#219. The Vikings (1958)

 

 

The problem I tend to have with historical epics from the '50s and '60s is that they're usually devoid of personality, so The Vikings has an automatic leg up on the competition merely by being charismatic and boisterous and kind of pulpy. The presentation's still a little on the dry and earnest side for my liking, but there's enough exuberance and energy throughout that I was honestly surprised by how invested I was.

 

You can also really feel the communal effort with this one. The writing's got some morally compelling character dynamics, the cast (particularly Kirk Douglas and Ernest Borgnine) brings a lot of welcome flavour and intensity, the cinematography, courtesy of Jack Cardiff, is rich, beautiful, and atmospheric, and Richard Fleischer ties everything together with his textured direction. A lot of people are firing on all cylinders here.

 

So even if a handful of the slower scenes somewhat impair the pacing (the lead-up to that final battle is perhaps the worst example), and the relationship between Jamie Lee Curtis's parents is a total afterthought, the otherwise unique interplay, exciting bursts of action, and keen mix of opulence and depravity ensure that this is ultimately a higher-tier swashbuckler. 

 

Grade: A-

#36. Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

 

 

This is one of those war movies that feels more like a history lesson than a piece of drama. Generally speaking, that's not really my thing, and it doesn't always work for me here (especially in the opening forty-five minutes, which are ungodly dry), but I do think there's something admirable about the scrupulous, impartial approach that it takes.

 

Specifically, I'm talking about the fact that we get to see everything from both perspectives. And while neither side ever bothers to develop any of its characters, and everything runs kinda grey (especially on the American front), I think the movie finds some energy in those moments of cross-cutting as the tension begins to mount.

 

This pays off with the extended attack sequence, which, while overlong, is so technically remarkable that it mostly makes the slow build-up worth it. And I also appreciated that, right through to the very end, the movie never chooses one side over the other. I still think the emotional impact would've been far greater if the human element was more present, but, as textbook chapters go, this is an impressive recreation all the same. 

 

Grade: B