KIND OF POWER

OVER MIND, OVER MATTER.

HIS POWER IS VERY MUCH THAT
OF THE MIND,

AND IN OTHER WORDS,
SOMEONE WHO CAN

MAKE THINGS HAPPEN,
WHO CAN TAKE CONTROL.

WELL, WE'VE ALL SEEN
THE POWER OF VOODOO

IN AFRICAN TRIBES
WHEN THE CHIEFS

OR THE WITCH DOCTORS POINTED
TO A MAN,

AND IN 48 HOURS HE GOES,
INTO THE WILDERNESS

OR HE GOES INTO THE--
AND HE DIES

BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN--
HIS DEATH IS BROUGHT UPON

BY A STATE OF MIND.

HE KNOWS THAT THAT IS
GOING TO BE--

THAT IS THE FINISH
OF HIS LIFE.

IN A WAY, MERLIN HAS
THAT KIND OF POWER.

IT'S VERY MUCH
THAT KIND OF POWER.

HE HAS THAT WILL
TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

THE LADY OF THE LAKE!

TAKE IT!

KATRINE: THE ARTHURIAN LEGEND
WAS A STORY THAT

WE WERE BROUGHT UP WITH.

MY FATHER TOLD US THE STORY
EVERY NIGHT AT BEDTIME.

HE WOULD MAKE UP ALL
THE STORIES,

WHICH WAS FABULOUS,

AND THEN IT WAS A STORY
IN HIS OWN CHILDHOOD

HE WAS FASCINATED WITH.

THERE'S A SCENE
IN "HOPE AND GLORY,"

WHICH IS THE STORY
OF HIS OWN CHILDHOOD,

AND WHEN YOU SEE THE FILM,
IT MORE OR LESS STARTS OFF--

THERE'S--WAR'S DECLARED,
AND YOU SEE A LITTLE BOY

PLAYING IN THE BUSHES,
AND HE'S HOLDING

THE KNIGHTS
OF THE ROUND TABLE,

AND HE'S PLAYING,
AND THAT'S MY FATHER AS A CHILD,

SO THIS IS A STORY
THAT WE ALL KNOW.

UTHER: MERLIN,
WHERE ARE YOU?

BOORMAN: I THINK IT RAINED
PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY

THAT WE WERE SHOOTING
THAT PICTURE FOR 5 MONTHS.

IT WAS HEARTBREAKING,
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND,

THE WONDERFUL LIGHT IN IRELAND
IS BECAUSE IT'S MOIST.

BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH
MOISTURE IN THE AIR,

EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT RAINING,

YOU GET THIS
REFRACTION OF LIGHT

SO THAT YOU GET A KIND OF
SOFTNESS IN THE LIGHT,

AND IT'S VERY BEAUTIFUL,
AND ALL THE SCENES

IN THE FOREST ARE ALL LIT,

AND WE WERE USING
GREEN FILTERS OVER THE LIGHTS

SO THAT YOU GOT
A KIND OF GREEN LIGHT,

AND WHEREVER THERE WAS MOSS,

WE PUT A LIGHT ON IT,
A GREEN LIGHT ONTO THE MOSS,

TO GIVE IT A KIND
OF LUMINOSITY.

SO IT FELT LIKE A MYTH
RATHER THAN A REALITY.

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE CONSCIOUSLY
TRYING TO ACHIEVE

WAS A KIND OF MYSTERY,
A MAGICAL FEELING ABOUT IT,

THAT IT WAS ANOTHER WORLD
IF YOU LIKE.

MAN: WE DESPERATELY WANT
SUNSHINE FOR IT

SO THAT WE GET SHAFTS
OF LIGHT COMING

THROUGH THESE TREES
ROUND HERE,

BUT THE PROBLEM IS
THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE

ONE SHOT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE SEQUENCE

WHICH ESTABLISHES SUNSHINE,

AND NOW THIS AFTERNOON,
WE HAVEN'T GOT ANY SUNSHINE,

AND THE PROBLEM IS
TO MATCH THE SHOTS.

I'VE USED MIXED LIGHT TO TRY
AND PUT A STRANGE

SORT OF MAGIC FEELING
TO THE PICTURE

BECAUSE IT'S LEGEND
AND IT'S MAGIC,

AND JUST TRYING TO INTRODUCE
ODD COLORS INTO IT.

THEY'RE NOT REAL OBVIOUSLY,
AND NOBODY KNOWS

THE SOURCE OF THEM,

SO ONE HAS TO BE VERY CAREFUL
IN THE CHOICE OF COLORS,

AND I STUCK MAINLY
WITH BROWNS AND GREENS

AND PEACOCK BLUES.

THOSE ARE THE COLORS
THAT IT SEEMED TO SUGGEST TO ME

BECAUSE THEY COMPLEMENT
BLACK SOMEHOW.

YES. OK, BARRY.

AND THERE WAS ONE MORNING
WE WERE FILMING

THE GUINEVERE-ARTHUR WEDDING,

WHEN WE WERE
IN THE SILVER ARMOR.

WE CHANGED FROM THE BLACK
TO THE SILVER,

AND JOHN WAS WAITING
FOR THE LIGHT.

IT HAD BEEN A MISTY,
DAMP MORNING.

WE WERE FILMING IN--
I CAN'T REMEMBER

THE NAME OF THIS LOCATION,
BUT WE WERE TOLD IT WAS

ONE OF THE OLDEST
OAK WOODS LEFT IN EUROPE,

AND JOHN WOULDN'T
ROLL THE CAMERA.

HE WANTED KIND OF DAPPLED
SUNLIGHT COMING

THROUGH THE TREES,
AND IN FACT, HE GOT IT.

THE SCENE LOOKS SPECTACULAR

MAN: THE WEDDING DAY ITSELF,
THE FILMING OF IT

WAS JUST ONE OF THOSE
LEGEND MOMENTS IN FILMMAKING.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S
A STRONG TREE CANOPY HERE.

WE'VE ACTUALLY GOT
A BIT OF SUNLIGHT,

BUT WHEN THE DAY IT CAME
FOR FILMING,

WE WERE UNDER CLOUD,
AND IT WAS PRETTY DULL,

AND I REMEMBER
THE LIGHTING CAMERAMAN

WAS THROWING
A HUGE AMOUNT OF LIGHT

TO TRY TO LIFT THE THING,
BUT IF YOU REMEMBER

IN THE FILM THE LINES
OF THE SOCIETY

AND THE PRINCESSES
AND SO ON, THE PRINCES,

ALL IN ARMOR
AND THE MOST AMAZING COSTUMES

DESIGNED BY BOB RINGWOOD,

AND THE LIGHTING CAMERAMAN
WAS REALLY SUFFERING.

YOU KNOW, HE REALLY,
I THINK--

BUT SUDDENLY, THE CLOUDS
BROKE OPEN

JUST IN SYNCHRONICITY
JUST WHEN WE WERE READY TO FILM,

AND A HUGE SUNLIGHT CAME DOWN
INTO THE ARENA, IF YOU LIKE,

AND ILLUMINATED
THIS WEDDING THING,

AND WE SHOT IT,

AND IT WAS
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL,

AND I REMEMBER YEARS LATER
SEEING THE COVER

OF "AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER,"

AND IT WAS A STILL TAKEN
FROM THAT,

A WIDE SHOT OF THE WEDDING
OF ARTHUR AND GUINEVERE,

WHICH ALEX THOMPSON DID
FOR JOHN BOORMAN

I REMEMBER ON ONE OCCASION
JOHN WAS SHOOTING

AT THE BACKLOT,
A NIGHT SEQUENCE.

HE HAD GABRIEL BYRNE
ON HIS HORSE.

HE WAS GOING TO BE RIDING
ACROSS THE CLOUDS, I THINK,

AND THEY WERE SETTING IT UP,
BUT JOHN DECIDED

AT THE LAST MINUTE
TO POINT THE CAMERA

AT A DIFFERENT ANGLE,
AND THERE IN THE BACKGROUND

YOU COULD SEE
ONE OR TWO LIGHTS OUT THERE,

SOMEWHERE IN BRAY
THAT WERE LIGHTING,

AND OBVIOUSLY THEY DIDN'T
HAVE ELECTRICITY

IN THE TIME OF KING ARTHUR,
SO THAT WAS A SLIGHT PROBLEM,

AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO KIND OF
GET IT OUT OF THE SHOT,

SO SOMEBODY SAID,
"RING THE ESB,"

THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY BOARD.

"THEY HAVE A MOBILE UNITS
THAT GO AROUND.

THEY MIGHT WANT TO COME UP
AND SUGGEST SOMETHING,"

SO I RANG, AND THERE WAS
A 24-HOUR MOBILE CALL,

AND THEY SAID,
"WHERE ARE YOU?

AND I SAID, "UP IN ARDMORE.
WE'RE MAKING A FILM,"

AND THEY HAD A LOOK OUT,
AND THEY SAID,

"OK. WE'LL SEE
WHAT WE CAN DO,"

AND ONE GUY SENT
THE OTHER GUY DOWN

TO THE GRID,
AND ALL I CAN IMAGINE IS--

AND THEY DID IT BY PHONE
FROM MY OFFICE IN THE STUDIO,

AND MY VISION
OF THE WHOLE THING IS

THE GUY STANDING THERE
WITH 3 OR 4 OR 5

DIFFERENT LEVERS TO PULL,

AND HE KIND OF PULLED
LEVER "A,"

AND THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF
IN HALF OF BRAY

OVER ON THE LEFT.

AND HE SAID, "NO, NO
THAT'S THE WRONG ONE."

SO HE WOULD PUSH
THE LEVER BACK,

LIGHTS WOULD COME
BACK ON AGAIN.

DID IT 2 OR 3 TIMES,
AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF BRAY

WENT OUT, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE
OF THE EVENING

WHEN PEOPLE WERE SITTING DOWN,
HAVING A CUP OF TEA,

WATCHING TELEVISION,
WHATEVER THEY WERE DOING,

AND THE LIGHTS
WOULD GO OUT,

AND THEN HE PULLED ONE LEVER,
AND THE LIGHTS

THAT I NEEDED TO GET OUT
WERE OUT.

SO WAS ANOTHER QUARTER OF BRAY
OR THIRD OF BRAY SOMEWHERE ELSE,

AND HE SAID,
"WE GOT IT. GREAT."

HE SAID, "GIVE US A RING
WHEN HE'S FINISHED FILMING,

AND WE'LL PUT IT BACK ON,"

AND I SAID, "WELL, WHAT
ARE YOU GOING TO DO

ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE?"

"AH, WELL WE'LL JUST TELL
THEM IT WAS A POWER CUT."

I DON'T THINK WE WOULD GET
AWAY WITH THAT NOW,

BUT AT THAT TIME,
IT WORKED

OH, HO!
YOU'RE TEASING ME

I WILL LOVE YOU ALWAYS.

I WILL LOVE YOU
AS MY QUEEN

AND AS THE WIFE
OF MY BEST FRIEND,

AND WHILE YOU LIVE,
I WILL LOVE NO OTHER.

LUNGHI: MY MEMORIES OF NICOLAS,
THE LATE NICOLAS CLAY,

ARE JUST A SWEETHEART.

BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE AND IN,

JUST A GENTLE,
LOVELY GENTLEMAN,

AND WE SPENT A LOT
OF FREE TIME TOGETHER.

WE USED TO GO OFF
AND SIGHTSEE A BIT TOGETHER,

BUT I REMEMBER WITH THE SCENE,
OUR EROTIC SCENE,

THE NIGHT
IN THE FOREST TOGETHER,

WAS REALLY QUITE COMICAL
BECAUSE, FIRST OF ALL,

IT WAS FREEZING COLD,
AND WE HAD TO BE NAKED,

AND ALSO JOHN HAD
PLANNED IT TO LOOK

RATHER LIKE
THE GARDEN OF EDEN.

THE PROP BOYS HAD
PUT DOWN A BED OF MOSS,

AND AFTER A WHILE, WE REALIZED,
THAT IT WAS FULL OF ANTS.

WE WERE BEING
BITTEN TO DEATH,

SO WE HAD TO KEEP
A STRAIGHT FACE

AND BE VERY SORT OF
EROTIC AND SENSUAL

WITH ALL THESE ELEMENTS
KIND OF STRUGGLING

TO GET OUT OF CONTROL

[GUINEVERE GASPING]

WHEN I WAS CASTING
BOTH HERE AND IN LONDON,

I GOT A LOT
OF YOUNG ACTORS IN TO--

AND I HAD THEM IMPROVISE,
AND I DID WORKSHOPS WITH THEM

TO SEE HOW THEY--
AND NIGEL TERRY

I HAD ALREADY SEEN SOME
OF HIS WORK.

HE WAS VERY, VERY GOOD
AND I THOUGHT--

IT WAS A HUGE TASK
FOR ANYONE TO PLAY THAT ROLE

BECAUSE HE STARTS AS A BOY
OF 15, 16,

AND HE AND GOES THROUGH
TO BEING AN OLD MAN,

AND NIGEL THE MORE
I WORKED WITH HIM

AND TESTED HIM,
THE MORE I COULD SEE

HE HAD THE QUALITY,
THE ABILITY TO DO

THAT GREAT RANGE,
AND THAT'S WHY I CAST HIM.

I THINK HE FOUND ME A BIT
OF A TRIAL,

AND I THINK HE
SORT OF GOT--

I THINK HE GOT IT OUT
OF ME IN THE END.

I WILL SAY THAT,
BUT I KNOW THAT

I PROBABLY BEHAVED BADLY
IN SOME RESPECTS,

AND IN OTHER RESPECTS,
I DIDN'T,

BUT I LIKED JOHN IMMENSELY,
AND I THANK HIM

VERY, VERY MUCH INDEED
FOR LETTING ME PLAY

THIS PART OR GETTING ME
TO DO IT,

DRAGGING ME KICKING
AND SCREAMING

TO DO THE BLOODY THING.

WELL, I'D NEVER WORKED
WITH NIGEL BEFORE,

BUT HE WAS A VERY, VERY
RESPECTED

AND ADMIRED STAGE ACTOR,

AND I HAD SEEN HIM OFTEN,
AND HE WAS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

AND IN THIS MOVIE I THINK
HE WAS MUCH BETTER

THAN I WOULD HAVE BEEN.

HE REALLY HAD
A PROFOUND UNDERSTANDING

OF THE SPIRITUAL NATURE
OF THE CHARACTER

AND THE WHOLE STORY,
AND, YEAH,

HE WAS REALLY VERY GOOD.

LUNGHI: WELL, I JUST THINK
HE'S A VERY FINE ACTOR,

VERY FINE ACTOR

WERE I NOT KING,
I WOULD MAKE YOU PAY

WITH YOUR LIFE
FOR WHAT YOU'VE SAID!

LUNGHI: AND DELIGHTFUL
TO WORK WITH.

A VERY MODEST,
TRUTHFUL ACTOR,

AND, YEAH, I THINK THE SPAN

FROM THE YOUNG, NAIVE
EAGER ARTHUR

TO THE OLD, WEATHERED
EXPERIENCED ARTHUR,

I THINK HE HANDLED BEAUTIFULLY
FOR A YOUNG ACTOR.

ACCEPT MY FORGIVENESS
AND PUT YOUR HEART TO REST.

WE'VE SUFFERED TOO LONG.

I'VE ALWAYS LOVED YOU,
AND I STILL LOVE YOU.

"EXCALIBUR" IS IN MANY RESPECTS
AN ACTION MOVIE,

BUT ONE OF THE CHARMING ASPECTS
OF JOHN'S DIRECTION

BUT ALSO VERY DIFFICULT
WAS THAT HE HAD NO INTEREST,

REAL INTEREST IN FILMING
THE CHOREOGRAPHED PARTS

OF THE ACTION.

WE LEARNED EARLY ON
THAT WHAT JOHN REALLY LIKED

WAS WHEN
THE REHEARSED BIT ENDED,

AND WE LEARNED VERY QUICKLY
NOT TO STOP

WHEN THE REHEARSED PART
OF THE STUNTS AND THE ACTION

CAME TO AN END BECAUSE
JOHN WOULD YELL AT US

"KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING!
DON'T STOP, DON'T STOP!"

WHAT HE REALLY LIKED WAS
THE IMPROVISED ACTION,

WHICH GIVEN THE SWORDS
AND BATTLE AXES

IN FULL ARMOR
COULD BE, UM...

QUITE SCARY.

I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT THERE
WERE WOODEN ARROW SHAFTS

BEING FIRED DOWN FROM A TOWER
AND THAT ONE OF THEM

JUST MISSED MY HORSE,
AND I REMEMBER JUST RIDING

OUT OF THE SHOT
AND KIND OF COMING UP

TO WHERE JOHN
AND THE CAMERAMEN WERE,

AND I SAID, "I THINK"--

I GOT ON MY HIGH HORSE,
IF YOU'LL EXCUSE A KIND OF PUN,

AND I SAID, "I THINK THIS IS
REALLY RATHER DANGEROUS.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THERE
SHOULD BE THESE THINGS,"

AND JOHN SAID,
"OH, GET BACK IN.

"JUST GET BACK IN.

NOBODY'S GOING TO GET HURT,"
OR SOMETHING.

SO HE COULD BE REALLY TOUGH.

IN THE BIG BATTLE SCENE
AT THE END,

HE HAD THE SAME 10 ACTORS
COMING IN FROM THE SIDE,

FALLING DOWN DEAD
UNDER THE LEVEL OF THE CAMERA,

CRAWLING OUT ON HANDS AND KNEES
IN FULL ARMOR,

GETTING UP,
AND THEN COMING BACK IN AGAIN

AND FALLING DOWN.

HE WAS RECYCLING THE SAME ACTORS
OVER AND OVER AGAIN

TO TRY AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE
HE HAD MORE ACTORS THAN HE HAD.

MAN: WORKING UNDER YOUR DAD
AS A DIRECTOR,

DID YOU FEEL AWKWARD
AT ANY TIME?

LIKE, YOU DID DO
THE NUDE SCENE

IN FRONT OF
THE BLAZING FIRE AND STUFF.

DID YOU FEEL FUNNY,
LIKE, YOUR DAD WAS
THE DIRECTOR, OR--

I THINK IT WASN'T
THAT AWKWARD FOR ME WEIRDLY

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR ME
IT WAS JUST ACTING.

MY LORD.

BYRNE: SOMEBODY TOLD ME I GOT
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE

IN THE CINEMA FOR BEING ABLE
TO DO THAT SCENE

IN A FULL SUIT OF ARMOR.

AGAIN, IT WAS GOING BACK TO THAT
THING OF NOT KNOWING

WHAT WE WERE DOING.

WE DID IT ONCE
IN FRONT OF THE FIRE.

THEN CORIN WOULD GET ON,
AND THEN I WOULD GET ON.

THEN THEY TOOK KATRINE OUT
AND SENT HER HOME,

AND I SAID, "WHY IS
SHE GOING HOME?"

AND THEY SAID, "OH, WELL
IT'S JUST YOU NOW

DOING CLOSEUP."

SO THEY STUCK IN
THIS PINK CUSHION,

AND I HAD TO HUMP THIS CUSHION
FOR AN HOUR

WITH THE SWEAT ROLLING OFF ME
WITH NO KATRINE THERE.

UM...

VERY STRANGE TO ME,
BUT THE CAMERAMAN

ALEX THOMSON ASSURED ME THAT,

"BELIEVE ME. WHEN YOU SEE IT,
IT'S GOING TO LOOK GOOD."

BUT I THINK IT WAS
VERY UNCOMFORTABLE

AND AWKWARD FOR CORIN REDGRAVE
AND POOR GABRIEL BYRNE.

I MEAN, THEY HAD TO RIP OFF
THE CLOTHING

OF A SORT OF 17-YEAR-OLD GIRL,
WHO'S THE DIRECTOR'S DAUGHTER.

I MEAN, I LOOK BACK AND THINK,
"GOD, THAT WAS REALLY AWKWARD,"

BUT I WOULD SAY OF COURSE
ONCE YOU'VE BEEN SHAGGED

BY AN KNIGHT IN ARMOR,
WATCHED MY YOUR FATHER,

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY
NO LOOKING BACK.

IS IT MINE?

BYRNE: NOT BECAUSE I WAS
IN THE FILM,

BUT...

IT JUST WAS PURELY CINEMATIC.

THOSE HORSES IN THE DARK,
THE STEAM COMING

OUT OF THEIR NOSTRILS,
THE WAY THEY MOVED

FROM ONE HOOF TO ANOTHER.

IT WAS...

[NEIGHS]

AND THEN...

♪ DUM DUM DA DA DUM ♪

THE MUSIC OF WAGNER COMING
IN BEHIND THAT.

THE COMBINATION
OF TREVOR JONES AND BOORMAN

TO PUT WAGNER
BEHIND THE ARTHURIAN LEGENDS

WAS AN EXAMPLE
OF PURE IMAGINATIVE CINEMA,

AND I THOUGHT, "WOW.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE."

BOORMAN: WELL, WAGNER OF COURSE
DEALT WITH THIS LEGEND.

I MEAN "PARSIFAL" IS HIS VERSION
OF THE GRAIL LEGEND.

I WENT TO BAYREUTH TO SEE
"THE RING," WAGNER'S "RING."

I SPENT A WEEK THERE
WITH MY DAUGHTER TELSCHE,

AND WE WATCHED IT THROUGH,
AND IT WAS SO POWERFUL

AND SO INSPIRING.

AT THAT POINT I THOUGHT,
"LISTEN. I'M GOING TO USE

THIS, WAGNER'S MUSIC,"
AND I DID.

I THINK IT WAS AN ABSOLUTE
STROKE OF GENIUS

FOR JOHN TO USE WAGNER
BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN

TO BAYREUTH THE YEAR BEFORE

AND HE'D SEEN THE ENTIRE
"RING" CYCLE,

AND THE WHOLE
OF THE ARTHURIAN LEGEND,

THAT MYTHIC QUALITY WAS WHAT
WAGNER HAD BROUGHT

TO "THE RING" CYCLE,
TO THAT STORY,

AND I THINK WE'D BE
HARD-PRESSED TO FIND

A CONTEMPORARY COMPOSER
OR EVEN, IF YOU LOOK BACK

IN THE HISTORY
OF HOLLYWOOD MUSIC,

EVEN PEOPLE LIKE KORNGOLD
AND SO ON,

WOULD I DOUBT HAVE BROUGHT
THAT PROFUNDITY.

THIS WAS WAGNER, WHO WAS ONE
OF THE GENIUSES

OF ALL TIME MUSICALLY.

["SIEGFRIED'S FUNERAL THEME"
PLAYING]

♪

GEOFFREY: TEST OF TIME?
YES, I DEFINITELY DO.

I MEAN, I STILL,
IN FACT, ANOTHER ONE.

ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO,
I HAD AN E-MAIL

FROM SOMEBODY "OH, ARE YOU
THE PAUL GEOFFREY

"WHO WAS IN 'EXCALIBUR'?

IT WAS ONE OF MY
FAVORITE MOVIES, I LOVED IT,"

AND THAT'S BEEN
A FAIRLY REGULAR OCCURRENCE

OVER THE LAST
30 YEARS ACTUALLY.

I CANNOT LIVE.

DRINK FROM THE CHALICE,
AND YOU WILL BE REBORN

AND THE LAND WITH YOU

LUNGHI: I SUPPOSE
IS IT OLD-FASHIONED

GIVEN THE TECHNOLOGY
WE HAVE NOW?

I THINK IT'S OLD-FASHIONEDNESS
TECHNOLOGICALLY

IS A PART OF ITS CHARM.

IT'S LIKE A HAND-PAINTED
STORYBOOK AS OPPOSED

TO A SORT OF MODERN,
CONTEMPORARY STORYBOOK.

THE ILLUSTRATION OF IT,
THE VISUALS OF IT

MATCH THE SUBJECT ACTUALLY.

THEY HAVE A FEELING
OF THE ILLUMINATED TEXTS

OF THE MONKS.

IT HAS A SORT OF
REAL HAND-PAINTED FEEL

TO IT I, THINK.

[KNIGHTS CHEERING]

KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE!

KATRINE: I THINK WHAT'S
AMAZING ABOUT IT IS

THAT EVERYTHING WAS
DONE IN CAMERA.

THERE'S NOT A SINGLE EFFECT,
THERE'S NO BLUE SCREEN,

AND SO I THINK IT IS
AN EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT

IN TERMS OF THE NARRATIVE,
BECAUSE THE NARRATIVE IS

FROM KING ARTHUR,
WHO'S BORN,

RIGHT THE WAY THROUGH
TO HIS OLD AGE,

SO IT'S SPANNING EVERYTHING
IN THAT LEGEND.

HE'S AMALGAMATED, MY FATHER,
SO MANY STRANDS OF THE STORY,

AND I THINK THAT IN ITSELF
IS A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT.

I THINK THIS STONE REALLY
IS WHAT YOU CAN WALK
ON AT THE END.

STAND ON THERE A MOMENT.

MAN, ON MEGAPHONE: OK.
HERE WE GO.

FIRST POSITIONS, PLEASE.

WHEN IF YOU CONSIDER THAT
IT IS SORT OF 30 YEARS ON,

IT'S STILL PRETTY POWERFUL,
AND PEOPLE STILL REMEMBER

THAT FANTASTIC MUSIC
AS THEY'RE GOING DOWN

THE CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES
AND KING ARTHUR LIVES AGAIN.

[CARL ORFF'S
"O FORTUNA" PLAYING]

♪

MAN: WHAT WOULD BE
YOUR BEST MEMORIES

OF WORKING
ON "EXCALIBUR"?

THE FACT THAT SOMEHOW
THAT I DID IT AT ALL

AND THE FACT THAT I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY,

THAT BOORMAN HAD CAST ME
TO DO IT,

AND REALLY,
THAT'S IT REALLY.

THERE'S NOTHING--
I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING--

I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT VARIOUS INCIDENTS

AND NICOL
AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

I THINK THAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE HAVE GONE,

I'M AFRAID.

UH...

THE FACT
OF ACTUALLY DOING IT.

THAT'S ALL REALLY.

I DON'T EVEN THINK
BEYOND THAT REALLY.

I'M GLAD I DID THE THING.

I'M GLAD THAT IT'S
WELL-LIKED,

LOVED BY SOME PEOPLE.

THAT'S ENOUGH,
THAT'S ENOUGH.

JOHN'S FILM WAS
A REAL MOVIE,

SO WE WERE ALL
VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT,

AND OF COURSE WE ALL FELT WE HAD
LAUNCHED INTO MOVIES, YOU KNOW?

HEH HEH HEH!

THAT WAS NOT THE CASE,
BUT WE ALL FELT,

"WOW! WE'RE GOING TO BE
BIG MOVIE STARS AFTER THIS."

WELL, IN RETROSPECT NOW,
YOU LOOK BACK

AND THROUGH
ROSE-COLORED GLASSES,

AND YOU THINK, "WOW.
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE

EXPERIENCE IT WAS."

WE DID FEEL KIND OF CHOSEN
IN A WAY BY BOORMAN.

IT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY
EXPERIENCE,

AND I THINK FOR ALL OF US
WHO WERE IN "EXCALIBUR,"

AND IT BEGAN SO MANY
AMAZING CAREERS.

YOU THINK OF--JOHN JUST CHOSE
EXTRAORDINARY ACTORS,

WHO AT THAT TIME WERE
COMPLETELY UNKNOWN.

I MEAN, MAYBE THEY HAD DONE
A BIT OF THEATER,

BUT IN TERMS OF FILM,
THEY WERE TOTALLY UNKNOWN,

AND JOHN HAD AN INSTINCT
ABOUT ACTORS,

AND SO MANY OF THEM WENT ON
TO HAVE INCREDIBLE CAREERS.

WELL, THIS IS THE SWORD
FROM THE FILM,

AND I MUST SAY IT'S
A VERY STRANGE FEELING

BECAUSE IT FEELS SO FAMILIAR,

AND IT FEELS LIKE
NO TIME HAS PASSED AT ALL,

AND YET OF COURSE THERE'S BEEN
A WHOLE UNIVERSE OF TIMES

THAT HAVE GONE BY,

BUT THERE'S A MOMENT
WHERE THIS SWORD COMES

UP--ABSOLUTELY, AGAIN,
GOING BACK TO THE NOTION

OF HOW BEAUTIFUL THE IMAGERY
IN THE FILM IS--

WHERE THE SWORD COMES UP
OUT OF THE WATER.

IT'S KIND OF EMOTIONAL REALLY
BECAUSE YOU THINK BACK

OVER 30 YEARS,
AND IT'S STILL

A BEAUTIFUL THING TO HOLD.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART.

IT'S BEEN SUCH
A GRAND EXPERIENCE TO BE INVITED

TO REMINISCE ABOUT
THE FIRST IMPORTANT MOVIE

THAT I WAS EVER INVOLVED WITH.
BECAUSE MANY OF THE PEOPLE,

WHO I WAS MEETING
FOR THE FIRST TIME,

HAVE BECOME FRIENDS
AND COLLEAGUES,

AND IT WAS AN EXCITING
AND ADVENTUROUS TIME

SPENDING THOSE--ACTUALLY,
MOSTLY GLORIOUS SUMMER MONTHS

IN IRELAND WITH THESE
EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE,

AND OF COURSE TO BE ABLE TO
RECALL THAT THERE WAS A TIME

WHEN I WORKED FOR JOHN BOORMAN.

THIS IS--I WISH SOMETHING
LIKE THIS HAPPENED

WITH EVERY PROJECT,
BUT THEN YOU DON'T ALWAYS

FEEL LIKE THIS
WITH EVERY PROJECT YOU DO.

["SIEGFRIED'S FUNERAL THEME"
PLAYING]

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

BOORMAN: IT HAD BEEN
A LIFELONG AMBITION OF MINE

TO MAKE THIS FILM,
AND WHEN I SAW THAT SHOT

OF ARTHUR AND THE SHIP
GOING OUT INTO THE HORIZON,

I FELT THAT I HAD
COMPLETED MY WORK.