Finally got around to seeing this movie... You have no idea how badly this video was needed, thank you

Dev Patel is an absolutely incredible actor. Just wanted to say it. And also to whoever came to this video, the introduction is an interview with Joseph Campbell, who is an incredible figure to read about. He studied human mythology on a huge scale, and wrote about the commonalities of the stories we tell across cultures.

@barbaravance6774

Ай бұрын

This knight was Gwaine. Arthur's nephew. He was not an Indian. They have their own tales. FFS. I find it funny that whites are criticized for voicing a cartoon character of another culture. But, when we call out the blatant replacement in our tales, it's racist. It's not. It's cultural subversion!

@barbaravance6774

Ай бұрын

Funny, I just commented on this and my comment was erased almost immediately. Heaven forbid you discuss cultural subversion of our tales. Everyone can have their culture and criticism.

@Balandrus

Ай бұрын

If he studied mythology, he should have the respect to not subvert other cultures. The Arthurian tales are Celtic in origin. Indians aren't involved in any way. Would Europeans receive the same praise by appropriating an Indian legend and whitewashing the main character?

He didnt die at the end. The Green Knight scratched G's neck with his finger, as the trade, since G passed the test by taking off the [cheat] shash (belt). That was the last of 5 tests. (5 represents the 5 knight star/virtues. he failed all except the last test.)

@j.r7872

11 ай бұрын

@@ernestor5440LOL

@hashvendetta7226

8 ай бұрын

How did he fail retrieving the woman's head from the bog?

@arekschneyer3802

7 ай бұрын

@@hashvendetta7226 He asked “If I do this, what will you give me in exchange?” And it seemed to me heavily implying that he meant “will you lay with me if I do this?”

@hashvendetta7226

7 ай бұрын

@@arekschneyer3802 oh. Like he didn't do it out of virtue, he was looking for a payout of sorts? I can get behind that.

@zombi3907

5 ай бұрын

And the axe was returned to him afterwards. @@hashvendetta7226

This was an extremely helpful explanation. I watched a (seemingly) similar video before this that just went over the movie beat by beat but did not break it down like you did.

Without watching this essay, I related my own coming of age myself as Gawain. His coming of age compressed into a 2-hour adventure. Whereas myself I’m still learning the basics 30 years on. The futility of lust and instant gratification were key themes here that took me through the whole film. The opening of this movie completely made this movie and the denouement coupled with a fantastical adventure made this film so special. There are few movies that leave me with so many painful questions and contorted conclusions. The beheading of the knight to instantly become a legend is paralleled by the constant imagery of nature being bent and twisted by men and conversely absorbing and decaying dead legends and myths that carry Gawain through his own path to find the reckoning he wants naught but needs so. The way I relate most sincerely with this film is by placing my own experiences with futility and my brushes with fate in and around the experiences of Gawain. His childlike fearfulness and unreadiness inevitably gave way to his resolve and embrace for what his own life could be at its worst and his thoughtless embrace of the life he could live without the pretense of vainglory. Very thoughtful analysis and the opening of this video essay was very well done. Joseph Campbell and his grand mythology interpretation is a great way to embrace this film.

Now I need to rewatch after this I was so confused at first but the meaning is deep now

Thank you for this deeply thoughtful video essay. You helped articulate some of the complex feelings I felt after watching "The Green Knight." I find myself again in a stage of life where the path isn't terribly clear, and a lot feels unresolved right now. As I imagine it does for others, too, and certainly the world at large. But your poetic insights into this strange, heart-provoking film adaptation of a medieval poem have helped refocus me a little more on this journey of life. "The only thing we can control is the posture of our hearts as we kneel before the (final) axe/acts." I like that. Life can't be all that great without goodness.

@WhyItsGreat

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494

Жыл бұрын

I ...struggle. Surely the life you live before the axe/acts is the important bit? And, as we all fall short sooner or later of certain expectations (our own standards; our earlier expectations; the expectations of others)... how is this the most important thing in the face of death? The "kneeling" before? Nurse someone through their last months/weeks/days and see what "the posture of their hearts" is. Last "minute" changes of heart, of relationships, of attitude - I won't diminish those. But how you face death as a qualifier of the strength, goodness or honour of self? That's exactly the outdated idealism of a chivalric era. Value life. As it stands. Don't assess it as its final approach. That is rarely a pleasant, let alone noble one. All most can hope for is care at the end - FROM OTHERS. THAT'S the kind of place the real value of your life begins and ends.

What an essay. Hats off to you! You thoughtfully synthesized every piece of the story I was wrestling with. Thank you!

This video is so sick!!! thank you so much for this, its beautiful

This was phenomenal thank you!

My brother, you took this video into a whole other realm, please continue to do Gods work through these videos, this was absolutely astonishing.

Got depression, anxiety, and FOMO vibes from this film. I feel like they depicted gawain as a man with no honor who accepted his fate at the end

@user-kb8kg1dp7l

4 ай бұрын

yes and that he will NEVER be a happy person.

Great video man!

This video is amazing, thank you for the full insightful breakdown of this movie

Well congrats. This is now my favorite video essay on the platform, and I've been around a long time. You have a gift and fine mind, young man.

wow! what an amazing analysis!

Thanks for this

“Off…with your head”. He lives.

Really great video. You deserve a million subs. Keep it up!

@WhyItsGreat

5 ай бұрын

Thanks!

ahh that was really clear thank you!

Thanks for the explanation. I had to watch this movie three times and watch your review to make sure I completely understood what I was seeing. Very helpful

This was such a good video. I am working on a paper that analyzes the poem and the film and this was really helpful. Thank you!

could "off with your head" mean "now go and live with all the stuff going inside your head as a punishment for life (or because that's how life is)?

@grandmanitou6563

3 ай бұрын

No like they said, it's a game, his head is symbolically chopped of by the finger and the sentence in return of the not so symbolic chopping of the knight's head

Much respect from your Latino Brethren out here in AriZona. You did a damn fine job breaking down this movie.

This was beautifully explained.

Thanks man!

Just finished the movie and came here directly. Also, a few years ago I had some kidney stones - holy smokes that was some spicy pain!

Really good video essay on one of my favorite films

I read the book in school and plan to reread it, and so I watched the movie yesterday. I didn't like how the appearance of the Green Knight wasn't a surprise to the viewer, nor how it didn't interupt a particularly festive mood.

Excellent review. Loved this movie.

I had run out of necessary medication shortly before watching this film but hadn't felt the effects yet. About 16 hours after watching this I nearly fainted from terror and ended up in the hospital close to having a psychotic break. I recovered, but lots of wild stuff happened in the ensuing weeks. A major shift in my rather chaotic spiritual journey of the last 15 years, marked by a struggle with drug addiction, has unfolded in the past month since the incident. The timing of watching this movie seemed strange but meaningful - I hope. "Now I'm ready. I'm ready now."

@iliutacristian8322

Жыл бұрын

How are you now?

@justinokraski3796

11 ай бұрын

I feel that too. Something about this movie really speaks to those of us who struggle

@zombi3907

5 ай бұрын

Good luck. Sobriety is a process, so work on your process and let the outcomes happen as a result. Also, what helped me is focusing on adding more things to my life, not focusing only on what needed to be gone from it. I hope you are well.

@squamish4244

5 ай бұрын

@@zombi3907 Thanks. It's been a gruelling process filled with many setbacks, as benzodiazepines are nasty af. My former doctor - long gone and disciplined for his reckless overprescription. Now - I'm lower on meds that I've been in three years, but it ain't easy as my brain struggles to adjust.

This poem was likely written by a north Staffordshire poet for the entertainment and edification of the family of Sir James Audley in memory of Sir James’ best friend and fellow Knight of the Garter, Sir John Chandos (who died a hero leading his men on a bridge in France). The Audleys owned hunting lands in the around Swythamley in far north Staffordshire.

There’s a post credit scene as well.

Wow... that was potent. Absolutely sublime.

I think the ending is open. "Off with your head" is both a death sentence and a free pass. Lesson learned. Get out of here with your head.

@honorsilverthorne7227

3 ай бұрын

Clever. 😊

"What else ought there be?"

Love this!!!

What music was used in this video? It’s great!

One of my favorite films of the last decade. Brilliant in every aspect. Count all the obvious and hidden the triangles in this film…fun!

Congratulations on your essay of the movie. I actually am a Knight But that is besides the point. (your opening comment )One day as you clearly point out in your essay, we all are going to die. It’s what we do with the days in between that give glory to God and everybody we meet. keep up your great work and thank you.

🙂 EXCELLENT ANALYSIS !!! And this was a Very good movie....

Nice one!

Not sure what movies I was watching but I did not extract all of this out of the movie 😂 All I could see was the Slum-dog Millionaire. Need to watch it again. Lastly, I needed the narrator to just clear his throat one….😂

You just gained a subscriber 💚

@WhyItsGreat

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks! 👍

Now i know why i couldn't get into it, but i had to figure out why so many people liked it. Also why is it always classified as sci-fi? thanks for saving me 2 hours.

*This is the Way.*

If my 3D printer idea can be stolen right out of my head Why Try

Great video. But what about the fox!

Excellent video! What is that interview clip from at the beginning?

@WhyItsGreat

2 жыл бұрын

An interview documentary with Joseph Cambpell by Bill Moyers called The Power of Myth

I don't know what to believe. You can't keep coming back as your same self. Sometimes with parents, sometimes without. Genetics, hereditary factors, DNA, these play a major part and in order to keep being born yourself you have to have to exclude these factors

Thank you for your smart video... most other videos on this film are silly ... they talk like a comedic auctioneer

So in other words........live well and die better!👍😉

This my favorite movie from last year A movie that challenges your interpretation

It may all be tricks of Pan.

I think the remark about this film being a commentary on Christianity is quite a reach, but otherwise I enjoyed your analysis, even if I disagree with some of your conclusions.

David Lowery, Olive Branch Rd, stares too much boy.

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself becoming the villain

Honestly if i didn't knew this...i woukd have not liked the movie...thank you no w i can enjoy it to its full

That was well said about when you're facing Ultimate Death

4:55 greatness is oppression without goodness... huh?

@WhyItsGreat

5 ай бұрын

If you are "great"- meaning powerful - and do not have goodness - meaning humility and grace - then your power will only lead to oppression because it is rooted in your own self-interest. Hope that makes more sense

🔥

Bravo.

this video is very underrated.

Some may find this movie extremely boring because of its glacial pacing, but me? Yep, me too. Beautiful and well made, but boring. John Boorman's 1981 "Excalibur" still has not been topped when it comes to King Arthur legend adaptations, in my opinion.

Wow. This movie is a classic. And it was badly misunderstood.

ok, so maybe im just SLOW and smooth brained. the GN says, basically, "what is given will be returned rather small or large". so, why not just give him a clap on the back or a teeny tiny scratch. WHY the need to take his head?? also, the King tells him before anything is even started, "remember its only a game". wtf is THAT suppose to mean? is that suppose to mean dont take it seriously, its JUST a game?

It doesn't add up

And what is the obsession with the number 3

@honorsilverthorne7227

3 ай бұрын

It's based upon the Holy Trinity.

What happens to sheep? Slaughter. What happens to goats? Slaughter. What happens to lions?.....

Faith is a very powerful force

I didn't think it was so great in fact I thought it was kind of lame compared to the original story

My point: Why strive to create, build, or achieve when in the end you only have death

@STsixx

2 ай бұрын

Nihilism is what you’re describing.

Why it's not: It is a conscious and purposeful inversion of the original tale, not only in terms of typical artistic liberties taken for the sake of adaptation, but in its themes and ultimately its twisted morality.

@zombi3907

5 ай бұрын

twisted morality? I don't understand what you mean by this.

@user-kb8kg1dp7l

4 ай бұрын

@@zombi3907 look up the word morality and go from there.

@zombi3907

4 ай бұрын

@@user-kb8kg1dp7l that was super helpful, thanks.

Willem Dafoe played Jesus???

@WhyItsGreat

2 жыл бұрын

It's true lol

Too many plot holes in this movie for it to be good or a classic many things were unexplained

Fucking incredible video!

@WhyItsGreat

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

HE DOES NOT YET UNDERSTAND LIFE , BECAUSE HE HAS NO UNDERSTANDING OF DEATH .

Just a "normal" selfish man, a sinner, a coward, until finally gifted a chance to see how cowardness and lack of integrity leads to a life of pain. Perhaps only living through Christ are we truly gifted the same way. We find out...only too late. This can be an introspective, life-changing movie for our youth if they gave it a chance.

My list of what is WRONG with this film would be longer than the original novel. If you are going to remake one of the greatest novels in English history, you should, at least, read the bloody story. Gawain was a knight but was 'chosen' because he was the most holy and pure of the knights. The film opens with Gawain in a whorehouse??? Instead of being a holy and pure man who falls from grace, Gawain is a whoremonger, a drunk, a liar and a coward.

It's not. Eminence front.

Furthermore if Jesus was the Messiah then Israel would learn war no more that's what Isaiah says and you're basing a lot of your Messiah theories and premonitions on the book of Isaiah

Wait until you see his return this time.......

I am in a movie. I am pretty sure. Or a coma

Stop saying he will die one day just don't say that s*** anymore please

Now you know why some say, no one actually died on cross thay day, and still was glorified for being a martyr. Thats how stories are made.

And the f****** Giants in this movie are just insane this goes back to meimagining Pop was the jolly green giant on the can in Grandma's kitchen. Apparently I wasn't wrong. Questions arise such as: How did I already know the English language and how to spell words at age 2? If you and I were at the Gulf of Aquaba why were we speaking English instead of Hebrew? Claiming I am Asherah. Besides that coming over to get my stepdad drunk so that he'll go to jail so that my mom will have to work two jobs is a very shity evil thing to do

Unlike the film, the poem is full of Christianity. The final message, the temptation, everything is dripping in Christ's message. The film, however, rips the Christian message out of it. It would have been so much better with that message retained. Gawain in the poem does not seek power but to live a life worthy of Christ and the chivalric ideals. He FAILS like in the film, but he confesses in the end. The message is that all men come up short, and they must die to every single thing that keeps them from the perfection required of Heaven.

@DoomguyIsGrinningAtYou.

4 ай бұрын

Hence, it does not surprise me that Hollywood ripped Christianity out of film and threw it aside. They are people so full of themselves its a wonder their heads don't pop off from the pressure. While I enjoyed the film, I intend on checking out the original story or poem as soon as possible.

Especially considering you weren't paying child support or helping in any way

I didn't like how they wronged Christianity in this movie.Christianity is about breaking the circle.Snaping Oroboros in half.Jesus broke the circle of life on earth and gave man true freedom.

There is a critique of Catholicism in this film, not Christianity. The two are very different for the exact reason the film brings them up

@honorsilverthorne7227

3 ай бұрын

Catholicism is an older form of Christianity than Protestantism; it's more original

@Jacksonmontyart

3 ай бұрын

@@honorsilverthorne7227 the biblical form of Christianity is the original. Catholicism isn’t even Christianity if you read the Bible. Most corrupt anti biblical church in our modern history.

@dominionwargaming8638

2 ай бұрын

Catholicism is OG Christianity. Cope.

My Grandfather is probably rolling over in his grave

The sad thing is I enjoyed this movie more than most since AI's influence. Why make a movie that's exactly the opposite of a great book in relation to it's title character and lead? Especially a story so important to a shared people's cultural history. It is cruel to require so much in antithesis to the book when it's implied the audience should expect a somewhat similar ending with respect to the character we're going into the story being asked to vest our interest in. I understand the larger point about failing tests of chivalry, but again that makes this a different story that should have had a different name. Except for the film-makers desire for the use of the title villain there is literally no reason why this should be called Gawain and the Green Knight. Why am I being asked to anticipate failures of the lead in exactly where the book is requiring me to aspire to something better? And in a way the movie is tempting me not to notice, that's a violation of honest discourse and not profound but cruel. I think cultural appropriation can often be good, but this is a version how can be wrong and requiring the ignoble from the audience. That again is somewhat cruel, especially to people who love the book. BTW, Dev Patel as Gawain or if as a King Arthur would have deserved better. He did a spectacular job and I do not doubt that in a different movie the righteous sincerely of his performance would have shined through in a strength not in a movie that had not used the whole plot and entire movie to be used to apologize for. He and Connery are the best in these sorts of roles I've seen in my lifetime. But there is an impulse to think efforts toward sacrilege so necessarily deep that is really just lazy iconoclasm people have fallen for, and for that I mourn. Our generation is wasting it's superior story making abilities and resources thinking good and righteous stories are not worth telling unless completely self-obsessed, when the stories about the things bigger/greater but good are still all the best stories. How we define what is good is important especially with the influence of things such as AI, but making the negating antithesis ultimate to story and expecting how we define what's good relative what must be shown through story is also not the answer. The book has a whimsical more culturally faithful tone that this movie, however visually stunning in parts did completely miss. Sad because the book is just so much fun. And also I think such intentional omission says something profound. About why we feel the ignoring of how tests of chivalry having required tests of chastity (as so many of the knight stories do) so dispensable. The book is saying something modern masculinity and critics of masculinity could obviously be learning that our generation has put endlessly at odds because of obsession with sex. As much as I enjoyed the visuals of the wilderness landscapes of the movie and movies setting (outside of Camelot), it is saying something also about how our use of stories in our generation are both increasingly and decisively anti-historical and using our own history as an excuse being anti-historical by way of those stories. That we're using movies to employ a secularism stopping it's ears to any advice from the past, any advice except from the now and using stories as how and sex as it's ultimate excuse. Shameful and sad.

am just saying i fell asleep during the movie, i did not understand shit,. but good explanation thank you.

Don't indulge him!

And there is no such thing as law. Or man. Both of these are false

This movie was pretentious, postmodern drecc. Had to rewatch "Sword of the Valiant: The Legend of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" from the 80's as a chaser to wash that vile taste out of my eyes.

this is a crap movie dont believe this dude

@justblaze.

2 ай бұрын

This movie was fn terrible plot holes upon plot holes

so to understand the movie I have to watch this video first?! poor people lol

@WhyItsGreat

Жыл бұрын

Lol sadly "explained" is a buzzword on YT that their algorithm likes. This is just for anyone who wants to unpack the themes of the movie more and hear my perspective. That's all

@rakino4418

Жыл бұрын

No

I don't agree at all. I don't think this movie is great. I think that it's artful, and I think it sends a good message. But it's slow. It's uneventful, it's at times illogical and downright ridiculous! The time wasted isn't even accurate to Arthurian Legends. As a myth, I wanted to see a spin on things. But really what a viewer should do, to get a better story, is watch the beginning all the way up until Gawain relieves the knight of his head. Then fast forward to the point at which the knight will do the same for him, and they will have missed NOTHING. I know people will see this comment and disagree. But I'm a writer myself. I've been through three writing classes, presenting my content, and I've written two books. The critique is always the same. "If you can take a moment out of a story and it functions just fine without it, then it is not needed." I feel sorry for the poor sap who needs this movie in order to learn the difference between right and wrong. I love Arthurian tales, but this one is a brilliant waste of 2+ hours. You can grade this however you want, but a movie should not be a slog to get through. A story should not present unnecessary details that it functions just fine without. And a message shouldn't have to be said over and over and over at nauseam.

@h_3_x_

Жыл бұрын

For a writer, you sure lack an attention span

@rakino4418

Жыл бұрын

I visited a great art gallery once and saw people lingering at the paintings, savoring every visual detail, sometimes taking a full day to pass through a gallery of not more than two dozen images. Not me. I, a student of writing, zipped through the gallery absorbing the most relevant details at a glance then moved on, reaching the exit after a few minutes.

@MurakumoVance

Жыл бұрын

@@rakino4418 Disagrees with accurate movie criticism online. Attempts some smartassery by comparing museum pictures to a movie. -Some random dumbass

@DoomguyIsGrinningAtYou.

4 ай бұрын

​@@rakino4418 Ha. To be fair, I think you both make a decent point. The movie felt very artful, but I think the theme could've been a bit more obvious. Is it weird this film reminded me of Puss in Boots and the Last Wish?

Off with your head = Get over yourself