Move Over Thor, Mel Gibson Is Going Old Norse

I have to say, I enjoy this crazy stage that Mel Gibson is in. He's keeping things interesting.

I am on board. While not exactly a brilliant masterpiece, APOCALYPTO was so straight-faced bonkers that I am happy it exists. As long as he stays away from Jebus, I'll gladly take whatever dead-language gorno epic he has to offer.

Gibson is the shit...god bless him.

You know, if asked to pick sides, I'd have to say I'm against Mr Gibson. His religious fanaticism has really turned me off. Daniel Day Lewis once said that once you know how an actor puts on his socks, his acting ceases to be believable.

Once I knew that Mel Gibson was a nutcase who seemingly delighted in pushing his rabid religious agenda down the public's throat, it became hard to over look certain 'themes' in his work.

And yet I'm conflicted. The rather repugnant ideology at the core of Apocolypto* really taints the film in my eyes. And yet...

It shows stuff I've wanted to see on film since we did the Mayan unit in 5th grade. Our 5th grade teacher (The best teacher I ever had) delighted in grossing us out with all the details of human sacrifice, and the sight of Mayan excess depicted in such a gory and gratuitously realistic fashion was something of a guilty pleasure for me.

That brings us to this proposed film on Vikings.....

I am of a multi-cultural heritage. Part English, and part Irish. But also part Viking. You see, somewhere back along the line, my people on the emerald isle got pillaged. And that's where the Viking blood comes from. My father has taken special pleasure in recounting this aspect of our family history, and holds it as a point of pride. And really, he's right. The vikings were pretty amazing. They managed to simultaneously embody both the epic explorer and the berserker warrior. They "discovered"** North America long before Columbus, and their reign ushered forth unparalleled advancements in havoc and devastation

Ever since my Dad regaled me with tales of my Norse ancestors, I've always had a vision in my mind for how they would look and act. Just as I had formed a mental picture of Ancient Rome through the study of Classics. But unlike the triumph of HBO's ROME, no viking film or television miniseries event had ever brought the vikings I saw in my minds eye to the silver screen.

I've always wanted to see a Viking film that would "tell it like it was", and not gussy it up with florid faux Shakespearian dialog, or incongruous chivalry. But such a film could be daunting to audiences raised on King Arutur, so I lost hope for seeing the vikings done cinematic justice in my life time




this film seems like it could satisfy a long held dream of mine, and I have to admit this sounds totally cool. Where as I never even could have fathomed shooting a viking film in a dead language, Mel thought of it. Perhaps in this one instance, Mel Gibson's mental illness will prove to have great film making utility.

As for Mr DiCaprio? Well I'd love to see him tackle the role (and the Norse tongue). I've become quite a fan of his, and over time developed an abiding respect for the man's talents. He has grown as an actor over the years, and consistently picks challenging material***. While I do feel he was wrong for the role in GONY, I am glad he got the chance to impress Scorsese. The AVIATOR is one of my favorite films of the past ten years, and the work DiCaprio turns in is gripping from beginning to end. I must have watched that movie 75 times last year, and not once did it fail to thrill.

Oh, and he mastered a difficult accent while commanding the screen with an unequaled intensity in Edward Zwick's BLOOD DIAMOND.

So I would be more than happy to have Leo star the main Viking. Despite his controversial heritage for such a role, I think he'd do the Norse proud. And judging by Blood Diamond, the dead language thing might not be a totally insurmountable obstacle (for his talented vocal coach )


Mr Littell, take a note: Vikings... the way of the future?


In conclusion, I am pretty psyched for this. Psyched, but with reservations. I know that given the time period and the continent, there will no doubt be gratuitous Catholic nonsense. That is to be expected in a Mel Gibson Joint these days. But I will swallow that bitter pill, and do it gladly, if it means getting at last getting that perfect Viking film, the one that would both repulse and fascinate my inner 8 year old.

*Yes yes, that's just what I perceive it to be. Feel free to disagree

**There were already 25 million people in North America anyway, so technically no one discovered it except for the people who crossed over from Siberia 15 000-25 000 years ago

*** Unlike Will Smith

Actually, this "Old Norse" stuff in viking movies has been done a few times before, you just have to look beyond Hollywood. Check out some of the movies from Icelandic director Hrafn Gunnlaugsson, especially Hrafninn Flýgur (When the Raven Flies), Í Skugga Hrafnsins (Shadow of the Raven) or Hvíti Víkingurinn (The White Viking). They vary in quality, but I'm guessing it would be interesting to see some viking movies made from this perspective.

On topic: As a Norwegian, most Hollywood-produced viking movies leave a lot to be desired, and are usually quite embarassing in regards to historical realism. I know, I know, most westerns are far from historically accurate too, but it would be nice to see it done sort of right for once.
Is Gibson the person to do that? Hard to say, but the decision to use original languages may be a step in the right direction.

Btw, Old Norse (and Icelandic, the closest equivalent today) sounds fairly close to Elvish...

Oh, and Kate, usually the only people here in Norway who spout lyrical about their "viking blood" or "viking heritage" these days, are neo-nazis or "satanic" black metal douchebags.

Eh, I'll watch it, even if DiCaprio is unable to grow a true manly beard. He'd be laughed out of Viking society!

I'd really like to see a "real" old school gritty pirate film, and I think Gibson is the man to do it.

When I look at my long and skinny muscleless arms and legs and the disproportionate upper body with its nice little a-cup sized breasts and a nice belt of fat around the middle and the non-existent butt cheeks, all wrapped in pale white freckle covered skin, it's really hard for me to imagine that my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grand-daddy was some scary viking speaking low guttural norse.

The other way around is probably more accurate.

As hard as I try to keep my mind open I still think that DiCaprio's casting as a Viking is one of the worst ones since Gerald Butler was cast as Attila. It's not Genghis Wayne bad but I just can't see it working.

I heard Leo's gonna switch to tap water, and bang less hot supermodels to toughen up. Might even go totally hardcore, and carry his own luggage.

Just totally lose himself in the role.

Whatever role Leo plays, I have confidence in both him and Gibson to make a solid effort. With that said, is it possible that Leo will play someone more akin to Jaguar Paw from Apocalypto? Maybe he's not a viking, but someone protecting his family from vikings.

On board. Wish Apocalypto had a bit more going on under the hood than just First Blood In Mayan, but it was pretty awesome for what it was. And I still don't hate Passion of the Christ, much as people have wanted me to try.

And yeah, Mel's infinitely more interesting as a batshit crazy director than batshit crazy actor.

IMO Mel is batshit insane like a fox.


Braveheart was boffo box office and Oscar-laden by the end of things; Passion did well for him financially; Apocalypto was slightly disappointing on those two fronts, but if the $40 mil budget and $50 mil box office are correct, was still in the black.


Oddly enough, if you look at the 3 previous movies, they deal with one man's reaction to persecution and/or violence - fight (Braveheart), passive resistance (Passion), and flight (Apocalypto, though there is a dash of fight thrown in at the end).

I wonder if he's got some grand cinematic statement going on here.

What he needs to do is get a batshit crazy actor to go along with him so we can get a 21st century reprise of Herzog/Kinski.

Color me even more interested. And I think DiCaprio can pull it off.

Whats so "batshit crazy" about Mel's directorial efforts? The language choices? Something I'm missing?

Nicolas Cage in a Mel Gibson film.

This is what the world needs.

That's so awesome I think it would cause the world to end.

Personally, I don't think he's really batshit crazy. But it's more fun to think he's in some dark room, four-foot long beard with all sorts of food in it, gnawing his fingernails to the quick and going "hrmmm....Celts....mrrrgh....time of Jesus.....gaaarrrr....Mayans....what next, what next....Vikings! Yes, the Norse....muhahahaha...."

I could see Passion breaking a few barriers.

Hmmm.

Techno Viking is hilarious. Thanks for that Dev.

...and to be honest I'm still much more interested in Valhalla Rising - what the hell ever happened to that movie?

Kind of saw this coming, given Mel's track record. And as far as Mel's...religious intent goes, it's actually very era appropriate to what's being tackled here.

It's coming out in March here in Scandinavia, at least.

It's not a massive stretch of the imagination to see a slight, boyish guy like Leo play a viking, surely not all Norsemen were 6'11" with forearms thicker than wharf piles. Just most of them.

I'm on board for whatever Mel puts on screen next, I really like his sensibiites behind the camera. Some parts of his brain may be suspect but that one isn't.

Is that the one starring Mads Mikkelsen? because a friend (who's writen her thesis on Beowulf) is crazy about watching that one, and I will surely accompany her to see it.
Count me in for the Mad Mel lovewagon; all we need now is that "The Beaver# ends up being great.
Now, if he only actually went ahead and made "The Colonel" a reality...thanks, Diva!

I'm assuming some sarcasm here, but Leo is 6', and I'd no longer call him "slight." Again, I'd point to Gangs of New York, where he was able to pull off looking grim and unslight pretty well.

He has the intensity needed, which cinematically will compensate for lack of mass.

Mel is batshit insane.

The Vikings were batshit insane.

How could this go wrong?

I'm in.

No, there was no sarcasm, I think teamed up with Mel he'll do fine. And you're obviously right that he can bulk up, it's just that I've never seen him go beyond his boyishness yet, not in Gangs, not in The Departed, not in Blood Diamond. I haven't seen Body Of Lies yet but that boyishness worked fine in those three films because boyishness fit the characters.

But the first thing we think of when we think of vikings are maybe the manliest men who've ever strode the planet. I mean, they weren't just giant barrell-chested axe-wielding barbarians, they were giant barrell-chested axe-wielding barbarians who were also not just at home in the freezing North but also took to the icey oceans. The baddest of history's bad motherfuckers. Maybe one or two of them are handsome but not one of them is pretty. That's the immediate image that I think hits most people.

What I was getting at was that once you get past that initial thing and just think of them more or less like any other society, just crazier, then Leo will fit in just fine. And I think you're dead right that his intensity, no matter how boyish, could compensate just fine cinematically.

Where might a US viewer come across viewing copies of these films mentioned?

Seriously.