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February 04, 2008
The Charm of Making
I have watched Excalibur every two or three years since I was young enough to regard Helen Mirren with something like superstitious awe. Actually, that feeling has not gone away... John Boorman's over-the-top Arthurian spectacle is not everyone's cup of tea but it is one of my favourite films. People have their complaints, primarily due to historically inaccuracy - whatever that might mean in this context - and liberties with the text, as if there was some canonical Arthur Boorman should have emulated. Such are but minor quibbles when set against the aforementioned Helen Mirren. No, my irritation with the film had to do with a little mystery concerning one of its best hooks, a spell "Merlyn" uses to conjure the Dragon.
It took 25 years but, thanks again to the intertubes, I finally know the meaning of the words of the Charm of Making; it is a riff on Old Irish, apparently. This just leaves my quest for a Merlyn hat of awesomeness in my lifetime To Do list.
The above lore is thanks to the fantastically named No Smoking in the Skull Cave, also the source of an unspeakable horror: There may be some parallel universe where John Boorman secured the financing for his adaptation of The Lord of the Rings.
I gather this monstrosity is locked in a vault somewhere; hopefully in a stack somewhere further back than the Ark of the Covenant.
Posted by Ghost of a flea at February 4, 2008 07:23 AM
Comments
Helen Mirren is my go-to example when I try to explain to someone what "attractive but not beautiful" is.
Posted by: Clayton Barnett at February 4, 2008 09:55 AM
I think I see the distinction. To me, beautiful women tend to be less hot ("attractive") than women with an interesting imperfection.
This works in the other direction too. Here I am thinking of Agent Bedhead's otherwise inexplicable Pete Doherty fascination. It worked in Kate Moss too, apparently.
Posted by: Ghost of a flea at February 4, 2008 10:08 AM
It is with great relief I recall that the Universe is rules by a just and loving God thereby eliminiting the possibility that such a nightmarish raping of Lord of the Rings could be put to cellulose.
We must all give our thanks.
Posted by: Christopher Ross at February 4, 2008 03:01 PM
Arghh. How could I forget this film? How could I forget that it has Helen Mirren in it.
That's me off for a cold shower...
...on second thoughts.
Where's that box of tissues?
Posted by: cha0tic at February 5, 2008 05:56 AM
Helen is better than beautiful. She is magnificient.