| Author | Message | ||
     John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.122.209.76 |
Well, Lady P & I have just got back from what has to be the most unnerving, grim and believe it or not scariest film I have seen in several years. Valhalla Rising is an unrelentingly dark Viking saga where very little happens in the way of plot but what does take place does so with such a sense of dreadful anticipation that we spent most of the movie on the edge of our seats. Mads Mikkelson stars as a brutal warrior who hooks up with a bunch of Christian Vikings seeking the holy land. It all goes wrong of course and the real appeal of this movie is the utterly unpleasant, utterly immersive emotional experience that results from this document of their ultimately hopeless quest. In fact I can honestly say I haven't felt this tense, unnerved or just plain scared during a film since I watched the uncut version of Ruggero Deodato's Cannibal Holocaust a few years ago. I don't think this film is for everyone. In fact I was so deliciously unnerved by it that I have absolutely no intention of watching it again - it's that good, and Zed is going to have multiple orgasms when he sees it  | ||
| Ian Alexander Martin (Iam) Username: Iam Registered: 10-2009 Posted From: 64.180.64.74 |
Gosh…! Something you actually were 'freaked out' by? That's saying something. However the real question is "did you dress like a Viking and get in for free"? | ||
| Simon Bestwick (Simon_b) Username: Simon_b Registered: 10-2008 Posted From: 86.24.209.217 |
Been hearing a lot of good things about this film... the Lord P review has now just pushed it onto my 'must-see' list. But, yeah- like Ian asked, do you get in free if you go as a Viking? | ||
| Mark_samuels (Mark_samuels) Username: Mark_samuels Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 86.142.169.99 |
My expectations are officially raised... Mark S. | ||
| Tom_alaerts (Tom_alaerts) Username: Tom_alaerts Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.176.161.188 |
This movie interests me since quite a while. The trailer is awesome with a dark mystical flavor. I didn't get to see it at this year's film festival in Brussels, but my friend did who liked it but he also thought it was very slow. This is something I've read here and there about the movie, and actually it doesn't bother me, as it seems so incredibly atmospheric. | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 213.122.209.76 |
I just woke up from a night filled with creepy dreams set in the mood (not the actual world) of Valhalla Rising. The pacing is indeed very slow but when you're sucked into the film's world it becomes relentlessly suspenseful instead of draggy. I was genuinely scared too, watching in a state of constant dread and actually afraid of whatever was lurking in those woods. It's an experience in pure unnerving atmosphere and the weird ambient electronic score helped to keep winding my nerves tighter and tighter. It has a couple of good "Boo!" moments and by the time those moments came I was so tightly wound I jumped. (Lord P would have jumped too, but he doesn't, you see.  ) The chapter heading "HELL" also gave me a primal sense of OMG, can I handle whatever that means? I can't remember the last time I was so seriously unnerved like this throughout the duration of a film. Possibly not since I saw Texas Chainsaw Massacre around age 12. As Kim Newman says in his review, the film gets into your mind and stays there. Does it ever. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.122.209.76 |
It's a film that benefits greatly from being so slow, in fact that really adds to the sense of dread, as well as the rotting corpses, the cold GRIM weather and the occasional sound effect that really makes you jump - if you're Lady P. As she said I don't do jumping - I just have a Roger Moore response and raise an eyebrow. Yes there were reduced rates if you dressed like a Viking. We didn't in the end which was just as well as: a) Viking outfits don't really suit us b) No-one else dressed up c) The person with the keys to the arts cinema was 45 minutes late and we would have been the only Vikings standing in the car park | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 213.122.209.76 |
d) Viking costumes would have cost more than the film anyway. | ||
| Tom_alaerts (Tom_alaerts) Username: Tom_alaerts Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.176.161.188 |
e) most people look like morons when they dress up like Vikings | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.74 |
I don't think it has ever shown up on Merseyside, but it's already on DVD. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.240.106 |
After debating whether or not to byt the DVD for a week, I've just ordered it. Thanks, JLP!  | ||
| Mark_samuels (Mark_samuels) Username: Mark_samuels Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 86.142.169.99 |
Saw it tonight. Very well made, very beautiful to look at; but scary? No, not for me. If I were being really harsh I'd say I was reminded of a cross between a very long Clannad video and the Garth Merenghi episode "Scotch Mist". But that is being a touch unfair... Do you think One-Eye represents Odin? Mark S. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.122.209.76 |
Do you think One-Eye represents Odin? Absolutely no idea as I don't know anything about that mythology I'm afraid. If I were being really harsh I'd say I was reminded of a cross between a very long Clannad video and the Garth Merenghi episode "Scotch Mist". But that is being a touch unfair... Well that raised a smile rather than a 'How could you say that?!! but I can't say that resemblance occurs to me now you mention it. And 'Scotch Mist' was great, albeit in a different way . | ||
| Mark_samuels (Mark_samuels) Username: Mark_samuels Registered: 04-2010 Posted From: 86.142.169.99 |
Oh, I did like it really, my earlier flippancy aside, and it's well worth seeing. I don't know why but I was also reminded of Antichrist (which I adored). I suspect One-Eye might be Odin: especially given the title, the replacement of Norse Paganism with Christianity in the culture, and the premonitions he experiences. Perhaps if he had spoken it would have been in a voice like thunder...and too terrible to be heard. Mark S. | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 213.122.209.76 |
Lady P says it reminded her of Antichrist too - a movie which I really didn't like at all as some may remember from my review on here. I think Mr von Trier's film merits a rewatch... | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.17.252.126 |
For my money 'Antichrist' is the best horror film of the century so far, as I have expounded about at length on here and elsewhere. It reminded me of the kind of big budget, intelligently scripted adult horror films, with big name actors, that were taken so much for granted in the 60s/70s - and how that slow burning, quality approach should have evolved had Hollywood horror cinema not been taken over by teen scream flicks in the 80s and increasingly crass remakes ever since. I also thought the same about 'Seven' in the 1990s... | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.240.106 |
Just watched Valhalla Rising...fuck me, what an odd little film. I loved it. A sort of existential allegory that somehow manages to channel Mad Max, Heart of Darkness, Aguirre: Wrath of God and Cannibal Holocaust. POSSIBLE SPOILER When we got to the end I was so convinced that once they reached the top of the mountain they'd see either a derelict tower block or the remains of a modern day city that I was disppointed when they didn't. I listened to some of the director's commentary, and the film now makes sense...and some of my initial feelings/instincts about it do, too. TITBIT FOR JLP According to the commentary, the synthesiser used to score Cannibal Holocaust was used in the score for this film. How cool is that? | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.240.106 |
24 hours later this one's still running around inside my head...highly recommended. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.141.208.154 |
Sounds great. Not expensive, either. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 82.17.252.126 |
It sounds almost too good to be true! I'm wary of getting my hopes up but any film remotely comparable to 'Aguirre : Wrath of God' and 'Cannibal Holocaust' must be absolutely fucking brilliant!! | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.110.85 |
Stevie - I just woke up from trying to watch it. I feel like a dullard but the thing moves about as quickly as a bucket of stills. I fast forwarded it to save some of my life and it STILL moved slowly. Count me as more of a 'Willow' man any day. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
Tony - part of what I enjoyed so much about this was the slow pace. I thought it was brilliant. | ||
| Ramsey Campbell (Ramsey) Username: Ramsey Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.93.21.68 |
I very much admired it too. Thank God for slow cinema (though this isn't an extreme example - check out Bela Tarr or Kiarostami in his minimalist mood!) | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Thank God for slow cinema Amen to that. I'm tired of filmmakers assuming I have ADD. | ||
| Tony (Tony) Username: Tony Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.131.108.59 |
I should have been clearer - it wasn't the slowness, it was the lack of substance. I like Tarkovsky and Mallick and both their films move slowly, but they never feel slow. I didn't feel much watching this film, it had a sort of single note quality. Mallick can show you nothing but you feel like crying or something, but this actually didn't affect me in any way at all. I feel a bit sad about this as it seems it has allsorts of qualities according to the rest of these posts.  | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
Horses for courses, Tony. One man's meat is another man's mushy read stuff from a murdered animal. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 195.166.117.210 |
red, even... fuck you, typos. | ||
| Stevie Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
Have to say this still sounds orgasmic!! | ||
| John Llewellyn Probert (John_l_probert) Username: John_l_probert Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 86.137.108.144 |
It's a wonderful film. I don't know how it does it, but virtually nothing happens and yet it feels as if so much is happening within each frame of 'nothingness'. Does that even make sense? | ||
| Kate (Kathleen) Username: Kathleen Registered: 09-2009 Posted From: 86.137.108.144 |
Does that even make sense? Perfect sense! But then you know *I* agree with you. And not just because I have to. | ||
| Zed (Gary_mc) Username: Gary_mc Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 81.96.253.77 |
It makes pefect sense, John - and echoes the reasons I loved this film. | ||
| Frank (Frank) Username: Frank Registered: 09-2008 Posted From: 85.222.86.21 |
This is the slow version of Conan The Barbarian. Personally, I thought this film was brilliant. I think considering the period in history, anything faster would have been deliberately dishonest. It's not realism, how could it be, but the pace of the film surely for a 21st audience of cinema is the next big thing to realism. |