King Arthur on Film New Essays on Arthurian Cinema (review)

Book Reviews | Regular Feature to place a positive spin on Crimes andMisdemeanors (1989), in which an ophthalmologist appears to get away with murder, is less convincing. And Allen's two most recent pictures, DeconstructingHarry and Celebrity, seem darker and morepessimistic than the cinema discussed by Nichols. Also, critics will complain that Nichols does not include any explanation for selecting the films under discussion. For example, Manhattan is not considered, and one cannot help but wonder whether the screenplay's theme of a romance between a younger woman and an older man is too autobiographical for the argument which Nichols seeks to make. In addition, the text makes several references to Hannah and Her Sisters, which a more detailed chapter might clarify. Nichols fails to develop any historical context for the movies under discussion, nor does she consider any of the feminist film criticism leveled at Allen and his cinema. In conclusion, Allen's critics—and those looking for gossip —will be disappointed by this study; however, serious fans of Allen's art, will treasure the volume. Nichols includes a detailedplot synopsis foreach ofthe dozen films in the study. These descriptions will allow Allen's admirers to fondly recall why they are so drawn to his movies and vindication oflife; perhaps choosing to visit their local video store in search of rekindling the moral vision inherent in such artistic works as Annie Hall (1977), Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), and Bullets Over Broadway (1994). Michael Marino Teachers College, Columbia University mikem56@sprynet.com Kevin J. Harty. King Arthur on Film New Essays on Arthurian Cinema. McFarland, 1999. 287 pages; $39.95. Made for the Movies The images of King Arthur and his colorful cohorts are readily identifiable to anyone even moderately attuned toAmerican popular culture: the nobility ofArthur and his knights; the betrayal ofLancelot; the questforthe Grail; the mystery ofMerlin and the duplicity ofMorgan Le Fay. Despite their original source in arcane legend, movies aboutArthur and his exploits make for the stuffcraved byAmerican audiences, encompassing violence, grisly combat, betrayal, honor, sex and redemption. King Arthur, it would seem, was made for the movies, a fact most evident in the wide variety of films that have been made about Arthur and the legends that surround him. The collection of essays published in King Arthur on Film were written in large part to help make some sense of the vast body of work that has been produced about Arthur and his exploits. As Kevin Harty's detailed introductory chapter makes clear, the legends of King Arthur and Camelot have been an enduring aspect of popular cinema and are almost synonymous with both the history of film and popular culture. As portrayed in film, King Arthur has come in many forms and the Camelot legend has been told many times from many different perspectives . Thus, the essays in King Arthur on Film makes some sense of the diverse cinematic and visual offerings about Arthurian legend. The essays found in the book cover a wide variety oftopics ranging fromArthurian language and gender issues, to studies of Arthurian characters such as Merlin and Morgan Le Fay. A particularly interesting chapterby Michael N. Saldais called "What's Up, Duke?" and it focuses on howArthurian legend has been depicted in cartoons and is tailored to appeal to children. Further, several chapters in the book are detailed individual treatments of selected films about Arthur such as The Fisher King and Excalibur. The essays will most assuredly give the reader a strong sense of the many different ways in whichArthur has been portrayed on film and how pervasive Arthurian legend has been in popular culture. The essays will also help the reader see things he or she might not normally look for in these films. For example, the essay by Jacqueline Jenkins, "First Nights and Common Men: Masculinity in American Arthurian Film " discusses how motion pictures ostensibly set in the Middle Ages nonetheless incorporate the standard characteristics movie audiences associate with the American movie hero. Thus, the essay helps readers interpret popular culture images that are sometimes difficult to unearth. Similar, Elizaeth S. Sklar's essay "Twain forTeens: Young Yankees in Camelot," also demonstrates the lack of congruence between reality...