King Arthur

Historians still debate whether King Arthur was an actual person, a historical composite, or simply a mythic hero. There's even less evidence for the existence of his legendary compatriots, which include the Merlin, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the rest of the Knights of the Round Table. (Fear not, however: Sir Mix-a-Lot is a real guy.) Since the Middle Ages, people have been spinning Arthurian tales - everything from the sword in the stone to the quest for the Holy Grail. So it's only natural that filmmakers would turn to Camelot for inspiration. And, given the lack of verifiable facts about King Arthur, it's unsurprising that the films about him have often taken a fanciful tone.

From action flicks (2004's King Arthur, with Clive Owen and Keira Knightley) to musicals (1967's Camelot, starring Richard Burton and Vanessa Redgrave), Arthur's proven to be a pretty versatile fellow. His tale has been told in cartoon form (the 1963 Disney feature The Sword in the Stone), as clever farce (Monty Python and the Holy Grail), and in fanciful modern times (The Fisher King, starring Jeff Bridges and Robin Williams). Perhaps the most faithful adaptations of the legend, however, are John Boorman's fantastical Excalibur and Robert Bresson's grittier Lancelot of the Lake. Whereas Boorman's film was bold, stylish, and action-packed, Bresson opted for a darker, more philosophical approach approach, stripping the tale of its magical elements.