John Boorman (screenwriter, director) EXCALIBUR (1975) First draft UK film script

Wicklow, [UK]: The Glebe, 1975. Vintage original film screenplay, 11 x 8 1/2″ (28 x 22 cm.), plain wrappers die cut with window showing title, 134 pp. Title page detached but present, some spotting to title page, marginal stains to page one, overall very good. Title page labels this as First Draft, October 1975. The script is under Boorman’s working title Merlin Lives, or The Knights of King Arthur.

An epic medieval fantasy film directed, co-written 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. It stars Nigel Terry as Arthur, Nicol Williamson as Merlin, Nicholas Clay as Lancelot, Cherie Lunghi as Guenevere, Helen Mirren as Morgana, Liam Neeson as Gawain, Gabriel Byrne as Uther and Patrick Stewart as Leondegrance. 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 and Carl Orff, along with an original score by Trevor Jones.

Boorman’s Excalibur began development as an unproduced adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The film was shot entirely on location in Ireland and at Ardmore Studios, employing Irish actors and crew. It has been acknowledged for its importance to the Irish filmmaking industry and for helping launch the film and acting careers of a number of Irish and British actors, including Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne and Ciarán Hinds. (Wikipedia)

The film is now widely considered the finest of all movies about the legend of King Arthur, and a high point in the history of fantasy film.

Out of stock