The Norseman (1978)

Director:

Charles B. Pierce

Writer:

Charles B. Pierce (writer)

Genre:

Adventure | Action

Plot:

An 11th-century Viking prince sails to America to find his father, who on a previous voyage had been captured by Indians. |

Plot Keywords:

Viking | 11th Century | Sailing | Rescue | Search

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Lee Majors	...	Thorvald
Cornel Wilde	...	Ragnar
Mel Ferrer	...	King Eurich
Jack Elam	...	Death Dreamer
Susie Coelho	...	Winetta
Christopher Connelly	...	Rolf
Jimmy Clem	...	Olif
Deacon Jones	...	Thrall
Denny Miller	...	Rauric
Fred Biletnikoff	...	Norseman
Seamon Glass	...	Stargazer
Kathleen Freeman	...	Old Indian woman
Jerry Daniels	...	Kiwonga
Steve Denny	...	Norseman
Chuck Pierce Jr.	...	Young Eric

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Ryder Sound Services)

Certification:

Norway:12 (theatrical rating) (1986) (cut) | Norway:16 (original rating) (1979) | Iceland:12 | USA:PG (certificate #25312) | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

Hillsborough River State Park - 15402 U.S. 301 North, Thonotosassa, Florida, USA

Company:

Charles B. Pierce Film Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Oil tanker seen sailing in the background of one scene.

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever, Volume 5: The Alamo Drafthouse Edition (2009) (V)

Vikings vs. Indians

They could have at least tried to make this funnier if they weren't going to make it competently. But then this IS a Charles B. Pierce film, and a 'Fawcett-Majors Presentation' featuring Pierce's son, little Chuck, and starring Lee Majors as Thorvald. You can't expect much with that pedigree, but we're in John Wayne 'The Conqueror' territory here. C'mon now, Lee Majors as a viking? What were they thinking? And seeing as it stars the erstwhile Six-Million-Dollar Man, it pays homage to that series by including plenty of slow-mo action scenes. All you need is the now classic ditta-ditta-ditta electronic sound effects to go with the slow-mo and you've got a laugh riot. But there is plenty to laugh at, including Majors' 70's porno-style moustache (no beard like everyone else, he's THE STAR, but I suppose he was willing to cover his upper lip as a concession to history). Then there is Jack Elam as a norse sorceror (guess Slim Pickens wasn't available) and Deacon Jones as a black viking (Spike Lee would approve, although historians might disagree). For those outside the U.S., Jones was a football player, and the filmmakers, out of fairness, also cast a white ex-football player (Fred Biletnikoff) as a fellow norseman. There is also a pretty girl along for the ride in Susie Coehlo, although she spends too much time with a pair of blinded norsemen who sport some of the most unfortunate hairpieces you've ever witnessed. Thankfully for Cornel Wilde, he is so buried in hair that he is virtually unrecognizable and therefore, in one sense, he's not really in this movie. Unfortunately, Lee Majors IS in this movie, and worst of all, is the star. It's hard to tell which is more wooden, his ship or his acting. Yep, it's his acting. In fact, it's probably an inside game for casting agents to challenge each other to find a more wooden star than Majors. He's the champ! He could hire himself out as a Termite Whisperer. Needless to say, this junk is best avoided. You've been warned.