Once and Future Arthurian Enchantments!
By
Kristin Battestella
Let's
get our early medieval old speaketh education on with this chivalrous
list of family friendly and Arthurian-centric documentaries.
The Arthurian Legends: The Legend of King Arthur – This 50 minute
documentary from 2006 is the first in this series from Kultur and
spends its time focusing on the historical and fanciful merging of
the Arthur mythos. Interviews with scholarly experts and modern
medievalists debate Arthur as a hero modeled to fit his time and
place and how the legend has traveled across cultures and through the
centuries. Balanced point/counterpoint theories break up the expected
man versus myth monotony, and the time is divided into themed
segments such as the Malory Arthurian era, Arthur’s genesis with
the Sword in the Stone, Excalibur, and the Geoffrey of Monmouth
writings. Everything from early Ecclesiastic evidence and Roman
influence on the legend to Sarmatian possibilities, dragon motifs,
and Christian iconography is discussed here. Granted, the standard
Camelot summary and knightly re-enactments are here, too. However,
Stonehenge scenery and lovely artwork contribute to the well edited
pacing. This won't be anything new to the well read Arthur
enthusiast, my rental disc skipped, and there are no subtitles which
might hinder an otherwise fine classroom viewing. Some may also find
the presentation too dated or British, but considering the subject,
what did you expect? This one is just the right length and none too
high brow for a youthful medieval fan.
The Arthurian Legends: Camelot –
This second documentary hour focuses on the would be
seat of King Arthur. Was there really such a place as Camelot? How do
you research a city that seemingly did not exist? Name corruptions
from Chretien de Troyes, Roman ties, and several historical locales
with similar monikers are discussed as numerous places on the UK map
have their eponymous case made known. Mobile forces, original wooden
hill forts developing into later medieval stone castles, and real
world locations such as Tintagel debate how Arthur has gradually
changed from a Welsh warlord who needed no hall to a king with a
supposedly most chivalrous court. By chapters, scholars recount
evidence for Camelot, writings after the fact from 15th
century Malory and later Tennyson in the Victorian era, and the
symbolic haven of peace and justice Camelot brought for peoples
living in a darker time. From the Round Table hanging at Winchester
Castle and fair government ideology to underlying Christian themes on
inherent goodness meeting innate corruption, the narration becomes a
bit too lofty at times – whimsical but also bemoaning on the
impossibility of a finite Camelot answer. The accented, fast talking
experts also become redundant while tossing around confusing ye olde
names and waxing on the allure of a lost city mixing magic and
idyllic possibilities gone awry. Fortunately, great scenery and
locations with Cadbury excavations, Viroconium ruins, and research on
actual 5th century construction make up any difference for
today's knightly loving teens.
The Arthurian Legends: Merlin
– The final leg in the Arthurian
Legend series focuses on
those separately inseparable aspects between the eponymous wizard and
King Arthur. Did this wild man of the woods even meet Arthur or are
their sources too far apart? From Merlin's natural, pagan origins and
his mysterious conception to his legendary erection of Stonehenge and
his blending into Christianity and other native religions, the
segments here break down Geoffrey of Monmouth's information alongside
other early or obscure sources. Factual or mythical basis for the
possibility of more than one Merlin is debated alongside Welsh
terminology versus Celtic lore and evidence for the existence of a
real 6th
century man who has been described as a part demon magician and a
warrior poet. Name changes – even jokes about the potential for a
“shitty” Latin translation snafu – and prophecies attributed to
Merlin’s name help paint the backdrop for Roman and Saxon strife,
Druid teachings, and pagan versus Christian influences. At times the
muddled supposition strays to far from the details we know and love,
but some of the conjecture from fringe scholars is perhaps fittingly
esoteric. Fortunately, there are enough new theories and quality
historical scope here to conclude this fun and informative little
trilogy.
Documentary
Bonus:
Mystery Files: King Arthur –
This 2010 half hour from the Smithsonian Channel series wastes
precious minutes and a little too much time on a recap of the
well-known legend. It also makes sure it looks right cool with
cinematic, digitally graded color, fast, angled photography, and
badass re-enactments – young classroom audiences won’t have a
tough time watching this! Again, Le
Morte d Arthur
and Malory are used to frame the presentation, and common topics like
chivalrous codes and jousting feel like an unnecessary geek chic
lure. However, expert opinions – mostly young, hip scholars, of
course – break up the obvious narration on how the 15th
century writings have obscured the Dark Ages facts. Understandably,
the Ambrosius Aurelianus and Riothamus amalgam conversation is
presented as the new, shocking, crux, but it’s all overly
generalized and brief by necessity due to the short runtime here. In
this era of reality shows on The History Channel and Ancient
Aliens on its sister
station, however, it’s simply so nice to find quality, educational,
and informative content – and the on location Tintagel scenery is
lovely! The brevity may bother long time Arthurian aficionados, but
this short and sweet is fitting for today’s fantasy tweens with a
budding interest in Arthurian fanfare.
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