Enthralling Viking film

It takes a good 45 minutes for the story to really grab ahold but, by the end, I was blown away. If you like adventure movies, especially historically rooted ones, you'll likely appreciate this.

There's a 30-minute documentary on the DVD that details the vision, research and hard work that went into creating such a quality film. It took a year of preparation before filming even started in 1957. An actual Viking village was built on location in a Norwegian fjord; there's even a magnificent waterfall in the background (shot at Maurangerfjorden and Maurangsnes). A genuine castle was used for the climatic castle raid scenes (shot at Fort-la-Latte in northeast Brittany in France). The film is worth watching just for the scenery alone.

A real Viking ship was used as the blueprint for the three ships made for the movie (too bad there are only three). Plus the Viking costumes, helmets and weapons are as authentic as possible for the evidence of the time. Although the Norman-style stone castle is anachronistic, as are the Brit defender's apparel & equipment, viewing "The Vikings" is the next best thing to going back in time and seeing actual Vikings.

Here are some miscellaneous thoughts:

- The film is brutal: hands get chopped off, faces get mutilated, people are thrown into a pit of ravenous wolves, etc.

- I never knew how beautiful Janet Leigh was until I saw this movie (she doesn't appear very attractive, for instance, in "Psycho").

- Watch out for Kirk Douglas' "running of the oars" scene. It's great fun, and, I gather, something practiced by real Vikings.

- Seeing the three Viking ships make their ominous trek to England is magnificent; the various depictions of these vessels are great -- at dawn, in the mist, etc.

- The arrival in England and the taking of the castle is nothing short of breathtaking. The score during this scene is just a constant, primal drum and very fitting.

- Speaking of the score, I hated the goofy Viking horn melody at first, but then it grew on me, sorta like certain kinds of cheeses. It's dorky, trust me, but I now can't imagine the film without it.