This film, a sequel to Roots of the Saxons, explores the ancient homeland of the Angles and their beliefs through artefacts, symbols, stone circles and bogs. I discuss the meaning behind these objects and how they connect to old traditions and gods, inviting viewers to uncover timeless wisdom from the past. Filmed in Germany and Denmark, it reveals why wetlands were so important to the Germanic Angles who later invaded Britain and became the English people.
Sources:
McLaughlin, R. (2025) ‘Germania: the Ancient Germans in
Greek and Roman Sources: Geography, Society, Warfare, Religion, and
Customs’
Aerts-Bijma, A.T. & Sanden, Wijnand & Plicht, Johannes &
Streurman, H.J.. (2004). Dating bog bodies by means of 14C-AMS. Journal
of Archaeological Science. 31. 10.1016/j.jas.2003.09.012.
Skre, Dagfinn. (2024). The Northern Routes to Kingship: A History of
Scandinavia AD 180–550
Mees, Bernard (1997); A New Interpretation of the Meldorf Fibula
Inscription in Zeitschrift für deutsches Altertum und deutsche Literatur
no. 126, pp. 131–39.
Holst and Nielsen (2020) ‘Excavating Nydam: Archaeology, Palaeoecology
and Preservation. The National Museum [of Denmark]’s Research Project,
Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries and University Press of Southern
Denmark
To gain a deeper understanding of medieval Icelandic stories called sagas, historian Tom Rowsell journeys to Iceland, immersing himself in the landscapes that inspired these tales. He rides native horses across the fells, bathes in hot springs, and traces the footsteps of legendary Viking heroes like Eirik the Red and Egill Skallagrimsson.
The Teutonic knights invaded the Baltic but were repelled by a pagan rebellion. This film tells the story of Herkus Monte, a Prussian who led his people against the Christian German invaders. It was made in the Soviet Union which explains the anti-German sentiment, but I am surprised they allowed such nationalism to be promoted among Lithuanians. There is also a theme of class conflict among the Prussians, with Monte promoting a serf above a noble, but I am sure this is Soviet influence.
A moving Icelandic movie about witches and ghosts in the medieval era. Based on a tale by the Brothers Grimm, it was one of Björk's first major acting roles. It is the story of the two daughters of a witch who flee across medieval Iceland when their mother is burned at the stake. The elder daughter casts a spell on a handsome widower, but the ghost of the man's mother attempts to prevent the ill-starred romance.
An Icelandic film with English subtitles. Útlaginn, English title "Outlaw: The Saga of Gisli" demonstrates the family feuds and the associated duty of vengeance that was the cultural norm in Iceland during the Viking age.
A farmers family is torn apart by faith, sanctity, and love — One child believes he is Jesus Christ, a second proclaims himself agnostic and the third falls in love with a Christian fundamentalist's daughter. An analysis of religious difference and the cultural effects of it, Ordt (The Word) is a challenge to simple facts and dogmatic orthodoxy. Layering multiple stories of faith and rebellion, Dryers adaptation of Kj Munk's play quietly builds towards a shattering, miraculous climax.
Death has dominion over this nauseating Nordic blood bath of a movie.
Just as last year's Bronson was a huge step forward for Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn, from his Pusher trilogy, so too is Valhalla Rising a definitive progression in the forging of his identity as an auteur (Drive really confirms his skill). The tension of this slow moving story, punctuated with explosions of ultra violence and fountains of blood, is heart stopping. The dialogue is sparse; the protagonist is a mute Viking slave who has killed his masters and is accompanied only by a young boy who speaks on his behalf.
The film is set against dark and ominous Scottish Highlands occupied by Nordic pagans whose way of life is threatened by the spread of Christianity. A group of Christian Vikings find the pair and see the benefit of bringing the one eyed slave bezerker on a journey to Jerusalem for the first Crusade. After they embark, the Christians suspect that a mysterious fog that impairs navigation is a curse brought upon them by the pagan slave. He is too powerful to kill and at any point in the film when he is challenged there follows a gory scene with lashings of crimson and the barbaric sounds of axe cleaving flesh and splintering bone.
Without a background knowledge of the subject matter, the plot may seem far fetched and the violence gratuitous. It is remarkable that in fact every aspect of the film; from the decapitation of a chieftain whose head is then placed on a pole (a magic rite to pagan vikings), to the accidental discovery of Canada hundreds of years before Columbus, were things that actually happened. All the activities of these fictional characters are based on archaeological and mythological sources.
The linear story of an escaped slave finding salvation amongst Christians is brought into question. The slave never confirms his beliefs and is content to kill the Christians at the first sign of aggression. The name of the pagan protagonist is One-eye, a Viking nickname for their God of war Odin. When questioned by the Christians as to the origins of the slave, the boy responds, "he was brought up from hell." It seems that One-eye is more symbol than character. His emotions and intentions are never made clear. He is a source of fear for the Christians who mistake Canada for Hell, believing the pagan slave has led them there using magic. But he is also a guardian figure who takes the boy under his wing after killing the rest of his tribe.
The film explores the complex issues of cultural and spiritual conflict that were being played out in Europe 1000 years ago. The Christianisation of Europe, the slaughter of the pagans, followed swiftly by the first crusade and the slaughter of Muslims in the holy land are all addressed. While in Europe the pagans are said to live on "the edge of the world," hunted and killed in their thousands, in Canada the tables are turned and the pagan Indians hunt the Christians. The Viking landings in the new world ended badly and foreshadowed the colonisation of the Americas 500 years later. The repeating shots of crosses from obscure angles cut with One-eye's premonitions of extreme violence seem to be a message of the danger of Christianity. The Christian Viking leader's maniacal screams about "My new Jerusalem!" echo those of the early Christian settlers of America who made similar declarations before slaughtering native Americans.
The appeal of this movie for most will not be the spiritual message nor will it be the un-hurried cinematography and beautiful shots of the Scottish highlands. It will be violence. There is no denying the violent scenes are shockingly graphic, but they are too sparse to hold the attention of the average sociopathic gore-hound. Some sections are extremely drawn out and confusing, including a scene in which one viking inexplicably rapes another whilst under the influence of a hallucinogenic narcotic. Nothing is explicitly explained in the film. For some this will make the challenging story more intriguing, for others it will be simply bewildering.
Although I find Werner Herzog's views on nature somewhat pessimistic, I identify with his opinion on Chaos. Some are intimidated by the realisation that chaos is the governing law of the cosmos, others are comforted.
In 2007 I directed a short film called Fags. There were problems during production that resulted in some footage being unusable. This footage may have been salvaged and I will attempt to resurrect this thing that might have been. This is a teaser trailer of the film set to music by Teeth of the sea
With their black leather jackets and death’s head badges, there’s no denying that the Nazis looked kind of cool, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are a symbol of all that is wrong with humanity and a cinematic villain that audiences love to hate. That may explain why three Nazi killing splatter fests are being released this summer; Iron Sky, Inglorious Basterds and from Norway the ridiculous Nazi zombie flick, Dead snow. Set in the desolate mountain regions of Norway, a snow sports holiday goes horribly wrong for a group of young friends when they encounter an army of undead Nazis from WWII.
This film is a composite of cheesy horror clichés. But the film is conscious of its own predictability and features a character named Erland, a zombie film fanatic who points out the obvious plot technique of opening a film with a group of friends heading to a remote cabin. Even going so far as to name drop the movies that writer and director Tommy Wirkola felt it necessary to plagiarise. The character is later disemboweled shortly after a bizarre toilet sex scene, thus fulfilling the tired conventions of a genre that desperately requires creative innovation to remain relevant.
The only original aspect of this horror film is the inclusion of Nazis, but watching the film one can’t help but wonder at the meaning of it all. Are the Nazis rising from the dead a metaphor for a revival of right wing politics that needs once more to be put to death? Or is it simply that Nazis are the only human villains who it is acceptable to depict being torn asunder by chainsaws and machine guns? Whatever the reasoning behind the ludicrous plot, it has more holes than a bullet ridden zombie corpse. The Nazi resurrection is attributed to the fact that the group of youths find some stolen Nazi gold. Kind of a curse of the Mummie’s tomb deal. Personally, I always find the nuclear radiation or voodoo magic explanations of zombism easier to swallow.
Those who want nothing more than a blood soaked, brain splattered orgy of violence peppered with a few cheap jokes will be thrilled. The cinematography and building of suspense is at times more mature and intense than the infantile plot warrants. The bleak, featureless, snow covered peaks of Norway provide a superbly atmospheric setting for a horror film, and Wirkola knows how to get the best from the landscape. But breathtaking imagery cannot excuse a plot this lazy, or such brief and shallow characterisation. I find myself caring less and less for the fate of the two dimensional Nordic youths as they are killed off one by one until ultimately I just wish I was watching Evil Dead instead.
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