Lancelot du Lac

To me, this concerns the ethical aporia of droit and justice, and specifically the tragedy of a man who insists on doing everything his own singular way, to the point of betraying his king, yet wants somehow to remain impossibly loyal to him. I can barely believe it has taken me 28 years to realise that MILLER'S CROSSING is precisely a modernised version of this tale - and more specifically a remake of this film. Even the woods are similar, though the concealing helmets are replaced by hats.

I prefer Bresson's earlier, funny movies.

Bresson's minimalistic style is in full force, and it's not bad, but with none of the depth you'd expect from a Bresson film. There's also little of the excitement or rich story telling you'd expect from a film based on Arthurian legend, which leaves the film without much to hold the viewer's interest.

Obscure Arthurian-themed work from Bresson's later nihilistic period. For fans only, and even then... Besides the occasional remarkable visuals and stark atmosphere, the best part about this film for me was the music. A disappointment overall however.

This is not my favorite Bresson movie. But this is probably the one where his characteristics as a director are clearer. Very classy, and a grower.

I would say the unromantic portrayal of knights is very welcome, but the problem is it's all based around something insipidly romantic. Bresson doesn't seem to know exactly what he's trying to say here. It's really missing his touch in areas, for instance, the gore (yes, gore in a Bresson movie) looks terribly fake. The cinematography also seems to lack that static, perfectionist touch.

You gotta dig Bresson's style, but it doesn't seem to work in such as a period setting. Technically, it makes quite a lot of this film look clunky, and this sort of just plays out like a porno version of Game of Thrones, but with no sex and all dull acting.

Robert Bresson #2

# 395

The knights here resemble automatons that seem more likely to leak oil than blood. The jousting scene is rightfully lauded, and there's an incredible moment late in the movie that compresses the entire action and chaos of a battle into one sound effect. The removal of clanky armor at a key point in the film at once emphasizes both the tragedy and the elation of embracing love over violence, that the failure of the grail quest wasn't because of adultery but because of a lack of kindness.

Maybe ... a little bit ... dry?

The scenes with Guinevere are great, but the rest of the film does little for me. Its deconstruction of genre I found silly and tedious - we get it, you think pointing a camera at someone's feet for much of the film subverts our expectations of medieval knights in shining armour flicks - and the clunky, even cheesy, fight scenes are irritating. Most of the film is just a bit bland, though certainly not bad. Bresson has a definite way with images, I just don't click with his style much.

Bresson's deconstruction of the Arthurian legend is probably his most divisive film. The problem isn't his recreation of the historical period, but rather that his style initially seems incongruent with its surroundings. If the viewer can clear this hurdle, what emerges is an highly unusual, typically idiosyncratic take on a well known story that is stripped of all romantic content. The sound design is the highlight: the clanging of swords and armor rings with brittle discordance.

This is a fine movie in that it's exceptionally well-crafted and, as far as I can tell, executes exactly as Bresson wanted. There are some amazing scenes, such as the joust tournament but overall it's just not my thing.

437

Bresson's worst movie, which would be a great for anyone else.

74.00

Mixed feelings. I really liked the realism and the knights in not-so-shining armor, but the constant waist-down shots got old really quickly. Walking legs in tights are just not all that interesting.

I had to watch this movie during a medieval film class... boy... this movies sucks... Bresson plays with camera perspectives that lead you to crick your neck because you think you might actually see something when you do that. Besides, the acting was really low as well as was the story itself.

" One suspects that Bresson wanted to interpret Arthurian legend in a way that would emphasize its petty emotions and physicalities." - Zach Campbell

Maybe this deconstruction would have worked better for me if I had more familiarity with the source material. I assume that the result matches the director's vision, but for me it wasn't a particularly entertaining or enlightening watch.

If nothing else, this at least serves as an interesting companion piece to Rohmer's Perceval. Whereas Rohmer uses Arthurian legend as a jumping-off point for a completely unique and different aesthetic from his typical work, here Bresson is basically just doing an almost archetypal Bresson film... but with armor. It also finds him at his driest, if most stylistically disciplined. The philosophical dialogues between Lancelot and Guienevere are the obvious (admittedly compelling) high points.

445

Bresson strips away the chivalry, magic and romanticism of the Arthurian legend and instead presents flawed human beings engaged in petty squabbles and grievances. Tearing down these epic heroes to their most base flaws is his testament to the inescapable failings of man, and the film's simple, unglamorous style readily bestows the relevant nihilistic quality on the proceedings.

Somehow manages to make the King Arthur legend boring. Normally I like Bresson okay, but maybe this just isn't great material for him, at least for me. It was only an 80 minute movie and couldn't really hold my attention. The acting is so minimalist that it just bored me.

Bresson's elliptical editing in the final act of this film undermines the narrative in a way that forces us to question our perceptions as well as the motives of the characters. This strategy heightens the senselessness of the violence in the film, a point that blends well with the opening sequence. Further, the use of armor adds something of a dehumanizing effect, with only the delicate and exquisitely dressed Guinevere holding out the promise of love and grace.

#488