[identity profile] savageknight.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] arthurianlegend
Taken from SciFi Wire:

Jerry Bruckheimer—who is producing King Arthur, a new movie based on the Arthurian legend—told SCI FI Wire that the film will be very different from, and much darker than, previous cinematic incarnations. "We're doing King Arthur, but not the King Arthur that you're familiar with," Bruckheimer said in an interview while promoting his latest film, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Bruckheimer said the film will in part be based on Le Morte d'Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory's 15th-century romance, which distilled many of the earlier Arthur legends into one narrative and formed the basis of subsequent retellings of the myth. Bruckheimer argued that Malory's story is based on a real figure. "We're taking what Malory researched—that was the real King Arthur, who was a Roman. His name was Arturius," he said. "Rome had conquered the world, and they had their legions in Britain. The British didn't want them there." (In fact, scholars doubt that Arthur existed or argue that, if he did, he was a Celt, a Welshman or a Roman who battled Germanic tribes that overran the British islands in the fifth or sixth centuries.)

In any case, Bruckheimer said his film—directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) and written by David Franzoni (Gladiator)—will carry a "hard R" rating and will concentrate on epic battles, rather than the fantastical elements of the story. "There is [some magic], but it's going to be real." Bruckheimer said. "In other words, the Picts used to paint themselves from head to toe, either blue or green, to blend into the trees, just like the special forces. So you're going to look at the trees, and you're not going to see anything. And all of a sudden, these men are going to come out of the trees. So that's kind of Merlin's magic."

Pirates of the Caribbean star Keira Knightley will play Guinevere in the film. In a separate interview, she told SCI FI Wire that King Arthur is aimed at a mature audience. "I don't think it's going to be a family film," she said. "I think we're just going for reality. So don't think Camelot or Excalibur. Think kind of more Gladiator. So it's going to be fascinating."

Date: 2003-07-11 09:22 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] marumae.livejournal.com
Hmmm I don't know if I'm going to like this. They keep refering to "Gladiator" and it sounds to me like they are trying to copycat. As well as I'm not very fond of the actor they choose to play Arthur or Keira Knightly *shakes head*...I don't know about anyone else but this movie makes me nervous. o.o;;;

Date: 2003-07-12 08:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] marumae.livejournal.com
Well that explains them referring to "Gladiator" over and over again. Don't get me wrong I loved that movie, it has my favorite actor in it (Joaquin Phoenix), but yeah let's hope that it turns out well, I will definately go and see it myself *nods.

Date: 2003-07-11 12:07 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] amea.livejournal.com
Having it Malory-ized will be a nice change from the typical modern "here is a large amount of Arthur-bashing yay everybody else" retelling.

I could do with a little hardcore, unadulterated, unmodernized whacking. **is hopeful though she dislikes Keira Knightly**

Date: 2003-07-11 01:14 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] galfridian.livejournal.com
This sounds great! I love movies on Arthurian legend, so I'll definitely see it (though getting in while 16 without a parent should be fun) and if it sucks, it sucks, and there won't be anything I can do but complain.

I'm wondering if they'll go all the way and have Mordred in there. From what I've seen on IMDB, it doesn't seem like they're going to.

Date: 2003-07-14 09:21 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bluerapunzel.livejournal.com
I'm excited. I feel like this might be the real, first accurate portrayal of the King Arthur story that we've all been waiting for forever. After HORRENDOUS other King Arthur movies (First Knight, Merlin, etc.) this seems like it'll be a good representation of the time the legend is set in and everything. But I am a little dismayed that they say there won't be a lot of magic in it. Merlin and Morgan le Fay are major elements of the King Arthur story.
And I don't know what I think of this Keira Knightley girl.

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