ERIK THE VIKING

UK, 1989, 108 minutes, Colour.
Tim Robbins, Mickey Rooney, Eartha Kitt, Imogen Stubbs, Terry Jones, John Cleese, Anthony Sher, Tim Mc Inerny, John Gordon Sinclair.
Directed by Terry Jones.

Erik the Viking was written and directed by Terry Jones, one of the Monty Python group, co-director of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and director of Life of Brian, The Meaning of Life as well as Personal Services. This movie is in the Python tradition - and came out the same year as Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen.

The film is slighter than some of its predecessors. However, it has much of the Python zaniness (British humour) as well as the theme of a quest. It satirises societies of violence, and offers suggestion for more harmonious societies and peace. However, it also sends up Utopians in a scene in which Jones himself centres.

Tim Robbins (Miss Firecracker, Bull Durham) is a tall and strong but nicely gentle Erik. There is a good supporting cast including John Cleese as a suave villain, Eartha Kitt as a seer, Mickey Rooney as Erik's grandfather. Shakespearian stage actor Anthony Sher has the role of the villenous blacksmith.

Not to everybody's taste (especially American critics), the film fits into the pattern of the Python spectacles and spoofs.

1. Enjoyable comedy? Spoof? The intentions of the film-makers?

2. The Monty Python tradition: epics, Python-style epics and their mockery of movies? the picture of society, the quest? Message via spoof?

3. The Maltese and Norwegian locations? The Viking world, the sea? Worlds of fantasy? The island, and Valhalla? The sets, costumes? Special effects and stunts? The musical score?

4. The title and its focus, identifying the hero? A pleasant and gentle Viking?

5. The opening with the Viking tradition, pillage and rape? Treatment of men and women? The Viking feasts, the meetings? The fights, arguments about going to Valhalla? The Nordic gods?

6. Erik and his encounter with the woman, his unwillingness to rape, failure to rape? The conversation with the girl, the arguments, love and sexuality, values? The other Vikings raping the woman and his killing them? Her death, her reappearance to him, inspiring his quest? Her finally being in Valhalla - and very down to earth?

7. Erik and the Vikings, his size, manner? His grandfather and violence? The idea of the quest, sailing the seas, the edge of the world, finding the horn, the home of the gods? Daring the men of the village? Finding the crew, decisions to go, the two fighters, the blacksmith and his evil assistant, motivations? The farewells?

8. The quality of the screenplay, the spoof in the Python style? Modern idiom in ancient contexts? Contemporary styles and the Viking era? The roles of men and women (and reverses)?

9. The blacksmith and his women, his evil assistant and the arguments about losing their trade with peace? Going? The two fighters and their friendship? The other members of the crew? Erik and his leadership?

10. Freddie Jones as the friar, his not having any converts, the quotations from the Christian scriptures and religion, the jokes? His place in the expedition? His not being able to see the pagan gods? His ability to make the final wish?

11. Sailing the seas, the sickness, the emergence of the sun, their hopes, the sun turning into the monstrous dragon, dangers, quests, fights and deaths?

12. John Cleese and his humour as the evil ruler, holding court, his gentle manner and the brutal executions, his advice? The evil blacksmith coming to him, setting sail, the pursuit, the masked fighters and their defeat? Erik and his thinking he was invisible?

13. The Utopian island, mockery of ancient Greek styles, fantasy? Everybody very nice, a touch effeminate? Their inability to sing and their eagerness to sing? The king and his manner, the welcome, wanting to sing? Aud as a strong daughter? The lifestyle, the unreality? Sexuality - and the invisible cloak? The humour of the scene where her father couldn't see Erik? Erik taking the cloak and fighting - and the friar being the only one not able to see him? The blacksmith and his brutality, the murder? The island sinking? The optimism of the ruler and the people, refusing to face reality, all drowning? The gift of the horn, the blowing of the horn, the blacksmith stealing the special part, Aud finding it, the blowing of the horn and their success?

14. Sailing, the edge of the world? The horn and the ship flying through the air?

15. Valhalla, the gods as children and behaving childishly, not interested in humans? Their friends in Valhalla and the reinforcement of their beliefs? Yet the mocking of Valhalla? Especially the rape victim and her comments? The blowing of the horn and their going back to their land?

16. The end, the success of the mission, returning home, bringing peace, transforming the village? The message about violence and peace throughout the film?