Knightriders

On the road and in a quiet town, a troupe of medieval reenactors lives like a tight knit family, devoted to ritual and performance. Billy, their confident leader, guides the group with a code rooted in chivalry while others practice armor making, horseback riding, and storytelling. Their world feels pressed by local officials enforcing permits, talent scouts seeking a ready made show, and Billy's grandiose fantasies that threaten the troupe's unity. The performances blend live music, tournament style staging, and improvisation, drawing a small crowd who know their names and routines. Beneath the surface, loyalties and rivalries challenge the group's harmony as pressures mount and the line between tradition and ambition grows.

Directed by George A. Romero, Knightriders (1981) is an original screenplay project starring Ed Harris as Billy; produced on a 3 million dollar budget, it marks Romero's shift toward character driven drama and social satire, blending action with a quiet philosophical edge.

Box office data for Knightriders are not widely documented; the film had a modest theatrical run at the time and is now regarded as a cult item valued for its ideas and Romero's distinctive direction rather than gross numbers.

Knightriders did not receive major award nominations, though it earns praise from enthusiasts for its bold approach and Ed Harris's early performance. The film stands out in Romero's catalog as a political fable wrapped in genre trappings and acting bravado.

Critical responses have tended to treat the film as a thoughtful blend of action and intimate drama, using the knightly troupe to probe fame, power, and belonging. It questions whether loyalty to craft can endure the temptations of publicity, money, and ego.