Beowulf & Grendel
Other than a few film festivals, I believe this movie basically went directly to DVD. A right shame really.
This is not the full story of Beowulf, but simply the bit about his battle with Grendel.
Andrew Rai Berzin’s adaptation of the legendary epic tale, finally put to writing somewhere around 1000 AD, provides an interesting perspective. He has humanized both the troll and the hero. He chose to discard the apparently popular notion of the politically correct blockbuster and has expanded the roles of lesser characters, not to mention adding some that never existed in the poem.
As director, Sturla Gunnarsson’s decision to use Iceland as the location for the film afforded them a landscape and weather that is undeniably perfect for the tale. With winds that ravished the sets (not to mention the transport vehicles, equipment, and moveable offices), rains that fell horizontally, a volcano that erupted not fifty kilometres away, and enormous glaciers, the mood of the film reflects the isolation of Hrothgar (Stellan Skarsgård) and his Danes.
The Great Geat that is Beowulf (Gerard Butler) arrives with his warriors to assist his father’s protector and meets the witch,Selma (Sarah Polley), who is clearly their conscience, and the Christian priest Brendan, who wishes to convert them all. He is provided half truths and misinformation from all parties and must decide how best to handle the troublesome Grendel (Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson).
With visual nods to Monty Python’s Holy Grail, phrases like “Don’t my shit shine?” and “Find Hondscioh a wife, my sheep have had enough!”, jokes about piss, cranial bowling, and a woman that uses the word cunt, it’s perhaps not difficult to surmise why Hollywood chose to ignore this first interpretation of a story told as far back as when Christ was a cowboy. Though, it’s no surprise to yours truly that Canadians, Scots, Swedes, and Icelanders passionately embraced the project.
I did find it rather odd that a Swede, a Canadian and half of Iceland played Danes, Scots played Swedes, a Brit played a Celt, but there was not a Dane in sight. The actors all used their natural accents, which did nothing but add to the dynamics of a tale about loyalty, love, loss and vengeance.
I truly recommend watching this DVD twice. Once for the film’s sake and the second for a commentary that is more informative than most I’ve ever heard.
Having been privy to the day to day workings of this film via the official site through conversations with Sturla Gunnarsson, Gerard Butler, Tony Curran, Jon Gustafsson and the swordsmiths at Valentine Armouries, I was not at all disappointed by the end result. Then again, I suppose it might raise suspicion about any bias I may have.
Ta,
Lolita Barrister
by
Lolita Barrister
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What is this, 1967?
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