We have been inundated with requests for David Lowery‘s highly anticipated fantasy epic THE GREEN KNIGHT – and in lieu of our screening that (which we will…. at some point), we thought the time was indeed nigh to take a look back through the cinematic prism of time to an 80s-era landmark of “swords, sex, and sorcery’: John Boorman‘s iconic EXCALIBUR.

A landmark within the genre that has since informed countless others, this lush, opulent and operatic imagining is a surreal adaptation of Sir Thomas Malory‘s “Le Morte d’Arthur” that chronicles Arthur Pendragon’s conception, his rise to the throne, the search by his Knights of the Round Table for the Holy Grail, and ultimately his death. With an all-star cast of British thespians, including Nigel Terry, Helen Mirren, Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Corin Redgrave, Nicolas Clay.

“John Boorman’s ‘Excalibur’ — the 1981 retelling of the King Arthur legend that crams its 141 minutes with as much violence, lust, and utter strangeness that Boorman could muster. And yet it’s all crafted so beautifully and distinctively that, 40 years later, ‘Excalibur’ stands as its own version of Camelot — a shining achievement that anyone else who gets an R-rated fantasy film made is trying to beat. Good luck with that… It’s truly epic filmmaking that has no interest in honing in on specific aspects of the Arthur legend or paring it down into a more easily digestible narrative. You get all of it smashed together in a fever-dream mishmash of swords, sex, and sorcery.” (Collider)

“This contrast — of fantasy and ferocity — is the beating heart of ‘Excalibur.’ It’s a tension that not only defines the film’s production design but the narrative journey of Arthur himself: a feature-length give and take between a gilded legendary past and the harsh realities of the very history it mythologizes… It is difficult not to get lost in Excalibur’s details, bedazzled, as it were, by its overwhelming sense of visual surety. But after one has recovered, it is rewarding to view the film’s undeniable style for what it is: substance.” (Film School Rejects)

Thursday, August 19
Doors 8:15 pm | Movie 8:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Advance tickets $15 HERE | $15 at the door

Why not make it a fantasy fable double feature kinda night, and check out Frank Oz and Jim Henson’s uppet-filled cult-classic THE DARK CRYSTAL at 6:30 pm for one sweet price?

THE DARK CRYSTAL + EXCALIBUR Double Feature $20 HERE | $20 at the door

Due to reduced capacity, advance tickets are recommended for all shows to ensure seating. Online sales for every screening automatically end 1 hour before any given showtime.

*Minors permitted in the balcony. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service and main floor seating.
*Rio Theatre Groupons and passes OK for any single film screening only. Please redeem at the box office.
*If you are looking to redeem your tickets to either a canceled Rio Theatre screening or a Rio Theatre gift certificate, please email <[email protected]> with info including your name, canceled receipt number, gift certificate info, what you are wanting to see and when, and we can make the switch for you in advance. Alternately, you can bring this information with you to the venue, and we will do our best to help you at the box office.

EXCALIBUR (John Boorman, 1981 / 141 minutes / 14A) The magical sword of Excalibur starts off in the hands of British lord Uther Pendragon and then, years later, finds its way to his bastard son, Arthur, the knave destined to become king. Aided by the sorcerer Merlin, Arthur fulfills his fate by bringing together the Knights of the Round Table at Camelot and unifying the country. However, this flawed monarch faces greater tests ahead in pursuit of love, the Holy Grail and his nation’s survival.