Erik the Viking (1989)

This flitty feature is an underappreciated gift from the lesser known of the Monty Python directors: yes, that other Terry, Terry Jones. I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you: this flick is pretty bizarre. It definitely has that Monty Python feel, but in a more subtly auspicious way that has you not quite sure if you're actually watching a comedy. Rest assured, it is a comedy. A black comedy, a UK comedy, but a comedy at that. I actually made a little cheat sheet so I could be sure and mention the most tickling of attributes from this delectably dark-chocolate delight. So here goes: a dragon with an angler lure and feather filled nostrils sneezes a Viking ship across space and time, a crazy shrivel faced ethnic woman warns of danger, a carved horn resounding causes damage to the drums, an Asian slave driver screams in stereotypes, atonal chords and banging machines make everything sound more exotic, the berserker is foaming at the mouth, and the ship falls off the edge of the world and plummets through space and stars to land in a world of blue sand where the gods are children with laser guns and you are greeted by zombies past. Is this the point where I a reassure you that this is a comedy again, and not some other-worldly psychedelic adventure? Oh wait, it's both! Yay! Apparently the director was completely unsatisfied with this drug-induced masterpiece, because he actually had his son re-edit it (taking out a full 25 minutes!) to try and make it better. I don't know about stealing pieces of a film, but I hope to darwin they got rid of those god-awful fade-to-blacks. What's up with those? They're the sure sign of a low-budget tv masterpiece, and I don't know why anyone would want to put Tim Robbins in such a limboingly low position. The superman music was also bizarre (at least when you consider the Vikings + Gods + cracking jokes angle). Over all, the movie may seem a little slow as you're enjoying it, but in hindsight all the skits are pretty hilarious and substantially wacky enough to make any Saturday night a bit hazy.



Final Judgment: "The sun rises after 1000 years on this golden gem of the geriatric periods!/The uglier, hairier little brother of the Monty Python greats!/Atonal music makes my toes tingle!/The quest for Angel Pussy always begins with Tim!

SLAVE-DRIVER (subtitled) Row!  You  incomprehensible,  horizontal-eyed,
Western trouser-wearers! Eurgh! You all  look  the  same  to  me! How I
despise your lack of subtlety  and your joined-up writing! You,
who have never committed ritual suicide in your lives!
SLAVE (whispering to his neighbour) You know, I don't think it would be so
bad, if we knew what he was saying...
SLAVE-DRIVER SILENCE! Unceremonious  rice-pudding  eaters!  How  I
abominate your milk-drinking and your  lack  of ancestor-worship and your
failure to eat your lunch out of little boxes!