Comparison of Two Films About King Arthur Essay -- Film Movies Compare

Few works of literature or parable are as varied as that of King Arthur and his round table, ever retold by each generation. Without question, the defining work of Arthurian Literature is Sir doubting Thomas Malorys Le Morte dArthur. Morte dArthur is a compilation of all the King Arthur legends that existed before Malory. Malory try to bring all the stories together into one cohesive whole. Morte dArthur is a treasure trove of stories about magical encounters and various quests that is loosely c levyed on the boot out and fall of King Arthur. Since it was written, there have been countless interpretations and adaptations. Today, we not and have countless Arthurian books, but more(prenominal) movies on the overcome as well. In this paper I hope to compare and lineage two such Arthurian movies, Excalibur and King Arthur, and discuss what each pip adds to the treasury of Arthurian lore. It is hard to believe that two completely black eye movies are based on the same liter ature. The movie Excalibur is like a modern day Morte dArthur, while the more recent King Arthur differs greatly from all former Arthurian works by attempting to be historically plausible. ExcaliburAlthough Excalibur is based mostly on Malory, it also contains stories from Chrtien de Troyes and Alfred, Lord Tennysons Idylls of the King. The bourgeon takes scenes continuous from Malory, but it also changes Malory slightly by condensing some of his whiley details and mixing them with stories from other Arthurian writers. It smoothes over many of Malorys contradictions thus manages to throw in some plot twists of its own. ExcaliburThe first scene of the film introduces the most important symbol of the film, Excalibur. Throughout the entire movie at every critical juncture, Exc... ...with machines. Two of her fingers were broken. Arthur receives another shock when he realizes that these ministrations were performed by a priest. The priest believes that to torture heathens is an act of kindness that would enable them to enter heaven. The final blow that completely crushes Arthurs belief in the Church is the news show he receives on Pelagius excommunication. How can the Church excommunicate a man who believes in such lofty and glorious ideas?ConclusionWhile Excalibur keeps some(prenominal) the content and form of Malory, King Arthur tries something new by trying to translate the barely-fitting together cacophony of Morte dArthur into a historically plausible film. Though Excalibur is more enjoyable to real King Arthur lovers, King Arthur is strangely refreshing in its extreme adaptation of the overused story, while being still familiar in its core.