Excalibur is a epic medieval fantasy film directed, cowritten and produced by John Boorman , that retells the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table , based loosely on the 15th-century Arthurian romance Le Morte d'Arthur by Thomas Malory. The film is named after the legendary sword of King Arthur that features prominently in Arthurian literature.
The film's soundtrack features the music of Richard Wagner [ 8 ] and Carl Orff , [ 9 ] along with an original score by Trevor Jones. Boorman's Excalibur began development as an unproduced adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. Reviewers praised Excalibur 's visual style. In exchange for their future child, Merlin helps Uther seduce Igrayne , the Duke of Cornwall 's wife, while the Duke dies in battle. Igrayne gives birth to Arthur , and Merlin takes the boy. Ambushed by the Duke's men, a dying Uther thrusts Excalibur into a stone, as Merlin declares that he who pulls the sword from the stone shall be king.
Merlin entrusts Ector to raise Arthur, who becomes squire to Ector's son Kay. As a young man, Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone, proving he is Uther's rightful heir.
Leodegrance pledges his allegiance to Arthur, but they are opposed by knights who dispute Arthur's kingship as a bastard. Defending Leondegrance's castle and his daughter Guenevere , Arthur defeats Uryens , whom he compels to knight him and swear fealty. Smitten with Guenevere, Arthur ignores Merlin's warning that she will one day fall in love with someone else. Years later, the undefeated knight Lancelot almost bests Arthur, who calls upon the power of Excalibur to defeat Lancelot, breaking the sword.
The Lady of the Lake restores the sword to a remorseful Arthur, and Lancelot swears allegiance to him. Unifying the land, Arthur and his knights create the Round Table and the castle Camelot. Secretly infatuated with each other, Lancelot escorts Guenevere to her wedding to Arthur, declaring that his loyalty to the king outweighs his love for her.
