Perceval le Gallois (1978)
Arthurian Legends
From Eric Rohmer, a director of the French New Wave, an adaptation of stories from the Arthurian legends, made in a decidedly eccentric style
The Holy Grail
The Holy Grail is a legendary artefact, which has appeared in myth throughout history. It is commonly believed to be the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper and is said to possess miraculous restorative and healing powers.
The Holy Grail gained prominence in the Arthurian Legends. In these, the Grail becomes the object sought in a quest by the Knights of the Round Table in the belief it will regenerate the corrupted moral of Arthur and England.
The nature and appearance of the Holy Grail vary in different versions of the legend. It is most commonly depicted as a simple cup or a jewelled drinking vessel.
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)
Museum Exhibits Come to Life
The third entry in a franchise that seems to be stretching to find anything to do with its premise beyond the first film. Everyone involved seems to have only turned up to collect a paycheque and be going through the motions in a show that entirely coasts by solely on your familiarity with the characters
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Absurdist Parody of the Arthurian Legends
The first of the Monty Python films, a wickedly funny, willfully nonsensical take on King Arthur and the knightly quest. Contains many classic Python gags
Merlin’s Apprentice (2006)
Arthurian Legends Adventure
Sequel to Hallmark’s earlier tv mini-series Merlin featuring a return performance from Sam Neill in the title role, this is otherwise a generic and unmemorable work of Arthurian fantasy
Lancelot du Lac (1974)
Arthurian Legends
French director Robert Bresson’s take on the Arthurian legends, stripped of nobility and magic. I’m not part of the critical cult around Bresson. Films that are dull and lifeless are not about spiritual yearning just dull
Labyrinth (2012)
Cross-Historical Search for the Holy Grail
Christopher Smith is an underrated genre director but his first venture into tv is disappointing cross-historical quest for the Holy Grail story that reads like warmed over Da Vinci Code
Knight of the Dead (2013)
Mediaeval Zombies
A surprisingly good low-budget film that places zombie into the mediaeval period amid the Black Death. From Mark Atkins, one of the directors who usually work for The Asylum – his best film to date
King Arthur: Excalibur Rising (2017)
Arthurian Legends Adventure
A passable B-budget film that came out in anticipation of Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. This is actually an Arthurian sequel, featuring Arthur’s son inheriting the sword.
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (2017)
Modernised Arthurian Legends/The Asylum Mockbuster
NOT the Guy Ritchie film but an Asylum mockbuster released at the same time. The most WTF take on the Arthurian legends ever with the Knights as gun-wielding US Marines
Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2019)
Nazi Moonbase/Alien Lizard People from the Centre of the Earth
Timo Vuorensola’s follow-up to Iron Sky. It is hard to believe that a film with a premise that combines Nazis on the Moon with alien lizard people from the hollow core of the Earth could go wrong
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
High Adventure/Holy Grail Quest
Third of the Indiana Jones films. This comes with all the breakneck action sequences and Sean Connery doing a fine comic turn as Indiana’s irascible father but also plays to a much greater slapstick emphasis
The Fisher King (1991)
Modern-Day Grail Quest
Terry Gilliam’s finest moment, a modernised knightly quest where radio dj Jeff Bridges is dragged into helping homeless man Robin Williams find the Holy Grail. A film made by its performances and warm and eventually soaring characterisations
Excalibur (1981)
Arthurian Legends
The definitive film version of the Arthurian legends. John Boorman gives us a magnificent and soaring work of beautiful impassioned imagery that delves deep into the rich mythology of the cycle
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
Secret History of Christianity/Historical Conspiracy
Ron Howard directed film version of Dan Brown’s best-selling book. This is historical nonsense woven into a fancifully absurd conspiracy theory where Howard does no more than offer an illustrated version of the book