Saw this movie as a 7 year old, a very impressionable age. The acting, cinematography,the storyline, and most of all the music stayed with me all these years. Absolutely one of the best movies of all time. Just wish they showed it more on tv, so the younger generation could learn what real acting and filming is all about! And no cg!!
I was about seven-years-old myself. I remember being sad when Kirk Douglas’ character died and the Viking burial scene. I never forgot that music theme.
Yeah, it is pretty good! Seeing as it's the first one most of us have ever seen. And what we were seeing was a 'Hollywood-esque' take on what Vikings were supposed to be like.
You can look at this scene and believe it’s the real thing !!! The landscape hasn’t changed for thousands of years ! This is the greatest scene from any movie , you look at it , it’s like going back in time …Fantastic !!!
What are you talking about this can't be a great scene why don't they have three black vikings two Muslim Vikings one transvestite Viking one LGBT xyzyq437 Viking LOL you bigot you LOL I kid but now if they made this movie that's what would get said where's the representation for the black vikings that never actually existed or the gay Vikings that would have had their heads bashed in if they were gay but I digress LOL
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which proved to be a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going. Apart from that this had the advantage that stars and crew didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away. Only a short mood setting helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord by a second unit camera team. Kind regards from Germany !
Seems that a great many older fellas like myself remember this movie from their early years. Since the movie is dated 1958, I was apparently 10 years old when I saw it... The color, the acting, the action choreography, just about everything about this gem beats what's out there today. Great movie, great actors, great story.
I was about your age when I watched this movie although I watched it on a black and white TV back then. I just loved everything about the movie the music was moving and the acting was just wonderful.
Yes to everything you said! I saw this in 1958 and went back again the next day, at the El Portal in North Hollywood. Those of us who saw movies back then can spot the essential cheesiness of digital effects used now. If the producers decades ago wanted to film "among the ice-capped cliffs of Brittany" they had to go there. If they wanted a Viking village, they built one. If they needed a crowd of 100,000 people, they had to hire and manage (and pay) them.
I was 7. Saw it at the Lakewood Theater, city of Lakewood, Los Angeles County, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… The theater’s long gone, but I’m still here, barely.
67 years old here and still watch this movie on DVD as I have for over a decade. I first watched it as a young school boy in the mid 1960's and fascinated of it since then.
Yes, he had an amazing range as an actor. It almost unbelievable that the guy who played Ragner also played Marty ( and won an Oscar). BTW, there are some wonderful interviews with Ernie on UA-cam and I've probably seen them all BUT "The Vikings" is never mentioned!
@@musik102 To me, he will always be Fatso Judson, sadistic stockade guard in "From Here to Eternity." Except when he's Dutch Engstrom in "The Wild Bunch." What an actor.
The elegant viking ship sailing up the beautiful fijord to the tune of the music is easily one of the very best pieces of cinematic art. Its mesmerising.
I LOVE THIS MOVIE. THE HORN SOUND IS SO HAUNTING! I REMEMBER THIS MOVIE AS A CHILD. I CRIED AT THE FUNERAL OF KIRK DOUGLAS ON THAT SHIP WITH THE FIRE!!! ! AM 56 YEARS OLD NOW AND STILL LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!
Bruce Miller It is still sung( or whistled)by fans across the country who frequent Rennaisance Festivals dressed as Vikings. Also was the tune used by a High school in Florida with a Viking mascot.
This is the first movie that I have any memory of as a child, I am now 60, and that horn sound has stayed with me my entire life. Never forgot the film, it is stunning and I would love to watch the whole thing again someday.
I'm seventy one, and this movie sunk in deep when it hit me back in the 50s - I loved it and its pictures and story of the pre-system days when there was a different kind of freedom.
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which was a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going. Apart from that this had the advantage that the stars didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away. Only a short mood settting helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord. Kind regards from Germany !
I remember seeing this movie when I was a kid and this scene left me in total awe. It is one of my most favorite movies of all time and now I have it on DVD.
Yes , absolutely best scene ever! Makes you want to live in those days! The music fits the landscape and heroic vibe perfectly. What a classic. Men were still men back then! I researched the viking live a bit and the movie is very authentic. Certainly best viking movie ever made with super star power. Unforgettable.
Looking at Kirk Douglas in his prime : wow, the energy and power that guy exudes ! Why do we have to wither and waste away in old age ? (On a total different note tough : can’t help thinking that the budget in this movie for blonde wigs must have been staggering)
I saw this movie at the drive in with my family when I was eight years old. This scene and the final fight in the castle are what stick in my mind. I guess this is my favorite film musical theme.
That is the "Theme from the Vikings" playing, and somewhat unusually, it comes after some 10 or so minutes into the film. "The Vikings" has no standard opening credits. The cast and crew credits come only at the end of the film. The film opens with a short animated section narrated by Orson Wells and then goes right into the action. The movie has a good story to tell and they waste no time getting into the exposition. We still get the wonderful theme (by Mario Nascimbene) as the Viking long ship sails home to Long Sound.
Wow! I agree! I loved this movie, and especially the beautiful scenery of this segment since the first time I saw it as a teenager in 1958. For quite awhile afterward, I would hum the music from the huge horn. I wound up getting the 33 and1/3 album movie soundtrack at the time and still have it in a box somewhere with other albums of that era. Thank you SO MUCH for posting this clip!
50s and 60s was the best era for films, no stupid special effects just pure good action when the actors brought the film to life most of the greatest films were made in the 60s.
Yes, without any computer graphics, the technology and artists could bring life to the scenes and action which can never be equalled to present generation special effects......
One of my all time favourite films.....The scenery,The Music.....And like people say i will always love this film even though the accents leave a lot to be desired!.....
The Vikings was one of the 1st 3 films I saw as a kid in the theater. For some reason, I was blown away by the soundtrack. How that affected me as an 8 year old, I have no idea. Even today, I love music. Maybe this was the introduction for my love of music. I will forever be grateful.
2:09 is fantastic. What a shot. My wife was yawning all over the place. No soul. She was born without a soul. Too bad some people can't enjoy such things in life. I feel sorry for them. No, I don't. They suck!
Same thing here. These days I'll pull up a movie know she will like and she's sitting there with her facebook and facing the TV. How can you follow a movie like that? Last night it was Shane.
I was 9-years old when l saw this film with my younger brother.. Upon reaching home,we fashioned an ax and a wooden sword from plywood.. Teens from the neighborhood formed a group and called themselves The Vikings..
They used this song in a documentary about the movie Ben - Hur. Two other legendary movie stars from that era played in it. Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd. The documentary is on youtube. I always loved this song.!
in 1962 i was a navy brat...2nd grade..living on the US Navy base in gitmo bay, Cuba. We watched Vikings at an outdoor movie theatre..a fantastic way to watch this epic. i've got to watch it again
I'm a baby boomer and this was a very special movie for me and my brothers way back. When it comes to ancient history, the Romans and the Vikings are most interesting. Love Mario Nascimbene's music. And yes, I do watch the new Vikings. Great stuff.
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which was a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going. Apart from that this had the advantage that the stars didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away. Only a short mood establishing helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord. Kind regards from Germany !
And of course this is one of the slower scenes which lets you enjoy the great Norwegian scenery - it was filmed on location in Norway - and the beautiful Viking ship.
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which was a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going. Apart from that this had the advantage that stars and crew didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away. Only a short mood establishing helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord by a second unit ! Kind regards from Germany !
Wonderful Actor and this was the first film I ever went to see aged 7 in 1961 with My Dad. Only thing I would query with Kirk is that he said HE was Spartacus although I know I AM which is confusing as 2 of my best friends also say they are so I don't know who to believe anymore.....:)
I agree! The scenery, the music..........and one gorgeous Kirk Douglas. I always liked Michael Douglas, and found him attractive. Kirk plays one of the sexiest men I have EVER seen on the big screen. I watched this movie years ago, as a little girl w/my parents. The music has always touched my heart. I saw it again the other p.m.......and when I saw "Kirk" it was like seeing it all over again...with adult eyes. I hope Michael is proud of his father. (and vice-versa.)
The 1950's Hollywood produced some rather cheesy epics. This was not one of them. It's probably thanks to Douglas that effort was made to take the whole theme seriously. Another fine epic with both Douglas and Curtis was "Spartacus", another film relatively free of Hollywood cheese. It's not perfect, it shows the Vikings of this era in too primitive a light. The English ship is a Cog from 5 centuries later. One thing that is accurate is the extent to which the Vikings used the bow. Since there two men to the oar and a bow was provided for each oar. My mother took me to see this in the Cinema back in 1966. She must have had a thing about Curtis. The previous film had been the "The Great Race" , I fell asleep being young. This is the first film I saw that kept me going. I stayed awake for this one. I liked the boats. The Viking ship was a technical marvel that cannot be improved upon with the materials available at the time. But even by today's standards, stands up well. Light weight and fast, but also strong due to their elastic hulls. She must noticed I liked the theme. She took me to see a cheesy Italian copy of the film. This one featured Vikings conquering Sicily. I didn't realize it , but in essence it was true. Normans drove the Muslims from Sicily and established the Kingdom of Sicily and Naples. Which lasted until Napoleon. For Barbarians their positive achievements often endured. In the end they didn't simply destroy, they took over what they found and improved upon it. Russia was another state they created. Kiev and Dublin two cities they built. Their states endured because they were content to be the strong arm, but otherwise adopted the language and customs of those they conquered. Rather unlike the Romans is this particular regard. In other ways they were similar to the Romans. In that they were particularly good at absorbing alien peoples. As bad as they were, they were rather particular about keeping their pledges. In general, their word could be trusted.
one of my favorite movies saw it on the big screen as a kid - alot was over my head. the theme music the part blowing through the giant horn a lot of great scenes
This brings me to tears 😭 as The first time I heard this my parents were both in the den … mom on the long sofa with my pops in his lounge chair… lol… They were both alive and well …. How I so miss his commentary while my mother constantly complained on him doing !😂 That was is way of him keeping us babies interested or we lost interest! Wow …. I’m 49 now and they’re both crossed over ! I’m here every wedding anniversary! ❤️‼️❤️‼️
From the 2:20 to the 3:40 in this theme song and epic story. An Vikings mystique sound resonates to my core for a minute and 20-seconds. I would play this to my Stanford son as a young schoolboy to get him up, ready and go off to school. It’s haunted him in a dreamy Scandinavian way ever since and me, too. Note: The tune played when Ragnar sails home through the fjord is a west-Swedish ballad called "Ack Värmland, du sköna".
I saw this movie at home on black and white. I was 6 years old in first grade and getting my ass kicked everyday to and from school. I saw this film and it sunk into my brain like being rewired, I WILL FIGHT, IF I WIN OR LOSE, WHAT MATTERS IS THAT I FIGHT BACK LIKE A VIKING. My favorite scene is the storming of the English castle where they threw their axes at the closed draw bridge to allow Kirk Douglas to scale the castle wall and open the gate. They ran up one by one, some succeeded and some were shot with arrows before they could make their throw. They gained honor from fighting, even if they died! The message of bravery was implanted in my mind forever. The next Monday morning, what came out of our front door was not a scared first grader, it was a Viking, complete with a steel Popeye lunch box, full of rocks for weight, (my battle axe). They should have hung a sign around my neck saying 'Warning, Viking, do not Touch!' I became the hunter instead of the hunted and it did not take long before I gained respect, my father was a boxing coach and made sure I knew how to fight once my mother took away my lunch box/battle axe. I am turning 60 this year, and have been a movie fan all off my life, but this is still my favorite film, it changed my life for the better. I believe that is the point of art.
Fun to see I am not the only one who has such strong memories of the movie. I was a viking for Halloween several times. Watched it on WCIA "Dialing for Dollars" after school every time it came around in their rotation. I can still hear the music in my head. Need to watch it again.
Am sure the the legend that was Kirk Douglas would have been welcomed in heaven just like this. One of my favourite films takes me back to my younger years RIP Mr Douglas
I think it was scripted, but they were going to use a stunt man. Kirk Douglas insisted he could do it himself and did, actually repeating the stunt for several takes.
@@craigkdillon If you actually read my comment, you'd see that I said Kirk did it instead of the stuntman. I've seen the movie many times. In the scene in question, it's not just Kirk running the oars. Several men are doing it at the same time and probably all of them except Kirk are stuntmen.
After seeing the movie I came home, filled the tub with water, put my boat in the tub and started throwing lit matches at it. Good thing I didn't burn down the house.
Yeah, this film marked me too when I was a kid. I'm 71 now, so I think I was around 13 or 14 when I saw it. Somewhere around that time our church had a costume Halloween party and I went as a Viking; mom sewed me a doublet and I had an old sword (a real one too) through a belt loop. That would NOT be allowed today, fer sure.
It looks like they are sailing up the Columbia River and has the scene of Multinoma Falls, when Kirk Douglas looks down from above. It is an inspiring scene of the heroes being welcomed home. Thanks for posting this. I will have to get the movie out of the library.
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which was a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going. Apart from that this had the advantage that the stars didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away. Only a short mood establishing helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord. Kind regards from Germany !
Saw this movie as a 7 year old, a very impressionable age. The acting, cinematography,the storyline, and most of all the music stayed with me all these years. Absolutely one of the best movies of all time. Just wish they showed it more on tv, so the younger generation could learn what real acting and filming is all about! And no cg!!
I was about seven-years-old myself. I remember being sad when Kirk Douglas’ character died and the Viking burial scene. I never forgot that music theme.
60 years old and still the best Viking film of all time.
You are Sooooo Right!
fliegeroh Yes!❤️
Anybody like "Odins test for unfaithful wives"?
Yeah, it is pretty good! Seeing as it's the first one most of us have ever seen. And what we were seeing was a 'Hollywood-esque' take on what Vikings were supposed to be like.
@@WalterDWormack214 Has there ever been another Vikings film? Perhaps one more historically correct could be made, if not more entertaining.
The music fills my heart with joy but brings a tear to my eye.
You can look at this scene and believe it’s the real thing !!! The landscape hasn’t changed for thousands of years ! This is the greatest scene from any movie , you look at it , it’s like going back in time …Fantastic !!!
What are you talking about this can't be a great scene why don't they have three black vikings two Muslim Vikings one transvestite Viking one LGBT xyzyq437 Viking LOL you bigot you LOL I kid but now if they made this movie that's what would get said where's the representation for the black vikings that never actually existed or the gay Vikings that would have had their heads bashed in if they were gay but I digress LOL
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which proved to be a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going.
Apart from that this had the advantage that stars and crew didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away.
Only a short mood setting helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord by a second unit camera team.
Kind regards from Germany !
The sound of that horn!!! I will never forget as a child growing up!
I think that horn was copied by the TV show "The Tale of Viking" for its opening scene.
My kids know it well and we sometimes kid each other by saying Oooooooooden.
@@coffeeseven Odin, not Oden...
That is the great vince de rosa. Look up Mickey's theme from Rocky 3 for a solo featuring him more clearly.
They still play horns on the fjords and in the Alps too.
The beginning theme music and the funeral tribute music is sooo sad! This is my favorite Kirk Douglas movie!!! He really loved her!!!
Seems that a great many older fellas like myself remember this movie from their early years. Since the movie is dated 1958, I was apparently 10 years old when I saw it... The color, the acting, the action choreography, just about everything about this gem beats what's out there today. Great movie, great actors, great story.
I used to scour the TV Guide religiously to see when it was going to be on TV again.
I was about your age when I watched this movie although I watched it on a black and white TV back then. I just loved everything about the movie the music was moving and the acting was just wonderful.
@@yell50 In other words, they just don't make 'em like that anymore.....lol
Yes to everything you said! I saw this in 1958 and went back again the next day, at the El Portal in North Hollywood. Those of us who saw movies back then can spot the essential cheesiness of digital effects used now. If the producers decades ago wanted to film "among the ice-capped cliffs of Brittany" they had to go there. If they wanted a Viking village, they built one. If they needed a crowd of 100,000 people, they had to hire and manage (and pay) them.
I was 7. Saw it at the Lakewood Theater, city of Lakewood, Los Angeles County, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… The theater’s long gone, but I’m still here, barely.
67 years old here and still watch this movie on DVD as I have for over a decade. I first watched it as a young school boy in the mid 1960's and fascinated of it since then.
Why don't you watch newer productions?
@@GplusGains i have and most of the viking themes of movies made after 1990's were not really bonding with my mind.
This is such a transcendent film that so many generations have enjoyed & continue to enjoy. Fantastic score too, gets me everytime.
My dad and I watched this as a kid. Just the music alone was amazing. Proud to be of Scandinavian descent.
Earnie Borgnine....One of the greatest character actors ever
@Michael LoVetere - Truth.
Yes! This was his magnum opus! A ‘barbarian’ with wisdom!
Yes, he had an amazing range as an actor. It almost unbelievable that the guy who played Ragner also played Marty ( and won an Oscar). BTW, there are some wonderful interviews with Ernie on UA-cam and I've probably seen them all BUT "The Vikings" is never mentioned!
O you
@@musik102 To me, he will always be Fatso Judson, sadistic stockade guard in "From Here to Eternity." Except when he's Dutch Engstrom in "The Wild Bunch." What an actor.
The theme music is so haunting
The elegant viking ship sailing up the beautiful fijord to the tune of the music is easily one of the very best pieces of cinematic art. Its mesmerising.
true!!!
I LOVE THIS MOVIE. THE HORN SOUND IS SO HAUNTING! I REMEMBER THIS MOVIE AS A CHILD. I CRIED AT THE FUNERAL OF KIRK DOUGLAS ON THAT SHIP WITH THE FIRE!!! ! AM 56 YEARS OLD NOW AND STILL LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!
You might have cried less at a real Viking funeral, as they required the deceased's living widow or mistress to be immolated with him.
The theme from this movie was playing in my head this afternoon before the news of Kirk Douglas' passing. Powerful coincidence.
@Bruce Miller - Indeed.
USSR, 1979. Nice days, nice movie, nice friends. :(
You're not the only one... coincidence indeed.
The force was strong.
Bruce Miller It is still sung( or whistled)by fans across the country who frequent Rennaisance Festivals dressed as Vikings. Also was the tune used by a High school in Florida with a Viking mascot.
That horn melody is the most hummable ever.
This is the first movie that I have any memory of as a child, I am now 60, and that horn sound has stayed with me my entire life. Never forgot the film, it is stunning and I would love to watch the whole thing again someday.
+Bristol Armoured Division Good memory, you would have been about three.
Same here, except I'm not that old, it was on a VHS for me.
Do you old timers watch vikings? (With "Real Vikings"?)
Same with me - that theme stayed with me throughout my entire life for some reason.
I'm seventy one, and this movie sunk in deep when it hit me back in the 50s - I loved it and its pictures and story of the pre-system days when there was a different kind of freedom.
never forget this great movie from my childhood...specially the music
Great cast, one of the greatest films ever!
Norway is such a beautiful place !
They was also from Iceland
@@florinrotaru8132 Sweden and Denmark as well
@@florinrotaru8132 aren't they originally from present day Russia
@paulgentile1024 no, you're thinking of the kievan rus who were originally norse settlers
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which was a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going.
Apart from that this had the advantage that the stars didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away.
Only a short mood settting helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord.
Kind regards from Germany !
One of the best of movie soundtracks.I whistle this piece often.Such memories comeback to me when I saw this in 1958.
Me too! Except now I wonder why Hollywood thought Vikings ran around in short-shorts.
@@rickgauger2895 summer time
I remember seeing this movie when I was a kid and this scene left me in total awe. It is one of my most favorite movies of all time and now I have it on DVD.
Likewise!
I agree with you completely. This is one of the best movies ever made and this is one of its finest scenes.
Absolutely love this movie and its music. Saw it first run when I was 6 and have never forgotten the theme.
Yes , absolutely best scene ever! Makes you want to live in those days! The music fits the landscape and heroic vibe perfectly. What a classic. Men were still men back then!
I researched the viking live a bit and the movie is very authentic. Certainly best viking movie ever made with super star power. Unforgettable.
I hum or whistle that theme music nearly every time I canoe the lakes
in the Adirondacks- Sure stays in your blood. Hail Ragnar!!!!
Hail Ragnar!
Doug Smith I live at the foothills of the Adirondacks!!!! it's sooooooooooo beautiful
Verde
This movie was a sequence of great scenes, one of the best action movies of all effing time.
And no special effects, except the pigtail cutting with a thrown axe scene.
Looking at Kirk Douglas in his prime : wow, the energy and power that guy exudes ! Why do we have to wither and waste away in old age ?
(On a total different note tough : can’t help thinking that the budget in this movie for blonde wigs must have been staggering)
"whigs"? really?
over half of them are real Norweigians that were extras for the movie.
Beautiful scene!
Norway is such a beautiful country , some of my happiest memories were there !
looks just like my home pacific coast of B.C..........Long deep fjords high snow capped peaks and long cascading water falls.
I saw this movie at the drive in with my family when I was eight years old. This scene and the final fight in the castle are what stick in my mind. I guess this is my favorite film musical theme.
That is the "Theme from the Vikings" playing, and somewhat unusually, it comes after some 10 or so minutes into the film. "The Vikings" has no standard opening credits. The cast and crew credits come only at the end of the film. The film opens with a short animated section narrated by Orson Wells and then goes right into the action. The movie has a good story to tell and they waste no time getting into the exposition. We still get the wonderful theme (by Mario Nascimbene) as the Viking long ship sails home to Long Sound.
Loved that movie. Amazing sets, costumes, and the excellent Viking ship was fun to watch to see how these seamen crossed the rivers, fjords and seas.
Damn it , now I am going to have to pull out the dvd and watch it again .
Great film, great music score....Real actors
I was 15 when this movie came out. Very impressed with that theme.
Wow! I agree! I loved this movie, and especially the beautiful scenery of this segment since the first time I saw it as a teenager in 1958. For quite awhile afterward, I would hum the music from the huge horn. I wound up getting the 33 and1/3 album movie soundtrack at the time and still have it in a box somewhere with other albums of that era. Thank you SO MUCH for posting this clip!
I was a bit of a nerd I guess.. preferring soundtrack albums to popular music too back in the 60's.
Saw it on the big screen as a child. Now own it in Blu Ray. Janet Leigh..Kirk Douglas...and the incredible scenery. Nothing quite like it.
The first time I ever saw this scene I was hooked! The dramatic theme music combined with the scenic shots makes for pure perfection!
Magnificent movie with one of my favorite actor's Kirk Douglas.
Shame he got one of his eyes mangled up by that eagle
Amen to that Linda. They just don't make 'em like that any more.
I was 10 years old when I saw this--and something resonated inside me. Still does.
50s and 60s was the best era for films, no stupid special effects just pure good action when the actors brought the film to life most of the greatest films were made in the 60s.
Yes, without any computer graphics, the technology and artists could bring life to the scenes and action which can never be equalled to present generation special effects......
So true, especially this movie, along with another Douglas and Curtis movie, Spartacus.
@@richardeast3328 i am Spartacus
One of my all time favourite films.....The scenery,The Music.....And like people say i will always love this film even though the accents leave a lot to be desired!.....
The Vikings was one of the 1st 3 films I saw as a kid in the theater. For some reason, I was blown away by the soundtrack. How that affected me as an 8 year old, I have no idea. Even today, I love music. Maybe this was the introduction for my love of music. I will forever be grateful.
My favorite movie,I remember when I saw it for the first time with my granpa I was 10 years old.Good memories
My mom and dad went on their first date to this flick, I took my mom there last sumner. RIP to Kirk Douglas.
@Ed Childs - Beautiful.
Lovely
2:09 is fantastic. What a shot. My wife was yawning all over the place. No soul. She was born without a soul. Too bad some people can't enjoy such things in life. I feel sorry for them. No, I don't. They suck!
Same thing here. These days I'll pull up a movie know she will like and she's sitting there with her facebook and facing the TV. How can you follow a movie like that? Last night it was Shane.
@@jdastro another great movie
based boomers
Great movie no doubt about it.
Oh my God, what great memories! Norway is such a beautiful country, too!
can you read this?
@@wblevins5906 ?
I saw this epic film when it first came out, and yeah, this is the most memorable scene in it- Still gives me chills!
I was 9-years old when l saw this film with my younger brother..
Upon reaching home,we fashioned an ax and a wooden sword from plywood..
Teens from the neighborhood formed a group and called themselves The Vikings..
They used this song in a documentary about the movie Ben - Hur. Two other legendary movie stars from that era played in it. Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd. The documentary is on youtube.
I always loved this song.!
Brilliant movie and music
i literally cant stop humming the horn's little tune that plays. It has been stuck in my head for more than 2 years now
I took up archery and taught myself how to throw an axe after watching this! Real life skills !
I've just started axe throwing!
Some fab films made around that time.
in 1962 i was a navy brat...2nd grade..living on the US Navy base in gitmo bay, Cuba. We watched Vikings at an outdoor movie theatre..a fantastic way to watch this epic. i've got to watch it again
I watched this movie on 27th November 1959 when I was 8years with my elder brother still remember
This movie had an awesome cast. Yes this was an awesome scene.
I saw this film in the early 1960's on a summer school field trip. I really liked it.
I'm a baby boomer and this was a very special movie for me and my brothers way back. When it comes to ancient history, the Romans and the Vikings are most interesting. Love Mario Nascimbene's music. And yes, I do watch the new Vikings. Great stuff.
I loved watching this show on Thursday nights in 1958-the early 1960's.
what views and beautiful terrain.
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which was a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going.
Apart from that this had the advantage that the stars didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away.
Only a short mood establishing helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord.
Kind regards from Germany !
I was 5 years old when this movie came out. I loved it! Kirk Douglas was my favorite actor.
That stirring music makes me want to launch my Viking raiding boat and head west for adventure!
I love this film...
My favorite Ernest Borgnine movie. Hail Ragnar
And of course this is one of the slower scenes which lets you enjoy the great Norwegian scenery - it was filmed on location in Norway - and the beautiful Viking ship.
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which was a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going.
Apart from that this had the advantage that stars and crew didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away.
Only a short mood establishing helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord by a second unit !
Kind regards from Germany !
@@gunterangel I had no idea! Tx for the info.
Have to agree. Also the ending of the funeral still gets me......every time.
And not a single CGI effect.
RIP Kirk....see you in Valhalla and thank you for the timeless memories a true icon and gentlemen.
Wonderful Actor and this was the first film I ever went to see aged 7 in 1961 with My Dad.
Only thing I would query with Kirk is that he said HE was Spartacus although I know I AM which is confusing as 2 of my best friends also say they are so I don't know who to believe anymore.....:)
Director John Milius has said it's the movie that inspired him in the making of Conan the Barbarian.
And Richard Fleischer himself directed the sequel.
I love this film since I was a child
I like the scene where the homecoming Vikings are skipping across the outstretched oars on the outside of the longship
Same here. I wonder how long it took to set it up and film it
Such a pleasant memory, I watched this movie at the Rocket Drive-In in Las Cruces, NM. The year was 1958...I was ten years old.
i remember this movie well.....was a kid then....vikings where like mythic evil creatures....still are....
Norway is the most beautiful country in the world . I had the privilege of sailing in fjords like this on a Norwegian yacht .
+welshpete12----- And did you run up and down on the oars as your yatch came in ?
+stormywindmill Ha Ha , o' no we were to lazy , we just switched on the engine ! But I understand Kirk Douglas did it for real .
+welshpete12 He's also riding a Norwegian Fjord pony in this scene.
+MagiMysteryTour I remember seeing these ponies , but I didn't realise they were local to that area . Thank you for the information .
I believe it was filmed in Croatia.
RIP Kirk Douglas.
I WAS THAT TOME 15 YEARS OLD. "VERY NICE MOVIE
I agree! The scenery, the music..........and one gorgeous Kirk Douglas. I always liked Michael Douglas, and found him attractive.
Kirk plays one of the sexiest men I have EVER seen on the big screen. I watched this movie years ago, as a little girl w/my parents.
The music has always touched my heart. I saw it again the other p.m.......and when I saw "Kirk" it was like seeing it all over again...with adult eyes. I hope Michael is proud of his father. (and vice-versa.)
Kirk's a man's man, too. What a guy.
one of the best movies EVER!
The 1950's Hollywood produced some rather cheesy epics. This was not one of them. It's probably thanks to Douglas that effort was made to take the whole theme seriously. Another fine epic with both Douglas and Curtis was "Spartacus", another film relatively free of Hollywood cheese.
It's not perfect, it shows the Vikings of this era in too primitive a light. The English ship is a Cog from 5 centuries later. One thing that is accurate is the extent to which the Vikings used the bow. Since there two men to the oar and a bow was provided for each oar.
My mother took me to see this in the Cinema back in 1966. She must have had a thing about Curtis. The previous film had been the "The Great Race" , I fell asleep being young.
This is the first film I saw that kept me going. I stayed awake for this one. I liked the boats. The Viking ship was a technical marvel that cannot be improved upon with the materials available at the time. But even by today's standards, stands up well. Light weight and fast, but also strong due to their elastic hulls.
She must noticed I liked the theme. She took me to see a cheesy Italian copy of the film. This one featured Vikings conquering Sicily. I didn't realize it , but in essence it was true. Normans drove the Muslims from Sicily and established the Kingdom of Sicily and Naples. Which lasted until Napoleon. For Barbarians their positive achievements often endured. In the end they didn't simply destroy, they took over what they found and improved upon it. Russia was another state they created. Kiev and Dublin two cities they built. Their states endured because they were content to be the strong arm, but otherwise adopted the language and customs of those they conquered. Rather unlike the Romans is this particular regard. In other ways they were similar to the Romans. In that they were particularly good at absorbing alien peoples. As bad as they were, they were rather particular about keeping their pledges. In general, their word could be trusted.
best viking film and music ever ❤
one of my favorite movies saw it on the big screen as a kid - alot was over my head. the theme music the part blowing through the giant horn a lot of great scenes
I've sailed up there a couple of times , but wish I did it back then , un spoilt. one of the greatest movies ever made.
Saw this as a kid when it first came out.
STILL epic. 👍👍
This brings me to tears 😭 as The first time I heard this my parents were both in the den … mom on the long sofa with my pops in his lounge chair… lol… They were both alive and well …. How I so miss his commentary while my mother constantly complained on him doing !😂 That was is way of him keeping us babies interested or we lost interest! Wow …. I’m 49 now and they’re both crossed over ! I’m here every wedding anniversary! ❤️‼️❤️‼️
From the 2:20 to the 3:40 in this theme song and epic story. An Vikings mystique sound resonates to my core for a minute and 20-seconds. I would play this to my Stanford son as a young schoolboy to get him up, ready and go off to school. It’s haunted him in a dreamy Scandinavian way ever since and me, too.
Note: The tune played when Ragnar sails home through the fjord is a west-Swedish ballad called "Ack Värmland, du sköna".
I saw this movie at home on black and white. I was 6 years old in first grade and getting my ass kicked everyday to and from school. I saw this film and it sunk into my brain like being rewired, I WILL FIGHT, IF I WIN OR LOSE, WHAT MATTERS IS THAT I FIGHT BACK LIKE A VIKING. My favorite scene is the storming of the English castle where they threw their axes at the closed draw bridge to allow Kirk Douglas to scale the castle wall and open the gate. They ran up one by one, some succeeded and some were shot with arrows before they could make their throw. They gained honor from fighting, even if they died! The message of bravery was implanted in my mind forever.
The next Monday morning, what came out of our front door was not a scared first grader, it was a Viking, complete with a steel Popeye lunch box, full of rocks for weight, (my battle axe). They should have hung a sign around my neck saying 'Warning, Viking, do not Touch!' I became the hunter instead of the hunted and it did not take long before I gained respect, my father was a boxing coach and made sure I knew how to fight once my mother took away my lunch box/battle axe.
I am turning 60 this year, and have been a movie fan all off my life, but this is still my favorite film, it changed my life for the better. I believe that is the point of art.
Great movie! Saw it in the early 60s and I've been an Asatruamadur ever since. Hail Lord Odin and Thor!
WAES HAEL!!
I was just telling a younger co-worker about loving this movie as a child! Incredible scenery! :)
Fun to see I am not the only one who has such strong memories of the movie. I was a viking for Halloween several times. Watched it on WCIA "Dialing for Dollars" after school every time it came around in their rotation. I can still hear the music in my head. Need to watch it again.
Good Movies like this one are hard to come by now days
It's great he lived a long time the VIKINGS KURT
"It's the Vikings!!"
"Turn back!!!!!"
Am sure the the legend that was Kirk Douglas would have been welcomed in heaven just like this.
One of my favourite films takes me back to my younger years RIP Mr Douglas
Yes, Kirk Douglas was, and still is, an absolute legend. I hope this great actor has found peace in his own Valhalla.
Douglas said in an interview he was thrilled to play that role.
The scene where Kirk Douglas dances on the oars was not scripted. Kirk did that all on his own.
Kirk was an amazing athlete.
Wow did not know that
I think it was scripted, but they were going to use a stunt man. Kirk Douglas insisted he could do it himself and did, actually repeating the stunt for several takes.
@@chardtomp I remember it being unscripted, and being Kirk's idea.
Watch the movie -- NO stunt man.
That is Kirk, and no one else.
@@craigkdillon If you actually read my comment, you'd see that I said Kirk did it instead of the stuntman. I've seen the movie many times. In the scene in question, it's not just Kirk running the oars. Several men are doing it at the same time and probably all of them except Kirk are stuntmen.
@@chardtomp Right. I thought you said the stuntman did his run, too. Sorry.
Hollywood just do not make classic movies like this anymore
After seeing the movie I came home, filled the tub with water, put my boat in the tub and started throwing lit matches at it. Good thing I didn't burn down the house.
Yeah, this film marked me too when I was a kid. I'm 71 now, so I think I was around 13 or 14 when I saw it. Somewhere around that time our church had a costume Halloween party and I went as a Viking; mom sewed me a doublet and I had an old sword (a real one too) through a belt loop. That would NOT be allowed today, fer sure.
It looks like they are sailing up the Columbia River and has the scene of Multinoma Falls, when Kirk Douglas looks down from above. It is an inspiring scene of the heroes being welcomed home.
Thanks for posting this. I will have to get the movie out of the library.
One of my top 5 films of my life. Brilliant
The norwegin fjords are breathtaking withthe added bonus of the lusty vikings and the awe inspiring music
All these scenes with the viking ships and in the viking village were shot at the Walchen lake in Bavaria/Germany, which was a really good stand-in for a Norwegian fjord, since these ship replicas were actually not sea-going.
Apart from that this had the advantage that the stars didn't have to waive any comfort since their hotel in nearby Munich was only an hour drive away.
Only a short mood establishing helicopter shot during the pre-credits was actually shot in a Norwegian fjord.
Kind regards from Germany !