The Passing Of Arthur And Excalibur :: essays research papers

John Boorman adapted the Passing of Arthur in the movieExcalibur. Movies are not the only adaptations of Tennysonspoem but on that point are several art and music adaptations. Examplesof these adaptations include music by Loreena McKennit andpaintings by John William Waterhouse, Howard Pyle and ArthurRackham. In Bela Balazss Art Form and Material Balazs statesthat a good adaptation is a reinterpretation of the original. Boorman uses nature and color to recreate the atmosphere of theoriginal text. These techniques enhance the richness of themovie, provide a more in attainment view of Arthurs life and make thesetting more interesting.Tennysons descriptive writing allows the reader to form detailed pictures. The atmosphere Tennyson creates focuses a destinyon the beauty of nature. During the scene when Bedivere throwsExcalibur in the lake he describes the area with zigzag paths,and juts of pointed rock, the shining levels of the lake...the pass moon, long cloud and frost. He produc es an atmosphere ofbleakness and despair. Tennyson concentrates on the image of the winter moon whileBedivere tries to get rid of the Excalibur. This picture makesthe reader think that the setting is a winter night. Accordingto Websters dictionary, winter symbolizes of coldness, misery ordeath. Winter is the season when living things die. The moononly comes out during the night. At night people rest fromtheir busy lives and do nothing. nighttime closely related to winterbecause both are very dark and bleak times. The lack of scintillationshows the sadness happening to Arthur. As Arthur passes the onlylight he has comes from the winter moon. The reader gets thefeeling that Arthur is heading there. Tennyson chooses darkwords and images to create a very desolate and gloomy setting.Sidney Lumet states in Making Movies there are nounimportant decisions in a movie. Production designers put alot of effort to recreate the original text. The setting is avery important factor in making a m ovie. It contributes to muchof the style of a movie. Settings reflects many of the directorsinsights and opinions. There are times where the director goesto great lengths alone to form the perfect scene. They leave nodetail spared. According to Lumet, a directors goal is tocreate a setting so that the audience feels apart of the moviesworld. When the director needs to find a setting for his/her movieLumet recommends to find places that are closest to what youwant to end up with. If the setting needs to be changed it canchange the atmosphere and become expensive too. Art direction