The Sword in the Stone / ?

Premiéra (Premiere): 25.12.1963 (USA)
Režie (Direction): Wolfgang Reitherman
Scenář (Scenario): ?
Produkce (Production): Walt Disney
Hudba (Music): ?
Kamera (Camera): ?
English / Anglicky
Based upon T.H. White's beloved novel, this Disney-fied version chronicles
the tutoring of the Once and Future King, Arthur, as handled by the magician
Merlin. Sword was a portent of things to come, with slapstick upbraiding
storytelling, and cultural in-jokes substituting for wonder. But there's much to
enjoy here as Merlin shows Newt, the young Arthur, things that will help him
become the ruler of the Britons. The transformation sequences, where the boy is
turned into a fish, a bird, and a squirrel are vintage Disney. The oft-repeated
scene of Merlin battling it out with the mean old Madame Mim still is worth a
few chuckles, but it belies the problem with most of the film--the scenes are
only there for the chuckles. References by Merlin to television and other items
of modern life also mar the generally innocuous landscape. Children will like it,
but they won't cherish it.
Keith Simanton
Czech / Česky
soon / brzy