Excalibur (1981): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Excalibur is a 1981 adventure drama directed by John Boorman, starring Nigel Terry and Helen Mirren. It is partly based on Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory. It runs 2 hours 20 minutes and earned $35 million worldwide. It was nominated for 1 Oscar. Critics gave it 72% on Rotten Tomatoes and 56 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 20m (140 min)
- Director
- John Boorman
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Orion Pictures
- Based on
- Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Excalibur About?
The premise of Excalibur without spoilers, adapted from Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A majestic retelling of the King Arthur legend, this film follows the forging of Excalibur and the rise and fall of the Round Table. Driven by the noble quest for the Holy Grail, Arthur and his knights face trials that test their limits. The story explores the conflict between Merlin's wisdom and Morgana's dark magic, revealing a timeless tale of chivalry, power, and the weight of destiny.
Excalibur Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- knight
- knights of the round table
- holy grail
- arthurian legend
- rape by deception
- king arthur character
- sir gawain character
- uther pendragon character
- rape
- trial by combat
- merlin character
- dark ages
+38 more Show fewer
- mythology
- warrior
- kingdom
- battlefield
- saga
- sword and sandal
- sword duel
- soldier
- army
- redemption
- jousting
- suit of armor
- bare chested male
- rear nudity
- based on legend
- prince
- swordsman
- early middle ages
- duke of cornwall
- robber knight
- squire
- seeking redemption
- battle for throne
- death by spear
- killed in battle
- mace the weapon
- missionary position
- male orgasm
- handsome man
- lustful man
- king
- excalibur
- sword
- camelot
- sex scene
- male pubic hair
- magical sword
- sword and shield
Excalibur Cast
Nigel Terry leads the cast, with Helen Mirren. Directed by John Boorman.
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Director John Boorman
More from John Boorman
More films directed by John Boorman, best-rated first: Hope and Glory, Deliverance, Point Blank and The General.
Excalibur Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Excalibur 72% on Rotten Tomatoes and 56 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.
-
IMDb 7.3 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 72% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 80%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 56 Metascore
User score 7.7
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 70% User score
See on TMDB
Excalibur Plot Summary
What happens in Excalibur from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In ancient England, the realm is embroiled in a brutal conflict between Uther Pendragon (Gabriel Byrne) and the Duke of Cornwall (Corin Redgrave). To restore peace, the legendary wizard Merlin (Nicol Williamson) secures the magical sword Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake (Hilary Joyalle) and bestows it upon Uther. With this symbol of power and the promise of land, Cornwall begrudgingly acknowledges Uther as king. During a celebration hosted by Cornwall, Uther becomes infatuated with Igrayne (Katrine Boorman), Cornwall’s wife, breaking the delicate truce that had been established.
Full summary
The whole story of Excalibur, scene by scene
Excalibur Box Office
Excalibur grossed $35 million worldwide. $35 million came from the US and Canada and $3,699 (0%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$35M
- US & Canada
- $35M
- International
- $3.7K
Excalibur Awards & Nominations
Excalibur was nominated for 1 Oscar. The 5 nominations come from 3 ceremonies, the most at the Saturn Awards 1982.
5 nominations3 ceremonies
-
Saturn Awards 1982 3 nominations- Nominated Best Director
- Nominated Best Supporting Actor
- Nominated Best Supporting Actress
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BAFTA 1982 1 nomination- Nominated Best Costume Design
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Oscars 1982 1 nomination- Nominated Cinematography
Excalibur Trailers & Videos
27 videos: 3 trailers, 23 clips and 1 featurette.
- Trailer Excalibur (1981), 35mm film trailer, open matte transfer, various hard mattes.
- Trailer Excalibur (1981) | Modern Trailer
- Clip I Will Love You Always Lancelot & Guinevere
- Clip Excalibur, The Land of Dreams
How Well Do You Know Excalibur?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the wizard that forges an alliance with the Lady of the Lake?
Excalibur Also Known As
17 alternative titles, including “Excalibur l'epee magique” and “Εξκάλιμπερ”.
- Also known as
-
- Excalibur l'epee magique
- Εξκάλιμπερ
- The Excalibur
- 黑暗时代
- 亚瑟王神剑
- Экскалибур
- Excalibur: Kongernes sværd
- אקסקליבר
- Excalibur, a Espada do Poder
- 엑스칼리버
- Krallar Savaşıyor
- Екскалибур
+5 more Show fewer
- Wieki ciemne
- إكسكاليبور
- Excalibur: Mač kralja Arthura
- ดาบเทวดา
- Екскалібур
Seen Excalibur?
Movies Like Excalibur
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and Knights of the Round Table.
-
Arthur & Merlin: Knights of Camelot 2020 -
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword 2017 -
Knights of the Round Table 1954 -
King Arthur 2004 -
Camelot 1967 -
First Knight 1995 -
Sword of Camelot 1998 -
The Excalibur Kid 1999 -
Siege of the Saxons 1963 -
Perceval 1978 -
Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 1984 -
Avalon 1989
Excalibur FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and awards of Excalibur, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Excalibur?
Excalibur runs 2 hours 20 minutes (140 minutes).
When was Excalibur released?
Excalibur was released on April 10, 1981.
Who directed Excalibur?
Excalibur was directed by John Boorman.
More films by John Boorman Who is in the cast of Excalibur?
Excalibur stars Nigel Terry and Helen Mirren.
How much did Excalibur make at the box office?
Excalibur grossed $35 million worldwide ($35 million domestic, $3,699 international).
How is Excalibur rated?
Excalibur has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 72% on Rotten Tomatoes, 56 on Metacritic and 70% on TMDB.
Is Excalibur based on a book?
Yes. Excalibur is partly adapted from Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory.
Was Excalibur nominated for any awards?
Excalibur received 5 nominations across 3 ceremonies.
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