The cinematography of the final fight scene between Tony and Kirk is absolutely stunning.
It's almost dizzying -- as if the viewer is dangling from a flag pole atop the castle.
No wonder it received an Oscar nomination.
Completely agree, the whole film kicks ass, but the final fight is really awesome, only matched in intensity by the imperial funeral closing scene.
The final fight belongs to my personal list of "best final fight scenes of all time". The other ones - not necesarily in order of preference - are:
Scaramouche
Ivanhoe
The Empire strikes back
Yes, without a doubt, both posts! Notice that the score - mood music for the novice movie buff - stopped entirely during the fight scene. The moment Einar confronted Eric a distance from atop the tower, the music stopped and didn't start again until Einar came down the steps to kill Eric as he lay on the walkway, seemingly defeated.
Yeah, in that fight scene, it looked so real, you were so taken in by those two guy trying to kill each other that you almost believed they weren't acting!
You rarely see fight scenes like that.
www.joekeck.com
Agreed, Joe! Loved that fight scene. Before CGI and all that, brilliant!
shareAny idea where exactly this castle/fortress is located? The step design of the dome where the fight occurs is very unusual. It almost looks like some roofs in the tropics where the rain cascades down, purifying, and is collected for drinking water. It's also unusual because there is a walkway surrounding it.
Yes, the cinematography by Jack Cardiff is amazing throughout the film but especially during the final sword fight. I can't imagine where they placed the (at that time) large Technirama cameras looking up and down at the action. One of the best sword fighting scenes ever.
BTW, I just finished watching SPARTACUS and it was as a result of working together on THE VIKINGS that Kirk Douglas wanted Tony Curtis in the gladiator flick.
Agreed.The sense of vertigo,realism and overall suspense is overwhelming.You really feel as though you are witnessing a real sword fight to the death.THE best fight scene ever IMO.
shareI cannot agree more.
I saw this film for the first time when I was about 7 (around 1969) and that scene was burned into my memory.
All these years later it has lost none of its impact and thrilling effect. It is better than any of these edge of the seat fights in all these modern movies they keep making.
"The Vikings" is on TV here today as I write this and I am watching it again for all the wonderful scenes it contains and the climax on the castle tower.
It has yet to be equalled in my humble opinion.
The cinematography of the final fight scene between Tony and Kirk is absolutely stunning.
It's almost dizzying -- as if the viewer is dangling from a flag pole atop the castle.
No wonder it received an Oscar nomination.