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Whenever re-enactors gather, online or around a fire, the discussion inevitably turns to Viking-related movies that have entertained or infuriated us. The following is a brief attempt to list the movies that we've seen - or avoided. Comments by Jack Garrett unless otherwise noted. |
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Valiant (1954) Silly fun. If you're going to go with horned helmets and furs for Vikings, you might as well go whole hog (to kind of mix metaphors.) Robert Wagner has fun bouncing on springboards and his Singing Sword would weigh about 25 pounds - if it were forged from steel. The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent (1957) Tracked it down and saw it. It's an early Roger Corman effort with such a low budget that it's pointless to pick it apart. The sea serpent is essentially a sock puppet. Worth seeing only to check it off the list. Fun title, though. The Vikings (1958) Great adventure and the one against which all Viking movies have to be compared. Costumes are too Hollywoodish and the castle is off by centuries, but the setting and depiction of the culture are reasonably accurate. Kirk Douglas does a pretty good Viking. Worth watching to see him run the oars of the long ship, without a stunt man or CGI. See the "Making of ..." on the DVD to see how much research they did. Impressive for the time. Tales of the Vikings (1959-1960) In this case, a television series. It starred Jerome Courtland as Eric and used scenes and props from the Kirk Douglas movie, The Vikings. It lasted just one season and only a few of the 19-or-so episodes are available (subtitles in Farsi???). Fondly, if dimly remembered by those who got a chance to see it. A rousing theme song: "They conquered the seas in their dragon ships...." Jungfrukällan, AKA The Virgin Spring (1960) I recall being rather shaken when I first saw The Virgin Spring "Jungfrukällan" in about 1960 or 61. It was an Ingmar Bergmann film in black & white and portrayed life in rural Sweden in early medieval times. No viking warriors or heroes with swords and shields, but it showed with some clarity how plain (and hard) life was in those days. Well worth digging it out from your local classic video store. (Mike Smith) The Long Ships (1964) Fun to watch and exciting, but a Viking movie only because there's a long ship and they have round shields. Richard Widmark is a prodigal Viking son and Sidney Poitier is a Moorish ruler. Memorable for the Moorish execution device called "The Mare of Steel" and a golden bell called "The Mother of Voices." Given the size of the bell, and their ability to move it at all, gold was apparently lighter centuries ago. Great music. The War Lord (1965) Charlton Heston is a Norman war lord sent by "The Duke" (?William perhaps?) to hold the land and defend it from Frisian invaders. The Frisians looked a lot like Vikings - not too unexpectedly since they lived practically next door to the Danish Vikings along the northern European coast - a lot closer than the Rus people lived to the Swedish Vikings. Weapons and armor looked pretty good, although the film was made during the era when mail was made of either knitted string or else cast from some material that had a shiny and often blueblack surface finish and had a surface texture that looked like interlocked rings (Just like in the contemporary era film El CID). Also stars Guy Stockwell as his brother and Richard Boone as his troop captain, Bors. (Henrik Olsgaard) Of all the movies listed here, this is one of my top candidates for a remake. Charlton Heston is perfect as the solid, undemanding Warlord for his Duke who finally finds something he wants for himself (Rosemary Forsyth.) But ... the production suffers from looking like it was filmed on a Hollywood backlot. Which it was - I've seen the tower. One of the few films that touches on the differences between the Christian Normans and the pagans they ruled. (Jack Garrett) |
Beowulf
Arrives at Heorot Scene from Beowulf and Grendel
(2005) Scene from Grendel (2007) Decorative costume, but more
Frazetta or Tolkien than Viking Scene from Pathfinder (2007) |
I Coltelli del Vendicatore, AKA Viking Massacre, AKA Knives of the Avenger (1966) Worst Viking Movie Ever! A spaghetti western style movie set in the Viking age (complete with riding off into the sunset at the end). The hero uses a crossbow and throwing knives (a seemingly endless supply). We had so much fun watching it as a group, making fun of it as it went along. We were going to rate it against "The Norseman" with Lee Majors but the tape got eaten and the movie was never replaced. Hmmm... (Doug Erickson) Hagbard and Signe, AKA The Red Mantle (1967) A Danish film. It is a Romeo and Juliette story of warring petty kings' families where the son of one loves the daughter of the other and they both die in the end, leaving the kings to grieve over the outcome. The red mantle is that worn by the son who asks it to be hung up first, before he himself is executed by hanging (for killing his lover's brothers), so he can see what he'll look like swinging in the breeze. His lover sees it from far off and thinks it's him hanging dead and kills herself in response. This was filmed in Iceland and the director stated in interviews at the time that he searched for the biggest Icelandic horses available, to use for the cast to ride. Unfortunately the props lacked a lot in this film. The only armor worn was simulated mail hoods made from the typical knitted string, painted grey. No helmets were seen at all, nor was any body armor. Clothing for the guys looked like machine sewn white, upper thigh length, linen shirts with simple neck and cuff bands of ribbon or tape decoration (great for wannabe Danish "hippies" to wear after the filming was through). Combat was only on horseback between the King's sons wielding rather small looking swords. (Henrik Olsgaard) The Viking Queen (1967) Actually about Romans in Celtic Britain. Based on the legend of Boudicca, queen of the Iceni tribe in around 60 AD. Apparently "Viking" in the title promised better box-office than "The Celtic Queen". A couple dozen white-robed druids make the most improbable warriors you're likely to see. Alfred The Great (1969) David Hemmings as King Alfred and Michael York as the Viking Chief Guthrum he defeats in the end. I remember the armor was too uniform for all the Vikings warriors and that Guthrum's kit looked great and unique from all the rest. The use of the "Boar's Snout" in battle was notable. (Henrik Olsgaard) If you can get past the first ten minutes or so, this movie picks up speed and becomes worth the effort. The character of Alfred, who avoids being an active leader of the English (Wessex, actually) for as long as he can, is frustrating and fictional, as is the plot device of surrendering his too-willing wife to the Danes. On the positive side, as Henrik notes above, the film actually shows a shield wall and the "Boar's Snout" in action. A good candidate for a remake. (Jack Garrett) The Island at the Top of the World (1974) A lesser Disney live-action Jules Verne-like adventure. In 1907, an airship expedition into the Arctic encounters a lost colony of Vikings (who speak Norwegian and Swedish). Scenic, but the special effects and acting are fair at best. The Norseman (1978) The six million dollar man on a long ship. Never saw it. Haven't tried hard. Útlaginn, AKA Outlaw, the Saga of Gisli (1981) Iceland. It's been a while since I saw it, but it's fondly remembered. It's based on Gísla saga, but it's so condensed that if you haven't read the saga, you probably won't be able to follow the movie. (William R. Short) Hrafninn Flýgur, AKA The Raven Flies, AKA Revenge of the Barbarians (1985) One of a trilogy of Viking films by Icelandic director Hrafn Gunnlaugsson. Self-advertised as the "Most authentic Viking film ever." The director claims his inspiration was Sergio Leone's Italian Westerns, and it shows. There isn't an authentic weapon in sight: the bad guy Vikings carry Khukri knives and the "hero" wins by having more throwing knives than anyone else. Worth watching for the Icelandic horses. Ofelas, AKA Pathfinder (1987) Not that horrible one that came out two years ago, but the original 1987 Norwegian movie. It's the retelling of a Sammi myth so not Viking but Sammi. However, the costuming is somewhat accurate and it was filmed on location. Don't watch it if you want to see swordplay and tons of action, although there is archery and falling off cliffs and a bear hunt going on. It's a peek into how the Sammi lived at that time. Worth seeing just 'cause it's a good story. (Grimm/Carol Norton) Í Skugga Hrafnsins, AKA In the Shadow of the Raven (1988) The BEST (Viking) movie I've seen. It was filmed in Iceland, using all Icelandic cast. It had subtitles, of course. The film was about a feud over a whale that had washed up on disputed land between two neighbors who were suing over ownership of the property, if I remember correctly. I saw it in the theater, and it promptly disappeared. (Al Boyle) Second in the trilogy of Viking movies by Icelandic director Hrafn Gunnlaugsson. (Jack Garrett) The Littlest Viking (1989) Sought this one out only because it was filmed in Norway (and they ought to know about Vikings, right??) A children's story - intentionally. The box has two NFL linemen wearing horned helmets and at the climax the boy throws a Franklin Mint Charlemagne sword into the fjord to end a feud. Nice views of fjords and period-looking Norse settlements. Erik the Viking (1989) Monty Python takes on Norse Mythology. Neither one really wins. I've tried to like this movie for two decades and haven't been successful yet. Maybe it's Tim Robbins as a pillaging Viking who's suddenly guilt-ridden over his career choice. Comes across as a whiner. Some good bits as always in a Terry Jones movie. Hvíti Víkingurinn, AKA The White Viking (1991) Third in the trilogy of Viking movies by Icelandic director Hrafn Gunnlaugsson. No comments on it yet. (Jack Garrett) Royal Deceit AKA Prince of Jutland (1994) Stars Christian Bale, Gabriel Byrne, Helen Mirren, Kate Beckinsale and Brian Cox. Set in the 6th Century, this is the story of Amled, a Danish prince whose father, Hardvendel, has been assassinated by his ambitious uncle, Fenge. Fenge takes the kingdom and the queen Geruth. Amled feins insanity while waiting for a chance for revenge. Sound familiar? It's a low-budget depiction of the legend behind Hamlet, stripped of Shakespearean language and trappings. Filmed in Denmark, the landscape, costumes and buildings are as accurate as we're likely to see on film. The belts are wider than they should be and the axes are high middle ages, but the rarity of swords (and even spears) is probably accurate. Everything is minimalist: the new king has a retinue of about ten guys who look like they're being paid minimum wage. No livery, no helmets and few swords. The king rides a fjord horse and the others walk. The few battle scenes are the "sword swings in silhouette, victim groans and falls" variety. The dialogue is clunky on occasion, the narration is annoying, the music is cringe-worthy and the acting (despite the quality of the cast) is a little forced. Given all that, it's still worth watching; you can't beat the plot and the reality of the Viking period must have looked very much like this. The only version I've seen is the Region 1 (North American) version, which runs 85 minutes; the European version is 103 minutes. Pity. The Viking Sagas (1995) Filmed in Iceland and a pretty decent attempt at depicting the Viking culture a thousand years ago. But ... the acting is painful and at 6' 5", Ralf Moeller is the largest farmer you've ever seen. The plot has holes you could drive ... Ralf Moeller ... through. The 13th Warrior (1999) Well staged, but an unsatisfying plot. Antonio Banderas portrays Ahmed ibn Fahdlan, based on a real Arab observer of (Rus) Viking culture. Fascinating depiction of a well-oiled and experienced Dark Age mercenary force. The Norsemen, among them Buliwyf (the leader) and Herger the Joyous, are unforgettable characters. Many good lines, well-delivered. Here's one: the Arab poet is tossed a huge sword. He complains, "I can't lift this." The Viking responds, "Grow stronger." Another: the Vikings position themselves to investigate a farmstead. The Arab incautiously moves forward. Rethel the Archer, bow half-drawn, warns, "Don't ... step in front of me." The armor spans centuries before and after the period. The swords are period-appropriate, but scaled up to hand-and-a-half size. Some of the best music in movie history. Beowulf (1999) Included here due only to the title. A futuristic version of the story. Christopher Lambert can't act in this one either. Beowulf and Grendel (2005) Pre-Viking, but close enough to be one of the best in its depiction of costumes, weapons and culture. Filmed in Iceland; scenic, if desolate, and a little slow. Ironic and amusing view of how a hero has to live with his own legend. Gerard Butler plays Beowulf; he looks the part and does a nice job. It proposes a grounded and realistic view of how the Grendel legend might have begun. Grendel (2007) Don't forget the "based on the poem" version (insert sarcasm here) Sci-Fi doozy "Grendel" with a mad as a hatter Deanna Troi as the queen and a Fred Flintstone Order of the Sacred Buffalo Grand Poobah helmet wearing Beowulf ... and don't forget his fully automatic exploding crossbow!! (Brian Gannaway) Beowulf (2007) Impressive animation, but over the top and very strange in its choices of (lack of) costume for Beowulf, Hrothgar and Angelina Jolie as Grendel's mother. Pathfinder (2007) Couldn't sit through it. Very dark and the "Vikings" would look right at home on Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings. Severed Ways: The Norse Discovery of America (2007) In limited release. It is about the Viking discovery of North America and has received good reviews. (viking3713) Finished watching it last night and it’s sort of strange. The cinematography reminds me of “The New World”—lots of walking through woods and fields to the accompaniment of ethereal music. The sound track is oddly entertaining with everything from modern classical to heavy metal. One of the Vikings is seen spinning his hair in true hair-band fashion accompanied by a heavy metal instrumental. Not sure what that was supposed to represent. He was either drying his hair or worshiping the gods. I am assuming he was not listening to his i-pod! Costumes should be evaluated by someone with more expertise but I did notice the belts and baldrics were too wide (about 2”), and the Vikings wore a lot of fur, even on warm days. Helmets and weapons were good; all appear to be from Hanwei. Still the movie was entertaining simply because you do want to see what happens to these guys. (I won’t give it away) The North American scenery is stunning and worth the price of the rental by itself. There is no blood and guts at all, even in the violent scenes which are done much more like movies from the 30s and 40s. On the other hand, I really didn’t need to see the graphic depiction of a guy taking a dump in the woods! (Fred Klink) Outlander (2008) Fairly successful blending of science fiction and Viking adventure. Exciting, well-written and intriguing enough to hold your interest. The setting and re-creation of a Norse settlement (in 705 AD) are effective and convincing. Clothing and weapons are only so-so. A lot of leather armor with modern buckles and a double-bladed axe demonstrate a wobbling concern for authenticity - which could be a little nit picky since it's mostly a science fiction film. It does leave the impression that forging a sword takes three blows from a hammer and can be done in under a hour. Oh, and a dozen people with wooden shovels can excavate a ditch in an afternoon you could park a semi-trailer in, and ring it with a stockade. Fight choreography is irrelevant since most of the fighting is filmed with quick-cut editing in near-total darkness. Jim Caviezel is effective as the visiting farmer/soldier who proves to be a better Viking than those who've done it for life. The biggest problem is the moorwen, a monster that only an art director could have created. I can't image what environmental/ecological niche a beast with its abilities could have evolved to fill. Since the character John Hurt plays is named King Rothgar and the "Shield Hall" he rules is called Heorot, this qualifies as yet another remake of Beowulf. Valhalla Rising (2009) It's set near the end of the Viking Age and starts out in Scotland. The main character, One Eye, is a mute human pit bull. He is basically chained up and forced to fight slaves for the amusement of his captors. He is sold to a Scotsman, kills the entire group (with a tomahawk!) and heads out with a boy who would bring him meals. They join up with a group of Christian Vikings going toward the Holy Land to convert the Muslims. The only person to wear (close to) correct kit through the movie is the Boy. Everyone else seems to wear something closer to the stereotype "Dark Age Warrior," even if they don't have horned helms and bunny fur. One Eye wears, of course, biker's leather. The swords, for the most part, look like Deepeeka or Hanwei. The movie is barely watchable, combining (the worst parts of) Erik the Red's Saga with weird "dreams" and a Crusading passion that wouldn't start for a few more years after the last Pagan Viking had been dead for 50 years. If you've spent more than a day or two researching the Viking Age, this movie is painful to watch. If you like movies for the story, this movie is painful to watch as it jumps and starts between times, places, and ideas. The only saving grace was the ship crossing to the "Holy Land." The characters are grumpy, cramped, dehydrated, and generally not in good spirits; the way you would expect to be if you were lost at sea for a month. The ship didn't look too bad either. (John Kronberg) 1066 AKA 1066: The Battle for Middle Earth (2009) This two-part UK television mini-series depicts the three momentous battles of 1066 from the viewpoint of the lower eschelons of the three warring armies: Anglo-Saxon, Viking and Norman. For those interested in historical re-enactment, the film is a must, although greater attention to William of Normandy, Harold Godwinson and Harald Hardrada would have made a better educational experience. Extras were provided by Regia Anglorum and the battle scenes have a different look than other films that rely on CGI or generic stunt players to fill the frame. The budget is limited, but the screenplay and acting are both well beyond most similar efforts. An attempt to tap into the success of the Lord of the Rings movies is unfortunate and undermines the substantial lengths taken for historical authenticity. Extended comments and screen shots are here: http://www.vikingsofbjornstad.com/1066_Middle_Earth.htm, since the film isn't generally available in the US. These comments are based on the DVD Region 2 (Europe) version. How to Train Your Dragon (2010) There are a couple of reasons to see this movie that have nothing to do with Vikings. The first is the quality of the animation, especially in 3D. It’s impressive and the texturing of the various surfaces (like skin and wood) is great to see. Water has always been a challenge to animators and here it is beautifully rendered. The second reason is how the flight sequences are handled. The soaring and dives are exhilarating and fun to experience. A third, Viking reason, is how great the longships look sailing through the CGI seas with their sails fluttering in animated wind. Only a few very brief shots, though. That’s the good part. Now the not-so-good. Apparently Viking children gain about 300 pounds and a Scottish accent upon reaching maturity. And have a horned helmet forced on them. Although the swords and shields are pretty effectively realized, the axes are all double-edged and from another era. The story itself is hardly original and you’ve seen it before. A crucial part of the film is the existence of different races of dragons. Unfortunately, the designs for the races vary so wildly, they look like they're from different movies (or cultures.) The more the movie focuses on dragons beyond the one called Toothless and the humans, the less entertaining and the more confused it becomes. One odd note. Apparently a decision was made to include a severe injury that occurs late in the film that wasn’t in the book. The injury instantly jerks you out of the movie, pulling you back into our world of modern warfare and how similar injuries are dealt with. It’s an unfortunate decision to inject some “substance” into a mild entertainment. (Jack Garrett)
Another reason for wanting to see HTTYD, unique to Bjornstad, is
that Henrik Olsgaard and I spent a few hours at Lucas' SkyWalker
Ranch helping their sound department with some of the sound pick-ups
for that film. A shield rolling across an arena... We did that.
The sound of an arm load of swords and spears being dropped into a
Viking boat... We did that. There was a host of other clanks and
rattles also. (Brian Agron)
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| For information
contact Jack Garrett at garrett@pacbell.net |
