Merlin (TV series, 1979)
| Television series | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Merlin |
| Country of production | Germany |
| original language | German |
| year | 1979 |
| length | 30 minutes |
| Episodes | 13 in 1 season |
| genre | Children's and youth series |
| music | Gershon Kingsley |
| First broadcast | January 12, 1980 on ZDF |
| occupation | |
| |
Merlin is a German television series that was produced by Thomas Hengesbach in Cologne ( North Rhine-Westphalia) in 1979 on behalf of ZDF by the film production company CineblockMedia (CBM) . Directed by Armin Dahlen , the script was written by Justus Pfaue . Manfred Schott acted as the narrator . The series was aimed at children and young people.
content
The action takes place in 5th century Britain , before the emergence of the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy . It tells the life of the magician Merlin , who grows up at the court (an old Roman country villa) of his grandfather, the (fictional) Romano-British petty king Ostar. The boy lives in an environment that is hostile to him, which is not only shaped by the constant struggle against the invading Saxons, but also by the contrast between the adherents of the old pagan religion and the emerging Christianity.
Merlin knows little about his origins, he knows neither his father nor his mother. After his mysterious birth he came under the care of the Christian astrologer , alchemist and doctor Blaise and the self-confident nun Amalia. In fact, Merlin is the illegitimate child of King Ostar's daughter, Alviga. The princess leads a withdrawn life, deep in Christian prayer. For a long time she does not reveal herself to Merlin as his mother. Although Alviga stubbornly hides the identity of Merlin's father, it is rumored that Lucifuge Rofocale is believed to be his father . One of his secret disciples is the nun Amalia, who after Merlin's birth, together with the Christian astrologer, alchemist and doctor Blaise, took over the upbringing of the child. Merlin's grandfather Ostar has long referred to his grandson as a "brood of Satan" and a weak bastard. Instead, the king prefers his youngest son Odoakar, who, however, at the age of only 13, falls victim to an assassination attempt by his power-hungry adult brother Hamor. When King Ostar brings up Merlin as his possible successor, Hamor also tries to kill his nephew, but this repeatedly fails.
Five years later, Hamor, who is turned towards the old gods and has secretly allied himself with the Saxons, succeeds his father, who was deposed by him and who died soon afterwards. After a few years he falls in a duel with Prince Uther , Alviga's new husband, who now ascends the throne. Both have sired Arthur , Merlin's younger half-brother.
Even before that, Lucifuge Rofocale, always affable and in various disguises, revealed himself to Merlin, then 13, as his biological father. Half a decade later he wants to establish an evil kingdom on earth with the help of his son. But Merlin resists. His mission is different: with the help of the crafty river man and robber Ralf, he wants to train Arthur and make him King of Britain. Only in this way can the pagan Saxons be defeated.
In the year of the Huns' storm on Rome, 452 , everything works out for the best: Great King Arthur drives Lucifogere Rofocale and his servant Morgian out of Britain with the help of the magic sword Excalibur hardened in the blood of Christ . After 30 years of war the Saxons form a peace alliance with the British, whereupon Arthur arranges the wedding with his fiancée Adelaide. Ralf receives the accolade from Arthur.
At the same time, the knight Parzifal goes in search of the Holy Grail (a bowl of King David , with which Christ's blood was once caught on the cross). Merlin had once given the grail to the beautiful sea mermaid Viviane , whom he has now grown old, follows into her underwater realm and thus separates from the world of the living.
Episodes
- Rivals
- The earth is shaking
- Dangerous pact
- traitor
- The sinister envoy
- In this night
- Death on Camelot
- The vision
- The chosen one
- The black knight
- The trap
- The big ruse
- The scent of the hawthorn
publication
The 25-minute episodes ran on Saturday afternoon from January 12, 1980 on Second German Television (from the television dictionary by Michael Reufsteck and Stefan Niggemeier ).
The series has been released on DVD.
Web links
- Information about the series
- Merlin in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ See the web link “About the series”.
- ↑ landing page at Amazon.de .