Sir Lancelot (or Launcelot) du Lac ( /ˈlænsələt/, /ˈlɔːnsələt/, /ˈlænsəlɒt/, or /ˈlɔːnsəlɒt/; and /djuːˈlæk/ or /djuːˈlɑːk/) was one of the Knights of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. He was the most trusted of King Arthur's knights and played a part in many of Arthur's victories. Lancelot is best known for his love affair with Arthur's wife Guinevere and the role he played in the search for the Holy Grail. Lancelot's life and adventures have been featured in several Medieval romances, often with conflicting back-stories and chains of events. His first appearance as a main character is in Chrétien de Troyes' Le Chevalier de la Charette, or "Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart," which was written in the 12th century. In the 13th century, he was the main focus in the lengthy Vulgate Cycle. Lancelot's exploits occurred in the section known as the Prose Lancelot.
Lancelot's literary origins are mysterious. Prior to his appearance in the works of Chrétien de Troyes, Lancelot is virtually unknown. Scholar Roger Sherman Loomis suggests that Lancelot is related to the Welsh hero Llwch Llenlleawg ("Llwch of the Striking Hand") from Culhwch and Olwen.
Monica Stucchi (born May 28, 1963), best known by her recording name, Valerie Dore is an Italian musician from Milan, Italy, born in Monaco. She came to fame during the mid-1980s as part of the Italo disco movement.
Prior to her career in music, Stucchi worked as graphic designer and was a singer in a bluegrass band that played at Milano pubs called the "Watermelon String Band" (led by Bruno Guaitamacchi) when she was discovered at age 20 by the Italo producer Roberto Gasparini.
After being discovered, Monica Stucchi choose the stage name "Valerie Dore" and began work on her first song, "The Night," an Italo disco track that would be released in 1984 in conjunction with the album of the same name. That year, Italian music news publication Sorrisi e Canzoni ("Smiles and Songs") awarded her the prize of best new artist of year. Dore's next two songs, "Get Closer" and "It's So Easy" were released in 1985 and had similar arrangements to "The Night." She won second place at the Festibar singing contest in Italy and performed on the TV show "Azzurro."
Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) was a British surreal comedy group who created Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and impact, spawning touring stage shows, films, numerous albums, several books and a stage musical as well as launching the members to individual stardom. The group's influence on comedy has been compared to The Beatles' influence on music.
The television series, broadcast by the BBC from 1969 to 1974, was conceived, written and performed by members Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Loosely structured as a sketch show, but with an innovative stream-of-consciousness approach (aided by Gilliam's animation), it pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable in style and content. A self-contained comedy team responsible for both writing and performing their work, the Pythons' creative control allowed them to experiment with form and content, discarding rules of television comedy. Their influence on British comedy has been apparent for years, while in North America it has coloured the work of cult performers from the early editions of Saturday Night Live through to more recent absurdist trends in television comedy. "Pythonesque" has entered the English lexicon as a result.
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and his historical existence is debated and disputed by modern historians. The sparse historical background of Arthur is gleaned from various sources, including the Annales Cambriae, the Historia Brittonum, and the writings of Gildas. Arthur's name also occurs in early poetic sources such as Y Gododdin.
The legendary Arthur developed as a figure of international interest largely through the popularity of Geoffrey of Monmouth's fanciful and imaginative 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain). Some Welsh and Breton tales and poems relating the story of Arthur date from earlier than this work; in these works, Arthur appears either as a great warrior defending Britain from human and supernatural enemies or as a magical figure of folklore, sometimes associated with the Welsh Otherworld, Annwn. How much of Geoffrey's Historia (completed in 1138) was adapted from such earlier sources, rather than invented by Geoffrey himself, is unknown.
Cornel Wilde (October 13, 1912 – October 16, 1989) was an American actor and film director.
Kornél Lajos Weisz was born in 1912 in Prievidza, Hungary (now Slovakia), although his year and place of birth are usually and inaccurately given as 1915 in New York City. His Hungarian Jewish parents were Vojtech Weisz (Americanized to Louis Bela Wilde) and Renée Mary Vid. He was named for his paternal grandfather, and upon arrival in the U.S. at age 7 in 1920, his name was Americanized to Cornelius Louis Wilde.
A talented linguist and an astute mimic, he had an ear for languages which became apparent later in his acting career. Wilde attended the City College of New York as a pre-med student, completing the four-year course in three years and winning a scholarship to the Physicians and Surgeons College at Columbia University.
He qualified for the United States fencing team prior to the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, but quit the team just prior to the games in order to take a role in the theater. In preparation for an acting career, he and his new wife Marjory Heinzen (later to be known as Patricia Knight) shaved years off their ages, three for him and five for her. As a result, most publicity records and subsequent sources wrongly indicate a 1915 birth for Wilde.
Plot
Arthur's life is far from being perfect. Out of work, he still lives with his old tyrannical mother. Luckily he's very imaginative and he often escapes into imaginary worlds in which he's a movie hero. But it's not always easy to tell the difference between what's real and what's not...
Keywords: accidental-hero, anti-hero, knight, spaceship, woods
Arthur, roi de Bretagne: [having read aloud in Latin] Bohort, what do think of what I have just read?::Bohort, chevalier: Er... yes, I agree.::Arthur, roi de Bretagne: Hmm. Léodagon?::Léodagan, roi de Carmélide: On the whole, yes.::Arthur, roi de Bretagne: I know on the whole. Karadoc? What do you think of it?::Karadoc, chevalier de Vannes: Not much.::Arthur, roi de Bretagne: What?::Karadoc, chevalier de Vannes: I don't speak Latin.::Arthur, roi de Bretagne: You don't speak Latin? [pauses] How many here don't speak Latin? [all raise their hands except Léodagon] Léodagon's the only one here who can speak Latin?::Léodagan, roi de Carmélide: I don't know about speak. I know a few words.::Père Blaise: Four centuries of roman occupation, not a word of Latin.
Plot
The film is based on the play "Drakon", written by Yevgeni Shvarts in 1943, in Leningrad during WWII. Dragon (Yankovsky) is a bloody dictator, who kills every opponent. People live hopelessly, until Lancelot (Abdulov) comes to save the beautiful Elsa. Lancelot can only win, if all people become free from fear, that is feeding the Dragon's power. Dragon's multiple personalities, ranging from a "dragon" to a "samurai" to a "Nazi", scare the hell out of all people, except Lancelot. Finally Dragon drops all his masks, to become the most dangerous of his incarnations - "himself". And the battle begins.
Keywords: allegory, based-on-play, capture, contemporary-references, disguise, dragon, explosion, fire, fisherman, freedom
Lancelot: I started to envy the slaves. They know everything in advance... They have solid convictions. Maybe, because they have no choice. As for a knight... A knight is always at the crossroads.
The Dragon: [Lancelot sees children running after a dragon-like kite. The kite is pulled by the reincarnated Dragon, and Dragon is facing him and poses a silent question] So... passer-by, now everything starts again?::The Dragon: [Silence, then the Dragon speaks aloud] Maybe, not now... There are children, after all.::Lancelot: [looking over the scene] No. Now.::The Dragon: [smiling to the children] Well then... Now it will start... The most interesting part.::[pause, then shouting playfully to the children]::The Dragon: GET READY!...
Plot
Classic tale of King Arthur and how his wife is kidnapped by his evil sister. Lancelot is sent out to try and retrieve the lost queen and unfortunately falls in love with her. Forbidden love, revenge, family rivalry, and magic are all prominent themes.
Keywords: adultery, affair, arthurian-legend, betrayal, camelot, castle, cave, cavern, character-name-in-title, demon
Plot
The myth of King Arthur brought once again to the screen. Uthur Pendragon is given the mystical sword Excalibur by the wizard Merlin. At his death Uthur buries the sword into a stone, and the next man that can pull it out will be King of England. Years later Arthur, Uthur's bastard son draws Excalibur and becomes king. Guided by Merlin, Arthur marries Guenivere and gathers the Knights of the Round Table. Arthur's evil half-sister Morgana sires a son with him, who may prove his downfall.
Keywords: 5th-century, 6th-century, adultery, affection, anger, armor, arthurian-legend, assumed-identity, attraction, axe
No mortal could possess it! No kingdom could command it!
Forged by a god. Foretold by a wizard. Found by a king.
Arthur: Now, once more, I must ride with my knights to defend what was, and the dream of what could be.
Merlin: STAND BACK! Be silent! Be still!... That's it... and look upon this moment. Savor it! Rejoice with great gladness! Great gladness! Remember it always, for you are joined by it. You are One, under the stars. Remember it well, then... this night, this great victory. So that in the years ahead, you can say, 'I was there that night, with Arthur, the King!' For it is the doom of men that they forget.
Arthur: Move aside! This is the king's road - and the knights you joined arms against were his very own.::Lancelot: I await the king himself. His knights are in need of training.::Arthur: I am King. And this::[draws the sword]::Arthur: , is Excalibur, sword of kings from the dawn of time. Who are you? What do you seek?::Lancelot: I am Lancelot of the Lake, from across the sea. And I have yet to find a king worthy of my sword.::Arthur: That is a wild boast. You lack a knight's humility!::Lancelot: Not a boast, sir. But a curse. For I have never met my match in joust or duel.::Arthur: Move aside!::Lancelot: I will not. You must retreat, or prove your worth in the test of arms under the eyes of God.::Arthur: Then may He give me the strength to unhorse you. And send you with one blow, back across the sea.::Lancelot: Then come across, sir.
Uther: The sword. You promised me the sword.::Merlin: And you shall have it; but to heal, not to hack. Tomorrow, a truce; we meet at the river.::Uther: Talk. Talk is for lovers, Merlin. I need the sword to be king.
Merlin: Now look, I once stood exposed to the Dragon's Breath so that a man could lie one night with a woman. It took me nine moons to recover. And all for this lunacy called, "love", this mad distemper that strikes down both beggar and king. Never again. Never.
[Arthur has broken Excalibur on Lancelot's chest]::Arthur: Merlin! What have I done?::Merlin: You have broken what could not be broken! Now, hope is broken.::Arthur: My pride broke it. My rage broke it! This excellent knight, who fought with fairness and grace, was meant to win. I used Excalibur to change that verdict. I've lost, for all time, the ancient sword of my fathers, whose power was meant to unite all men... not to serve the vanity of a single man. I am... nothing.
Arthur: Merlin, where are you going?::Merlin: Where do you think? You have a kingdom to rule.::Arthur: But how? I don't know how.::Merlin: You knew how to draw the sword from the stone.::Arthur: That was easy.::Merlin: Was it? I couldn't have done it.
Merlin: It is a lonely life, the way of the necromancer... oh, yes. Lacrimae Mundi - the tears of the world.
Merlin: Remember, there's always something cleverer than yourself.
Merlin: You're not listening... well, your heart is not. Love is deaf as well as blind. That's it.
[The story of Lancelot and Guinevere. Their love sealed the fate of the Round Table and plunged Britain into a crisis. Arthur's first and most shining knight died in the last bloody battle against Mordred (a version about Lancelot's fate)]
I like to taste the wine
I swore to save the King
Two jewels I am devolted to
When the darkness closes in
I kneel before you, Arthur
For you I risk my life
I am your protector
And I do crave your wife
My life for you
My heart is true
Alive I taste
Forbidden fruit
My tongue speaks words
Of feelings deep
Another tongue
Than blood and steel
For the land and for the steel
For the Queen my love is real
I'd die for Englands rose and pride
I'd die for you my guardian light
I would sneak in her chamber
When she longs for me
And I would give her all
A man has to give
I go mad without her
Don't close her away from me
I free her from the tower
music: F. Torchia/lyrics: G. Careddu-Desdemona
Sorry for the time I kept you waiting
sorry for the silence you had to listen to
for the man who will fight to defend the good fellow
he will be precious and beloved to his land
for the man who will fight like the howling wind
his name will be written in the pages of history
for the man who will rise to protect his land
his will be the seat on the right of God
Slowly the night falls on me
silence and cold in my bones
I'm foreseeing omens here in the air and nothing seems to move
you and I
you are mine
oh, we're defenders of our land
and this will soothe my pain
and I'm still waiting
to put down my sword
far from my beloved one
staining the ground with blood
my heart's divided by two dreams
Rage taking over
the battle begins
I'm not the King
I'm Sir Lancelot
in front of the throne
I must kneel
legends are telling
I did it for real
I come to get you
I'm Sir Lancelot
before my enemies
I feel power
Sir Lancelot
Lightning is burning the sky
magical words are tracing my way
warriors are resting close to the fire
while girls dance all night
but I still wait to forget my damnation
Merlin cast spells for me
but he doesn't reveal
nobody's better now
Rage taking over
the battle begins
I'm not the King
I'm Sir Lancelot
in front of the throne
I must kneel
legends are telling
I did it for real
I come to get you
I'm Sir Lancelot
before my enemies
I feel stronger
Sir Lancelot
Rage taking over
the battle begins
I'm not the King
I'm Sir Lancelot
in front of the throne
I must kneel
legends are telling
I did it for real
I come to get you
I'm Sir Lancelot
before my enemies
I feel power
[music: F. Torchia/lyrics: G. Careddu-Desdemona]
Sorry for the time I kept you waiting
Sorry for the silence you had to listen to
For the man who will fight to defend the good fellow
He will be precious and beloved to his land
For the man who will fight like the howling wind
His name will be written in the pages of history
For the man who will rise to protect his land
His will be the seat on the right of God
Slowly the night falls on me
Silence and cold in my bones
I'm foreseeing omens here in the air and nothing seems to move
You and I
You are mine
Oh, we're defenders of our land
And this will soothe my pain
And I'm still waiting
To put down my sword
Far from my beloved one
Staining the ground with blood
My heart's divided by two dreams
Rage taking over
The battle begins
I'm not the King
I'm Sir Lancelot
In front of the throne
I must kneel
Legends are telling
I did it for real
I come to get you
I'm Sir Lancelot
Before my enemies
I feel power
Sir Lancelot
Lightning is burning the sky
Magical words are tracing my way
Warriors are resting close to the fire
While girls dance all night
But I still wait to forget my damnation
Merlin cast spells for me
But he doesn't reveal
Nobody's better now
Rage taking over
The battle begins
I'm not the King
I'm Sir Lancelot
In front of the throne
I must kneel
Legends are telling
I did it for real
I come to get you
I'm Sir Lancelot
Before my enemies
I feel stronger
Sir Lancelot
Rage taking over
The battle begins
I'm not the King
I'm Sir Lancelot
In front of the throne
I must kneel
Legends are telling
I did it for real
I come to get you
I'm Sir Lancelot
Before my enemies
I feel power
I can see you standing here alone
man in armour looking at the dawn.
Shadows now cross your eyes
who is on your mind
my young Lord?
You are known as Lancelot Of The Lake
Man with strenght that nobody can break
You're the Kingdom's pride
fortune's on your side again.
You are riding across the land fighting for your lady
Holding so tight her silver sword.
She is so beautiful dancing among the maidens
But will she ever free your heart?
Riding over mountains - loving in the night -
Dancing near the mountains
holding a graceful lady.
Hiding in a castle - living in a dream -
fighting for your love one
Lancelot.
Dream you hold the woman in your arms
You have nothing still to shield your heart.
I know beauty can win the bravest men forever.
You shall try to forget the dame
Fighting the mighty battles
Until the night will make you dream.
And your courage will bring you fame
Inside the courts and castles.
Minstrels will sing it to your queen.
Riding over mountains - Loving in the night - . . .
Riding over mountains - Loving in the night - . ..
And now when the music will end
Will she turn and forget
will she cry?
Will you still be fighting the wind now
And dreaming your love in the night?
Holding a graceful lady - Lancelot -