Erik the Viking (1989)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Terry Jones

Writer:

Terry Jones (written by)

Release Date:

22 September 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

Be there... or beheaded!

Plot:

Erik the Viking gathers warriors from his village and sets out on a dangerous journey to Valhalla, to...

Plot Keywords:

Viking | Gods | Father Son Relationship | Betrayal | Blacksmith

Cast

Tim Robbins	...	Erik
Mickey Rooney	...	Erik's Grandfather
Eartha Kitt	...	Freya
Terry Jones	...	King Arnulf
Imogen Stubbs	...	Princess Aud
John Cleese	...	Halfdan the Black
Tsutomu Sekine	...	Slavemaster
Antony Sher	...	Loki
Gary Cady	...	Keitel Blacksmith
Charles McKeown	...	Sven's Dad
Tim McInnerny	...	Sven the Berserk
John Gordon Sinclair	...	Ivar the Boneless
Richard Ridings	...	Thorfinn Skullsplitter
Freddie Jones	...	Harald the Missionary
Samantha Bond	...	Helga
Danny Schiller	...	Snorri the Miserable
Jim Broadbent	...	Ernest the Viking (a Rapist)
Jim Carter	...	Jennifer the Viking (Another Rapist)
Matyelok Gibbs	...	Erik's Mum
Tilly Vosburgh	...	Unn-the-Thrown-At
Jay Simpson	...	Leif the Lucky
John Scott Martin	...	Ingemund the Old
Sian Thomas	...	Thorhild the Sarcastic
Sarah Crowden	...	Grimhild Housewife
Bernard Padden	...	Mordfiddle the Cook
Bernard Latham	...	Ulf the Unmemorable
Julia McCarthy	...	Thorfinn's Mum
Allan Surtees	...	Thorfinn's Dad
Sandra Voe	...	Ivar's Mum
Angela Connolly	...	Thorkatla the Indiscreet
Sally Jones	...	Leif's Pregnant Girlfriend
Andrew MacLachlan	...	Ornulf / Chamberlain / Dog Soldier
Tim Killick	...	Bjarni / Halfdan's Guard / Musician
Graham McTavish	...	Thangbrand / Citizen / Dog Soldier
Cyril Shaps	...	Gisli the Chiseller
Peter Geeves	...	Eilif the Mongol Horde / Musician
Paddy Joyce	...	Prisoner
Colin Harper	...	Prisoner
Harry Jones	...	Prisoner
Barry McCarthy	...	Prisoner
Neil Innes	...	Hy-Brasilian
Gary Roost	...	Prisoner
Simon Evans	...	Odin
Matthew Baker	...	Thor
Dave Duffy	...	Horribly Slain Warrior
Frank Bednash	...	Even More Horribly Slain Warrior
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Simon	...	Svens Grandfather (uncredited)
Max Votolato	...	Child God (uncredited)

Directed by
Terry Jones

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Terry Jones		written by

Produced by
Terry Glinwood	....	executive producer
John Goldstone	....	producer
Neville C. Thompson	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Neil Innes

Cinematography by
Ian Wilson

Film Editing by
George Akers

Casting by
Irene Lamb

Production Design by
John Beard

Art Direction by
Gavin Bocquet
Roger Cain

Set Decoration by
Joanne Woollard

Costume Design by
Pam Tait

Makeup Department
Demelza Rogers	....	hair & makeup
Aileen Seaton	....	makeup artist
Jenny Shircore	....	hair designer
Jenny Shircore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Chris Thompson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Brown	....	first assistant director
Julian Doyle	....	second unit director
Margarita Doyle	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Sarah Horton	....	set designer
Robert Jackson	....	carpenter
Alan Lee	....	conceptual designer
Barry Wilkinson	....	property master
Simon Wilkinson	....	dressing props
Dennis Murray	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Alan Bell	....	sound editor
Bob Doyle	....	sound recordist
Paul Filby	....	boom operator
Lionel Strutt	....	adr mixer
Noel Wallace	....	dubbing projectionist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Mario Cassar	....	special effects foreman: Malta
Richard Conway	....	special effects designer
Dave Eltham	....	special effects technician
Steve Hamilton	....	special effects floor supervisor
Peter Hutchinson	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Janice Body	....	rotoscope artist
Martin Body	....	effects coordinator
Bob Cuff	....	matte painter
Joy Cuff	....	matte painter
Dennis McTaggart	....	visual effects editor
Andrew Coates	....	assistant optical camera (uncredited)

Stunts
Martin Grace	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
David Appleby	....	still photographer
Kenny Byrne	....	focus puller
Alfie Emmins	....	best boy
Simon Richards	....	clapper loader
Norman Smith	....	gaffer
Mark Strasburg	....	focus puller: second unit
Ian Wilson	....	camera operator
Kevin Brookner	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yvonne Zarb Cousin	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Charles Ireland	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
John Altman	....	conductor
John Altman	....	orchestrator
Ray Williams	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Libbie Barr	....	script supervisor
Susan d'Arcy	....	unit publicist
Yvonne Eastmond	....	assistant production accountant
Mike Higgins	....	location manager
Joyce Turner	....	production coordinator

Thanks
Bill Jones	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• KB Erik the Viking
• Prominent Features
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF)

Distributors

• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1989) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1989) (UK) (theatrical)
• Aquarius TV (2000) (Greece) (TV)
• Arrow Film Distributors (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• Arrow Films (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox Video (1990) (UK) (VHS)
• Editora Europa (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Orion Pictures Corporation
• Transvídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Computer Film Company, The (CFC)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Also Known As:

Erik viking (Sweden)

Runtime:

107 min | 79 min (director's cut)

Country:

UK | Sweden

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #29792) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12/9 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:12 | UK:15 (video rating) | UK:12 (original rating) | Finland:S (cut version) (video release)

Filming Locations:

Lee International Studios, Shepperton, Surrey, England, UK

Company:

KB Erik the Viking

Trivia:

Tom Hulce, star of Amadeus (1984), was originally intended to play the lead part of Erik. However, by the time that funding was secured, Hulce had decided to take a break from films to concentrate on his stage career.

Goofs:

Continuity: Erik runs through waist-deep water to get on shore to get the Cloak Invisible. When he arrives in Aud's bedchamber minutes later, his pants are completely dry.

Quotes:

Harald the Missionary: Listen. I've been in this dump for sixteen years and I haven't made a single convert...
Snorri the Miserable: There was Thorbjorn Vifilsson's wife. You converted HER.
Harald the Missionary: Thorbjorn Vifilsson's wife became a Buddhist, not a Christian.
Snorri the Miserable: Same thing, isn't it?
Harald the Missionary: No, it is NOT.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Behind the Director's Son's Cut (2007) (V)

Time to re-evaluate Terry Jones

Terry Jones is probably the least appreciated member of Monty Python, but viewing `Erik the Viking' should change your opinion on that. The movie's world is bleak and bitter (reading about Norse religion will show you that the Vikings lived in a bleak and bitter world), but Tim Robbins' idealistic and earnest Erik is just sweet and hopeful enough to keep things interesting, rather than completely depressing. The casting is excellent. Particularly noteworthy are Jones himself as a king who quite literally only sees what he wants to see; Eartha Kitt as a very effective and chilling Norse goddess (yeah, it sounds weird, but it's perfectly done); and Antony Sher, whose Loki is equal parts weasel and villain. You'll be disappointed if you come in expecting over-the-top Pythonesque zany-ness, but to me, this movie felt like a maturation of that style. The satire is still there but it's more sober than frenetic. I only rated this movie an 8 because I don't watch it very often, but it's probably my favorite of all the Pythons' solo projects.