A Great Choice For "First Trip Back to the Movie Theater"
May 11, 2021 1:37 PM Subscribe
although a few elements of the trailer gave me pause I am mostly 100% excited for and looking forward to this. the art direction looks gorgeous.
posted by supermedusa at 2:04 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 2:04 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
As someone who loves nitpicking King Arthur stuff, I've been eagerly awaiting this since the first trailer dropped. It looks so good! But does the fox survive? This concerns me. Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing it on a big screen and not on my phone.
posted by betweenthebars at 2:27 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by betweenthebars at 2:27 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
Back to the Movies!
posted by JauntyFedora at 2:35 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by JauntyFedora at 2:35 PM on May 11, 2021
That's eerie and alien in a way Arthurian movies usually aren't. I'm sold.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:36 PM on May 11, 2021 [11 favorites]
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 2:36 PM on May 11, 2021 [11 favorites]
I thought, "gosh, that Gawain looks .... not white???? no way they would cast someone who's actually not white, must just be me misperceiving" and then saw via the post tags that it's Dev Patel, and I started crying. It's like: people who look like me get to be in this movie. And I'm American, and the Round Table stories aren't super my thing, but I am so happy that British Asians get to be a part of the telling of the Matter of Britain. I'm so happy for Patel and so happy for all the people who will see this and see ourselves in this rendition of part of our shared heritage.
posted by brainwane at 2:53 PM on May 11, 2021 [42 favorites]
posted by brainwane at 2:53 PM on May 11, 2021 [42 favorites]
Casting Ralph Ineson as the titular knight is glorious. When I think of that voice of his when I watched "The Witch" recently, man, he can give James Earl Jones a run for his money. So it makes sense to cast him as a tall, masked, mythical figure that radiates menace.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 3:07 PM on May 11, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 3:07 PM on May 11, 2021 [4 favorites]
I have been looking forward to this movie for AN ENTIRE YEAR
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:14 PM on May 11, 2021 [12 favorites]
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:14 PM on May 11, 2021 [12 favorites]
I can tell this is going to be too scary for me, but it's also too beautiful and weird not to watch. I can't wait.
posted by Akhu at 3:16 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Akhu at 3:16 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
I've heard the yearning wails of people who are waiting for this movie, and now that I've seen the trailer I'm adding my own.
posted by fleacircus at 3:20 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by fleacircus at 3:20 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
That's eerie and alien in a way Arthurian movies usually aren't
No doubt! I feel like making it closer to Dark Souls than LOTR is a nod to the "darker" (to us modern folks anyway) Welsh contributions to the Arthurian legendarium , and I'm here for it.
Also, Dev Patel is a beautiful human, and I'm super happy to see a movie where the camera lingers on him. :-)
posted by lord_wolf at 3:23 PM on May 11, 2021 [6 favorites]
No doubt! I feel like making it closer to Dark Souls than LOTR is a nod to the "darker" (to us modern folks anyway) Welsh contributions to the Arthurian legendarium , and I'm here for it.
Also, Dev Patel is a beautiful human, and I'm super happy to see a movie where the camera lingers on him. :-)
posted by lord_wolf at 3:23 PM on May 11, 2021 [6 favorites]
they’d better not have bombadiled the homoeroticism
posted by inire at 3:24 PM on May 11, 2021 [16 favorites]
posted by inire at 3:24 PM on May 11, 2021 [16 favorites]
yeah but is there gonna be kissing
posted by skycrashesdown at 3:33 PM on May 11, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by skycrashesdown at 3:33 PM on May 11, 2021 [5 favorites]
I am Groot
posted by OverlappingElvis at 3:45 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by OverlappingElvis at 3:45 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
I feel like these trailers are stirring some vague memories of other movies. Can anyone think of aesthetically similar films?
posted by phooky at 3:50 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by phooky at 3:50 PM on May 11, 2021
This looks amazing, and I'll have to think hard about heading back to the movie theater for it. Both on account of plague worries and also because I think I'd lose my entire shit if someone broke out their phone during any of these scenes, holy cow.
posted by EatTheWeek at 4:00 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by EatTheWeek at 4:00 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
I feel like making it closer to Dark Souls than LOTR is a nod to the "darker" (to us modern folks anyway) Welsh contributions to the Arthurian legendarium , and I'm here for it.
oh man this does have a fun dark souls-y feel to it, you're right. we'll see if dev patel tries rolling
posted by dismas at 4:09 PM on May 11, 2021 [8 favorites]
oh man this does have a fun dark souls-y feel to it, you're right. we'll see if dev patel tries rolling
posted by dismas at 4:09 PM on May 11, 2021 [8 favorites]
A Great Choice For "First Trip Back to the Movie Theater"
And what is A Quiet Place II then -- chopped livers?
posted by y2karl at 4:20 PM on May 11, 2021
And what is A Quiet Place II then -- chopped livers?
posted by y2karl at 4:20 PM on May 11, 2021
Update: A24 says smooches confirmed.
posted by skycrashesdown at 4:24 PM on May 11, 2021 [7 favorites]
posted by skycrashesdown at 4:24 PM on May 11, 2021 [7 favorites]
Update: A24 says smooches confirmed.
I should hope so, that's half the story!
posted by betweenthebars at 4:30 PM on May 11, 2021
I should hope so, that's half the story!
posted by betweenthebars at 4:30 PM on May 11, 2021
@dismas, I see what you did there.
posted by grimjeer at 4:39 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by grimjeer at 4:39 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Anyone ever played the kickstarter board game Tainted Grail? It seems to have a lot of overlap in vibe & style to this movie. I'm optimistic!
posted by LegallyBread at 4:55 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by LegallyBread at 4:55 PM on May 11, 2021
I feel like these trailers are stirring some vague memories of other movies. Can anyone think of aesthetically similar films?Macbeth (2015)
posted by phooky at 5:50 PM on May 11 [+] [!]
posted by Caxton1476 at 5:03 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
brainwane, have you seen Dev Patel in David Copperfield? It’s a delight. he wears a LOT of authentically tacky Victorian waistcoats.
posted by nonasuch at 5:06 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by nonasuch at 5:06 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]
oh, that david lowery. cool...!
posted by Zerowensboring at 5:17 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by Zerowensboring at 5:17 PM on May 11, 2021
Am I supposed to know who this David Lowery character is?
But, yay!, Dev Patel.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 5:24 PM on May 11, 2021
But, yay!, Dev Patel.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 5:24 PM on May 11, 2021
Oh, is it the guy from Camper Van Beethoven? I’m not sure I’d identify him as an “acclaimed” director or anything.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 5:28 PM on May 11, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 5:28 PM on May 11, 2021 [5 favorites]
His last film, A Ghost Story, is one of my favorites from the last decade.
posted by octothorpe at 5:32 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by octothorpe at 5:32 PM on May 11, 2021
Eh, we’re still putting Casey Affleck in movies, hunh?
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 5:35 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 5:35 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Eh, we’re still putting Casey Affleck in movies, hunh?
Yeah I just went to watch the trailer for A Ghost Story because octothorpe loves it but... Casey Affleck. Ah, well.
posted by tzikeh at 5:53 PM on May 11, 2021
Yeah I just went to watch the trailer for A Ghost Story because octothorpe loves it but... Casey Affleck. Ah, well.
posted by tzikeh at 5:53 PM on May 11, 2021
I forgot he was in it. To be fair he's under a bedsheet for 90% of the running time.
posted by octothorpe at 6:13 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by octothorpe at 6:13 PM on May 11, 2021
The first bulk of the trailer was very much "Teal and Orange Knight" but it got a little less monotonous later.
posted by one for the books at 6:33 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by one for the books at 6:33 PM on May 11, 2021
34 comments and no "It's just a flesh wound" jokes?? Tsk.
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:15 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Greg_Ace at 7:15 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
I feel like these trailers are stirring some vague memories of other movies. Can anyone think of aesthetically similar films?
The only other strictly Aurthurian film I can think of is 1981's extremely saucy (as I recall) Excalibur.
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:30 PM on May 11, 2021 [4 favorites]
The only other strictly Aurthurian film I can think of is 1981's extremely saucy (as I recall) Excalibur.
posted by turbid dahlia at 8:30 PM on May 11, 2021 [4 favorites]
Can anyone think of aesthetically similar films?
I'm getting some strong Pan's Labyrinth vibes from the Knight at least.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 8:42 PM on May 11, 2021 [10 favorites]
I'm getting some strong Pan's Labyrinth vibes from the Knight at least.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 8:42 PM on May 11, 2021 [10 favorites]
Can anyone think of aesthetically similar films?
Aesthetically, I was reading a certain amount of Peter Greenaway in the imagery and construction of a lot of the images in the trailer.
posted by hippybear at 8:43 PM on May 11, 2021 [5 favorites]
Aesthetically, I was reading a certain amount of Peter Greenaway in the imagery and construction of a lot of the images in the trailer.
posted by hippybear at 8:43 PM on May 11, 2021 [5 favorites]
I'm getting some strong Pan's Labyrinth vibes from the Knight at least.
Yeah, there's some del Toro in there -- especially the scene with the giants reminds me of the Hellboy sequel.
posted by dismas at 8:45 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yeah, there's some del Toro in there -- especially the scene with the giants reminds me of the Hellboy sequel.
posted by dismas at 8:45 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
While us was watching I was thinking a little Pan’s Labyrinth, a little GoT, and maybe a little Polanski’s MacBeth.
posted by simra at 8:59 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by simra at 8:59 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Plus, Troll Hunter.
posted by simra at 8:59 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by simra at 8:59 PM on May 11, 2021 [1 favorite]
Can anyone think of aesthetically similar films?
- Peter Greenaway
- Terry Gilliam
- Julie Taymor
- Sally Potter
- Tarsem Singh
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:13 PM on May 11, 2021 [7 favorites]
- Peter Greenaway
- Terry Gilliam
- Julie Taymor
- Sally Potter
- Tarsem Singh
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 9:13 PM on May 11, 2021 [7 favorites]
If he only kisses the lady, I'll riot.
But I'm optimistic. The trailer seems sufficiently committed to leaning into the freaky stuff. I'm excited to see they decided to fill in the actual quest part with random stuff that makes for cool visuals. This story is maybe 10% plot and 90% vibes and the trailer makes me hope the movie will get it right.
posted by sohalt at 9:30 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
But I'm optimistic. The trailer seems sufficiently committed to leaning into the freaky stuff. I'm excited to see they decided to fill in the actual quest part with random stuff that makes for cool visuals. This story is maybe 10% plot and 90% vibes and the trailer makes me hope the movie will get it right.
posted by sohalt at 9:30 PM on May 11, 2021 [2 favorites]
I don't know anything about the "authenticity" of it all, but I approve of the eeriness. And the past should feel alien, not like some ren-fair with modern haircuts, modern mannerisms and clean and tidy clothes. Even the recent past - the Mad Men picnic scene comes to mind.
posted by Harald74 at 10:46 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by Harald74 at 10:46 PM on May 11, 2021
Can anyone think of aesthetically similar films?
Peter Greenaway is definitely in there, specifically Prospero's Books. I feel like I'm being reminded of a Beowulf film in the early aughts that used a ton of "digital backlot" sets that create the kind of hazy lighting and uncanny-valley spaces that I see some of in the GK trailer, but it wasn't the digitally animated one and it wasn't the weird puppetry one with Marina Sirtis, so...
posted by All hands bury the dead at 11:15 PM on May 11, 2021
Peter Greenaway is definitely in there, specifically Prospero's Books. I feel like I'm being reminded of a Beowulf film in the early aughts that used a ton of "digital backlot" sets that create the kind of hazy lighting and uncanny-valley spaces that I see some of in the GK trailer, but it wasn't the digitally animated one and it wasn't the weird puppetry one with Marina Sirtis, so...
posted by All hands bury the dead at 11:15 PM on May 11, 2021
aesthetically and cinematographically looks great and refreshing but i can’t be the only one who finds the formulaicity of the trailer trifling. pretty sure i was sick of it ten years ago already. are they just algorithmically generated at this point?
posted by LeviQayin at 11:24 PM on May 11, 2021
posted by LeviQayin at 11:24 PM on May 11, 2021
I am incredibly excited to see an actual attempt at telling a story from the Arthurian legends, rather than a ham handed attempt to “punch up” (Guy Ritchie) a cycle of absolutely fantastical stories. It’s why I love Excalibur, because it does, as best as it can, to tell the Mallory story, and leans into it as hard as it can. I’d love if this gets deep into the myths and legends that haven’t really gotten much (modern) attention.
That said, for all of the ham handed “gritty” movies out there, the movie I would spend millions of dollars to get on the screen (if anyone is feeling generous) would be Sutcliffe’s Sword at Sunset, which, if you haven’t read it, is almost like Crichton’s Eaters of the Dead (but, you know good), an attempt at trying to tell the story that became the legend. It’s Artos, a tribal leader in the years after the Roman legions retreated, trying to hold together the society he was raised in while dealing with the Saxon invasion, set in roughly 450 CE. Hot damn, I’d love to see that on the screen.
posted by Ghidorah at 12:17 AM on May 12, 2021 [2 favorites]
That said, for all of the ham handed “gritty” movies out there, the movie I would spend millions of dollars to get on the screen (if anyone is feeling generous) would be Sutcliffe’s Sword at Sunset, which, if you haven’t read it, is almost like Crichton’s Eaters of the Dead (but, you know good), an attempt at trying to tell the story that became the legend. It’s Artos, a tribal leader in the years after the Roman legions retreated, trying to hold together the society he was raised in while dealing with the Saxon invasion, set in roughly 450 CE. Hot damn, I’d love to see that on the screen.
posted by Ghidorah at 12:17 AM on May 12, 2021 [2 favorites]
The camerawork seems too dynamic for Greenaway. That said, I am very aware of a tradition of peripheral or "art" cinema that he's a part of, that this film seems to be aspiring - similar examples would be the work of Peter Strickland (Berberian Sound Studio, The Duke of Burgundy) or Under the Skin.
The giants are very Gilliam.
John Boorman very much wanted to put the mythic into his films, not just in Excalibur, but also The Emerald Forest and Zardoz, and there even seem to be traces of it in Point Blank or Hope and Glory.
However, when I saw the first trailer I thought "Oh, he's trying to make one of those films", but now I come to think of it, I can't think of any other examples of Those Films, outside of that network of art movies that include Greenaway, Potter, Jarman and co. And Neil Jordan's The Company of Wolves.
Outside of cinema, I'm immediately struck by the work of Alan Garner - although his work takes the mythology of Britain and runs it into the modern everyday. I'm very glad that someone has done something that's authentic to the medieval aesthetic, but everything is shiny and new.
posted by Grangousier at 12:54 AM on May 12, 2021 [4 favorites]
The giants are very Gilliam.
John Boorman very much wanted to put the mythic into his films, not just in Excalibur, but also The Emerald Forest and Zardoz, and there even seem to be traces of it in Point Blank or Hope and Glory.
However, when I saw the first trailer I thought "Oh, he's trying to make one of those films", but now I come to think of it, I can't think of any other examples of Those Films, outside of that network of art movies that include Greenaway, Potter, Jarman and co. And Neil Jordan's The Company of Wolves.
Outside of cinema, I'm immediately struck by the work of Alan Garner - although his work takes the mythology of Britain and runs it into the modern everyday. I'm very glad that someone has done something that's authentic to the medieval aesthetic, but everything is shiny and new.
posted by Grangousier at 12:54 AM on May 12, 2021 [4 favorites]
Where is Augie? This is based on Zach Weinersmith's book right?
posted by bdc34 at 6:07 AM on May 12, 2021
posted by bdc34 at 6:07 AM on May 12, 2021
Obviously this is dumb given everything else that happened in 2020, but a particular low point for me last year was when I realized that A24 wasn't going to release this on schedule.
posted by grandiloquiet at 7:18 AM on May 12, 2021
posted by grandiloquiet at 7:18 AM on May 12, 2021
Where is Augie? This is based on Zach Weinersmith's book right?
No, it's based on the original Arthurian tale.
posted by octothorpe at 8:46 AM on May 12, 2021
No, it's based on the original Arthurian tale.
posted by octothorpe at 8:46 AM on May 12, 2021
I like that they are leaning hard into the folk horror vibe for this. it feels appropriate for a time when the pagan world was waning, giving way to the christian, but not gone yet. the deeply uncanny feels right.
my favorite written work on the period is Mary Stewart's (Crystal Cave in particular) I think she did a fantastic job of capturing the material life of the time and also the vibe, hewing to the core Arthurian texts in content and spirit.
re visual style: when was the last time you all ever sat down to enjoy Dragonslayer? (yes, that one) it's SOOOOO good!! I mean its gorgeous visually and shares a certain aesthetic sensibility that the trailer seems to have.
posted by supermedusa at 11:53 AM on May 12, 2021 [3 favorites]
my favorite written work on the period is Mary Stewart's (Crystal Cave in particular) I think she did a fantastic job of capturing the material life of the time and also the vibe, hewing to the core Arthurian texts in content and spirit.
re visual style: when was the last time you all ever sat down to enjoy Dragonslayer? (yes, that one) it's SOOOOO good!! I mean its gorgeous visually and shares a certain aesthetic sensibility that the trailer seems to have.
posted by supermedusa at 11:53 AM on May 12, 2021 [3 favorites]
Yeah, I can't see anything of Greenaway in this at all. The look of it seems pretty much standard for contemporary fantasy films - ie expensive and somewhat anonymous. I did like the look of the giants though and it's a top notch cast. Looking forward to it....
posted by peterkins at 4:40 AM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by peterkins at 4:40 AM on May 13, 2021 [1 favorite]
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posted by sohalt at 1:56 PM on May 11, 2021 [3 favorites]