Robert Eggers - The Northman

0:00 Okay, So it's been out long enough, came out on Christmas Day? Amber, Are you ready to discuss this amazing film that is No Speratu because it's the best film I've seen in the past couple months. No, because I haven't ever seen it. You haven't seen it yet? What are you waiting for? I only go to the theater for Christopher Nolan and maybe one or two others. That's that's such a mistake. And we'll get to that. You know you said one or two others. Well, I still want to discuss this visionary director who's quickly becoming a favorite for me. So let's talk about a film by Robert Edgars, his twenty twenty two underrated historical Viking epic The Northman.

0:48 I am I'm not a bad wife son. I'm getting out of London more raven and I. Word hello, I'm Jeff. Johnson, I'm Amber Lewis. And this is the sixth season of a film by podcast Amber.

1:31 Who we are? You know we're back six seasons. We're starting up number six. I can't believe it. That's awesome. It is weeknight, lots of real quick, a couple a couple of awesome things. So yes, uh, don't look at the calendar. We have moved. We have in fact moved to Mondays. A film by will now be released on Mondays. Moving forward, our Star Trek themed phaser set The Stunt will continue to drop on Wednesdays, and we're now reserving Fridays for any occasional bonus episodes, to which I'll go ahead and say we have plenty of in store, and Amber, I know you know what I'm talking about.

2:13 Yes, for real, We're just gonna get everybody through the week as best we can. Absolutely. Meanwhile, our Patreon page continues to go strong with several exclusive episodes each month. We've got a few more episodes left in our nineteen eighty six series to wrap up before we drop some new fun stuff and I'm really excited what's coming to our listeners there. If you haven't yet, had to www dot patreon dot com, slash a film by podcast and subscribe for as little as three dollars a month. There's even a free membership that gets you access to several episodes if you're not ready to jump in all the way. Meanwhile, I want to jump in all the way on the North Man.

2:56 Oh my god, heck yeah, Amber. So here's here's what made me happy. Some you know, it's a fifty Sometimes I feel like it's a fifty to fifty shot with you. Like I say, hey, we're gonna talk about this movie. You say I've never seen it. I'll check it out. And then sometimes your message to me is cryptic. Sometimes it's outrage uh, and then sometimes I'm like, Okay, I know she's liking this one. I'm looking at I'm looking at your message you sent to me. I'm really excited to talk about The north Man. Exclamation point. It's Banana's crazy. Well, the first the first message you sent me, you were like, do you want to talk about this? And I was like, yeah, sure, whatever, and I put the phone down and I looked at Liabro. I'm like, now I gotta watch the fucking north Man and he just cracked up because he has wanted to see it for a long time. My brother is all about the Vikings, and it's been saying like, you gotta see this movie.

3:51 It's so awesome, and I'm like, no, I don't do that Viking thing, Like I'm not doing it. And so it was ironic that I was going to have to watch this movie and then I was like, oh my god, this is the best movie I've ever seen. I'm so happy that you're into it because I, oh, I absolutely love it. We don't get it. Good like to talk about underrated classic. Yeah, we don't get a film like this without a director like Robert Eggers and Amber. I know we usually do this at the end of the show. Towards the end of the show, I'll tell you what. I'm so excited to talk about him. I want to flip it to the front. Let's let's do let's talk about it. Let's do a couple of facts, a little bit trivia about this director. And let me offer you a quote because I got I got a pretty cool quote from him.

4:39 And let's start with this, uh no secret. If you've if you're familiar with his filmography, you know that there is a more than likely chance you're going to see Willem. Dafoe in a Robert Edgars movie. Yes, I kind of feel like Dafoe is de Niro? Is that fair to say? Yes, although I'm surprised when he showed up in when I was like. Wait, what, uh we we got? I can't wait to talk? Is it I'm him Heimna. To any Vikings in the audience. We're gonna do our best. I'll tell you what. Listen, uh listeners, you you you're familiar with Amber now, and you know anytime I have to try and pronounce anything, friends, I can, you'll quickly correct me. But uh, now that we're dealing with uh Norse mythology and uh and vikings, and hey, look well we'll do our best, right, I mean, we'll try. But uh more on more on Dafoe in a minute, because I was shocked when he popped up like the little grimlin that he is in this movie.

5:44 I loved him, but yeah, so yeah, he's kind of his DeNiro and I dig that we were talking about No s Farratu. This has been a long time him directing that film, which by the way, is absolutely spectacular and should be seen on the biggest screen possible because the cinematography is gorgeous. It's been a long time coming for Eggers because Amber, I will tell you this, while attending high school he did in fact direct a production of nos Ferrautu and designed all the sets. Oh my gosh, Young Edgars has been working towards this a long. Long ti this is a dream project. Well, and let me give you a quote, because this one we could spend the whole episode kind of dissecting what he's getting at here, because it's very mysterious. But when asked why all of his films are set in the past, Edgars quoted seventeenth century poet John Dryden saying, quote for mankind is ever the same, and nothing is lost out of nature, though everything is altered. He then added, as much as I am like totally in love with the verissamilitude of the tangible world, it's getting into the mind to present it without judgment just because it is what it is, and it's fucking fascinating. The most interesting thing is like, how.

7:07 It's still us. Do you want to grab a coffee with this guy and just talk because I feel like he's taking you down a rabbit hole for sure. Well. I listened to an interview with Anya Taylor Joy and she was talking about how as much as she likes doing research and stuff, she really just wanted to listen to him tell her the stories and she didn't want to like read it. She wanted him to just talk and tell her what she needed to know. And I mean if that's how he talks, My god, yeah, what a brilliant guy. Hearing him say something like that, you know, put him in a room with Andrew Blakeley.

7:50 Oh my gosh. I would just turn him on like a radio and listen. I wouldn't attempt to to participate. Those two guys, they'll be teaching another level. Yeah, they are well Amber. I was, I was new. This is the first time watch for me. I was just I was. I was so excited after seeing those fratu I wanted to do a Robert Eggars film. I wanted to open up the season with Eggers, and I was familiar with some of his work. But then I saw The Northman. I was like, Okay, let's what is The Northman? Obviously it's a Viking movie, but can you give us can you give our listeners just a little bit more of a synopsis? Well, I will share. I'll share two different synopsis and you guys can pick the ones you like the best.

8:36 The one I put on Facebook when I said that I was watching this, I just said, Viking Hamlet, let's go. That's actually perfect. Yeah, I'm more succinct. Description is a young Viking prince is on a quest to avenge his father's murder. Absolutely, let's take a quick break and when we get back, we got to start talking about this stellar cast. Welcome back, Amber Lewis and myself talking about Robert Eggers, the Northman, So Alexander Scarsguard is playing our.

9:17 Lead character, the hero Omleth. So Amber, he meets with Eggers to discuss uh collaborating on a different project, and apparently Scarsguard will not stop talking about this idea he has for a Viking movie. Turns out he's always wanted to make a Viking film. You know, you look at his heritage, you look at his family's heritage. You know it's new, it's near and dear to his heart. He pitches his idea for this Viking movie to Edgars, who then becomes. Very receptive, falls head over heels for it. The movie that they're planning to do never never comes to fruition, so they jump into this.

9:59 What do you think about scars Guard as Omleth. He is a beast. Yes, when he makes his introduction in the movie, because he you don't seem toil, like maybe half hour in, like my jaw hit the floor. And I've seen him in a lot of things, and he's always you know, in good shape, but he was terrified. He is a beast in this movie Amber. He worked out for six days a week for six solid months to put on this physicality. And you're right, he this man has never been out of shape, you know. When you look at I mean. He was very, he was muscular, he was lean, he was cut in true blood. Uh look at him in Tarzan.

10:45 I mean he put on some significant size to play Tarzan. But there is like a terrifying aspect to him, and this like he reaches the level. Yeah. Well absolutely. Edgers did say this is like Hamlet and Conan the Barbarian mashups. I makes perfect sense for Alexander. Scars had to be like pushing a wheel. Okay, I'm glad you said that. Wheel. I'm glad you said that because first I'm watching it and I'm like, holy shit, this is this feels very very Coneane the barbarian esque. And you know I love cone the Barbarians. Well it's a it's a favorite of mine, and I'm okay with it. I'm like, okay, I could I could play in this Conean in the Barbarian world.

11:29 You can? You can sample a little bit of of of that. That's cool. But then the more I'm watching it, I'm like, man, this is Hamlet and Amber is beginning. I was going crazy. I love I love that you're saying that they because I'm sitting there like I'm seeing Hamlet and Amber is gonna tell me I'm an idiot because this is not Hamlet, but it's Hamlet. So I'm glad Hamlet. And the funny thing is they said in their research that Hamlet actually the origin of the story is from a Viking myth, yes, which I kind of feel like though if you went to like feudal Japan, like they would say, no, that is from I don't know, this emperor and this dynasty, you know, or whatever. But I think every ancient civilization probably has their own version of that story.

12:18 But they might. But I'm so happy to hear you like, yeah, of course this is Hamlet, because I'm. It's actually Hamlet with a little bit of Macbeth thrown in, which actually like elevates the story and makes it better. Yeah. Absolutely, because Hamlet, like. You know it meann take five acts to make up your mind, Like, let's just go. Quickly. Yeah, I'm with like all action. I mentioned, I mentioned, you know, Scars Garden, True Blood. I thought this was kind of a funny. I don't I don't know if you can call it a coincidence since we know that he's actually pitching to Edgar's about this Viking movie.

12:58 But did you watch True Blood? It was did not? I think you'd love it. By the way, but Scars Guard played he was like the main man, Oh, you're missing out. Then you got it. It's a bunch of vampires and sex and wild stuff. You gotta check it out. But he played a vampire named Eric Northman, who was a tenth century Viking. That was not his name? His name, look it up his name. I was like, wait a minute, because I was I was just kind of wondered, like why why is it the Northman? North Man? You know? I'm like, okay, I get it. But then I was like, wait, Eric Norman true Blood? What he is? But like you said, he is brutally just jacked in this.

13:43 He is a beast. He looks savage. I've never seen someone look so savage in a role like this. So loving Scars Guard, but. Not nearly as much as I'm loving Anya Taylor Joy. Oh my goodness again, my son Liam one of his favorite actors. He will watch anything she's in and she is will too, absolutely ridiculous in this movie. She's so good. She's Olga, the Slavic sorceress. I love her confidence. I love the character's confidence. Can we can we talk about that for a minute. She is she's fierce, like she does not back down from you know, her masters.

14:26 She doesn't back down from the men. She doesn't you know, I mean, her talent is like just I mean we you know, Vikings are gonna raid and pillage, and you know we're gonna we're gonna talk about one of those scenes. But I mean even during that, like all you got these women wailing in the background and kids crying, and she's just she's she pulls out a knife, she's ready to fight. Yeah. I love it. Yeah. And far from being that's where I think the Macbeth comes in, because far from being like a weak of failure that's just kind of a pond to be moved around like, she is a fierce lay Macbeth, who is I'm less partner in crime. So the year before the year before this, she's in one of my favorite films, well, I should say one of my favorite Anya Taylor Joy films last Night and Soho, which you know, I stopped over on Docking Bay a couple of seasons ago to talk with Dayton.

15:16 About love that film. But this is a busy year for her. She's got The Northman, she's got ten eleven episodes of Peaky Blinders. She's in Amsterdam, which I know a lot of people didn't see because it, you know, didn't look that great. But she's also in the Menu, which we talked about on our New Year's special, you know, when we did the Top ten of the twenty twenties, and that kind of was brought up once or twice. So I'm loving I'm loving her character though. I love the idea that she's like this strong woman, you know, from the village. But then wait, no, she's kind of like earth Mother. Wait, she's a little bit of a sorceress and ultimately she's what omlest.

15:59 Needed, you know. Yep, absolutely fantastic. Now Nicole Kidman, on the other hand, which how. Study is part of the movie for me, Okay. Interesting, all right, well, can we agree that this woman just continues to become more attractive as she as she gets older. What I don't know, what I don't Maybe she's the sorceress. I don't know. She's playing Queen Gudwyn Almles's mother, which is kind of funny, you know, you know when in the in the when almost like ten years old when the movie begins, totally into it makes sense. But they could have I think they could have aged her up a little bit up against Scarsgark because she's only nine years older than.

16:43 Him in real life. Yeah. I just I think she was miscast. I want to Okay, I wanted Angelina Julie. Oh god, No, I'm just saying she's she could have done. It, Hannah wanting them. Oh what an excellent choice. Uh. I can say that because I have now entered the world of Ted Lasso, so I know all about this amazing actress. Yeah. That's a great that's a great pick. Yeah. I can't. I can't argue that because there's only like she's only in a couple of scenes in the beginning where they would have to, you know, make her look more youthful, and then she she.

17:25 Looks youthful enough. You know, she's a beautiful woman. Yeah, I don't think she's that much older. Than Sarsguard. But she's bigger, she's more imposing, she's stronger, she does look like a light dynamic. Like, yeah, like, I just think she been a better choice. You're really winning me over on this whole not Nicole Kimmen situation. And I love Nicole Kimmen, don't get me fantastic. I just felt like that she's not it for this one. All right. Well, I you know, I didn't not enjoy her, but it just for me, it was a little offputing the back half of the movie where adult Omelet is with her, you know, and it's his mom.

18:05 It just seemed that's always the challenge with Hamlet though, because there's the whole dynamic between him and his mother and the whole thing. So you can't make the mom too old, No that's true, but you make her too young and then it's like, what are you doing? You know, yes, just I don't know, I just like I said, get you know, just just ad your little bit. Give her, give her a couple you know, crows feet around the eyes, give. Her especially like they're living rough. So yeah, it made her look a little worse. Yeah, she's looking pretty good for a eight ninety five A d you know, Yeah, yeah, yeah, uh, let's talk about uh, for all you vikings out there, please forgive me here, let's talk about Clays. Bang.

18:54 That's okay, thank you. He's playing uh Fiolner the Brotherless who is Amles's uncle Amber. I looked at this guy's IMDb. He's done like four things. I've never seen any of them besides this. And where has this guy been? Because he should be in a lot more. I like this guy. What do you think? Yeah? He was amazing. He's just enough of a villain, just enough week like you can believe that he you know, has the gumption to kill his brother but then instantly loses his king. Yeah. Who am I thinking about Lord of the Rings and Christopher Christopher Lee Christopher Lee. Yeah, is he is close?

19:43 Bang giving you young Christopher Lee vibes? I mean he is now that you said that. Yeah, the look is very much. Hey, hey, Hollywood, we've got we got a new Christopher Lee. He's out, he's there. Just put him in more movies. This guy was amazing. I love his performance. And here's what I really dig about him, or I should say the character of Filner. We obviously want him to pay for his crimes, right, he is the villain. We can't wait for Alexander Scarsgard to hunt him down and. Take his vengeance. But man, this villain does he not suffer a lot. But you know, in the back half of this movie, I mean at the end of the day, it's.

20:24 Kind of like, all right, where are we square? I go, are we even yet? It's like, because Omloth is just taking vengeance like no other I kind of felt sorry for him. Well, I'm feel sorry for him, but it well, you know what I mean, like diabolical the way he wasn't just Omleth, wasn't just going for the quick vengeance. He was like on this reign of terror to like totally drive the man insane and then kill him. Yeah, I mean, Filner betrays his father. You know who we're going to get to in a second. Here Ethan Hall King Arnvendell. I think Arvindale King King Hawk, King Ethan Hawk. Well, yeah, yeah, real quick.

21:12 Totally unrecognized by the way, so the movie was over that that was him? What arvind Wait Arvindale war Raven. That might be the most badass name of anyone in film history. Yeah, but I you're right, he's he's very it's he's like a chameleon. Uh, because he comes in, you know, he returned from the war to see his bride, Nicole Kidman the Queen. He's he's happy to see his son, but he's been mortally wounded. We see that, and he's like, he's like, hey, it's time for my son to become a man. Well, we'll get to that scene here in a little bit. But uh, I'm like, that sounds a hell of a lot like Ethan Hawk.

21:54 But that's not. I had no idea. One moment and again this you know, we're dealing with a lot of natural light and firelight. There's one clear shot where I was like, underneath that that crown and that beard and that that. Wolf's main that that's Easan Hawk. This is awesome because I. You watch the trailer for this, you know, or you see the posters, all you see is Alexander Scar's garden and Anie Taylor Joy. So I was really surprised when I saw Ethan Hawk show up. Kind of a small role. He's only easy in the movie, what five minutes, ten minutes tops maybe, but an impactful ten minutes. I would say, we uh, we mentioned him Willem Dafoe as a Himer the fool.

22:42 Oh my god, talking about being in the movie for like five minutes, but oh my god, those five minutes. You your your message, You're you're you're DM to me. Yes, you know Banana's crazy. Yes, Willem Dafoe is Banana's crazy in this that that smiegel grin that he has the whole time, just he's talking shit at you know, the king and the Queen. He's he teaches the truth to the queen, which was surprising. Which was surprised. Yeah, looking back at that when you watch this and again, you're like, oh, wait a minute. He was trying to like throw a little warning out there. Yeah, he's throwing some shade. But he's like, ah, we're just having some fun. Yeah, it's it's all good. No, no, yeah, but man, he's uh, I mean, he's the fool, but he's also he's kind of like the the mentor character.

23:32 He's kind of like the you know. Your medicine man or something medicine. Man that you know, the guy that gives you the sage advice. I don't know. Uh, I love I loved seeing him here. For people that haven't seen this, I'm not gonna spoil it, but I loved when we got to see him again at the at the back half of the movie or the middle of the movie, because I was like, wait, is that am I seeing? Yep, I'm seeing what I'm seeing. That's that's that's the foot. I'm kids, if you're listening and you gotta study Hamlet this year. I'm not one to say don't read it and watch the movie. Definitely read it, but like, watch this movie because like it's so much more accessible and it's so much more fun. Amber Could you imagine I'm gonna blow your mind here for a second. Could you imagine a world where this was made maybe twenty years ago, and the Omeleth character was played by Kenneth Branna.

24:24 Would you just lose it? I mean he got pretty much for the Frankenstein movie so he could get in shame. I lost my mind. Yeah, you would have. Uh, here's where I lost my mind. I'm gonna just I'm just gonna bring her up. The character. She's only you know, it's like just a couple of minutes. But middle of the movie, when you know, because this is this is all about Omeleth, like doing this cone in the Barbarian thing where he's a child, he grows up to extract. His revenge in the name of his father. He goes to see a cirrus, which which is like a probably like in Viking, the Viking world, that's like a prophet who communes with the gods. And you know, but this, this this woman, this this prophet. She's just breaking out into song, like some kind of Viking song.

25:13 And I was like, damn, that woman sounds a hell of a lot like Buyork. I wonder, you know, I wonder what Buorke thinks about this well a lot a lot because it was Bork, Like, like, wait a minute. I started doing some research. I was like, wait, that the woman that sounded exactly like Buork was was Buyork. How about that? Well? And she was actually instrumental in getting this project off the ground because she invited Robert Eggers to dinner just to have like a fun dinner and kidding me and I'm gonna but your this name, I apologize shown the writer. Yeah, he was also at this dinner and she got them together, and that was kind of the early embers of this idea.

26:06 Wow, I had no idea that she had that much involvement in it. I just thought, ah, you know, I mean she in. The interview I heard like, was like, I'm not taking any credit. I just invited him to dinner, you know, But I think she was. This is this is why anytime b Yorke invites you to dinner, you just say yes. You just got You don't know what's going to happen, what an amazing thing could come of it. Let's talk a little bit about the film's background. Uh, And I'm just I'm gonna I'm gonna cut past all the the four hundred pages of Norse mythology that's available if you if it's out there, if you want to check it out.

26:48 But yes, there is a great book by Stephen Frye called Nurse Mythology, and Stephen fry breaks it down and the audiobook is great. He reads it to you and you will know more than you ever thought was possible to know. Yeah. But as we're kind of talking about with the origin of this film coming together, the story is in fact based on Norse mythology, specifically the story of Amleth, which, as you said, Amber is said to have inspired Shakespeare's Hamlet. And I have to believe that because when you see this movie, the Amlett's story is Hamlet, you know well. And it makes sense in a you know, oral tradition kind of way. It's that story has passed along and he's like, oh, this sounds great. I'm gonna adapt that for my theater company.

27:36 Yeah. One of the one of the things that makes this film stand out is the authenticity. Eggers worked with historians to ensure that the sets, the costumes, the props, everything was to meticulous detail. I love that he does this. Yeah. Professor Neil Price, who is an archaeologist at the Upsala University in Sweden, stated quote, The Northman might be the most accurate Viking movie ever made. I believe that because even when we get that that vision of the Valkyrie. My first thought when when we see her, I'm like, what really you cast them with braces?

28:20 What are you doing? And then too like totally freaked me out. Yeah, So apparently this is how insanely detailed he got with his with his design set design. Uh, this is a thing. Back in the Viking time, they would carve lines into their teeth and then die like different colors as like a sign of I don't know, just being being awesome. But I look it looked cool. But yeah, this Viking who that's. Like a detail that nobody cares like. I never knew that. I kind of watched the whole entire movie and I had that. But that's the attention to detail.

29:01 That's the attention to that. Yeah, every little thing that you see, you know it's there because Egers was was pouring over it and working with all these these experts in these historians to say, hey, it needs to be exactly how we saw it. There's one thing that is maybe not as accurate and it is open to interpretation, and I want to save that for when we talk about the noteworthy scenes. But yeah, one other thing I'll tell you. The studio insisted on inserting title cards to help the audience better understand how time was elapsing and where Omleth was in his quest. Uh. This is based off of audience reaction test, you know, early test scores. What do you think do we need the title cards?

29:48 I mean I thought they were kind of cool just because we saw the ruins and then it translated into what, you know, where we were, what. Was going on? What do you think? What's your thought on. That Yeah, I read that, and and I also was kind of pleasantly surprised that Eggers wasn't one hundred percent annoyed that he had to make changes, Yeah, to make the studio happy. He's very much resolved, like, these are the choices I made, and I'm okay with it. But I having seen some of his other movies, and like, I was confused, but then it was part of the experience to be confused, So I was okay with it. With this, I think so much depends on time and place that I was really glad that it was there.

30:33 Well, you got to remember he is this is the first time he's on a big budget film. Yeah, and he doesn't have final cut. So for him to take studio mandated notes and say, hey, you have to do this, you have to cut this, you have to add this, that was very I mean I read some stuff where he was kind of talking about this in an interview. Very difficult for him. Yes, you know, all his other stuff, he would you know, some of the producers would be like, hey, I have a suggestion, and he may take it, he may not. Take it, but this is a situation where the studio is telling him you have to do this. So the thing that you know, to your point that I really appreciate is that the changes that he did make didn't overly hurt what he thought his vision would be.

31:19 And he even said, this is the movie that the audiences should see, and that's why they'll never be a director's cut. Yes, I read that, and I was like, okay, then, so he's cool with that. Yeah, you know, because we've done several episodes where that was not the case. That was not the case. Yeah. Nine times out of ten, the studio executives are idiots. This is one of those rare occasions where they're like, hey, throw it in, and I honestly I thought, okay, I dig this. I like I like seeing where we're heading. You know, yes, I liked it. I've got five scenes I want to talk about, you know, that I feel are noteworthy, and then one of them, obviously is gonna be the pivotal moment.

32:00 But Amber, you jump in, you tell me. If we hit your pivotal moment, you tell me, And if I don't mention it, then I'm gonna ask you if if you don't speak up, I'm just like, all right, Amber, what's the pivotal pivotal moment here. Okay, not the pivotal moment and not as accurate. Historically. Let's talk about the dog Ceremony, the initiation for Omeleth to become a man. Much. Okay, I'm glad you said that, because when I the first time I watched it is like, holy shit, Amber is going to be so pissed at me because I'm making her watch this movie. Because we we've got Willem Dafoe presiding over this ritual of young Omeleth becoming a man. There is plenty of howling on all fours. There's burping, there's farting. It's you know, I did not go through this ritual when I became a man, so I you know, I was a little like, what am I missing out?

32:53 I don't know what. What'd you think of the dog the dog Ceremony? Well, I was glad that I watched it a second time because the first time I missed the part where he said that they were drinking drugged mead, and I thought they were drinking blood out of those bulls, and I was totally freaked out. But so I was very happy that it was just beer with a little something extra put in but I found myself thinking about going to see Thor the first time, and how much I loved that Kenneth brown At just completely embraced and like dug into this idea of you know, I Drissel the Tree of Life and the Rainbow Bridge and all this cosmic stuff that is just bonkers crazy. And that is exactly what this ceremony is. It's like you are going headfirst into this faith and you know this ritual, and you're just carried along for the ride. And I thought it was amazing.

33:54 Yeah, what looks like a fever dream is their religion. It's deeply religious. It's a it's a deeply impactful moment for this young boy. But it is wild to watch, and it's funny. It's I mean, listen, you know, it's a it's an intimidating, it's a it's an intense moment. But then you know there's there's burpen and farting. You can't you gotta laugh, You can't you can't not laugh. Right, I'll tell you what you don't laugh at. Uh, let's talk about the Slavic town attack. This is where we get our first look at the adult Omeleth played by Alexander Scarsguard. Here's what I find fascinating. Edgar's, much to the chagrin of the studio, did not do multiple camera setups.

34:36 He likes a lot of handheld a lot of close ups. So while most you know, projects are gonna shoot like fifteen twenty five scenes a day, he's shooting four or five a day, and he's doing them twenty five times to get exactly what he wants. So when you think about this Slavic town attack, where I mean it's one continuous shot and it's awesome, think about all the carnage that's going on all you know, because again Vikings they're gonna they're gonna pillage and plunder and this town is getting destroyed. And he's right there where We're just walking along with Omleth the whole time, and it's a it's an incredible moment.

35:16 What I love is it's not gratuitous. There's a ton of violence, but you it doesn't belabor it, like you know what's happening. Yeah, but it also there have been sequences like this in other movies where everything happens so fast that you miss all the cool stuff. And here, because Omeleth is such a beast. He's just walking through and kind of picking and choosing who he's gonna like waylay with this axe or hatchet thing that he's caring and you get to see like moments where he dodges an arrow. That someone he grabs. A spear out of the air and then throws it back at the right back the guy. Other movies like it's all about this fast paced business, and you would miss that.

36:06 Here is why this scene is so impressive. Any other movie we've seen this scene. We've seen the attack scene a hundred times, right, and what you're gonna see, You're gonna see a lot of super fast cuts. We're gonna have a very loud film score drowning out the carnage. To your point, You're gonna see a lot of gratuitous violence. You're gonna see a lot of gratuitous getu You're gonna see a lot of gratuitous nudity. You know, you're always gonna see the women being raped right there in the background. You're gonna see people getting just slaughtered. This movie doesn't do any of that. We just take our time walking through the village with Omleth, who is basically observing and kind of serving the you know, the the damage because he's not really one of these guys, right, you know, he's kind of he kind of fell in love, you know, these these guys found him, and.

36:58 He's not really there, Like he's kind of gone so deep within himself. Yeah that at this point, he's not even on his quest anymore. Yeah, just kind of existing. And it's this moment that kind of pulls him out of that and sets him back on the path. Yeah, I'll tell you this before we move on to the next scene. The one thing that I thought that I hadn't seen before where I was just like, damn, how about when they're selecting They're like they're kind of selecting who's gonna be slaves and who's not, and then they're just taking all these kids and shutting them up in this in this one house and then they torch it. I'm like, dude, I know, Liam was kind of talking like why would they do that? And the only thing I could think of is that it's a waste of energy to do anything else with them, Like they they wouldn't be good for work, They wouldn't be good for anything.

37:52 You know. There, I looked at it like they're they're kinda they're kind of separating the weak. In the siding up to Yeah, and. You know, the last thing you want to do is like, you know, lead these kids to grow up and become the next Omeleth and after you. But then again, you got to wonder, like, because we're talking about the berserkers, right, my thought is is it possible that they are doing this to them as a as a mercy, Like it's a mercy kill so that they don't they're not left to fend for themselves and starve to death in the in the winter. And yeah, because when they know when when Omeleth gets to Iceland, fuel Near looks at the group that he's with and he's like, now these people are going to live through the winter. Just kill them all, Yeah, kill them or sell them, like I have no use for them.

38:38 So I think they're able to quickly assess like these ones are gonna make it and these ones are not. Yeah, next scene the game they play on the field when when he makes it. To I was so excited for this. I had no idea what was. Going on, and I've been practicing all day. I'm I'm gonna give it a shot. The game is called knock Like It. It's the most badass game ever played. And listeners, if you haven't seen this movie and you're not familiar with knock Like It. Two teams. Everyone has what looks to be an axe handle in their hands, and the object is to take a hard ball and use an axe handle as a bat, hit it at the post on your opponent's side of the field.

39:26 And meanwhile, it's rugby liking nature and beating each other to death is encouraged. This is the most brutal thing I've ever seen. The game's awesome. Let's bring it back the primetime, That's what I'm saying. Amber. Well, Liam was really excited. He thought it was something called hurling, which is like the Celtic version. Yeah, so he had to look it up. So I guess this is something that was very popular amongst all the people back in the day. Okay, my research was kind. Of brutal lacrosse mixed with aki, mixed. With make rugby rugby, with you know, taking an axent on just beating someone sence. Yeah, yeah, I listen.

40:08 My research was as mearticulous as uh Google, what is the awesome game played in the Northmen. And then that's when Google to even try to pronounce it. They just gave me the paragraph, and that's I was like, not click it, and I had to. I went. I went and learned how to say it, so it sounded pretty good. Game's awesome, Absolutely love it. Uh Amber, Let's talk about Queen Gudrin's betrayal. So I'll be honest with you. I'm what first time watched, I'm like, this feels very Hamlet like, but it's not gonna be Hamlet because Nicole Kimmen was you know, her husband was murdered and by the way ethan hawk getting what like three arrows to the torso before being beheaded.

40:51 Well and plus also fuel their is a wus it took him three chops. Three chops to take his head off. Come on, man on. Yeah, but the betrayal, like I was shocked because I'm like, I shouldn't have been shocked because it's Hamlet, but when he shows up, you know, I'm here to save you mother, and then she gets all just nasty. I kind of liked it because at least like she picked a side and Hamlet Gertrude's very wishy washy like sometimes you can player where she's okay with the uncle, you know, doing what he did, and sometimes you know, they play her is more tragic and yeah, she's kind of in this situation that she didn't have a choice.

41:34 So I kind of liked that. Nicole Kivin was like straight up villain. Yeah, just the Yeah, I hated your dad he was you know, I mean, for a quick second, you're like, oh wait, maybe maybe King Ethan Hawk wasn't so noble because she pulls her her dress open to see the branding on her collar bone. So now you know that same thing happened to her that has happened to Anya, Taylor Joy and. The rest of these slaves. So I was like, but man, you I didn't. I just didn't see that coming. I should have because it is Hamlet. But man, and you know what, Gertrude Gundrin, Queen Gundrin, there. You go, more Hamlet love that. You know what I'm gonna say.

42:16 I'm gonna tell you right now, that's my pick for the pivotal moment because this man has spent the last what twenty years of his life, you know, with the the hope that he'll see his mother again, and he'll savor and then he'll take his revenge and uh, you know, take care of his dad's honor, only to find out it's it's all been for nothing. His mom was the main villain the whole time. Terrible. Just that's that's my pick. I got one more scene. Maybe it's your pivotal moment, and if it's not, I'm gonna ask you what it is. I want to talk about the final duel at the Gates of Hell. I I can't if if you've got to fight someone, the idea that there's a place called the Gates of Hell, that's that's it's gotta be the place you get to every time, you know, two naked guys just hashing out their differences. Amber you know, Fiona gets beheaded as om Leus gets stabbed.

43:10 It's like it's a great gra isn't it. Because I was really tense because I was like, this is Hamlet, and so he's not supposed to make it. Yeah, but I don't want him to lose. Yeah, he just like walks out of there and you know, goes to live happily ever after with Anya Taylor Joy, Like I'm gonna be pissed. Your first thought is that he you know, you know he's not making it out when when he jumps off the boat and and leaves her and he he just looks back and says, your son will be a king. You're like, Oh, that's that's the I'm not coming back line. You know, that's that's the queen and Sparta saying come back with your shield or on it.

43:51 Right. Love that moment, but it is a it's a great shot, and a lot of this is shadow. You know that this this fight happens in the shadows. And you know it's not that they were cheaping out on it's just the fact that, again meticulous to detail, he wanted these guys to be completely naked for this battle because that's. What it would have been. And the studio is like, we can't have male full frontal nudity. Were women, it would have been a different story. I Amber, I'm not listening. I don't make the rules. I just go see the movies. I would have been OK, I would have cared whatever. But again, it's the the director of photography is just doing amazing work here. It's a it's a it's an awesome moment, and I love the fact that it ends you know to your point, he's not walking away.

44:40 He we get the visions of Olga. And his children as the the Valkyrie carries him to Valhalla. That's that's the heroes, that's the hero's end that you want for him. And I think it's fantastic. So I look, I gotta ask, what what is the pivotal moment? Because you haven't spoke up. I got five scenes for you are about to be about to drop a six one. Yes, because those were all great. But the one that hit me the first time I watched, and the one that just keeps coming back to me is after child Omeleth Yeah, escapes from being killed by his uncle and his uncle's men, and he sneaks out of the village.

45:25 He sees his mother carried off. He sneaks out of the village and he runs to a boat and he I mean, it takes this little kid like all of his strength to get this boat into the water, and then he starts rowing across the ocean and he just keeps repeating, I will avenge you father, I will save you mother, I will kill you fuel near And that's what gets and you believe that he rows from one side of the ocean to the other, just to that mantra the whole time. That is a great scene. You're absolutely right. I love it. Yeah, because that's the hero is on his quest at that point. Yes, good pick, Amber, so powerful, very powerful.

46:05 Let's take one last break and we come back. We'll wrap this thing up. Amber, welcome back. We have been discussing Robert Edgars The Northman. Amber. If if someone was unfamiliar with Edgar's, which three films would you suggest they watch? Well, I haven't seen a big not a big fought Yeah. Wait, I haven't seen three. I have not seen three. Okay, because it's not a big philmography here. No, no, it's not at all. But I will tell you that I love the movie The Witch so much that I tell everybody to watch this movie. I have not seen The Witch, and I know that.

46:47 I know this is his feature film debut. I've heard nothing but good things of it about it. I know it stars Anya Taylor Joy. I just didn't get get it on my. Watch list fast enough, so I haven't seen it. I have I have a I have a hunch that it would probably make my my three my three suggestions, but it's not and I'm only being fair. I haven't seen it, so that's why I didn't pick it. But what else do you have besides the Witch? This one? And then Liam has told me that I would not like the Lighthouse. He saw it and he was like, eh, I don't know. This one's ryo. Let me really interested to seeing thos Ratu. Okay, so you're you're going with the Witch, you're going with the Northmen.

47:31 Let me tell you something about Liam. He's not lying to you. I think the lighthouse my boys like if there's something and I'm not really sure, like I ask you, guys me wrong. I will tell you this. The Lighthouse is definitely one of my picks. I would suggest to someone. I just wouldn't suggest it to you. It is. It's a stunning film. It's it's like two Men and the Dissent into Madness, but it's you know, you said Banana's crazy, you said bonkers. The Lighthouse is both and a whole lot more. It's a little unsettling, but damn it's it's it's good. If you're brave, you know, give it a shot.

48:17 You know it's very art house, you know, black and white, it's you know, getting the picture is just it's gorgeous. But I don't know. I feel like you need to watch The Witch and then we reconvene because Okay, the Witch is very scary. Okay, hey, I love scary. I love Anya Taylor Joy, I'm in. I love Edgars, I'm in we I'm with you on the Northman. I would definitely recommend this one to someone who's not familiar with his work. And then lastly, I went and saw Nose Fratu uh Christmas, and it is incredible what Lily Rose Depp is doing in this film. What Bill Scar's garden, Eric's Eric, Alexander, I'm thinking of Eric, Eric from True Blood again, Alexander, his his brother Bill who we we know and love, is Penny Wise and you know, among other characters.

49:07 I don't know anything about this. I didn't know who was in it. It's it's a very faithful adaptation of the original noes Fratu starring Max Shrek, but so much better, so much better, and the performances are are just incredible. The maybe one of the most beautifully shot films I've ever seen. I would, I would, I would urge you go see it on the big screen. It is it's it's just it's sinfully delicious and macabre. I would say, and uh, maybe don't watch it with like, uh, you know, a child or someone that you don't want to feel awkward next to, because there's there's so there's a little bit of a rotticism I'll say, you know.

49:51 I mean I watched it by myself, so you know, but I thankfully my younger sister was like, oh, I want to see that. I was like, oh, maybe, well go see it. I'm so glad I wasn't sitting next to her watching what I what I saw, and I won't I won't say anymore. I won't spoil it for you, Amber, but it's it's a damn good movie. It's definitely my pick for for you know, someone that's wanting to see more of Egger's work. Now, his next project has been announced. He's doing Labyrinth. No no word yet whether it's a straight up remake of the nineteen eighty six David Bowie film I Know, or are reimagining. They haven't said, like, it might be a different take, it might be. We don't know what it is. For all we know, Amber, it could be. I mean, let's just hope it's the Greek myth, and we'll just leave it at that.

50:34 Hey, let's let's just hope that you remember we did Labyrinth on nineteen eighty six and I had a killer proposal for a sequel with an adult Jennifer Connelly. So let's let's hope. Let's hope that's happening. I don't know, but I gotta ask you, you know, because now that we know. That he's he's he's into the studio system. He's willing to do you know, he's willing, he's willing to adapt stuff. You've seen this movie twice now you love it. Amber. My question to you, how would. You feel if Edgars chose to do a remake of ex Caliber or Conan the Barbarian? I mean, is this the guy that could do either or possibly both. Oh that's funny because I was thinking of ex Caliber in the The Coming of Age. Yeah, ceremony when they're going up the Tree of Kings. Yeah, because it's like that tree in ex Caliber, whether all the dead knights that went after the Grail.

51:30 Yeah, he I'd be up for it, Like that would. Be really interesting. Man, if only we can get this to him, you know, Hey, let's get it. To him before he does something level and tries to touch the classic that is David Bowie's labor. Well, we'll see, we'll see. You clearly recommend this film. I know you love it, right, so heck yeah yeah. It is currently streaming on Peacock. It's available to rent on those platforms, and no question about it. I'd recommend this film. Stop a favor, go out and just buy it in the four K and make yourself happy. Better, that's a better choice. But this is anyone that's into Norse mythology, Hamlet, Conan, the Barbarian or vikings in general, this.

52:14 Is the movie for you. It's it's awesome. Yes, listeners, what do you think of Robert Adger's The Northman? Have you seen it? Did we get this one wrong? We didn't number We didn't let us know on social. Watch it again. If you didn't like it, you weren't attention. Let us know what you thought on social media. You'll find us on Facebook, Instagram, and x. You can check out a film by podcast dot com for all of the episode streaming free on the platform and your choice. We got some fun articles, We got some other fun stuff over there. Check out a film by Podcast dot com and uh. You can always email your questions, comments and concerns on the website or at a film by podcast at gmail dot com. We may just read your response on the show and send you some of film By swag. This Friday, We've got a fantastic treat for all of you Phantasm fans out there. David and I will be chatting with none other than the Lady in Lavender herself, Kat Lester.

53:14 That's right, Kat will be joining us to discuss her history with the Phantasm franchise, her thoughts yes Amber, her thoughts on its potential future, and a whole lot more. That's that's this Friday. We're not waiting around to you. I told Amber, I told you we got we got these bonus episodes that are gonna we're gonna drop every now and then on Fridays. We're We're not messing around, coming out with a bang. Uh, Amber. I want to thank you for joining me on our season premiere. Oh thank you. I would not have watched this movie otherwise that I would have been missing out. Well, listen, our listeners are not missing out on you anymore. We We put that survey out back in December asking people you know, there's a bunch of questions, but a lot of people asking for more Amber Lewis, and we are going to supply that.

54:05 Amber. You and I I know, I know you're with me next week, next Monday when we talk about an American president, I know you have. You know, I probably overloaded you with with the stuff in March. You know, I stopped looking at the calendar because I was just like, okay, so it's just me basically. Yeah. Yeah, there's a lot of with Amber for people. Yeah, no, I'm I'm excited Amber, I'm so happy excited a regular co host, Yes, so much. Yeah, looking forward to it. We're happy to have you all back. And uh for all of you listening to the show, following us on social media, and subscribing to our Patreon, we thank you.

55:00 Am I Him the