Steve GannBad Movies That I Love: Erik The Viking
July 3rd 2009 01:42
My guess is that when Terry Jones and John Cleese's names were mentioned with 1989's Erik The Viking that Monty Python fans circled the release date on the calendar. It is not a Monty Python type film and they may have been the reason that it was not warmly received. Terry Jones for whatever reason never reached the same level of fame as his fellow Python partners. Partly because he was more involved with the writing and less in the acting parts. I think he is very talented and Erik The Viking is just one of his projects that deserves a second look.
Erik The Viking actually started out as a children's book written for Jones' son Bill. Incidentally Bill would bring a very much edited Eric The Viking to DVD in 2007. The original was 100 minutes long while "The Director's Son's Cut" was a much trimmer 79 minutes. Many of the original fans were disappointed and still cling to the older VHS version for their home collection.
Erik, played by Tim Robbins, is a young viking who is opposed to the historic viking practice of raping and pillaging. Seeking to redeem himself from the accidental death of an innocent woman he goes on a journey to regain the sun, which has been swallowed by a wolflike God. He must find and blow the Horn Resounding and end the ago of Ragnarak.
Along the way Erik falls in love with a princess and saves her land from attack. He is awarded the horn but loses it because two of his crew have betrayed him. During a fight for the horn one of Eric's men is killed and the island is instantly destroyed because it was protected only as long as it remained peaceful.
Erik and his men, take back the horn and blow it sending the ship and its crew into space.
This is where the action heats up building to the climax in the story.
One of the great things about any Python related material is that there is generally a good piece of actual history woven into the script. This is true for this story as many of the names come straight out of Norse mythology.
It may be hard to find but the VHS version is the one to view and find out why this is one of the hidden jewels of the 80s.
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