2. CINÉMA
TITRE RÉALISATEUR DATE COMMENTAIRES
A connecticut Yankee in King Arthur
Court Ralph L. Thomas 1949 Adaptation du roman de Marc Twain
The Knight of the Round Table Richard Thorpe 1953 Avec Ava Gardner
The Sword in the stone Disney 1963
Holy Grail Monty Python 1975 Parodie
Excalibur John Boorman 1981
Fisher King Terry Gilliam 1991 D'inspiration arthurienne lointaine
First Knight Jerry Zucker 1995 Avec Richard Gere
Merlin Steve Barron 1998 Téléfilm
Quest for Camelot Frederik Du Chau 1998 Animé
The Mists of Avalon Uli Edel 2001 Adaptation des romans de Marion Zimmer Bradley
Chagford filmmaking Adaptation de Lanval, Marie de France, Libre de droit pour diffusion dans
Sir Lanval group 2011 les écoles
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3. A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN THE KING ARTHUR’S COURT
RALPH L. THOMAS – 1949
Ce film est une adaptation du roman du même titre de Marc Twain.
Synopsis
Hank Martin, an American mechanic, is knocked out and wakes up in the land of King Arthur. Here he finds
romance with Alisande la Cartelois and friendship with Sir Sagramore.Unfortunately, the heroic Hank also incurs
the hatred of both Merlin and Morgan le Fay. While Hank persuades King Arthur, played by Sir Cedric Hardwicke
as an aged, semi-perpetual, cold-in-the-nose invalid, to tour his kingdom in disguise to see the true, wretched
condition of his subjects, Merlin and Morgan plot to usurp his throne. When Hank tries to stop them, he is returned
to his own time.
Heartsick over losing the woman he loves, he goes on a tour of a British castle. Its owner, Lord Pendragon, sends
him to see his niece, who looks just like Alisande.
A highlight of the film is the scene in which Hank Martin teaches the court musicians how to "jazz up" the medieval music they are playing.
Extrait du film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwypidvA3x0
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4. THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE – RICHARD THORPE – 1953
Synopsis
In 6th century England, the end of the Roman occupation has left the country in turmoil. At the site of a recent battle between warring overlords,
Arthur Pendragon and his half-sister, Morgan LeFay, meet as arranged by the sorcerer Merlin to discuss how to end the bloodshed. Morgan
maintains that as she is the only legitimate offspring of the late king, the throne belongs to her, but Merlin puts the adversaries to a test to
determine England's rightful ruler. Merlin leads them to Excalibur, a sword embedded in an anvil, and says that according to legend, whoever can
remove the sword shall be England's true sovereign. Morgan's knight champion Modred tries in vain to extract the sword, but Arthur removes it
easily. Modred accuses Merlin of witchcraft, and a hearing is arranged with the Council of Kings at the circle of stone. After advising Arthur that
he must prove himself worthy of the throne by his deeds, Merlin instructs him to return the sword to the stone. Meanwhile, the French knight
Lancelot and his men ride toward the circle of stone, hoping to offer their services to Arthur. On the road, Lancelot encounters a young woman
named Elaine, who quickly falls in love with the handsome knight. They are waylaid by Modred's men, and Lancelot bravely does battle with all
of them. Arthur arrives and join in the battle, and the chagrined Lancelot, unaware of Arthur's identity, challenges him to fight. After a long,
exhausting battle, Lancelot finally asks his opponent's name, and when he learns it is Arthur, breaks his sword against a tree and kneels before
him. They are joined by Elaine's brother Percival, who asks to be Arthur's knight errant. Later, at the circle of stone, Arthur and Modred debate
before the Council of Kings. When the crowd turns against Arthur and Lancelot, they are forced to flee, vowing to take the kingdom on the
battlefield. Arthur and his men lie low throughout the cruel winter, then launch their attack against Modred's men in the spring. Despite being
greatly outnumbered, Arthur's men win, and Arthur is crowned King of England. In the interest of peace, Arthur immediately pardons all his
former enemies, but when Lancelot objects to Modred's pardon, the two men angrily part ways. On the road, Lancelot discovers that the lovely
Guinevere has been kidnapped and rescues her, unaware that she is Arthur's fiancée. Arthur and Guinevere are wed, and the king's joy is
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5. complete when Lancelot arrives at Camelot and pledges his allegiance anew. Arthur swears in his select group of knights at the Round Table, and
England enjoys a period of peace and prosperity. One day, Percival brings Elaine to court and asks Guinevere to make her a lady-in-waiting.
Meanwhile, Morgan and Modred continue to harbor ill feelings against Arthur, and note with interest the growing warmth between Lancelot and
Guinevere. Merlin privately warns Guinevere that Modred will attempt to sow suspicion about
her relationship with the knight, and says that Lancelot should marry. Guinevere tells Lancelot
she knows of his secret love for her and urges him to marry Elaine. Lancelot proposes to Elaine
and asks Arthur to let him join the fight at the Scottish border. One night, Lancelot and Elaine
are visited by Percival, who relates how a heavenly vision instructed him to go on a quest for
the Holy Grail, the cup from which Christ drank at the Last Supper. Modred calls a meeting
of Arthur's enemies in Scotland and urges them to make peace so that Lancelot will be forced to
return to Camelot, where he will eventually be exposed as Guinevere's lover. Word of peace
reaches Arthur at Camelot at the same time that Lancelot's infant son Galahad, whose mother died
in childbirth, is brought to court with instructions that he be sent to Lancelot's father.
Sensing a plot, Merlin argues against bringing Lancelot back to Camelot, but Morgan poisons
him, and the knight returns amid great fanfare. Late one night, jealous after seeing Lancelot kiss
another woman, Guinevere goes to his rooms, unaware that she is being spied on by Morgan and
Modred. Lancelot angrily denounces Guinevere's folly in coming to him, and Modred's
men soon arrive to arrest them for high treason. Lancelot fights them off and flees with Guinevere.
Lancelot and Guinevere are tried in absentia at the Round Table and declared guilty. Lancelot
suddenly walks in and surrenders, and when he confesses his chaste love for Guinevere, Arthur revokes their death sentence. Over Modred's
protests, Arthur orders that Guinevere be confined in a convent and banishes Lancelot from England. Outraged at this show of mercy, Modred
succeeds in turning the other knights against Arthur, and civil war returns to the land. Arthur meets with Modred and agrees to his terms for
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6. ending the war, which include disbanding the Round Table. When one of Arthur's men draws his sword to kill a snake, however, the battle cry is
sounded. Arthur is mortally wounded, and Lancelot returns from exile to be at his side. With his dying breath, Arthur commands Lancelot to
destroy Modred and give Guinevere his love and forgiveness. Pausing only to hurl Excalibur into a lake, Lancelot calls on Guinevere at the
convent and conveys Arthur's message, then kills Modred after a fierce battle. Lancelot then meets Percival at the Round Table and weeps,
blaming himself for the noble fellowship's demise. After Percival receives another holy vision of the Grail, he hears God's voice telling him that
Lancelot's son Galahad will be a worthy knight, and that Lancelot is forgiven and will now know peace.
Extrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ng1ZFoI6xKE&feature=related
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7. THE SWORD IN THE STONE – DISNEY – 1963
Synopsis
Wart, a measly servant knave, dreams of becoming a knight but is barely certain he may act as castle lord
Sir Ector's even ruder son Kay's squire. Then the sorcerer Merlin and his grumpy speaking owl
Archimedes invite themselves and move into a dilapidated tower. Merlin, who can magically access the
future, accepts the challenge to prepare Wart for a grand future. So he gives the squirt dangerous lessons
by transforming themselves into animals to learn the mental skills fitting a knight and a ruler. For the
magic sword in the stone, which can confer the kingdom of all England, then still divided, couldn't be
withdrawn for years, and now a tournament in London is to designate a contender instead. Kay is going to
compete, but the fat klutz stands no chance.
Extrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gbt7GlNWTOM
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8. HOLY GRAIL – MONTY PYTHON – 1975
Synopsis
The movie starts out with Arthur, King of the Britons, looking for knights to sit with him at Camelot. He finds
many knights including Sir Galahad the pure, Sir Lancelot the brave, the quiet Sir Bedevere, and Sir Robin the
Not-Quite-So-Brave-as-Sir Lancelot. They do not travel on horses, but pretend they do and have their servants
bang coconuts to make the sound of horse's hooves. Through satire of certain events in history (witch trials, the
black plague) they find Camelot, but after literally a quick song and dance they decide that they do not want to
go there. While walking away, God (who seems to be grumpy) come to them from a cloud and tells them to
find the Holy Grail. They agree and begin their search. While they search for the Grail, scenes of the knight's
tales appear and why they have the name they have. Throughout their search they meet interesting people and
knights along the way. Most of the characters die; some through a killer rabbit (which they defeat with the holy
hand grenade), others from not answering a question right from the bridge of Death, or die some other
ridiculous way. In the end, King Arthur and Sir Bedevere are left and find the Castle Arrrghhh where the Holy
Grail is. They are met by some French soldiers who taunted them earlier in the film, so they were not able to
get into the castle.
Extrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xd_zkMEgkI
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9. EXCALIBUR – JOHN BOORMAN – 1981
Synopsis
The sorcerer Merlin retrieves Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake for Uther Pendragon. With it,
Uther secures a brief alliance with Gorlois, the Duke of Cornwall, but Uther's lust for Cornwall's
wife Igrayne soon ruins the truce. Merlin agrees to help Uther seduce Igrayne on the condition that
Uther gives Merlin whatever results from his lust. Merlin transforms Uther into Cornwall's likeness
with the Charm of Making. Cornwall's daughter Morgana senses her father's death in an assault on
Uther's camp. Igrayne is fooled by the disguise, and Uther impregnates her. Only the devastated
Morgana knows the truth.
Nine months later, Merlin takes Uther's son Arthur. Uther pursues but is mortally wounded by
Gorlois's knights. Uther thrusts Excalibur into a stone, and Merlin proclaims that "he who draws the
sword from the stone, he shall be king.
Extrait :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCdFkf2-8fM
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10. FISHER KING – TERRY GILLIAM – 1991
Synopsis
Jack Lucas, a cynical, arrogant talk radio host, becomes suicidally despondent after his insensitive on-air comments inadvertently prompt a
depressed caller to commit a mass murder at a popular Manhattan bar. Three years later, while heavily intoxicated and depressed, he attempts
suicide. Before he can do so, he is mistaken for a homeless person and is attacked and nearly set on fire by thugs. He is rescued by Parry, a
deluded homeless man who is on a mission to find the Holy Grail, and tries to convince Jack to
help him. Jack is initially reluctant, but comes to feel responsible for Parry when he
learns that the man's condition is a result of witnessing his wife's horrific murder at the
hands of Jack's psychotic caller. Parry is also continually haunted by a hallucinatory Red
Knight, who terrifies him whenever he shows any confidence.
Jack learns that Parry had slipped into a catatonic state following his wife's death and
had remained there for a few years. When he emerged he was obsessed with the legend of the
Fisher King, a form of which he recounts to Jack. The Fisher King was charged by God with
guarding the Holy Grail, but incurred an incapacitating wound for his sin of pride. A
simple-minded Fool asks the King why he suffers, and when the King says he is thirsty, the
Fool gives him a cup of water to drink. The king realizes the cup is the Grail and is baffled
that the boy found it, as demonstrated in the closing exchange: "I've sent my brightest and bravest men to search for this. How did you find it?"
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11. The Fool laughed and said "I don't know. I only knew that you were thirsty."
Jack seeks to redeem himself by helping Parry find love again. He sets Parry up with Lydia, a shy woman who works as an accountant for a
Manhattan publishing house, with whom Parry has been smitten. Jack and his girlfriend, Anne, then join them for a dinner date. Following
dinner, Parry declares his love for Lydia but is once again haunted by the Red Knight. Trying to escape his hallucinatory tormentor, he is
attacked by the same thugs who had earlier attacked Jack. The beating is not fatal but causes Parry to become catatonic again.
Jack infiltrates the Upper East Side castle of a famous architect and retrieves the "Grail," a simple trophy. When he brings it to Parry, the
catatonia is broken and Parry regains consciousness. While he and Jack lead the patients of the mental ward in a rousing rendition of "How
About You?," Parry is reunited with Lydia. Later, Jack, who had earlier broken up with Anne, is reunited with her.
Extrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHaZuRo3DZ4
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12. FIRST KNIGHT – JERRY ZUCKER – 1995
Synopsis
The film's opening text establishes that King Arthur of Camelot, victorious from his wars, has dedicated his reign to promoting justice and peace
and now wishes to marry. However, Malagant, a Knight of the Round Table, desires the throne for himself and rebels.
The film opens with Lancelot, a vagabond and skilled swordsman, dueling in small villages for money. Lancelot attributes his skill to his lack of
concern whether he lives or dies. Guinevere, the ruler of Leonesse, decides to marry Arthur partly out of admiration and partly for security
against Malagant, who is shown raiding a village. While traveling, Lancelot chances by Guinevere's carriage on the way to Camelot, and helps
spoil Malagant's ambush meant to kidnap her. He falls in love with Guinevere, who refuses his advances. Though Lancelot urges her to follow
her heart, Guinevere remains bound by her duty. She is subsequently reunited with her escort.
Later, Lancelot arrives in Camelot and successfully navigates an obstacle course on the prospect of a kiss from Guinevere, though he instead
kisses her hand. He also wins an audience with her husband-to-be, Arthur. Impressed by Lancelot's courage and struck by his recklessness and
freewheeling, Arthur shows him the Round Table which symbolizes a life of service and brotherhood. Guinevere is subsequently kidnapped by
Malagant's followers and imprisoned in an oubliette. Lancelot poses as a messenger to Malagant only to escape with Guinevere and return her to
Camelot. Once again, Lancelot tries to win her heart, but is unsuccessful. On the return journey, it is revealed that Lancelot was orphaned and
rendered homeless after bandits attacked his village, and has been wandering ever since.
In gratitude, Arthur offers Lancelot a higher calling in life as a Knight of the Round Table. Amidst the protests of the other Knights (who are
suspicious of his station), and of Guinevere (who struggles with her feelings for him), Lancelot accepts and takes Malagant's place at the Table,
saying he has found something to care about. Arthur and Guinevere are subsequently wedded. However, a messenger from Leonesse arrives,
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13. with news that Malagant has invaded. Arthur leads his troops to Leonesse and successfully defeats Malagant's forces. Lancelot wins the respect
of the other Knights with his prowess in battle. He also learns to embrace Arthur's philosophy, moved by the plight of villagers.
Lancelot feels guilty about his feelings for the queen and in private announces his departure to her. She cannot bear the thought of him leaving
and asks him for a kiss, which turns into a passionate embrace, just in time for the king to interrupt. Though Guinevere claims to love both
Arthur and Lancelot – albeit in different ways – the two are charged with treason. The open trial in the great square of Camelot is interrupted by a
surprise invasion by Malagant, ready to burn Camelot and kill Arthur if he does not swear fealty. Instead
Arthur commands his subjects to fight, and Malagant's men shoot him with crossbows. A battle between
Malagant's men and Camelot's soldiers and citizens ensues, and Lancelot and Malagant face off.
Disarmed, Lancelot seizes Arthur's fallen sword and kills Malagant. The people of Camelot win the
battle, but Arthur dies of his wounds. On his deathbed, he asks Lancelot to "take care of her for me" –
referring to both Camelot and Guinevere. The film closes with a funeral raft carrying Arthur's body
floating out to sea, which is set aflame.
Extrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO1_r6slUlk
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14. MERLIN – STEEVE BARRON – 1998
Synopsis
The legend of King Arthur, this time, from the perspective of the King's Wizard,
Merlin. Merlin is a creature born of pagan magic, living in a world converting to
Christianity. Merlin is beside Arthur as he gains Excalibur, builds Camelot and is
betrayed by his wife, Guinevere. Merlin and Arthur are both menaced by the plots of
Morgan Le Fey, her son by Arthur, Mordred, and their cohorts. Through it all,
Merlin tries to keep Arthur from the destructive path set by fate.
Extrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4D96n97ZDec&feature=related
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15. QUEST FOR CAMELOT – FREDERIK DU CHAU – 1998
Synopsis
A young girl named Kayley desires to become a knight of the Round Table like her father Sir Lionel in the kingdom of Camelot and wishes to
accompany him when the knights are called to a special meeting with King Arthur, but he kindly objects that she is too young and promises to
take her someday. When the knights arrive at Camelot, Sir Ruber (who has gone mad with power and seeks riches from his position as a knight
of the Round Table) attacks Arthur. Mortally wounding Lionel with his mace, he is ultimately driven off by the other knights after Arthur strikes
him down with Excalibur.
After Lionel dies, Kayley must learn to live without him. Inspired by her father's bravery, she spends ten years tending to her family farm. Now a
young woman, Kayley is still much of a dreamer and still wishes to be a knight, much against her mother Julianna's wishes.
Her dream seems to pay off though, when the knights again gather with King Arthur and Merlin to discuss the era of peace among the kingdom
when a gryphon flies in, attacks and wounds Arthur and takes the sword Excalibur. Merlin summons a falcon with silver wings called Ayden to
face the gryphon. After a furious fight, the gryphon drops the sword into the Forbidden Forest and loses it. He reports this to Ruber. The call goes
out across the land that Excalibur had been stolen, but Kayley's mother forbids her to go out after it. Shortly thereafter, Ruber comes to pay
Julianna a visit, planning to use her to gain access to Camelot and introducing a magic potion that he had gotten that combines his men (and by
accident, a chicken) with an assorted array of weapons. During the festivities, Kayley manages to free herself and escapes capture by fleeing to
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16. the Forbidden Forest, whose enchanted plant and animal life prevent Ruber's army from following her. The chicken, now named Bladebeak, is
ordered to follow Kayley and report her whereabouts to Ruber.
While lost in the forest, Kayley comes across Garrett, a handsome yet
blind hermit who wants to be left alone . He grudgingly helps Kayley
find Excalibur. Guided by Ayden, they manage to find the scabbard of the
sword in the footprints of a giant. As they make their way into dragon
infested mountains, they come across a conjoined two-headed dragon - the
sophisticated and intelligent Devon and the boorish but loyal Cornwall. Thanks
to the bullying from the rest of the dragons due to their differences and their
inability to fly, they want nothing more than to be apart from one another.
Developing a friendship toward Kayley, they join the party. Due to Kayley's
insistence, Garrett misses a key warning from Ayden and is injured in an
attack. During the escape, Kayley uses the forest's plants to heal Garrett's
wounds, and they develop a mutual attraction and feelings towards one
another.
Soon they come across the giant who is using the sword as a toothpick and
manage to outwit Ruber again, trapping him and his minions with the giant
as they slide uncontrollably down the mountainside. Garrett returns to the forest, having grown distant from the world of men and preferring to
stay in the forest. Kayley starts toward Camelot, sword in hand, but is captured by Ruber's men. Devon and Cornwall discover their power of
flight, which only works when they cooperate or agree on something mutually. They rejoin Garrett, who mounts a rescue mission, but Ruber
manages to gain entry to Camelot via disguise and traps himself with King Arthur with Excalibur; now grafted to his arm with his magic potion.
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17. Kayley is held prisoner in the back of the cart, but is freed by Bladebeak. Kayley and Garrett manage to fight their way with their friends' help to
join with Arthur and in a fight, they manage to trick Ruber into inserting the sword back into the stone it had been pulled from. The magical
forces conflict and completely disintegrate Ruber, leaving the kingdom free again. The magic that spills on the kingdom separates all of Ruber's
men (and Bladebeak) from their weapons and separates Devon and Cornwall, but the pair decide to reunite before the magic dissipates.
Soon after Kayley and Garrett are knighted as members of the round table. As the pair ride off into the sunset, their horse has a flag mounted to
its back reading "Just Knighted".
Extrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV5kS_B6Zws&feature=fvwrel
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18. THE MISTS OF AVALON – ULI EDEL – 2001
Synopsis
Mists of Avalon is a generations-spanning retelling of the Arthurian legend, but bringing it
back to its Brythonic roots (see Matter of Britain). Its protagonist is Morgaine, who
witnesses the rise of Uther Pendragon to the throne of Camelot. As a child, she is taken to
Avalon by High Priestess Viviane, her maternal aunt, to become a priestess of the Mother
Goddess and witnesses the rising tension between the old Pagan and the new Christian
religions. At one point, she is given in a fertility ritual to a young man she will later learn is
Arthur, her half-brother. Unbeknownst to Arthur, Morgaine conceives a child, Gwydion,
later called Mordred, as a result of the ritual.
After Uther dies, his son Arthur claims the throne. Morgaine and Viviane give him the
magic sword Excalibur, and with the combined force of Avalon and Camelot, Arthur drives
the invasion of the Saxons away. But when his wife Gwenhwyfar fails to produce a child,
she is convinced that it is a punishment of God: firstly for the presence of pagan elements (a
stance which Morgaine deeply resents), and secondly, for her forbidden love for Arthur's
finest knight Lancelet. She increasingly becomes a religious fanatic, and relationships
between Avalon and Camelot (i.e. Morgaine and herself) become hostile.
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19. When the knights of the Round Table of Camelot leave to search for the Holy Grail, Mordred seeks to usurp the throne. In a climactic battle,
Arthur's and Mordred's armies square off, and in the end Avalon and Arthur are magically removed from the circles of the world. It is Morgaine
alone who lives to tell the tale of Camelot.
Extrait
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQYkxsrZalQ
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20. LANVAL – CHAGFORD FILMMAKING GROUP – 2011
Synopsis
A magical film adaptation of Marie de France’s medieval romance about a knight who falls in love
with a fairy. This film is a unique collaboration between Chagford Filmmaking Group in Devon,
England, and Le Centre de l’Imaginaire Arthurien in Brittany, France.
Extrait :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpB11AbBjMo
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