Original subtitles

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.