les Chevaliers de la Table Rond

After seeing "King Arthur" in theatres today I came across a wonderful piece of writing, Lord Tennyson's "Guinevere." I think it is a very good piece of blank verse, and wonderful turning of the Arthurian tale to Guinevere's perspective. Of course, the tale as counted in the Idylls of the King is much more traditional than (and far different from) the new cinematic portrayal.

I seem to recall several retellings of ancient stories recently. Of course, some might argue that there are only X stories, and all new work is simply a new spin on a timeless formula; however, "Troy" and "King Arthur" have definite roots in the Iliad and the body of Arthurian legend (including Le Morte d'Arthur and Idylls of the King among others). I believe, like the academic consensus, artistic works reflect and represent, in part, the times in which they are created. Moreover, the shaping of the work can be guided towards a desired end: not only commercial viability, but also a deliberate message. Although the political commentary on war in "Troy" ("War is old men talking, and young men dying") is more blatant, "King Arthur" speaks on idealism, and how the world we're fighting for isn't what we think it is.

All in all, I quite enjoyed the movie. Character development left something to be desired, though some emerged among the Knights; however, I really felt sad for one character in particular. The scenery was beautiful, the costumes excellent, and the attention to detail for backgrounds (even just a few seconds) in many cuts was commendable. The combat choreography and action cinematography were high on realism, but some of the atmosphere was too overblown, to the point of being melodramatic. This was a good end to a long day of cleaning my room, and I would recommend seeing it in theatres to appreciate its ambience and visual beauty.