Looking for help to name/source some decent movies that depict the “Viking Age”. Pure fiction/fantasy is perfectly fine as well, not looking necessarily for historical fact.
I have been watching 'The Vikings" on History Channel and that has been enjoyable. Also went back and watched 13th Warrior which despite its mediocre ratings and being pure fantasy, I rather enjoyed.
But their does not seem to be much else out there that I can find, so I would love some direction/recommendations.
Thanks!
The recent animated Beowulf - there was a live-action one filmed in Iceland around the same time, I think called Beowulf & Grendel
The Secret of Kells
Not Pathfinder, which is crap.
Oh, I forgot, Valhalla Rising was quite good, if arty.
Don’t watch Eric the Viking.
“The Long Ships” (1964) is a fun movie. Richard Widmark seems to act as though he knows this is all fluff and fun, but Sidney Poitier acts as though it’s Shakespeare.
This. Really, unless you have a love for Monty Python that is greater than the love for your own brain, don’t watch it.
I know Viking-minded folks who like this: The 13th Warrior - Wikipedia
Outlander is quite good. Spaceman lands in a Viking village, bringing a pursuing alien/dragon with him.
Okay, since nobody else appears willing to give it a plug, I’ll present The Vikings (1958) which was my first exposure to a Viking themed movie. The music was a big part of it, and Kirk Douglas was in fine form. Tony Curtis was a bit miscast but Janet Leigh compensated for that in the looks department. Ernest Borgnine was the most fun.
I’ve seen it again in recent times and it’s obviously “of that period” but still fun, if only for geezers.
It actually is a perfectly decent movie. Just one thing: pretend that they ran out of money for props and had to equip the viking warriors with whatever armor and weapons they could find in the studio warehouse. Otherwise, you might find yourself asking questions like “What is that viking doing in conquistador armor?”
I liked this movie. I thought it unfairly got poor reviews when it came out and I never thought it was the GREATEST MOVIE EVER but I thought it was decent and worked well for what it was.
And if know any thing about metallurgy, try not to wince at the scene where a great sword ( the the Vikings also did not use, far as we know ) is cut down to a scimitar :D. Or the fact that the Arabs weren’t using scimitars back then anyway. Or that the Vikings were mounted on big destriers instead of shaggy little ponies. Or…well you get the idea.
But generally I’m in agreement with the very mild love for The Thirteenth Warrior. Hardly an instant classic, but kinda enjoyable. Helps that I rather like the book it is based on. Actually kind of an interesting contrast with the other Beowulf-themed films, especially the animated version ( which I also think is pretty decent as a story ).
ETA: Oh and ignore those Erik the Viking naysayers. It sorta sucks, sure - but it is also kind of fun :p.
The best thing about the Thirteenth Warrior was the actors who played the Norsemen. They very much looked the part and weren’t bad actors either.
Which one? The American re-make, which I have not seen, sounds pretty bad, based on the imdb listing. The Norwegian original, which I have seen, was awesome.
It’s a pity so many of them spoke with Irish accents.
He needed it to leave the helmet in New Zealand.
But oddly enough that actually is somewhat closer to being historically accurate. The Vikings were settling in Ireland by the mid-9th century and were taking Irish wives ( you start finding Viking with Celtic names in the second generation ). So Gaelicized Vikings even as far abroad as Russia wouldn’t have been that shocking in the 10th century, which is when the movie is set.
The Vikings is a great movie. It’s remarkably historically accurate for a big Hollywood production, and surprisingly violent for its time.
I opened this thread to mention this movie. One of my all time favorites. And the Orson Welles opening narration is awesome!
I frequently use a quote from this film, too: “Love. Hate. Two horns on the same goat!”
Yes! Yes! Yes!
Vladimir Kulich and Asbjørn Riis were PERFECTLY cast.
Thanks, I had a distant memory of Curtis as a Vike.
Now wait… Kirk Douglas with one eye, his name is… Einar?
