SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB: Week 198 - The Vikings

[europe1]

NOTE to NON-MEMBERS: Interested in joining the SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB? Shoot me a PM for more info!

Here's a quick list of all movies watched by the SMC. Or if you prefer, here's a more detailed examination.

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Our Director
Richard Fleischer

​

Richard Fleischer was born on December 8, 1916 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Soylent green (1973), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and The Vikings (1958). He was married to Mary Dickson. He died on March 25, 2006 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.

​

Our Stars
Spartacus!

And Also An Actor From Spartacus!!!​

Film Overview



Premise: A slave and a Viking prince fight for the love of a captive princess.

Budget: $3.5 million

Box Office: $13.2 million

Trivia
(courtesy of IMDB)

* Kirk Douglas was 40 when this movie was filmed in the summer of 1957, although his character was supposed to be in his 20s.

* Ernest Borgnine plays the father of Kirk Douglas. In real life he was 1-1/2 months younger than Douglas.

* Kirk Douglas offered all the male members of the cast a prize for the best beard, to be grown before arriving on location. All turned up with huge beards, only to find Douglas clean-shaven.

* The three Viking ships in the film were designed using blueprints for an actual Viking ship salvaged from the water and restored by a Viking museum in Norway.

* The opaque scleral contact lens that Kirk Douglas wore to simulate his blinded eye was incredibly painful. He could only stand to have it in place for a few minutes at a time.

* The movie was shot in Kvinnherad, Norway, which is a small community by the Hardanger Fjord. Many locals still remember "when Hollywood showed up in Kvinnherad", and many of the extras are local inhabitants.

* In an interview given shortly after the release of the film both Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis said that they had been cold during the entire filming. The water in the fjord was just above freezing and the air temperature was only slightly warmer.


Members: @europe1 @MusterX @FrontNakedChoke @chickenluver @Scott Parker 27 @Yotsuya @jei @LHWBelt @HARRISON_3 @Bubzeh @moreorless87 @HenryFlower @Zer @Wizzlebiz

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[MusterX]

My favorite exchange in the movie may have been when they brought in the slave Eric, played by Tony Curtis, and Ragnar wanted to know what to do with him and the Englishman says we would throw him in a pit of half starving wolves with an appreciation for human blood and Ragnar turns to Einar, played by Kirk Douglas, and says, "Ahhh, You see, I told you the English were civilized." <45>

I particularly liked how the Vikings pillaged and then ate and drank and heard the lamentation of the women. Of particular interest was the husband throwing axes at his cheating wife's hair. I mean nevermind that her face might get in the way of the axe. If he misses 3 times then the Vikings drown him. Einar intervenes but the entire escapade is both funny and horrifying at the same time. He successfully throws all three axes, but not before pausing to slam a horn full of mead before he throws the final axe. He then pours mead down a wenches throat and starts kissing her. It didn't seem very politically correct at all.

Eric is saved from the drowning pool by the daughters of Odin which was interesting because rather than treat the Vikings religion as just religion, it was more like the idea of Clash of the Titans where there are real deities at work. Some of the time they attributed to Odin what was just science though, like the meteorite shark that always points north. That seemed like magic to them. This film was filled with so many hilarious moments to me. When Einar brought the princess back and told Ragnar he was going to get with the princess Ragnar said I don't think she likes you and Einar said I don't think so either and then they laughed like hyenas which in itself was funny enough but then Einar catches the slave Eric looking at him and Einar hits him with a viscous back fist worthy of a UFC event.

The scenes just piled up one after another, like Vikings playing tug of war with a giant bonfire in the middle so someone has to get dragged through the fire. The entire story was pretty satisfying for a film from 1958. The battle between Einar and Eric on the ramparts was pretty crazy as well. At one point they look like they are about 200 feet up and I'm wondering if that was real or just some trickery. It looked quite dangerous.

I liked this film more than I thought I would. It was good for multiple laughs at the least. A fun watch.

 

[Scott Parker 27]

NOTE to NON-MEMBERS: Interested in joining the SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB? Shoot me a PM for more info!

Here's a quick list of all movies watched by the SMC. Or if you prefer, here's a more detailed examination.

Our Director
Richard Fleischer

​

Richard Fleischer was born on December 8, 1916 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Soylent green (1973), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and The Vikings (1958). He was married to Mary Dickson. He died on March 25, 2006 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Our Stars
Spartacus!

And Also An Actor From Spartacus!!!

Film Overview



Premise: A slave and a Viking prince fight for the love of a captive princess.

Budget: $3.5 million

Box Office: $13.2 million

Trivia
(courtesy of IMDB)

* Kirk Douglas was 40 when this movie was filmed in the summer of 1957, although his character was supposed to be in his 20s.

* Ernest Borgnine plays the father of Kirk Douglas. In real life he was 1-1/2 months younger than Douglas.

* Kirk Douglas offered all the male members of the cast a prize for the best beard, to be grown before arriving on location. All turned up with huge beards, only to find Douglas clean-shaven.

* The three Viking ships in the film were designed using blueprints for an actual Viking ship salvaged from the water and restored by a Viking museum in Norway.

* The opaque scleral contact lens that Kirk Douglas wore to simulate his blinded eye was incredibly painful. He could only stand to have it in place for a few minutes at a time.

* The movie was shot in Kvinnherad, Norway, which is a small community by the Hardanger Fjord. Many locals still remember "when Hollywood showed up in Kvinnherad", and many of the extras are local inhabitants.

* In an interview given shortly after the release of the film both Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis said that they had been cold during the entire filming. The water in the fjord was just above freezing and the air temperature was only slightly warmer.


Members: @europe1 @MusterX @FrontNakedChoke @chickenluver @Scott Parker 27 @Yotsuya @jei @LHWBelt @HARRISON_3 @Bubzeh @moreorless87 @HenryFlower @Zer @Wizzlebiz

​

Still in the middle of my bloody valentine. Will get to this soon.

 

[Yotsuya]

If I remember correctly, The Vikings was made outside major studios and produced partly by Kirk Douglas based on a book he loved. Douglas was originally supposed to play the good guy Eric, but getting money for the sizeable budget was attached for casting rising star Tony Curtis in the movie, and Curtis refused to play Einar. To save the production Douglas took the part of the evil brother. That turned out to be a great solution. Einar is definetly the heart of the movie and a really memorable role.

As usual in 50’s historical movies, there’s a theme of rising Christianity lurking. What makes The Vikings special is that paganism kind of preveils. There no last minute change of hearts and Einar dies gloriously staying true for Odin and undoubtedly Valhalla bound!

Had Douglas gotten the good guy role, who knows what kind of Spartacus type sentimental and narcissistic martyrdom bullshit might have gotten into the script. But with executive power and probably bigtime motivation to steal the movie from snobby up-and-coming Curtis, Douglas went the opposite way instead by creating one of the greatest anti-heroes of the 50's. Skål!

 

[MusterX]

@europe1

 

[europe1]

@europe1

Saw it today. In tomorrow. Mimicking my usual lateness

 

[europe1]

Also, what the hell is it with me and Nominating movies where women get either raped or just threated horribly? Coffe. Live like a Cop, Die like a Man. Branded to Kill. Now this! What the hell is wrong with me! This just keeps happening!<45>

 

[Scott Parker 27]

NOTE to NON-MEMBERS: Interested in joining the SHERDOG MOVIE CLUB? Shoot me a PM for more info!

Here's a quick list of all movies watched by the SMC. Or if you prefer, here's a more detailed examination.

Our Director
Richard Fleischer

​

Richard Fleischer was born on December 8, 1916 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He was a director and producer, known for Soylent green (1973), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) and The Vikings (1958). He was married to Mary Dickson. He died on March 25, 2006 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Our Stars
Spartacus!

And Also An Actor From Spartacus!!!

Film Overview



Premise: A slave and a Viking prince fight for the love of a captive princess.

Budget: $3.5 million

Box Office: $13.2 million

Trivia
(courtesy of IMDB)

* Kirk Douglas was 40 when this movie was filmed in the summer of 1957, although his character was supposed to be in his 20s.

* Ernest Borgnine plays the father of Kirk Douglas. In real life he was 1-1/2 months younger than Douglas.

* Kirk Douglas offered all the male members of the cast a prize for the best beard, to be grown before arriving on location. All turned up with huge beards, only to find Douglas clean-shaven.

* The three Viking ships in the film were designed using blueprints for an actual Viking ship salvaged from the water and restored by a Viking museum in Norway.

* The opaque scleral contact lens that Kirk Douglas wore to simulate his blinded eye was incredibly painful. He could only stand to have it in place for a few minutes at a time.

* The movie was shot in Kvinnherad, Norway, which is a small community by the Hardanger Fjord. Many locals still remember "when Hollywood showed up in Kvinnherad", and many of the extras are local inhabitants.

* In an interview given shortly after the release of the film both Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis said that they had been cold during the entire filming. The water in the fjord was just above freezing and the air temperature was only slightly warmer.


Members: @europe1 @MusterX @FrontNakedChoke @chickenluver @Scott Parker 27 @Yotsuya @jei @LHWBelt @HARRISON_3 @Bubzeh @moreorless87 @HenryFlower @Zer @Wizzlebiz

​

I came in not expecting much from this movie, thinking is was probably picked just because of Kirk's death. I was pleasantly surprised though it was a good watch. God damn Douglas was a one man wrecking crew, he jumped right across the ramrod and threw open the draw bridge for his troops.

I also had no idea that the lead actress and the slave are the parents of Jaime Lee Curtis. By her birthdate it seems she was conceived during filming?

 

[Yotsuya]

Also, what the hell is it with me and Nominating movies where women get either raped or just threated horribly? Coffe. Live like a Cop, Die like a Man. Branded to Kill. Now this! What the hell is wrong with me! This just keeps happening!<45>

Maybe a voting conspiracy among the members. (I voted only one of those!)

 

[europe1]

I liked this film more than I thought I would. It was good for multiple laughs at the least. A fun watch.

I came in not expecting much from this movie, thinking is was probably picked just because of Kirk's death. I was pleasantly surprised though it was a good watch. God damn Douglas was a one man wrecking crew, he jumped right across the ramrod and threw open the draw bridge for his troops.

Yeah there is something to be said for how many hilarious vignettes this movie contains. It's like they just wanted to do some uprorious shit and thought that making a Viking movie was a clever cover-up to justify this fact. A few that hasn't been mentioned is the running of the oars. Or when Morgana says that she'll kill herself and Douglas hurls his sword into the floor going "There your sword to do it with!". It's like a fratboy party mixed with Viking nightlife. It's quite fitting for an adventure film. So this is the fantasies people were craving back in the 50's?<45>

I think it also should be mentioned just how into it the actors are. Kirk seems to be having the time of his life boozing, sleazing and dashing about the place. It's really quite infectious how blithely he is. Borgnine is also rollicking fun. Curtis comes of as a bit of a square in comparison, but at least he has that mad-eyed quality.

The entire story was pretty satisfying for a film from 1958

Yeah this movie really is quite rip-roaring and straightforward. Really is a popcorn flick to its core.

I do kind of wonder if that's what's holding it back from being considered a classic like... Spartacus or El Cid though. It was just to much madcap fun to leave much of an otherwise impression.

At one point they look like they are about 200 feet up and I'm wondering if that was real or just some trickery. It looked quite dangerous.

Man, that cinematography was awesome! You really got the impression of swooning heights as they were battling. You could see the courtyard, the sea, and people scurrying about down bellow as they were having their duel. Really awesome.

Honestly, on the action front, this movie was a weird mix of the great and the poor. That final duel, as well as that point where Kirk scales the wooden gates with the axes over a sea-bound precipice were great "fuck yeah!" moments. But the sword-fighting and battlefield brawling overall could oftentimes be quite poor. With people just swinging at each other swords or punching each other even though they were armed.

Likewise with the special effects. Kirk's blinded eye was ghastly! And his eye-patch was quite cool. But Curtis one-armed prosthetic was just laughable bad. <45>

If I remember correctly, The Vikings was made outside major studios and produced partly by Kirk Douglas based on a book he loved

Yup, and the book was named the same as the moive too. Never read it. The only Viking novel that I really loved was The Long Ships.

 

[Zer]

I love Kirk Douglas and I've liked him in pretty much everything I've seen him in, but it didn't work for me at all here. With the costumes he mostly looked like an overgrown hobbit. People complain about movie Nazi's never being portrayed by actual Germans and I've always said us Brits do it way better anyway, but with this it really fucked with me that we didn't have actual Scandinavians in these roles. In many ways - aesthetics/dialogue/structure - this seemed to me like a very generic historical drama from the period, and with that it feels very inauthentic like it's like a $1.99 Viking DLC for Becket or something like that (Although Becket is a great film tbf). Douglas and especially Curtis (Who I've also really liked in anything I've seen him in (Especially Sweet Smell of Success)) look completely out of place and of course the lack of accents is the cherry on top. When Brits play Nazi's they always at least look the part (Because anyone looks the part in those uniforms tbh) and their posh accents go with the cold, calculating, aloof nature of the Third Reich.

With all that said, I thought it was a decent enough story with some really interesting elements just in a completely botched setting. It's obviously difficult to approach the topic of rape, but it's a unique gimmick in the context of the central relationships here. The characters are nicely detailed and even though I couldn't get totally invested in the movie, I was always curious to see where things were heading with them. For all my problems doubting its Viking cred, it seems to be on point with the mythology and customs (I'm definitely no expert though so I prob shouldn't even be complaining about this stuff). I get the feeling I'd need to watch this a second time to come out with a legit opinion and maybe get more familiar with the Viking genre/history in general before that second viewing. Which I suppose is a testament to the level of detail and craft in this film

 

[JayPettryMMA]

Breaks my heart to have to officially do this, @europe1, but I'm so far behind and just can't commit to an additional three hours in front of the screen/on the forums for this club. I'll still keep the SMC sheet updated so you can keep using it, but I'll end up being more like Bullitt in terms of a non-regular, "pop in when I can" member.

 

[europe1]

Breaks my heart to have to officially do this, @europe1, but I'm so far behind and just can't commit to an additional three hours in front of the screen/on the forums for this club. I'll still keep the SMC sheet updated so you can keep using it, but I'll end up being more like Bullitt in terms of a non-regular, "pop in when I can" member.

I curse the Sherdog play-by-play for taking you away from us! I curse it all the way to hell! I promise to troll its comment section for years due to this!

Nah... I understand. Thanks for shouldering the SMC sheet at least. Time is our constant enemy.

 

[europe1]

and with that it feels very inauthentic like it's like a $1.99 Viking DLC for Becket or something like that

I do remember thinking that a few stuff, like the dragon-boats, or their weapons (sword and axes) actually looked quite authentic to the period. Usually the try to make weapons look as flashy or ostentatious as possible (absurdly big axe-blades is something that you commonly see in historical movies, for instance). Another historic detail was the presence of tapestry for decorations.

Take this blade for instance. The handle is much to big to be a Viking-sword (they were quite small so to encourage cutting instead of thrusting via limiting your wrist-mobility). The pommel is also much to big, I think. Yet otherwise, it looks fairly faithful to the period. Not overly long or with a European-esque crossguard, more thickly bladed than pointed. Certainly better than most costume-dramas you see.

Yeah but... overall, the movie is waaay in fantasy-land. Especially with those big animal pelts everyone was wearing which made them look like cave-people. Thinking about it though, this may be the first movie that was more historically correct about the Vikings than they were about the English, since at least they got some things right with the norsmen.<45>

But personally, I just dismissed it as a "Viking" movie from the get-go. It's Hollywood fluff. Adventure-fare. Not an actual evocation of an bygone time-period. But then again, the kinds of movies that achieve that are super-rare.