Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

The Norseman Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 16, 2021

1978’s “The Norseman” offers a “based on fact” take on the saga of the Vikings, that “lusty horde of blonde giants” who traveled from Norway seeking adventure and treasure, ending up in a place they called “Vineland,” which we know today as America. And when one thinks of a typical Viking, the image of a mid-‘70s Lee Majors comes to mind, seen here wearing a snazzy little disco mustache, sweating under the Tampa sun, refusing to cover his southern accent and brunette hair (blonde giants!). Director Charles B. Pierce (“The Town That Dreaded Sundown,” “The Legend of Boggy Creek”) promises a historical picture at the opening of “The Norseman,” but he doesn’t really bother with any of that, looking to create a pulpy, low-budget actioner for drive-in audiences perhaps too sleepy to care about the fine details of the time period.

In the year 1006 A.D., the Raven of the Wind ship has been riding the ocean currents for months, with Thorvald the Bold (Lee Majors) on the hunt for his father, King Eurich (Mel Ferrer), who never returned from his last voyage. Joined by his little brother, Eric (Chuck Pierce Jr.), and second-in- command, Ragnar (Cornel Wilde), Thorvald won’t rest until he finds Eurich, ready for action as he leans on the great god Odin for support, while wizard Death Dealer (Jack Elam) remains below deck, offering visions of weather and enemies. The Raven of the Wind finally arrives at a strange new land Thorvald christens Vineland, due to its exquisite grapes, which is already inhabited by a hostile Native American tribe who captured and blinded Eurich long ago. While some form of connection is made with young Winetta (Susie Coelho), Thorvald demands blood, sending his men into the Native American camp to retrieve Eurich and other prisoners, while Kiwonga (Jerry Daniels) gears up for war, eager to kill as many invaders as possible.

“The Norseman” provides an opening scroll that gives some background information on the Vikings. However, Pierce’s screenplay isn’t a deep dive into Nordic history, with the film depicting the brawny warriors as slightly dim guys from all over the place (including an African, played by Deacon Jones), all wearing thin armor and horned helmets. The movie looks like a Halloween party for most of its run time, with Pierce playing up the popular image of the Vikings instead of really going for gritty authenticity. It’s more of a comic book take on the culture, with Pierce making sure to namecheck Odin as much as possible, while the feature’s sense of global exploration begins and ends on a Tampa beach, keeping things affordable for this small-scale production.

Pierce doesn’t bring any mythic presence to “The Norseman.” He simply remains comfortable in his filmmaking limitations, setting up a conflict between the Vikings and the unnamed Native American tribe, a community that doesn’t take kindly to visitors. While made in the 1970s, a decade where focus was placed on Native American concerns and culture, the production still hires a number of white actors in indigenous roles, including Kathleen Freeman (a talented, veteran comedienne), who’s about the opposite of a Native American elder as one can get. It’s ridiculous, but Pierce doesn’t seem to mind, even going as far as to side with the Vikings, depicting the locals (save for dewy Winetta and her limited clothing) as complete savages, happily to blind their prisoners and use them for slave labor in nearby caves. In “The Norseman,” the invaders are noble souls just looking for family, even though Thorvald immediately claims the continent after a few minutes on the beach. Large parts of the movie haven’t aged well, and Pierce doesn’t seem interested in keeping up with the times anyway, trying to make a 1958 film in 1978, hoping to get away with the bare minimum in story and action as long as he fills the endeavor with extended scenes of actors half-speed fighting one another, adding some masculine spirit to an effort that mostly contains long stares.

The casting of Majors in “The Norseman” is wild, as the tough guy doesn’t even remotely resemble a Viking. He’s not even trying to in the picture, basically remaining Lee Majors while the rest of the cast is runs around, grunting and throwing weapons. Majors brings his name to the endeavor, doing little else to turn Thorvald into a riveting character. Established actors such as Mel Ferrer and Cornel Wilde attempt to bring some gravitas to the work, maintaining a straight face as they’re gifted terrible lines, and they do well with the little they’re offered. As for Jack Elam as Death Dreamer, it would be difficult to find a greater miscasting for such a shadowy, magical role. Elam just seems out of place as a vaguely threatening participant in his odyssey, hiding under a cloak for most of the feature.

The Norseman Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Norseman" is an MGM catalog release, lacking a recent scan for its Blu-ray debut. Filtering is present, along with some softness and obvious age, but basic details are passable with costuming, showcasing metallic armor and horned helmets. Skin particulars are acceptable, highlighting makeup effects on the imprisoned Vikings, and bushy facial hair offers some texture. Oceanic distances and deep forests are reasonably dimensional, along with ship events. Colors are slightly fatigued, largely dealing with Tampa greenery and red and blue clothing. Skintones are natural, also managing body paint on the Native Americans. Delineation is acceptable. Source is in good condition, with some mild speckling and scratches.

The Norseman Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA shows age and production limitations often, as scoring cues aren't crisply defined, emerging with a muddier sound. Music is mostly quieter, but the opening scene of exposition is nearly drowned out by orchestral force, forcing the listener to strain a bit to understand what's being said. Beyond that, dialogue exchanges are acceptable, with decent intelligibility. Sound effects are blunt.

The Norseman Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (1:41, HD) is included.

The Norseman Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Norseman" isn't campy, but there are a lot of unintentional laughs in the picture, which features the strangest pronunciation of the name Bjorn (he's called Bee-john here) I've ever encountered. Pierce isn't exactly going for bigness with the effort, remaining mindful of money spent on the ship and costumes, which leaves little for anything else. His storytelling skills leave much to be desired as well, finding Eurich's road to ruin explored in sudden flashbacks to his initial contact with the Native Americans, which turns ugly in a hurry. While there isn't much pace to begin with, these odd disruptions to the narrative flow add to woes already facing the movie, which doesn't get anything going when it comes to rescue plans or sequences of war. Pierce keeps matters rather sedate in "The Norseman," perhaps trusting the visual of Majors posing proudly on a Viking ship would be enough for viewers. It's not, with Viking life and aggression requiring more passion, better casting, and a script that isn't Florida-bound for an exceptionally long 90-minute run time.