TROLL HUNTER
Norway, 2011, 103 minutes, Colour.
Otto Jespersen, Robert Stoltenberg.
Directed by Andre Ovredal.
Troll Hunter is a very Norwegian film.
The film relies very much on the audience knowledge of Norwegian mythology. It is the mythology of trolls.
The film is in the tradition of the Blair Witch Project. In fact, it is much better than many of the imitation films and sequels.
A group of university students is interested in a number of killings by a bear in the mountains. They decide to investigate. The students also take a camera man. The film follows the stalking of the bears, finding the hunter, Hans, and discovering that he is a secret government investigator, searching for trolls.. After trying to escape from the students, he decides that they can join him. This leads them to many confrontations with trolls, especially in the snow clad mountains. The quest is dangerous, but a lot of footage he is filmed.
The film relies on the premise that the footage has been found and reedited. In this way, the film is a Norwegian Blair Troll Project.
The film was very popular in Norway and with critics.
1. The impact of the film for home audiences? The foreign audiences?
2. The tradition of the Blair witch project? The film footage and its being found? It’s being reedited?
3. The role of the students, their ages, experiences, the cameraman? The filming of the bears? The menace? The destruction? The discovery of Hans? Their pursuing him? His resisting? His eventually agreeing to their accompanying him?
4. The information about the trolls? The place in Norwegian tradition? The visuals and special effects? Monsters? The destruction and collapse of the trolls?
5. The great dangers, the disappearance of the girl student, the new student, the difficulties of filming?
6. The build-up to the final confrontation, the dangers for Hans, the growing menace of the trolls?
7. The sudden and mysterious ending? Hans as a government hunter? The fate of the students?
8. The total effect of the film? As entertainment? Norwegian issues? The folklore?
