A Knights Tale. film description

Describe a character or individual in the text whom you found interesting. Explain how the director used oral/or visual features to make the character or individual interesting to you. An interesting character or individual in the film A Knights Tale (2001) directed by Brian Helgeland is (Sir) William Thatcher. William is interesting because he is not a typical peasant, he has much more drive and ambition than normal peasants. Helgeland uses oral and visual features to support the points that make William interesting. He uses lots of close-ups and high-angle shots when needed to show Williams enthusiasm and leadership towards what he does.

First, William is interesting because he is a brave character and is motivated by ambition. William first starts to bravery when Sir Ector dies, he declares “I’ll ride in his place.” When the director has a close-up on Williams face, he shows the determination and drive that William feels. It is his desire to rise above is position in the social status, he makes his decision, “We are the champions”. Helgeland choses this dialogue to show that William is different from most peasants and that makes him an individual.

Another interesting part about Williams’s character is that for most of the film he is someone who he is not, ‘Sir Ector and Sir Ulrich Von Lichtenstein’. This brings tension into the audience. The audience thinks when will his true identity be revealed? When William shows up to the jousting match as Sir Ulrich, the spectators of the match think of him as anybody. But through on the matches, he turns into a celebrity. William was unbeatable in the sport of jousting. It was difficult for William to hide the fact that his real name was not Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein. Finally, William’s tone and oral features are strong, powerful and brave for a peasant. He is straight up with what he says and is a good leader to others. Helgeland uses great visual techniques for