A Second Review of Ritchie's King Arthur

Almost missed this. Here is yet another (negative) review of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

Famurewa, Jimi. Empire Summer 2017: 48-49.

Also available online at http://www.empireonline.com/movies/king-arthur-legend-sword/review/.

TF1's Merlin Mini-Series

The French television network TF1 aired a two-part miniseries called Merlin in 2012 . There is sparse information online about the series (see the sidebar under 2010-2019 productions), but the film, a comedic retelling of the Arthurian legend, offers yet another Merlin-centered version of the story.

Part one opens with a very Gandalf-looking Merlin (played by Gérard Jugnot) at the court of Uther Pendragon, where he helped raise and educate the young Arthur and (sometimes) Guenièvre. Ten years later, a less hirsute Merlin retires to Brocéliande after Arthur has grown up and begins to live with Viviane and her son Lancelot. However, Merlin is called back when Camelot is threatened by Arthur's cousin, Morgane, (herself a powerful magic-wielder, trained by her aged aunt) and her ally the barbarian king Vortigern (!) on the eve (?) of Arthur and Guenièvre's wedding. (Morgane had, apparently, expected to marry Arthur and become queen.) Merlin, Viviane, and Lancelot spend some time at court here, and (I think) the two mages are instrumental in stopping Morgane and Vortigern at this time. However, the villains return in part two, and Merlin is ill-prepared because the title of part one, "L'Enchanteur Désenchanté," refers to the fact that Merlin loses his powers as the years pass and he falls in love with Viviane and becomes a surrogate parent for Lancelot.

Taking place seven years later, part two, "Le Secret de Brocéliande," centers on Merlin's struggles to regain his magic in order to save the realm and restore Guenièvre to flesh after she has been turned, by the returned Morgane, into stone. This section also focuses on a quest for the Grail undertaken by Merlin and a teenaged Lancelot--the prophesied Grail-winner--to save Viviane, who is held by Morgane.

There are lots of images and some plot summary at the series official site (http://www.tf1.fr/merlin/) but no video. The following trailer comes from YouTube:

Merlin on BBC America

BBC America begins this month airing the BBC1 series Merlin. A marathon of season one starts this Friday (8 June) night at 8 PM and runs through Saturday (9 June) morning at 8 AM. Conveniently, the season is also rerun Saturday from 9 AM through 10 PM followed at 10 PM with episode one of season two. Check out the online schedule for any changes: http://www.bbcamerica.com/schedule/. The network also now includes a page (http://www.bbcamerica.com/merlin/), filled with information and images, for the series on its website.

The remaining episodes of season two air Saturday nights later in the month with two episodes each night, the first at 9 PM and the second at 10 PM.

Merlin Season 4

Teaser trailer for Merlin Season 4.



As the trailer notes, dark days are ahead for Camelot as Morgana forms an alliance with Arthur's uncle (!) Agravaine and plots against both Uther and Arthur. The series airs on SyFy Friday nights.

Merlin Season 3 Coming to SyFy Next Week

SyFy premieres season 3 of BBC1's Merlin next Friday. Here is the teaser from BBC1's YouTube Channel:

Merlin Marathon on Syfy

Cable network Syfy will air a Merlin marathon this Friday, 2 July 2010. Episodes (listed below) will consist of the full run of season two of the BBC1 series; season one has been released on Region 1 DVD, and episodes from both seasons can be downloaded from iTunes.

10:00 AM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE CURSE OF CORNELIUS SIGAN
11:00 AM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE ONCE AND FUTURE QUEEN
12:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE NIGHTMARE BEGINS
01:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: LANCELOT AND GUINEVERE
02:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - PART 1
03:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST - PART 2
04:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE WITCHFINDER
05:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE SINS OF THE FATHER
06:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE LADY OF THE LAKE
07:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: SWEET DREAMS
08:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE WITCH'S QUICKENING
09:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE FIRES OF IDIRSHOLAS
10:00 PM MERLIN, SEASON 2: THE LAST DRAGONLORD



Merlin is an innovative program that presents the adventures of a teenaged Merlin (the young mage), Morgana (the troubled ward), Arthur (the young prince and heir apparent), Guinevere (Morgana's serving maid and of African descent), and Lancelot (a First Knightian version: common born but with aspirations from a better life) as they struggle with the over-bearing presence of King Uther Pendragon and his crusade against magic. Other figures from the legend are also present, though, as with the representation of the main cast, they often bear little resemblance to their legendary forebears. These include three magic-users--a prepubescent Mordred, Morgause (sister to Morgana), and Nimueh--and (surprisingly) Geoffrey of Monmouth as the royal librarian. Ygraine, Arthur's mother, has also made an appearance.