Merlin (film)
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| Merlin | |
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_1.jpg/200px-Merlin_(movie)_1.jpg) DVD Cover |
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| Directed by | Steve Barron |
| Produced by | Dyson Lovell Robert Halmi Sr. |
| Written by | Edward Khmara David Stevens Peter Barnes |
| Starring | Sam Neill Miranda Richardson Helena Bonham Carter Isabella Rossellini John Gielgud Rutger Hauer Martin Short Lena Headey |
| Music by | Trevor Jones |
| Release date(s) | 1998, 26 April |
| Running time | 182 mins |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $30,000,000 (estimated) |
| Followed by | Merlin's Apprentice |
| IMDb profile | |
Merlin is a 3 hour made-for-television movie released in 1998 that retells the famous legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard Merlin. Sam Neill stars in the title role in a story that covers not only the rise and fall of Camelot but also the phase, supposedly in the history of the British Isles, that had preceded it.
The film deviated from more traditional versions of the myth, notably by including new characters such as Flick and by keeping Merlin through the whole reign of King Arthur over Logres (whereas in older versions Merlin left earlier on in the king's reign). The film was followed by a sequal in 2006, Merlin's Apprentice, which had nothing to do with traditional Arthurian legends.
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[edit] Plot
As Christianity spreads over Britain, the power of the pagan goddess Queen Mab (Miranda Richardson) is waning, and her world of magic faces imminent extinction. In order to save it, Mab decides to create a semi-human magical being, a wizard that will, she believes, bring people back to the "Old Ways", that is, the pagan religion. She creates Merlin by means of magic, which means that although the child is born from a mortal mother named Elissa, he has no mortal father. Elissa dies shortly after giving birth to Merlin, leaving the child to be raised by Ambrosia, an old woman who used to be a pagan but has since rejected Mab and the "Old Ways". Ambrosia refuses to give the new born Merlin to Mab, arguing that love is needed to raise a child, and Mab cannot provide that. Mab seems to agree on this, and leaves, but warns Ambrosia that one day she will return and take him away once he manifests his powers.
Merlin grows up with no knowledge of his true heritage, until one day, he uses magic for the first time to save a young woman named Nimue, daughter of a nobleman. That's when Mab considers him to be ready. Somewhat unwillingly, Merlin travels to Mab's underground palace, where she plans to train him in magic until he becomes the greatest wizard of all time. Merlin spends some time learning magical skills from Frik (Martin Short), Mab's gnome sidekick, but he doesn't really like magic and eventually leaves for his old home when he learns that his foster mother Ambrosia is dying. Unfortunately, he arrives late and finds Mab in Ambrosias' home. Furious, he believes Mab killed her, and swears to get his revenge and use his magical powers only to defeat Mab.
Years later, Merlin joins Uther Pendragon, the enemy of the tyrant king of Britain Vortigern. Merlin helps Uther win the war against Vortigern (whom he kills himself with the aid of the magical sword Excalibur), believing that Uther will be a just, decent king. However, Mab frustrates his efforts by weakening Uther and making him commit adultery with a nobleman's wife named Igraine. Igraine gives birth to Arthur, who is taken by Merlin as an apprentice not in magic, but in ethics and everything he needs to become the perfect king Merlin wishes to create.
Once again, Mab intervenes and manages to get Morgan le Fay, Arthur's half sister, to seduce him. Morgan le Fay then gives birth to Arthur's son, Mordred, whom Mab raises to become Arthur's downfall and to bring back the Old Ways. Frik and Morgan Le Fay fall in love after his magic makes them both beautiful. However, when it comes time for Mab to take Mordred back to her homeland to defeat Merlin and Arthur, Mab kills Morgan and Frik watches. Frik holds her as she dies and their true ugly forms are returned, but they both call each other beautiful anyway and she dies. Frik vows revenge on Mab and she takes his powers. Mordred goes with Mab to defeat Arthur, however in the film's final battle Arthur and Mordred kill each other and Merlin and Mab lose their protégées and last hopes.
Furious, Merlin returns to Camelot, where he finds Mab sitting at the Round Table. Frik, the gnome, explains that Mab is weakened, so Merlin engages her in a magic duel that drains her strengths even more. Unable to vanquish Merlin, Mab mocks him and tells him that he and his human followers can't destroy her, but Merlin knows that she is now weak enough. He turns his back on her telling her that everyone will forget her. Everyone leaves, ignoring Mab's furious calls, and soon, she fades away just the way she had feared from the beginning.
At the film's conclusion, an ancient Merlin is reunited with his love Nimue with the help of an equally-aged Frik. Merlin uses "one last trick" to restore their youth so that they can finally spend their lives together.
[edit] Production
It was produced by Dyson Lovell and directed by Steve Barron.
The story is by Edward Khmara with the teleplay written by David Stevens and Peter Barnes.
The cast includes John Gielgud (Constant), Rutger Hauer (Vortigern), Helena Bonham Carter (Morgan le Fay), Isabella Rossellini (Nimue), Lena Headey (Guinevere) and Martin Short (Frik the gnome). Nicholas Clay, who played Lancelot in John Boorman's 1981 film Excalibur, has a small role as Guinevere's father, Lord Leo.
Although the costumes used in this movie appear to be more historically accurate than those found in Excalibur (with Celtic and Roman-style armor in place of full suits of plate), there are also sprites, a dragon, a talking mountain (voiced by James Earl Jones) and a talking horse (voiced by Gielgud) that ensure the magical element is well-represented.
Illustrator Alan Lee served as the film's conceptual designer.
[edit] Sequel
Hallmark filmed a sequel in Vancouver, Merlin's Apprentice, with Neill and Richardson reprising their roles. The miniseries was broadcast in 2006.
The film has been shown on Hallmark Channel and TV1000.
