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Showing posts with the label Italian Cinema

the later Sigurðr cinema.

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While Fritz Lang's two-part, nearly 5-hour  Die Nibelungen will remain the first amazing silent film breakout Norse mythological screen achievement, there are actually a few later adaptations of The Saga of the Volsungs / The Song of the Nibelungs , some of which are fairly derivative of Lang's adaptation, and others that show more proto-Sword & Sorcery plotting. Here are three notable cinematic NorsePlays: Treasure Of The Petrified Forest , (aka The Stone Forest,  1965 CE) is more Wagner than Volsungs, setting up hero Sigmund & love interest Princess Siglinde as committed to protect the secret of the forest and its mound of treasure. Unfortunately a hostile Viking king figures out from a defecting jealous sister what that secret is and battle amongst the glitterbombed stucco trees ensues. There's definite fantasy roots here, and more build on the antagonist, but if you're looking for Norse Lore served Spaghetti Viking style , this delivers with some fun narra...

the sword dance of Odin's virgins?!?

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The sword dance of the Vestal Virgins (?!?) in front of the sacred tree in Vikingland! Mario Bava's Erik the Conqueror (1961) was an imitation of 1958's The Vikings , but done with Bava's flair for colour, lighting, and directness. Odin's Vestals were inserted to create more pagan handholds for an Italian audience, giving the heroes some forbidden fruit to court, and to feature the popular Kessler Twins, Alice & Ellen. #    #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay.   If you have e mployment/ opportunities in  investigative mythology,  field research, or product developmen...