Erik the Viking is a silly viking themed comedy brought to us by Terry Jones of Monty Python. While not quite as side splitting as some of Monty python’s other films, it is nonetheless enjoyable. Erik played by Tim Robbins is a viking who has tired of the pointless pillaging. He falls in love during one of his villages’ raids on another, and accidentally kills the woman, trying to save her from being raped. This traumatic incident causes him to question everything. Freya, (a wise woman hermit), played by Eartha Kitt (aka. Cat Woman) suggests to him a way to change the never-ending cycle of killing by bringing the sun back to his lands.

Gathering up the men of his village, Erik the Viking ventures out into the unknown. The hodge-podge band of warriors includes father and son berserkers, a fearless viking, who lives to die by his sword, a Christian missionary, the blacksmith and their leader Erik, who is haunted by the woman he accidentally killed. Together they must face a rival band of vikings, a “sea-dragon” and falling off the edge of the world on a mission to enter Valhalla alive.

Set yourself up with vintage vinyl

The theme seems to be that what someone believes can change his destiny and much of the comedy is built around the concept of blind faith. About halfway through the movie, Erik the Viking gets a new girlfriend. Her father, played by Terry Jones (who also directed the film), barges in on them and she gives Erik a cloak of invisibility. It is really only a scarf and yet her father is blind to seeing anyone wearing it. Erik the Viking, falsely believes that the cloak really renders him invisible, so he takes it into battle. Only the preacher on his ship is similarly fooled by the clock and Eric fails to notice that the rest of his crew can still see him. Fearlessly, he bounds into the heavily armed opposing ship, dancing around like a fool. He knocks about the enemy soldiers, who wearing fearsome disguises, have up until now had their foes flee in terror and aren’t sure how to respond to his lunatic antics.

It’s just a funny movie

It’s a silly movie that’s almost as crazy as Dolomite. The violence is glossed over, and the sexual themes are PG rather than racy; it is after-all a comedy.

The post Erik the Viking (1989) appeared first on Classic TV and Movies.