Commissions Earned

The 1981 film “Excalibur” is coming to 4K UHD Blu-ray and Blu-ray in Limited Edition sets via Arrow Video on February 24th in the United States. It will also be released on February 23rd in the United Kingdom. John Boorman directed the movie, which starred Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay, Cherie Lunghi, Paul Geoffrey, and Robert Addie. It co-starred Nicol Williamson, Keith Buckley, Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson, and Patrick Stewart. It’s certainly worth noting that this film featured cutting-edge computer graphics for its time. Also, it received an Academy Award [“Oscar”] nomination for “Best Cinematography.”

The movie features a new 4K restoration from the original 35mm negative. The tech specs for the 4K UHD Blu-ray include a 2160p video presentation in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, in SDR (standard dynamic range), with lossless DTS-HD Master Audio Mono and 5.1 surround sound configurations. The Blu-ray version’s tech specs include a 1080p HD video presentation in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio with DTS-HD MA Mono and 5.1 surround sound. The release will be a 3-disc set for each format. More details on the contents are further below.

UPDATED: You can now find the 4K UHD Blu-ray Limited Edition and Blu-ray Limited Edition sets are now available for preorder at Amazon. Also, you can individually preorder directly via Arrow Video’s website. You can find a glimpse at the contents of the set (in 4K form) below. Also, a list of bonus materials can be found listed below, sorted by disc.

Physical Extras:

• Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options
• Collectors’ perfect-bound booklet containing writing by Charlie Brigden, K.A. Laity, Kimberly Lindbergs, Josh Nelson, Philip Kemp, John Reppion, Icy Sedgwick and Jez Winship
• Double-sided fold-out poster featuring two original artwork options
• Six postcard-sized reproduction art cards

Disc 1 (4K UHD Blu-ray or Blu-ray):

• Contains the 141-minute Theatrical Cut of the movie
• Brand new audio commentary by Brian Hoyle, author of The Cinema of John Boorman
• Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker David Kittredge, director of Boorman and the Devil
• Archive audio commentary by director John Boorman

Disc 2 (Blu-ray):

• The Making of Excalibur: Myth into Movie, a never before released 48-minute documentary directed by Neil Jordan during the production of Excalibur
• To Be a Knight and Follow a King, a newly filmed interview with director John Boorman and actor Charley Boorman
• When Death Was but a Dream, a newly filmed interview with creative associate Neil Jordan
• The Charm of Making, a newly filmed interview with production designer Anthony Pratt
• Confessions of a Professional “Pain-in-the-ass”, a newly filmed interview with 2nd unit director Peter MacDonald
• Anam Cara, a new featurette on the working friendship of John Boorman and co-writer Rospo Pallenberg featuring a newly filmed interview with Pallenberg
• Divided Nature, a brand new featurette by film historians Howard S. Berger and Kevin Marr
• Trailers
• Image galleries

Disc 3 (Blu-ray):

• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation of the 120-minute TV Version of the film, previously unavailable on home video
• Original lossless mono audio
• Excalibur: Behind the Movie, a 50-minute retrospective documentary in which cast and crew look back on the making of the film