The grail found - Excalibur

[reachforacreech]

his moment is beautifull.they couldv ended the movie right when he grabs the grail.because thats all they needed.they needed god.all else would have come into place

[reachforacreech]

what is the music played when percival is in the water

[Umeavisby1]

@reachforacreech The title is : Percival opening, by Richard Wagner. Beautiful isn't it ? It's my favorite classic music.

[Umeavisby1]

"Je n'ai le droit de perdre espoir Lancelot, c'est tout ce qu'il me reste."

Tout est dit.

[Redcross51]

good music in the background when percival finds the grail

[cyclonus812]

@Redcross51 Wagner's Parc

ival



[IndyBearFan88]

I can't give up hope Lancelot.... It's all I have...

The fact he still has hope after all he's been through, like Job, he's proven he's worthy of the secret of the grail... He failed the first time when given the opportunity but, through his own trials and tribulations, he made up for it and stepped up like a true knight should for his king and country..

[TheEleventhIndian]

Until the Land and the People are One. The sword shall never rise. It will never be drawn from the stone...says the Red Dragon

[CharlesDickens99]

I know Arthur was supposed to have lived in about the 7th Century but it’s a shame this film did not reference the great struggle between Christendom and Islam that were the Crusades.

You can argue the Crusades began in the 7th Century not the 11th since Charles Martel’s struggle against Muslims can be seen as part of that conflict.

Charles Martel is, of course, the nearest French equivalent to King Arthur as a hero of the Dark Ages. And more of a real historical figure, of course.

[frazzittasong]

@CharlesDickens99 King Arthur lived in the 4th and 5th centuries, long before Islam. At the time, Britain was facing the Saxon invasion of their Romano-Celtic world.

[frazzittasong]

@CharlesDickens99 I meant to say that he lived in the 5th and 6th centuries (late 400's to early 500's).

[CharlesDickens99]

Percival is the best character in the film.

[iainhead]

Theres some lovely filth over here...

[lacedemonians]

Percival has great character development. He is first a spirited boy awed by Lancelot’s bright image. At the queen’s trial, to save her from humiliation, in a moment of nobility and courage he offers to defend her honor – and is knighted. On the quest, he refuses Morgana and is hung on a tree of corpses. Terrified at death’s door - he fails. Dying Uryens implores him. Shamed Lancelot rejects him. Finally, shed of all but innocent indomitable hope, in a moment of grace - he succeeds.

[nephos100]

@lacedemonians "in a moment of grace" - I love that. No better way to say it.

[caiusKeys]

Another's analysis, but so good I wanted to share: Actually, it was Lancelot who abandoned Arthur, a "pot kettle black" situation. Lancelot had the missing cup, and Percival's forgiveness made the cup into the grail. Lancelot abandoned the round table and betrayed Arthur by sleeping with Guinevere, then Arthur threw away Excalibur. Despite it all, Percival asked Lancelot to return as Arthur needed him, and Lancelot listened. Finally the shedding of armor symbolizes humility. A very deep scene.

[bindon4]

They just don't make films like this anymore!

Wagner's Prelude to Parsifal is so beautiful - this scene gives me goosebumps every time i see it!

[admvdb]

"You and the land are one" is all that is Arthur as protagonist. Perceval aids Arthur's realisation that he IS his people - the aspiration to transcend clan barbarism to a united peace and prosperity. Without a King to lead, the land and people will suffer. As such, and unfortunately, Arthur must be more than a man (he personifies the human ideal of transcendence) which leaves him bereft of living a normal man's life, i.e. the failure of his marriage to Guenevere. Fantastic hero tragedy.

[nephos100]

As Percival shouts out, "Arthur needs you!", we are looking at Lancelot's face. Lancelot has ceased his anger and condemnation and we can see that he is listening. At this point Percival is soon to have his epiphany and has simultaneously opened the door for Lancelot's salvation by prompting his return to Arthur in his great moment of need. A king is only as strong as his subjects and now, after years of spiritual exile, all will be returning, renewed, to Arthur's side.

[lacedemonians]

@nephos100 - Lancelot cannot bring himself to acknowledge that his old squire, companion, and friend Percivel is calling him by name. It must be because Lancelot cannot yet face himself. But when he does, he has his own revelation - “My salvation is to die a knight of the Round Table.”

[nephos100]

@lacedemonians You are right when you say Lancelot has yet to face himself at the time Percival is seeking him out. Guilt has driven Lancelot since he first saw Guinevere and only gets worse as his betrayals of Arthur heighten. He was Arthur's Champion, his best friend and his greatest knight. He seeks forgiveness from Arthur at the end, for without it he cannot be absolved of his guilt and become worthy of the Round Table. But his revelation to seek forgiveness is when Percival finds him.

[yarbles67]

@nephos100

You sir - are epic. Awesome insight. Thanks for elaborating on the scene and putting it into perspective.

[louthleviathan]

gives me chills everytime.

[nephos100]

I just elaborated on Yarbles67 and Lord Zontar below. Looking at the scene we see Percival finding Lancelot and appealing to him to return to Arthur's side. This is a wonderful development as it was originally Lancelot who found Percival and brought him to Camelot. Percival is oblivious to the funeral procession, such is his intent on making his appeal, even as he is beaten and driven off to face himself in the transformative waters. Percival and Lancelot are mirrors of each other in the Quest.

[nephos100]

Percival, the innocent fool, is destined to find the grail. This scene moves me to tears, it is so powerful. Drowning under the weight of his own self he has to become new again. Emerging to higher consciousness, freed from drowning in the metaphorical waters, he realises the secret of the grail.

[ysbaddaden2003]

I watch this movie every Samhain.

I dunno, just seems appropriate.

[abbamanic]

This is an amazing scene, one of my favourites. Wagner really made this film work as much as Boorman.

[caiusKeys]

Ya know, this is such a profound and great scene -- figures that it's received less than 1k views. Did anybody else notice that the Lancelot/John the Baptist character throws a chalice at Perceval at 1:11 when he says, "Christ has abandoned us!" What's that about?

[gpwerner]

@caiusKeys Every person who dares to hope or dream should see this scene. Absolutely sublime--one of the most of its kind in cinema history.

[nephos100]

@caiusKeys Guilt has driven Lancelot into religious fervour in an attempt to deal with his betrayals of Arthur. He condemns the knights for "making themselves gods and causing Christ to abandon them", in order to deny the knights' sacred quest to which he should have been sworn. Throwing the sacramental cup at Percival is a display of anger, an anger that is only covering up his guilt and it is a Christian condemnation of the knights' higher quest.

[LordZontar]

Percivale finds the Grail only after shedding the trappings of knighthood and approaching it in a state of innocence, with his mind clear. It is an old yet powerful image of all vision quests and searches for wisdom, when the seeker has slipped off the distractions of the world. The truth points to itself.

[yarbles67]

water, cleansing, the shredding of the armor skin. boorman is a movie making god.

[IsilionNELE]

knappe scene