Film

n the twentieth century, the new medium of film has brought another visual dimension to the Arthurian legend, and consequentially introduced the myth to new generations. The medium of film can be regarded as the assimilation of both art and literature and is a way in which history can be told visually and informatively. 'First Knight', 1995, focussed heavily on the love triangle formed by the relationships between Arthur, Guinevere and Lancelot. The film revealed much about the internal conflicts among the characters, and director Jerry Zucker placed a heavier emphasis on the domestic developments among the three rather than giving a detailed and accurate historical perspective. The film portrays the aging Arthur as he takes on a much younger wife, Lady Guinevere of Leonesse, and recounts the chaos and tumult, which occurs as the truth about Guinevere's affair with Lancelot unravels. The film also provides some background information on the Knights of the Round Table, the search for the Holy Grail, and Arthur's death at the hands of Mordred.

The 1998 two-part mini-series 'Merlin' is the most recent celluloid Arthurian offering, and is a visually extravagant chronicle of the life of King Arthur and all the other characters which surround him.As the title suggests, the film is largely narrated from the perspective of Merlin, the wizard, who oversees Arthur's conception and his ascension to the throne. A major subplot concerns Merlin's love affair with Nimue. The film provides a wider, perspective of the Arthurian legend as it portrays important characters such as Morgan Le Fay, the Lady of the Lake, Lady Elaine, Mordred and Uther. However, 'Merlin' is flawed by many inaccuracies and artistic license. For instance, Nimue is portrayed as a separate character to the Lady of the Lake, who in turn is presented as the polar-opposite sister of Queen Mab, a character who can only be explained as a manifestation of the writer's overactive imagination. However, young people enjoy the film for its vivid story telling, its impressive imagery and special effects. Only Arthurian purists seem to mind its historical and literary absurdities.