Product Description

Winner of the International Critics' Prize at Cannes in 1974, Bresson's masterpiece has lost none of its power and continues to cast a mystical spell. In this compelling and hypnotic film about the Arthurian legend, the Knights of the Round Table, their numbers depleted by their bloody and fruitless quest for the Holy Grail, return to King Arthur's court. Once there, Lancelot's passionate relationship with Queen Guinevere causes the Knights to fall out amongst themselves, eventually leading to their downfall. 'Lancelot du Lac' is a unique and compelling vision of the Knights of the Round Table from one of the cinema's foremost artists.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9429 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-04-28
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 81 minutes

Synopsis
The Knights Of The Round Table return home from their quest for the Holy Grail. Queen Guinevere continues her love affair with Sir Lancelot which causes the Knights to begin fighting amongst themselves. French dialogue with English subtitles.

Customer Reviews

Bresson's Lancelot
Lancelot du Lac is similar to other films by Bresson. The story is presented very fast and efficient: in the intro we are shown a few shots of knights being killed and horsemen riding through the woods: the knights of the round table are on their way home, decimated and having failed in the quest to find the grail. Also, like other films by Bresson, the scenes are usually in small settings or relayed through close ups: we are not given any grand views of castles (just interiors) or landscapes (trees mostly). And the actors are "models", that is they do not act by expressing emotions that explain their actions and show their personalities - instead dialogue are delivered in a monotone way and feelings are barely expressed. This is not intended to be a "realistic" film, and it is far away from the Hollywood dramas or detailed depictions of the middle ages.

The core of the film is the return of Lancelot and how this causes conflicts between the knights for and against him, and a moral conflict where Lancelot must decide if he's going to take Guinevere away from king Arthur. It gets quite suspenseful and dramatic, despite the lack of special effects. I like how battles are barely shown: in the tournament we see mostly glimpses of lances and knights repeatedly falling to the ground, and other times we are just shown a short glimpse of a knight with blood flowing from the throat.

What I lack in this DVD from AE is extra material (there are none). But considering the excellent transfer and a price under 10GBP it is great value for money anyway. If you're into Bresson or cinema in general, this is a must buy. If you're more into Hollywood films like Robin Hood you may watch this as an interesting alternative way of telling a story.

No Camelot, but much to Likealot
Bresson and Knights of the Round Table? Wait a minute, am I imaging things? As improbable as it seems for this director to take on such a subject, what he does with it is no departure at all from the style and tastes we have come to expect from his other films. This is no Camelot. The opening sequence clears up any doubts the viewer might have about that. In a sparse and mannered treatment of the familiar story, Bresson obtains some wonderful performances and - most especially - conjures a world of values, attitudes and temperaments completely pre-modern; a world we enter and leave with him but could never mistake for our own. Anachronisms abound in most tellings of the Arthurian legends - even Malory's - and yet Bresson seems capable of transcending the challenge with none of the overwrought spectacle and emphasis on period details that films usually employ to coax submission from the audience to their "idea" of verisimilitude.