Maybe too smart?

Mind sharing the back-story? I know Jones wrote the children's book that the movie is based, but have never even seen a copy of it. The movie is excellent in and of itself. I waited for 6 weeks just to get a copy of the VHS back in '96 while Suncoast video tracked one down.

Too smart!? If anything, it's the moments of really worn childish humour that let the movie down. Even the really hilarious moments, like the slave-master, didn't have anything to do with Norse mythology.

I've studied the period in depth too, and honestly I don't think it made the film any better. I'd be curious to hear some examples of what you thought was improved by understanding.

*shrugs* I saw it when I was 13 or 14 and loved every minute of it, even without really knowing anything substantial about Norse mythology. Years later and with a bit more knowledge, I still love it -- though not any more or less. . . It's simply a really fun movie. :)

If you do have to know a great deal about the Norse Sagas to enjoy this film, that doesn't make it too clever - that makes it poorly made. An original film like this needs to stand on its own, not rely on the audience to have previous knowledge. If we need to know something, then it should be in the film. If it's not in the film, that's just bad writing.

It's good when a film makes you want to find out more, but not if you need to find out more just to enjoy the film.

The Vikings were very great. They discovered America, and here where the greatness comes in. They took a look, and went back...

I think the film might be to craving for an audience outside of Europe. I, being swedish and all, think the norse mythology is pretty well known throughout our continent. After all the vikings, as well as many other tribes, changed european and christian history.

P.S. What the hell does this thread have to do with Eufrat/Tigris-cultures?

I think this movie is absolutely hilarious. I think "Pythonesque" humor goes to the two extremes when it comes to intelligence - thing is, I find both extremes just as funny. Maybe some good examples of what youre referring to are:

- how Harald the missionary - played by Freddie Jones - could not see the dragon like the others because he believed in Christianity and not in mythology;

- the whole "He died of old age..." insult;

- Erik's grandfather overjoyed because Erik killed the woman that made him "think"...

Most people I know dont get it unless you explain it to them. And this is true for many of the scenes - at least, that seems to be the case in the U.S. So I agree with you when you say that it might be too smart. Either that, or I have some really dumb friends....ummmm....but thats probably true anyway. cheeeeeese.....

I agree, and disagree at the same time. While I am not a scholar of Norse mythology, my father is Danish and so I knew a lot about the Eddas and several other popular Norse tales from a very young age. And, yes, my sister and I thought this movie was absolutely hilarious. Buuut...

The movie also had many points that are somewhat annoying for people familiar with Old Norse customs and beliefs, but not so for people without any such knowledge. In fact, people ignorant of Old Norse culture would perhaps find these points humorous, because they tend to play on stereotypes and misconceptions about the viking age (ex: the Norse were actually law-abiding men so long as they were at home, and would never go around committing wanton violence at home; it's true that they would, however, see no problem with marauding abroad if they needed funds to finance a mission).

First thing I noticed right off the bat: the Norse NEVER gave gods' names to mortals. That simply did not happen. You could have a god's name somewhere inside of your name (ie: have a name derived from a god's name), but no Norseman would ever be running around named "Freya." Instead, they'd name their daughters something like "Freyahilde" if they wanted to name them after the goddess.

This would probably not bother most people, though, but it bothered my sister and I so much that we just made up that Erik wanted to communicate with Freya herself through a priestess, whose name wasn't Freya. We also like to think that Loki actually is Loki (he's a shapechanger, after all), and that's really all the motivation he needs for keeping the rest of the gods asleep; leaving him alone to do his sneaky things and keeping his son (that ate the sun) alive. Oh, and we say Hafdan is a jotun, that's why Loki asks him to sabotage Erik. And doesn't Hafdan's land kind of look like Jotunheim? I don't know if such a reading of this movie is normal, but my sister and I love it if we think about it that way.

And, aaaugh, the children. My sister and I just wince at that part. It's truly painful to watch, probably so for everybody. My sister and I explain that one away by saying when the gods were awakened, they were effectively "reborn" after the Fimbulwinter, hence the kiddies. And Helheim being firey and full of lava? Christian influences much?

And the very same gods that fight and work their butts off everyday in order to forestall Ragnarok as much as possible, in order to ensure a future for humans, suddenly they're so callous and like "Oh, whatever, Fenrir ate the sun, ho hum, get out of here we're bored." That was so out-of-sorts with any Norse myth you could possibly name.

In fact, that attitude is very much like the gods of Greek mythology, which is probably what the general audience would be most familiar with. So general audiences would be thinking: "Haha, that's so true! That's how gods are!" (thinking about Greco-Roman mythology, though) meanwhile people familiar with Norse mythology are just cringing at how incongruous everything has suddenly become (because, up till this point, the movie was more-or-less accurate).

If an ancient Norseman wrote the script, the gods would probably give them barrels of ale and a huge celebratory feast for doing such a mighty and brave deed for the good of Midgard.

So... sorry I typed so much, but I really wanted to say all of that about this movie. Maybe I'm just too purist and that's why I couldn't stand the Christian and Greek religious influences, and maybe I should just lighten up, but I feel that being so familiar with Norse mythology is exactly what made many parts of it un-enjoyable (rather than the other way around).