Kaamelott

See also: Kaamelott (homonymy)

Kaamelott is a Televised series French humorous and dramatic of historical Fantasy, created by Alexandre Astier and Jean-Yves Robin. It is diffused since January 3rd, 2005 on M6 in France, since 2006 on the TSR  2 in Swiss like on Club RTL in Belgium and since September 1st, 2007 with the Quebec on the chain Historia.

Increasingly popular since 2006, the series takes as a starting point the Légende arthurienne, and is anchored in the medieval Great Britain , on which reign the King Arthur in his castle of Kaamelott, surrounded by its Chevaliers of the Roundtable. Far from being faithful, brave and heroic, those are disordered, couards or bloodthirsty men, and sometimes even treacherous. Well badly shouldered, Arthur sorrow to conclude its search of the Graal.

Synopsis

See also: Amorce=Pour to look further into and detail the history of the series, to see the article, History of Kaamelott

At the 5th century after Jesus-Christ, on the island of Brittany: the incipient Christianity and old the Tradition S Celtes are entrechoquent while the Roman Empire crumbles. With the crossroads of the History, the kingdom of Kaamelott then seems the new headlight of civilization.

Surrounded by its faithful knights, the King Arthur received for mission of seeking the Saint Graal. Nevertheless, this search is announced more than difficult, because Arthur is very badly surrounded. Its Chevaliers of the Roundtable is caricatures of hero: timorous, naive, stupid or on the contrary violent ones, antiquated and disordered, those do not include/understand the stake of the search of Graal. The family entourage of the king is hardly more judicious: the conflicts with his wife Guenièvre and her in-laws do not cease occurring, even at the time of the meals.

It is in this context that Arthur must persevere in its search of the “divine light”, helped by his/her faithful friend Lancelot, the only knight who, according to the king, “holds still upright in this hut”. The friendship with this last is however of short duration, since at the end of the Livre  III, Lancelot of the Lake decides to leave the court of the king and to found a separatist army after having declared its flame with the queen. The company progressist which the king tries to develop is then about to disaggregate when the gods, tired of the repeated affronts made by Arthur, decide to send a worrying Réponse to him…

Distribution

Main actors

Guests

More or less famous actors are also present in a reduced number of episodes. It is considered that an actor is a “ guest star ” when its name appears following the title of the episode as a special guest.
  • Guy Bedos: Anton, adoptive father of Arthur ( Anton )
  • Georges Beller: Jacca, lord ( the military Tax )
  • Didier Bénureau: Buzit, bards ( news of the world )
  • Bruno Boëglin: Sven, chief Viking ( the Invasion Viking, the Dialog of peace II )
  • Jean-Marie Boëglin: Ulfin, senior ( Funeral of Ulfin )
  • Patrick Bouchitey: the fisherman, father of the Binoculars ( the Headlight, the Guide )
  • Ilario Calvo: Petronius, archbishop of Bologna ( the Knight woman )
  • Emma de Caunes: Azénor, mistress of Arthur ( Azénor, the Kleptomaniac )
  • Alain Chabat: the duke of Aquitanian ( the Aquitanian ones, Fruits of winter, Nocturnales, the Fixed price )
  • Christian Clavier: the jurisconsult ( the Jurisconsult, Exsecutor, the Substitute, the Odyssey of Arthur, Les  Pioneers, La  Conspiring, Le  Relieved )
  • Emilie Dequenne: Edern de Carmélide ( the Knight woman )
  • Lorànt Deutsch: the interpreter burgonde ( the Interpreter )
  • Lea Drucker: the Fairy Morgane ( the Wound mortal, the Answer )
  • Laurent Gamelon: the cheater, player of Bonneteau ( the Luck )
  • Roland Giraud: Robyn, dispenser of justice ( the Dispenser of justice )
  • Anouk Grinberg: Anna de Tintagel, half-sister of Arthur ( the Odyssey of Arthur, the Petition )
  • Axelle Laffont: Séfriane of Aquitaine ( Séfriane of Aquitaine )
  • Yvan Bolloc' H: Breccan, creative cabinetmaker of the Roundtable ( the Table of Breccan )
  • Bernard Lecoq: Fearmac, prisoner of the jails of Kaamelott ( the Terrorist )
  • Denis Marshal: Narses, general of Byzance ( Eunuques and Chauds Rabbits )
  • Ged Marlon: the Ankou, the Dead ( Ankou )
  • François Morel: Belt, vine grower ( Spirituous )
  • Claire Nadeau: Cryda de Tintagel, aunt d' Arthur ( Cryda de Tintagel, Approval, the Sword of the kings, Howls )
  • Philippe Nahon: Goustan the Cruel one, father of Léodagan ( Goustan Cruel the )
  • Geraldine Nakache: the duchess of Aquitaine ( the Aquitanian ones, Fruits of winter, Nocturnales )
  • Marcel Philippot: Boniface, Germanic bishop of ( Companions of barrack room )
  • Barbara Schulz: Madenn, girl of Guethenoc ( the Ladybird of Madenn )
  • Élie Semoun: the Répurgateur ( Répurgateur, Monogamist, Expurgation de Merlin, the Discharge, Paladin )
  • Bruno Solo: Herveig, flag-holder ( the Flags )
  • Pascal Vincent: Urgan, pirate and assassin ( the Professional )

Occasional

Other actors, without having the statute of guests, appear each one only in some episodes.

  • ARIANE Astier: Medene, girl of Karadoc and Mevanwi ( Pupi, Exiled the )

  • Jeanne Astier: the elder one of Karadoc and Mevanwi ( Pupi, Exiled the )
  • Philippe Ayanian: Hagop of Arménie ( the Combat of the chiefs)
  • Christophe Baillot: the being used Roman one as Caius ( Fluctuat nec mergitur )
  • Ingrid Basin: a slave Viking ( Freed the )
  • Valerie Benguigui: Prisca, conspicuous dishonest person ( the Pythea, the Bad one Forecasts )
  • Louis Bujeau: a pupil of the fencing master ( Substitutes, the Knighthood )
  • Luc Chambon: Nathair, spy ( At the secret service of Its Majesty, the Report/ratio, the Probe, Disorder and the Night )
  • Virginia Efira: Berlewen, woman of Bohort ( To the Happiness of the Ladies )
  • Maxime Goubet: the great nephew of Karadoc ( Captioned )
  • Yann Guillarme: a merchant, accustomed tavern ( Poétique  II, Paris  III )
  • Chantal Joblon: Vouga, woman of Guethenoc ( the Nurse, the Transhumants )
  • Christophe Kourotchkine: Keu, wire of Anton ( Anton )
  • Eddy Letexier: Hoël, king of Armorique ( the Parliament of the kings )
  • Amanda Lionet: Torri, intendant woman ( the Restriction )
  • Arsene Mosca: the chief Moor ( the Delegation Moor )
  • Karim Qayouh: the young Moor ( the Delegation Moor )
  • John Smith: a peasant ( the Recruiters )
  • Valentine Traversi: Ketchatar, king of Ireland ( the Parliament of the kings )
  • Lan Truong: Attila, king of the Huns ( the Plague of God, the Plague of Dieu  II, the Invaders )
  • Matthias Game preserve: the rider of Perceval ( the Lovesong of Perceval )
  • Melanie Vaudaine: a shepherdess ( Transhumants, Jizô )
  • Caroline Victoria: Tegeirian, country-woman courted by Arthur ( Arthur in Coils, Mad the )
  • Tien Vuong Nguyen: Ào If Kã, assassin ( Recruiters, Domi nostræ, Unagi  V )

Characters

See also: Amorce=Pour to discover the characters, to see the article, Characters of Kaamelott

Kaamelott introduces characters present into the legends arthuriennes, but also of the fictitious characters. Generally, all the characters were modified to correspond to the burlesque aspect of the series.

Each character is the incarnation of through human private individuals, making setting in front of his defects a leitmotiv of the series. Moreover, one can note that the majority of the characters are in turn opponents and additives for Arthur (Lancelot and Léodagan is good examples).

Episodes

See also: Amorce=Pour to discover the complete listing of the episodes, to see the article, List of the episodes of Kaamelott

Systematically, each episode of Livres  I  à  IV approximately three minutes thirty lasted and was cut out in five sequences: prolog and credits of beginning, acte  1, acte  2, acte  3 (separated by short transitions), generic rapid of end and epilog.

Starting from the Livre  V, the episodes adopt new a seven minutes format, involving a diffusion of only one episode per day. The prolog lasts always less than one minute and is used as introduction. The epilog is also used as credits of end (appropriations being posted in the lower half of the screen). Let us announce that this last ends in a dissolve with the black; thus, the last gag is generally sound (last retorts for example).

An episode is currently diffused per day of the Monday to Friday (two in the event of repeat broadcast of Livres  I  à  IV), with a summary of the week saturdays. Between two episodes a very short interlude (drawn from the short film Dies  was diffused; iræ or in the pilot episodes) often including a visual gag: Arthur falling into water by withdrawing the Sword from the stone, Merlin aiming badly with a fireball, the knights fleeing in rout, etc

Contrary to the traditional series, and being given the short duration of the episodes, it was agreed that one season would be called “delivers”. Indeed, a “book” being composed of one hundred episodes (fifty starting from Livre  V), its diffusion complete lasts only approximately ten weeks, which is much shorter than one traditional season. Thus, two “books” are diffused at the time one season on average.

Genesis and history of the series

In 2003, Alexandre Astier carries out and produces a Short film fourteen minutes, '' Dies  iræ '', whose action is at the time arthurienne. Dies  iræ gains the price of the Public 2003 of the festival Off-Courts. Extremely on this success, Alexandre Astier decides to write and turn six pilots of a series in short format, i.e. approximately five minutes per episode. Many actors of Dies  iræ takes again their roles, and the series has a name: Kaamelot . At that time, the series Caméra coffee has just finished, this is why Alexandre Astier will introduce his pilots to the production company CALT and Jean-Yves Robin. Allured, the latter order four others pilot, shorter this time (approximately three minutes each one). The bases of the series are posed and M6 chains it is conquered: it orders one season (Livre  I) of one hundred episodes of a medieval comic series henceforth called Kaamelott .

As of its launching and against any waiting, Kaamelott becomes a phenomenon joining together each evening nearly five million televiewers - is approximately 16,3  % of Market shares in 2006 during the diffusion of Livre  IV, reaching even a record of 5,6  million televiewers on November 14th, 2005, is 20,2  % of market share. Six weeks will have been enough with the series to reach the same market share as Caméra coffee in three years.

In 2007, Kaamelott is the program which brings back the most advertizing revenues to M6, and constitutes the sixth programs most profitable of the four principal French chains.

Evolution of the series

Since its beginnings, Kaamelott has largely advanced on many aspects, as the budgets and average the techniques which are allocated to him raise.

Decorations

The series having to prove reliable with the antenna, the first book of Kaamelott , to rare exceptions, was completely turned in interior, in studios - old unused hangars - close to Paris.

Lastly, the current trend is with the perpetual evolution of the general esthetics of the series. Indeed, Livre  IV introduced new costumes for the characters, as well as visual modifications like the light, which become much clearer, and a calibration surprising by its lack of contrast and its achromy, which gives a grain different from the preceding books.

Narration

After episodes very independent and diffused in a certain disorder for Livre  I, the series, originally conceived to be followed punctually, becomes scénarisée and starts to follow an chronological order starting from the end of Livre  II and especially in Livre  III. If the episodes can always be appreciated in solo, they more and more often refer to events which occurred in the preceding episodes. Thus, the series consequently integrates some elements scenaristic characteristic of the Soap operated and of the new American series, such as the cliffhanger (introduced by the Argument 2nd part , episode final of Livre  III).

This narrative evolution of the series goes hand in hand with the change of format operated starting from Livre  III. Indeed, this one sees the appearance of double episodes, i.e. of episodes in two parts ( Poetic the , the Parliament of the kings and the Argument ) which became increasingly present in Livre  IV. These episodes make it possible the author to look further into the intrigue that it develops to with it. Big event in the history of the series, the final one of Livre  IV first the seven minutes introduced episode - instead of the usual double episodes three minutes thirty each one - what will be the format of the last three books. the Disorder and the Night 1st and 2nd parts thus joins together episodes 99 and 100 in only one narrative unit, without median interruption. Moreover, its single “epilog” is longer than for an episode normal, and deprived of the usual appropriations in the lower part of the screen, increasing her dramatic impact.

Halfway between Livre  I introductory and Livre  III chronological, Livre  II has some episodes whose writing is assumed by people other than Alexandre Astier: Joelle Sevilla ( Silbury Hill and Pupi , this last being Co-writing with Alexandre Astier), Lionnel Astier ( the Removal of Guenièvre ), Nicolas Gabion ( More close to You )… Fabien Rault is the only person who does not form part of the team Kaamelott with the credits to have written an episode ( the Portrait ). To satisfy the development of the principal history, the episodes of Livres  III and later as for them are written in integrality by Alexandre Astier, except the episode Lune Pierre of Livre  III that it has Co-writing with Fabien Rault. The first book, nevertheless, was entirely written by Alexandre Astier.

As Alexandre Astier reveals it, this narrative evolution and change of format starting from Livre  V (as well as the “premium-time” 52 minutes) are used to prepare the feature-length films which will have to really be different from the “style series”.

Characters

Because of growing importance their characters, certain invited actors more or less known (“ guest stars ”) definitively integrated the distribution of the series, the first being Christian Bujeau (the fencing master), followed Bruno Salomone (Caius Camillus), François Rollin (Loth, king d' Orcanie) and Antoine de Caunes (Dagonet) in Livre  IV, like Claire Nadeau (Cryda de Tintagel) in Livre  V.

Livre  IV, nevertheless, although one finds actors invited already present there in the preceding books (Antoine de Caunes, Lea Drucker, Claire Nadeau, François Rollin, Élie Semoun), is the first to call upon no news “guest star”.

Livre  V joins again with the new guests, all actors experienced: Alain Chabat, Geraldine Nakache, Christian Clavier, Anouk Grinberg, Patrick Bouchitey, Guy Bedos… The new narrative structure, however, lends itself much less than before to the simple “labels” - a single episode, introducing a not very important character for the continuity and which never reappears. These “guest stars” has from now on significant roles for the intrigue, sometimes recurring, often of characters already mentioned in the preceding books (Anna de Tintagel, Anton, the fisherman…).

Apart from the guests, Alexandre Astier does not hesitate to add to the already consequent distribution of new main characters, even tardily, whose importance in the series grows quickly. The most outstanding example is certainly Méléagant (played by Carlo Brandt), of which mysterious appearance at the end of Livre  IV caused many speculations among the fans. The Roundtable gains also a new knight in Livre  V: Lionel de Gaunes (played by Etienne Fague), the brother of Bohort.

References and winks

Cultural references

Major inspirations

Kaamelott is not only one series anchored in the universe arthurien; it also tends to draw elements of various works of fiction.

First of all, the author of the series, Alexandre Astier, wanted that this one “evolves/moves in a heroic-whimsical universe , a little as in the roleplays with a medieval world in which the magic exists. ”. There is thus many allusions to these plays in Kaamelott ; in particular, much of episodes ( the Labyrinth , the Cave of Padraig , the Cauldron glowing , the Volunteers , the Dragon of the tunnels , the celestial Voice , Guet , the Lapse of memory , the Secrete way , Three hundred and sixty degrees, the phantom Threat , Mission , the Maze …) contain an element of (in French, “Carry-monster-treasure”) typical of Donjons and dragons. More specifically, one can find references direct to Warhammer , through the character played by Élie Semoun - called the Répurgateur - or the evocation of the Skaven S in the episode Arthur and Darkness . There exists also a reference to the wargame in the episode the Play of the war of Livre  IV, in which Arthur and the king of Burgondes plays play of plate, with pawns, to decide exit of a conflict.

Then, the series treating of the humorous Legend arthurienne in manner , it is to be brought closer to the film Sacré Graal! of the Monty Python. Although Alexandre Astier defends itself to have drawn the integrality of his inspiration there.

In a way much subjacent, one can note homages, more or less direct, with the universe of fiction the Star Wars and Stargate , of which the first is particularly appreciated by the author. The episode Stargate II , for example, milked discovery of a laser Saber and visit of Perceval on Tatooine. It seems that more general references to the universe of Star Wars are distilled in certain episodes: the sound effects accompanying Excalibur out of its sleeve often point out the noise of a laser saber, and the relations between Lancelot and Méléagant make think of those Anakin Skywalker and Palpatine. In the same way, in the episode Stargate , it is clearly referred to the series and the film of the same name, since one finds there the presence of a Porte of the stars, called “Door of Chaos”, strongly similar to the doors of the universe Stargate .

Finally, one can bring closer this series to the black Viper ( Blackadder ), series with great success of Rowan Atkinson. Partly medieval and approaching only seldom absurd humor, this one also puts in scene a powerful man surrounded by a band of broken arms and which try with large-sorrow to conclude its plans. This could have created a bond and references between the two topics, in particular in its nonconventional vision of the history of the England. Arthur and Blackadder have many joint things, and Bohort and Perceval also have some resemblances to Percy and Baldrick.

Secondary inspirations

The titles of certain episodes of Kaamelott , like their contents, are specific references and winks with cultural works of various kinds:

Thoroughly, more concrete references to various works are sometimes distilled. For example, when Arthur and Lancelot converse in the inn (in the episode the Face-to-face discussion ), their dialog is completely inspired by the film Heat , some turnings and concepts being modified to correspond to the situation.

Lastly, of the references to more general kinds or styles, rather than with precise works, are also present, as in the episode the Donor , which parodies the Polar, or the Bite of Dace , which takes as a starting point the stories of Vampire S and others films of horror.

Finally, one can notice some various specific references:

  • Kaamelott frequently refers to a traditional children's song, With flutters , which became emblematic series. Since its introduction, in the episode of Livre  I With flutters , it is related to a recurring gag (“the trouble, with this song, it is that it remains… ”) and one often intends the characters to sing it ( the Perfect fifth , Spiritueux , Every morning of the world 1st part), sometimes with deteriorated words, like the version “burgonde” ( the Dialog of paix  II ) or that of the fencing master ( Corpore sano  II ).

  • Another song recurring is the pavane '' Belle which hold my life '' ( Intoxication , the Perfect fifth , Breton Faith …). Arthur frequently sings it when it is alone or is only believed; it is then made stop, before to have generally been able to sing the fifth towards verse which it began, by people who come to disturb it.
  • In the episode the Lovesong of Lancelot , the character interpreted by Thomas Cousseau counterpart with the Guenièvre queen: “The love has its reasons which the reason is unaware of. ” This paraphrase a quotation of Blaise Pascal (the original one being: “The heart has its reasons which the reason does not know; one knows it in thousand things. ”).
  • In the episode Fire the ass of Guethenoc , to regulate a litigation between the peasants Guethenoc and Roparzh, Arthur proposes to divide an ass in two. This is of course an allusion to the judgment of Solomon.
  • Même the works of art are not safe from the parody, since the episode of Livre  II the Portrait contains many references to La  Mona Lisa and with its famous smile.
  • In the episode the Poem , king Arthur recites the poem the Paddle of spring of the Chinese poet Mao Haojan.
  • the title of the episode Saponides and Détergents returns in an article of the semiologist Roland Barthes, who analyzed the first publicities of the soaps and detergents at the dawn of the consumer society.
  • the episode the Dispenser of justice presents a parody of Robin of Wood through the character of Robyn (played by Roland Giraud).
  • In the episode the Trophy , a reference is made with the enigma of the sphinx in Oedipus king of Sophocle. Thus, is the enigma “Which the animal which walks to four legs the morning, with two legs at midday and three legs the evening? ” became “What goes to four legs the morning, with four legs at midday and four legs the evening? ”.
  • the episode of Livre  V Miserere nobis is a reference to the Psaume 50 ( Miserere mei deus : Take pity of me, Seigneur). The word nobis constitutes the plural of mei in Latin, and means us . It was added to correspond to the episode, which treats request for forgiveness of the Repenting : Loth, Galessin and Dagonet. In addition, the sentence Miserere nobis figure in the prayer Agnus Dei (which is also a title of episode of Livre  I) of ordinary of the catholic mass.
  • the episode Perceval de Sinope of Livre  V, in which Perceval is locked up in a barrel, refers to the ancient philosopher Diogène de Sinope which is known to have lived in a large vase (later wrongly compared to a barrel).

Winks intra-distribution

Since Alexandre Astier calls only upon the actors that he already saw playing, with the theater or the cinema, one can notice that many actors of the series already played together or collaborated in various occasions:

  • Resulting from a family of actors, Alexandre Astier makes play many its close relations - with which it already collaborated for plays - in the series: his/her father (Lionnel Astier), his mother (Joelle Sevilla), her mother-in-law (Jose Drevon), her half-brother (Simon Astier) and even his children who incarnate the children of Karadoc in some episodes. Moreover his wife, Anne-Gaëlle Daval, is the costumière chief on Dies  iræ and Kaamelott .

  • Luc Chambon, which interprets the spy with the service of king Arthur in Livre  IV, is not other than the brother of Jacques Chambon, who plays the part of Merlin in the series.
  • Christian Bujeau, which plays the part of the fencing master , is itself expert in medieval combat. His/her son, Louis Bujeau, appear in the series as appearing in the scenes of class of the fencing master.
  • Jacques Chambon put in scene in 2003 the play Cuisine and dependences of Agnès Jaoui which is drawn from film, carried out by Philippe Muyl in 1993, to which Alexandre Astier refers in an episode of the same name of Livre  III.
  • In the same way, Philippe Ayanian, which played the part of Hagop d' Arménie in the episode the Combat of the chiefs of Livre  III, moreover played in Ouilla doctor , a One man show put in scene by Alexis Hénon (Galessin in the series).
  • Anne Girouard played, in 2007, in the remake of film of 1951 the red Inn , to which the episode the red Inn refers.
  • the episode Good the refers to a part of Jean Genet in which Joelle Sevilla (Séli) played in 2005.
  • Bruno Boëglin (Sven, the Viking chief) put in scene On the Main road of Tchekov, in which Joelle Sevilla also plays.
  • In the film As be beautiful there for you! , Alexandre Astier plays the part of the husband of Valerie Benguigui, interprets of Prisca, conspicuous the dishonest person.
  • Alban Lenoir (Ferghus) plays with Simon Astier (Yvain) in the spectacle Between two .
  • Alban Lenoir and Simon Astier is also the principal authors and actors of the new series of M6, Off Premium , with Christian Bujeau (the fencing master) and Virginia Efira (Berlewen) in its own role.
  • Anne-Valerie Soler (Aelis), Aurélien Portehaut (Gauvain), Red-headed Thibault (Grüdü), Lan Truong (Attila) and Loïc Varraut (Venec) played all in the part the Day of the wheat , written and interpreted by Alexandre Astier, on a setting in scene of Jean-Christophe Hembert (Karadoc).
  • Joelle Sevilla (Séli), Christian Bujeau (the fencing master), Lionnel Astier (Léodagan), Serge Papagalli (Guethenoc), Jacques Chambon (Merlin), Red-headed Thibault (Grüdü), Laurent Gamelon (the cheater), Jean-Robert Lombard (Father Blaise) and Alain Chapuis (the tavernier) played all in one or more episodes of Louis the Secondhand trade .
  • an allusion to the series Caméra coffee , which was it also produced by CALT and diffused on M6 before Kaamelott , can be found in the episode the Flags . Indeed, the guest Bruno Solo incarnates there a flag-holder of the name of Herveig, in direct reference to the character of Herve Dumont played by this same actor in Caméra coffee .
  • Interpreted by François Rollin, king Loth d' Orcanie is readily grandiloquent, pedagog, familiar, catch and relaxed. It in what it can sometimes point out the character of “Professor Rollin” whom interpreted the same actor in the series Palace . The episode the Speech , in particular, points out the famous sketch of the poem Vertiges recited by Professor Rollin.
  • In Livre  V, the character of the duke of Aquitaine is interpreted by Alain Chabat. Well before this last becomes invited actor, Alexandre Astier already quoted it among the people with whom he would like to work - he possibly wrote some film synopses for him - and recognized in Null the a relationship with his style of humor.
  • the episode Silbury Hill , in whom Guenièvre and Séli spade-screw in a circle of culture close to, refers to this same hill, close which circles were seen.
  • the episode Always (which refers moreover to the film Always ) was written by Alexandre Astier to protest against the catch with serious of a hoax by a journalist. Indeed, “for the 1 {{er}} April, a Net surfer had claimed that Pitiot had died on the turning, crushed by a decoration. A journalist took again information seriously and Alexandre irritated while falling above. It is what gave him the idea of episode where one believes dead Perceval whereas it was just sick. ”
  • In the episode the Wild boar of Cornouailles , Arthur makes accept Père Blaise, to be avenged, that Merlin insists to be called “Coconut the maggot”. However, COCO the Maggot is a Board game for children.
  • the episode With the Happiness of the Ladies (which refers moreover to the Romance same name of Emile Zola) was written and realized by Alexandre Astier to protest against the assertion by a homosexual Magazine that Bohort was the “gay crypto- of Kaamelott”. Not wanting that one “writes in place”, the author-realizer created the character of the woman of Bohort, played by Virginia Efira, to show that it was not it.
  • In the episode the Gathering of corbel II , Merlin states the joke: “Kaamelott, it is camelote. ” This is of course a wink with the recurring pun of the detractors and journalists who write articles on the series.
  • the episode the red Inn takes again the name and the unfolding of a business of murder of the 19th century.
  • the episode Accustomed the refers to the business of the houses closed at the time of the Football world cup of 2006. It is of more interesting to note than Alexandre Astier does not like the Football, which explains the comment of Venec: “These supporters, they is nevertheless very, very large idiots. ”

Comic processes

Kaamelott is a humorous series based on several types of comic, often associated in a complementary way in the episodes.

First of all, the Humor before is very created by the history and the play of the actors, their gestural, their expressions of the face and the members, like by their dialogs, composed of Quiproquo S, word games and ic language Argot. Thus, do one will often intend the characters male (or even female with Séli) to use a more or less coarse vocabulary, energy of “What I have some to square? ” (Arthur, the olden days , Livre  II) with the various insults. The dialogs go sometimes until being surrealist so much they incomprehensible and are shifted, and tend towards the imbroglio, i.e. a very muddled or very complex situation which envenime quickly.

Then, the comic one rests on a certain number of processes repeated with the wire of the episodes, like the recurring gags. One will note for example, among most important and more frequent, the “turrets on the beach”, the “brother-in-law of the king”, the “artful thrust” of Perceval and Karadoc and the song With flutters (secondary cf Inspirations). The call to the recurring gags is done sometimes in more deliberated way, as in the episode Remanence , where it is consciously made a parallel between the old life of Guenièvre with Arthur and its new life with Lancelot, as well as the gags which are associated for them.

Other more specific comic processes can be detected, like the accelerated continuation. Introduced into Livre  IV, this comic process, strongly inspired of the Benny Hill Show and of the cartoons, consists of the acceleration of a repetitive scene with an aim of causing a humorous effect. For example, in the episode the Parade , the mistresses of the king continue in accelerated, then continue Perceval, which passed by there, and a few moments later the race-continuation is reversed: Perceval continues the mistresses…

Topics and criticisms

Alexandre Astier, which is also the scenario writer of the series, inserts sometimes messages critical socio-policies, such as:
  • critical of the death sentences (in the episodes Lethal and Magnanime , in particular);
  • critical of the Malbouffe (in the episode Corpore sano );
  • critical feminist of the conditions of the women to the the Middle Ages and at the present time (in the episodes the Secrecy of Lancelot and Monogamist , in particular);
  • critical of the religions and more particularly of the Church, the Crusade S and the executions of alleged heretics by the Enquiry (in various episodes such as Monogamist , Expurgation de Merlin , More close to You , Amen , the Discharge , the secret Worship …) ;
  • critical of a certain share of the Literature (in the episode the Poem ) and of the Philosophy (in the episode the Inspiration );
  • critical of the Medicine (in the episode the Blow of sword );
  • critical of the capacity and its drifts (the Torture for example, in the episode Arthur and the Question);
  • critical more or less ironic of modernity, by the recurring sentence “It is well, it is modern… ”, as well as Obscurantism (in the episodes the Blow of sword , Monogamist , the True Nature of Graal , Arthur and the Question);
  • critical of the theories of conspiracy and the Paranormal, in particular of the phenomenon of the circles of culture (in the episodes Silbury Hill and Silbury Hill II );
  • critical of the current Agriculture, the peasants and more generally of the lobbies (in various episodes such as the Revolt , Revolt II , the Problem of the cabbage , Spirituous , Fire the ass of Guethenoc , Feue the cow of Roparzh …) ;
  • critical of the Intolerance generally, and more particularly of intolerance with respect to the Homosexuality, through the characters of Bohort (in various episodes, such as the Knight woman or Discobole ) and of the Boniface bishop (in the episode Companions of barrack room );
  • critical of the prejudices, always with the character of Bohort, which one supposes homosexual ( the Knight woman , With the Happiness of the Ladies ) whereas he is married and has nine children;
  • critical of the Survey S and the survey institutes, in the episode Vox populi II .

Beyond the fact that these different criticisms are used to depict a king Arthur progressist and pulled about between the archaism and the Obscurantisme (incarnated by characters such as Léodagan and the Répurgateur), it is advisable of more than regard these criticisms as comic proceeded as anachronistic allusions and winks to the modern spectator.

Being musician, Alexandre Astier composes the musics of Kaamelott and inserts sometimes in his series of the explicit references to this art which he appreciates, in the episodes Oud , Oud II (in which he plays of the Oud), the Perfect fifth and With flutters (in which he sings and makes sing his assistants). In the Perfect fifth , it makes moreover reference to medieval perception of the music and the influence of the Church on this one at that time.

The Literature, the Theater and the Poésie are not remains about it since these arts are the main theme of episodes such as the Poem (where Arthur exposes its opinions on the poetry), Guenièvre and Euripide (where Arthur tries to inculcate in his wife some basic concepts of dramatic art), the Repetition (in which Arthur and its friends repeat a play), the Day of Alexandre (where all the kingdom must express itself in Alexandrin S), and finally Poetic the and Poetic the II (in which Milked Arthur of the Poetic of Aristote and in the manner of presenting an account).

Arthur itself seems a creator, in particular in Legenda where he tells his own history with the nephew of Karadoc and in Le Monde d' Arthur where he gives free course to his creative imagination.

Errors and inconsistencies

Kaamelott is a series which takes as a starting point the legends arthuriennes, and thus borrows characters and intrigues to them. Nevertheless, as a work of fiction, and because of the great number of divergent versions of the legends, the author voluntarily deviates from the tradition on many points. For example on the family ties between the protagonists (Yvain, the Knight with the Lion, becoming the brother of Guenièvre and the brother-in-law of the king) or with the introduction of new entirely fictitious characters (such Séli, the mother of Guenièvre, or Elias de Kelliwic' H). And also, of course, with many the Anachronism S (for example, the costumes and the weapons are connected with those of the 16th century, whereas the action is supposed to proceed at the 5th century). Some alleged errors are thus entirely intentional. This phenomenon is current besides in other cinematographic works treating of the legend arthurienne (such as the film Excalibur ).

It is nevertheless possible to note discordances or small errors of continuity, particularly between Livre  I (the introduction) and following books, resulting from their narrative independence. For example:

  • In the episode the Torment of Livre  I, one sees Karadoc wanting to take a bath in order to allure a woman whom it met. This is in contradiction with the following books because the character of Mevanwi, his wife, is not introduced before Livre  II (in the episode the Room ), and that at this time they are supposed to have already several children. It is also established later that Karadoc is hardly interested by the fair sex (nor by the baths).

  • In the episode Three of heart of Livre  I, Arthur ensures that it at the same time nothing made forever with two women. However, two of its mistresses are twin and of the mouth of Arthur even (episode of Livre  II, the Binoculars of the fisherman ), their principal interest is that they are two. Moreover, one learns in the following books that they are its very first mistresses.

  • In the episode the Alchemists of Livre  II, Perceval and Karadoc affirm to have read a parchment at the bad place and to have set fire to the castle, whereas one knows according to many episodes ( the Bad Seeds , Perceval makes raitournelle …) that they can neither read, nor to write.

  • In the episode the Roman Fringe of Livre  II, Arthur affirms that Merlin does not have the capacity to make push the hair (what would avoid with the king having the “Roman” air too much). However, in the episode Expurgation de Merlin (Livre  I), Merlin makes push the hair and the beard of Répurgateur to be avenged.

  • Two episodes mention the period when Arthur made its classes in the Roman legion, but are in contradiction as for the dates. the Secrecy of Arthur (Livre  II) tells that Arthur was sent in camp of Roman drive from ten to twenty years, whereas in Cryda de Tintagel (Livre  III) its departure is located at the six years age.

  • In the episode Revoked the of Livre  IV, the Lady of the Lake, then just banished of her plan by the gods, explains to Arthur that it can “neither drink, neither to eat, nor to equip”. However, in the Cave of Padraig (Livre  I), the latter offered a cake to the king, finally dividing it with him at the end of the episode.

  • During the first diffusion of the episode the Rescue of Livre  IV, when the king and his team attack by surprised the camp of Lancelot and that Arthur threatens one of the guards with Excalibur, its sword does not blaze as with its practice because the special effects had not had time to be added. This was corrected besides in the episode on DVD.

  • In the first books, is sometimes quoted of the characters of the legends arthuriennes which, if they never appear, are nevertheless supposed to sit at the Roundtable, such as for example Agravain ( the Case Yvain ) or Galahad ( the Dubbing ). In the episode of Livre  II Absent the , Arthur even specifies that it would have in all more than one score of knights. Nevertheless, this is in contradiction with Livre  V: whereas the kingdom is surbedded and that it is question of replacing the dissenting knights ( Væ soli! ), it is implied that only the main characters of the series ever constituted the manpower of the Roundtable.

  • During the diffusion of the “premium-time” of the second part of Livre  V on November 5th, 2007, one of the sentences of introduction was incorrectly written, locating the action at the V {{E}} century before Jesus-Christ (instead of the V {{E}} century after Jesus-Christ).

Technical specificities

Contrary to the other series (and more particularly those of so short formats, like Camera coffee ), Kaamelott is turned using two Caméra S high-definition Sony HDCam. This explains its budget much higher, equivalent to that of a telefilm, even of a film. Moreover, turnings in outside, increasingly frequent, increase the expenditure. Thus, CALT estimated the cost of a “book” at two million euros, which represents 20,000 euros per episode, with Camaret-on-Sea and the Plateau of Herbouilly.

Concerning the production, it is interesting to note that Alexandre Astier is at the same time the single author and scenario writer of all the episodes (with some rare exceptions, cf Évolution of the series), the actor playing the part of Arthur, the type-setter and the interpreter of the musics of the series.

Lastly, the majority of the actors did not undergo casting - except for Anne Girouard (Guenièvre), Caroline Pascal (Demetra) and Guillaume Briart (king Burgonde) - because Alexandre Astier calls only upon people that he already saw playing, with the theater or the cinema;

  • the audio-visual Club of Paris gave a Laurier of the radio and television to the team of the series for their contribution to the culture, the Wednesday March 29th, 2006 with the Sénat;
  • Kaamelott gained the price of best the Televised series diffused in day ( access precedes time ) with the Festival of the fiction TV of Saint-Tropez, on September 17th, 2006;
  • Alexandre Astier received triple disc of diamond for: 250,000 DVD of Livre  I sold, the Tuesday December 19th, 2006, on the plate of prevent You everyone from sleeping , on M6, is scénarisée by Alexandre Astier and is drawn by Steven Dupre, draftsman Flemish.

  • Volume 1: the Army of Nécromant (2006): Arthur, Léodagan, Bohort, Lancelot, father Blaise like Perceval, Karadoc and Merlin, leave to research a wizard who sows the disorder by sending thealive ones to attack Kaamelott…

  • Tome 2: Seats of Transport (2007): The danger falls down again on Kaamelott. Powerful magic objects re-appear the depths of the lapse of memory and threaten to fall between the hands of a dangerous Viking chief. Who will gain the race for the seats of Transport? The troop of elite of Kaamelott, the Perceval lords and Karadoc? Or Haki, of which the prow of the drakkar threat to split the sand of the beaches of the kingdom of Brittany?

Cinema

Following the diffusion of the seventh and the last series “delivers”, in 2009 the team of Kaamelott should begin a trilogy from feature-length films. Equipped with a budget of 45  million euros, this trilogy will make it possible Alexandre Astier to provide his actors with costumes of the 5th century, and to approach more decorations in outside.

The first of these opus, envisaged for an exit into the room in 2010, has as a subtitle the quotation of the Christ: “Happy the poor in spirit, because the Kingdom of heaven is with them. ”

See too

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