Excalibur (Boorman, 1981): Picturehouse Central, 8pm
Chicago Reader review:
John Boorman's 1981 retelling of
the Arthurian legends is a continuation of the thematic thrust and
visual plan of his Exorcist II,
though the failure of that bold, hallucinatory, and flawed film seems
to have put Boorman into partial retreat. There is humor here (in the
form of a vaudeville Merlin, played by Nicol Williamson) as well as a
diminution of scale that seems intended to help audiences through the
thornier byways of Boorman's vision. But Boorman has not compromised in
his temporal manipulations and his rigorous depsychologizing of his
characters, which is where many viewers will have the most trouble. The
Waste Land arrives via T.S. Eliot and From Ritual to Romance,
though this slightly threadbare interpretation doesn't distract from
Boorman's personal concerns, which remain as proudly recondite as ever.
Dave Kehr
Here (and above) is the trailer.
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