Mmm, Vikings (Arthurian Vikings, but whatever, it's cool)

[ealgylden]

Okay, I know everyone was all giddy yesterday about the King Arthur pics of Keira looking fierce (but cold. Poor girl, that costume looks really uncomfortable) or Ioan looking terribly butch, or both. I was too, believe me. But I want to throw a little love in the direction of Stellan Skarsgard. Come on, is that not the face of a Viking who knows he's doomed to die, and wants only to die well? I've only seen Stellan in contemporary roles, so I had no idea he had such a great look for period pieces. Nice surprise. I also have no idea who this Cedric he plays is (Cedric the Saxon, kidnapped and sent back in time from Ivanhoe?), but I'll admit freely that the Arthurian mythos is not traditionally my thing. I had one Medieval Comp. Lit. class on it as an undergrad (Gildas to Mallory, yeehaw), and that's pretty much it. Anyway, Stellan has definitely made the cast of my fantasy Beowulf and/or Viking saga movie, along with Dennis Storhoi and Vladimir Kulich from 13th Warrior (not a great pic of Dennis, but Vladimir looks fearsome), possibly Rutger Hauer (he did "nobly doomed" wonderfully in Ladyhawke, but that was a long time ago, and he's not aging well) and pretty much all of the Rohirrim. Some of the extras in King Arthur seem to fit the bill as well, and who is that long-haired cutie? Him too. I'll make him Wiglaf or something.

And speaking of King Arthur, I’m not in favor of banning books, but damn if I'm not tempted when it comes to Mists of Avalon. Not permanently, but just long enough so that there's one generation of teenies that doesn't shriek, "But Guinevere was blonde! She was a pious Christian virgin! Why isn't it all about the women? Where's Morgaine/Viviane/Morgause/whotheheckever?" whenever something Arthurian arises in pop culture. And I like MoA, or at least I did when I read it at thirteen (haven't read it since, and from what I hear it often doesn't hold up well after adolescence). But kiddies, it is not the Arthurian gospel. It's certainly not very good history, Arthurian or not. Or, you know, history at all. It's just a novel. Honestly.

Comments

[ealgylden.livejournal.com]

Very uncomfortable. At least Xena got more than straps to wear. This thing looks more like Milla Jovovich's bondage-y bandages from Fifth Element. It's not exactly a look I expected to see in this movie. I like the body art, though.

I think he just can't grow a very good beard, poor fella. It's better than just scruffy stubble, but not a lot better. He looks like he did some working out, too- he's broader than I'm used to.

I wish I could find some better pictures of Dennis Storhoi online. That man is just the cutest fierce Viking warrior to ever behead monsters on my tv. So, so cute.

I'm not sure I'd recommend Mists of Avalon, to be honest. It's interesting because it's so influential (not always positively, but still) and because it was one of the first major reexaminations of he stories from a feminine perspective. But there are flaws in the writing and the research, and it's full of anachronistic neo-pagan stuff (like a lot of MZB's work), and there's something very... teenaged about the whole thing. I'd be more likely to rec it to someone under fifteen than someone over twenty.

[castalianspring.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, the woad (or reasonable facsimile thereof) is way cool. I'd like a more practical outfit for her, though, too.

I wish I could find some better pictures of Dennis Storhoi online. That man is just the cutest fierce Viking warrior to ever behead monsters on my tv. So, so cute.

Hee! He is.

Hm, I'll probably give MoA a miss, then. Doesn't sound like quite my gig.

Btw, sorry you seem to have picked up a random wanker in this thread. For what it's worth, I thought you expressed yourself rather nicely.

[ealgylden.livejournal.com]

Nah, she's not a random wanker. She's really nice, actually- she's the person who got me into LJ in the first place. I did phrase my rantlet poorly, and a perfectly innocent post about my dream Viking movie cast got saddled with a late night, last-minute burst of annoyance not even triggered by my own friends' list (friendsfriends is both fun and evil). Normally I'd disclaimer my brains out before using a broad term like "teenie," since it was a particular clique that was annoying me (though they're hardly alone in their annoyingness)- I knew who I meant (and they are teenies), but as we know, generalizations are bad. But I didn't disclaimer it this time, and it bit me. Not what I'd have liked, but I was careless. I stand by my deep irritation with MoA and its cult, though. It's a perfectly legitimate revisionist retelling, and it has been valuable to Arthurian lit as a whole. But it's flawed (deeply, in some aspects), and it's far from the only version of the story.

Anyway, this is nothing. I've seen lectures degenerate into shouting matches, with cruel personal remarks and punches thrown by tenured professors, highly respected people in their fields. Get smart, opinionated (slightly geeky) folks together, and soon or later there's gonna be a brawl.

But thanks for your support, truly. It's always appreciated.

[castalianspring.livejournal.com]

Ah, I do apologize for jumping to conclusions. Tone is a difficult thing to read over the internet, and I'm afraid I took offense on your behalf. Sorry 'bout that :)

Generalizations can bite anyone in the ass, I think. We're all guilty from time to time. I think your irritation was certainly justified, though.

Anyway, this is nothing. I've seen lectures degenerate into shouting matches, with cruel personal remarks and punches thrown by tenured professors, highly respected people in their fields. Get smart, opinionated (slightly geeky) folks together, and soon or later there's gonna be a brawl.

Whoa. I've yet to see anything that extreme, but I believe it. Intellectuals are a dangerous lot, eh?