Movie Review: King Arthur

King Arthur

Touchstone Pictures

126 mins.

July 7, 2004

Rated: PG-13/R

The untold true story that inspired the legend…

I enjoyed this retelling of the mythology of King Arthur and his knights. This movie really made efforts to set the film firmly within the end of the Roman occupation of Briton. Unlike many King Arthur tales, Arthur is not a medieval knight – he is instead a Roman officer – but it was a change that I could still find believable. Guinevere I had a mixed reaction to. I liked that she was a strong woman and was warrior like – however I didn’t believe some of the details of her family (without giving anything away). Merlin, I didn’t really love. He was the leader of the “pagan” people but he really didn’t have too much of a role in this movie. I thought that Clive Owen was a great choice for King Arthur – brooding, strong and in conflict with his internal emotions. Keira Knightly plays a warrior woman as well as she plays debutantes.

The battle scenes were awesome. There are two big battles, one on the ice and one near the Wall, and both were well shot and well acted. They were not that brutal or gruesome appearing but alluded to. There is also one sex scene but again it is not explicit.

This was another film from the great Jerry Bruckheimer and it very much feels like his films. The cinematography and setting is beautiful. Although they moved the setting of the film to Roman occupied England from the traditional medieval England, they created a world that totally worked for it. Not being all that familiar with the time period, I can’t speak to historical accuracy – I’m going to assume some creative license was taken – but it was good enough to convince me!

Although this isn’t my favorite retelling of King Arthur, it was good entertainment in my opinion and my boyfriend enjoyed it too.

Check out this trailer:

Copyright © 2011 by The Maiden’s Court

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Movie Review: Tristan and Isolde

Tristan and Isolde

20th Century Fox

125 minutes

January 13, 2006

Rated: PG-13

Before Romeo and Juliet, there was Tristan and Isolde

That byline really does do a good job of setting the viewer up for the sort of movie that you are going to see, but it’s not 100% accurate. While Romeo and Juliet is about forbidden love – and this one is too – Tristan and Isolde have the added layer of a love triangle sort of tale that doesn’t exist in the former tale.

I have to say that I LOVED this film. I went into it with some hesitation because I didn’t think that I would like James Franco as Tristan. After reading some accounts of the character I just didn’t think he would serve well – but I was wonderfully surprised. I also really enjoyed the actress chosen for Isolde, Sofia Myles. She had the softness and persistence as well as being beautiful. All of the roles were well cast and there wasn’t a time when someone felt out of place. And I was extremely pleased to discover the gorgeous Henry Cavill in this movie!

The producers played loosely with the traditional legend but I felt that the changes they made served the movie well. They made the legend more real by dropping the more traditional love potion angle of the story. This allowed for their actions and emotions to be more relatable for viewers and I think give it a more powerful ending. I was a little surprised to not see any mention of King Arthur in this story. I have always encountered the legend of Tristan and Isolde with the legend of King Arthur. It didn’t make one bit of difference to the tale but was just a surprising omission.

This really was a refreshing historical/romance/action film. It might be a stretch through to get your significant other to see it – I know my boyfriend had zero interest in watching the film.

Check out this trailer:

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The Legend of Tristan and Isolde

After reading the first two thirds of the Guinevere Trilogy by Persia Woolley I became interested in learning more about the legends of those involved with King Arthur and Guinevere and learning their stories as well. One of those that captured by attention right away was that of Tristan and Isolde. I have a review of the 2005 movie Tristan and Isolde coming up tomorrow so I wanted to prepare you with the basic legend.

Tristan & Isolde and the Love Potion

The basic legend expounds that Tristan is given the task of bringing Isolde back to his Uncle King Mark as a bride. Isolde is not thrilled with having to marry King Mark who is said to be much older than she is. She is given a love potion by her mother and the next person that she sees she falls in love with (she is supposed to take it just before she sees King Mark so that she will be in love with him and be happy). She takes the potion and ends up falling in love with Tristan instead. Isolde marries King Mark but begins an adulterous relationship with Tristan. King Mark finds out about the betrayals and wants them to be killed. In some turn of events (the legends differ as to how it happens possibly by poisoning or grief) Tristan ends up dying and Isolde typically dies by his side.

The Death of Tristan

There are many, many variations to this tale but the basic plot line usually remains the same. In the original tale the pair was not connected to King Arthur in any way but their stories did eventually become entangled in Arthurian legend with Tristan becoming one of Arthur’s noble knights. It is also a story that is often compared to Romeo and Juliet as the pair has a forbidden love and the two end up dying by the end of the story.

Forbidden Love

Hope you have enjoyed this mini introduction to the legend of Tristan and Isolde. Have you read any novels about this pair or seen any movies about them?





Copyright © 2011 by The Maiden’s Court

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King Arthur Themed Books

I have recently found myself interested more in the King Arthur legends and was interested in what other novels there are out there - not only about him but the other characters of his time as well.  So I put together this list and thought that I would share it with you all.  Feel free to add others that you may have read in the comments or let me know which of these are good reads!

The Once and Future King – T. H. White
The Mists of Avalon – Marion Zimmer Bradley
The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights – John Steinbeck
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court – Mark Twain
Child of the Northern Spring – Persia Woolley (my review)
Queen of the Summer Stars – Persia Woolley
Guinevere: The Legend in Autumn – Persia Woolley
Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country – Rosalind Miles
The Knight of the Sacred Lake – Rosalind Miles
Child of the Holy Grail – Rosalind Miles
The Winter King – Bernard Cornwell
Enemy of God – Bernard Cornwell
Excalibur – Bernard Cornwell
Taliesin – Stephen Lawhead
Merlin – Stephen Lawhead
Arthur – Stephen Lawhead
Pendragon – Stephen Lawhead
Grail – Stephen Lawhead
Avalon – Stephen Lawhead
I Am Morgan le Fey – Nancy Springer
The Kingmaking – Helen Hollick
Pendragon’s Banner – Helen Hollick
Shadow of the King – Helen Hollick
Sons of Avalon, Merlin’s Prophesy – Dee Marie
Isolde, Queen of the Western Isle – Rosalind Miles
The Maid of the White Hands – Rosalind Miles
The Lady of the Sea – Rosalind Miles

Courtesy of Rebecca:

The Crystal Cave - Mary Stewart
The Hollow Hills - Mary Stewart
The Last Enchantment - Mary Stewart
The Wicked Day - Mary Stewart
The Prince and the Pilgrim - Mary Stewart
Queen of Camelot - Nancy MacKenzie

Courtesy of Holly:

Gwenhwyfar - Mercedes Lackey
King Arthur: The Bloody Cup - M. K. Hume
King Arthur: Warrior of the West - M. K. Hume
King Arthur: Dragon's Child - M. K. Hume
Prophecy: A Clash of Kings - M. K. Hume
The Skystone - Jack Whyte
The Singing Sword - Jack Whyte
The Eagle's Brood - Jack Whyte
The Saxon Shore - Jack Whyte
The Fort at River's Bend - Jack Whyte
Metamorphosis: The Sorcerer - Jack Whyte
Uther - Jack Whyte
The Lance Thrower - Jack Whyte
The Eagle - Jack Whyte

Courtesy of English Rose:

The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper (YA)
Over Sea, Under Stone - Susan Cooper (YA)
Greenwitch - Susan Cooper (YA)
The Grey King - Susan Cooper (YA)
Silver on the Tree - Susan Cooper (YA)

Courtesy of Lieder Madchen:

Hawk of May - Gillian Bradshaw
Kingdom of Summer - Gillian Bradshaw
In Winter's Shadow - Gillian Bradshaw
The Squire's Tale - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf - Gerald Morris (YA)
Parsifal's Page - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Ballad of Sir Dinadin - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Lioness and her Knight - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Quest of the Fair Unknown - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Squire's Quest - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Legend of the King - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Adventures of Givret the Short - Gerald Morris (YA)
The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True - Gerald Morris (YA)
In Camelot's Shadow - Sarah Zettel
For Camelot's Honor - Sarah Zettel
Under Camelot's Banner - Sarah Zettel
Camelot's Blood - Sarah Zettel
The Killing Way - Tony Hays
The Divine Sacrifice - Tony Hays
The Beloved Dead - Tony Hays

Courtesy of xo.sorcha.ox:

Twilight of Avalon - Anna Elliott
Dark Moon of Avalon - Anna Elliott
Sunrise of Avalon - Anna Elliott
Dawn of Avalon - Anna Elliott
The Witch Queen's Secret - Anna Elliott

Thank you everyone for your suggestions!




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