Pieces + Bits...

I enjoyed this (shown last night on Film4, UK) in the spirit that it was presented: a bit of light-hearted nonsense. It was nice to see a part of England that is rarely shown on screen (although a shame to see the stereotypical weather clichés enforced), and I was surprised at the quality of the cast, from heavyweight professionals to rank amateurs (follow the threads on this board referring to the auditions), I do, however, have a couple of questions to pose:

1. Weren’t Normans descended from Vikings (Norman=Northman, or Norseman), so why would they be re-enacting combat scenarios between them?
2. Vikings didn’t use broadswords. Their weapons were shorter, and lighter, because their own, and their enemies’ armour wasn’t as efficient as in later (medieval) times. This means that Geoff chose an unusual name for his re-enactment society.
3. I did feel somewhat uncomfortable with the whole Julian/Kim scenario. I know that it was all resolved amicably in the end, but to show them meeting anonymously through a chat room smacks a little too much of the harsher realities we should rather confine to the darker recesses of our consciousness…
4. What happened to the owl? (Odin?) I blinked, and then suddenly, they were in the middle of a Viking funeral?..

On the whole, though, great fun! I think the distributors committed a faux pas in releasing it straight to DVD. It would have found a cinema audience in the UK, albeit a small one!


I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...