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Knightriders
Feb. 15th, 2006 12:56 amA couple days ago, I saw George A. Romero's KNIGHTRIDERS. Anyone else seen this movie? It's not a horror film, but rather... wait for it... a character drama about a traveling band of Renaissance Faire bikers.
Ed Harris plays Billy, the King and leader of the troupe, who travel from town to town, performing shows and barely making enough money for their next day's dinner. Tom Savini plays the Black Knight, Morgan le Fay (he took the name without knowing who the real Morgan was), who wants the troupe to expand to more venues like Vegas so they can actually make money. Harris' Billy, however, is in it not for money but for honor. He believes that what they do is something sacred, that he's "fighting the dragon," and his slow descent into madness and desperation starts to tear the troupe apart. Savini and some of the other members split off to form their own troupe, but his own doubts about honor and justice start to nag at him.
Speaking of justice, I'm just not doing it for this movie with my lame-ass description. I'm too damn tired and this film is just too damn hard to describe. Let me just say that young Ed Harris (who really needed to shave his head... those wisps were so distracting) was absolutely stellar. Every second he was on screen you were fixed on him. But the real standout was Tom Savini. This guy's Romero's legendary make-up artist who's had the odd cameo in movies now and again, but holy shit, he was so powerful and subtle in this movie! The last scene between Morgan and Billy is so moving, I can't even try to do it justice here.
The movie certainly has flaws. Mainly, it's too long (145 minutes) and Romero's dialogue is often corny. But there is just so much heart in this movie, I'm really, seriously tempted to consider it Romero's masterpiece. Yes, me, the zombie movie lover. I think it has more heart and soul than any of his zombie films (Bub aside, of course).
Plus: Best Stephen King cameo ever.
Seriously, how many films are there out there that focus on Renaissance Faire geeks? This movie is a must-see. I just ordered it from amazon.com if anyone wants to have a movie night.
Ed Harris plays Billy, the King and leader of the troupe, who travel from town to town, performing shows and barely making enough money for their next day's dinner. Tom Savini plays the Black Knight, Morgan le Fay (he took the name without knowing who the real Morgan was), who wants the troupe to expand to more venues like Vegas so they can actually make money. Harris' Billy, however, is in it not for money but for honor. He believes that what they do is something sacred, that he's "fighting the dragon," and his slow descent into madness and desperation starts to tear the troupe apart. Savini and some of the other members split off to form their own troupe, but his own doubts about honor and justice start to nag at him.
Speaking of justice, I'm just not doing it for this movie with my lame-ass description. I'm too damn tired and this film is just too damn hard to describe. Let me just say that young Ed Harris (who really needed to shave his head... those wisps were so distracting) was absolutely stellar. Every second he was on screen you were fixed on him. But the real standout was Tom Savini. This guy's Romero's legendary make-up artist who's had the odd cameo in movies now and again, but holy shit, he was so powerful and subtle in this movie! The last scene between Morgan and Billy is so moving, I can't even try to do it justice here.
The movie certainly has flaws. Mainly, it's too long (145 minutes) and Romero's dialogue is often corny. But there is just so much heart in this movie, I'm really, seriously tempted to consider it Romero's masterpiece. Yes, me, the zombie movie lover. I think it has more heart and soul than any of his zombie films (Bub aside, of course).
Plus: Best Stephen King cameo ever.
Seriously, how many films are there out there that focus on Renaissance Faire geeks? This movie is a must-see. I just ordered it from amazon.com if anyone wants to have a movie night.
