History Film / ErikTheViking

* SceneryPorn: Lots of it. RogerEbert [[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Understatement did not care for it]]:

* ImplausibleDeniability: The people of Hy-Brasil insist their island isn't sinking, despite all evidence to the contrary. The king continues his denial even as the waters rise above his head.

* {{Atlantis}}: Called Hy Brasil[[note]]A mythical land of [[CelticMythology Irish legend.]][[/note]], but is clearly supposed to be Atlantis, even down to the Greek-stylings of the culture.

* FlatEarthAtheist: Harald the Missionary refuses to believe in the [[NorseMythology Norse Gods]] and their accompanying mythology, even when he is ''standing outside the gates of Valhalla!'' Of course, he ''cannot'' see it, or interact with it at all, because he doesn't believe in it. This causes a great deal of frustration for his crewmates, but does turn into an important plot point.

* ShownTheirWork: Terry Jones -- an academic on this stuff -- plays with the Norse mythology but sticks faithfully to a lot of tropes.

Released in 1989, ''Erik the Viking'' is a film written and directed by ''Creator/MontyPython'' alumnus Terry Jones. The movie follows the adventures of the eponymous Viking, Erik, who one day discovers that he no longer has a taste for the rape-and-pillage lifestyle of ordinary Viking life. Determined to change things, he recruits a band of his fellow Vikings to journey to Valhalla and petition Odin, King of the Gods, to put an end to the Age of Ragnarok. HilarityEnsues.

The movie stars Tim Robbins as Erik, and features cameos by Eartha Kitt, John Cleese, Mickey Rooney, and Terry Jones himself. Jones took inspiration for the film (but not the film's title) from his own children's book, ''The Saga of Erik the Viking''.

* {{Atlantis}}: Called Hy Brasil[[note]]A mythical land of [[CelticMythology Irish legend.]][[/note]], but is clearly supposed to be Atlantis, even down to the Greek-stylings of the culture.
* AnAxeToGrind: Most of the Vikings use swords, but Thorfinn Skullsplitter prefers his trusty battle-axe.

* BrickJoke: At the beginning of the movie, Sven gets in a duel with another Viking for claiming that his grandfather died of old age, and thus is not in Valhalla. When that Viking dies later in the movie, Sven says that his grandfather will be waiting for him in Valhalla, and the other says that he won't, for he isn't there. When they make it to Valhalla, Sven's Dad recognizes his father among the fallen warriors, and the Viking who had been arguing with Sven throughout the movie admits that Sven was right.

* DarkIsEvil: Halfdan the Black isn't called that because he's dark-skinned, or wears dark-colored clothing. He's called that because ''he's evil!''. And how do we know he's evil? Because his name is Halfdan ''The Black''.[[note]]There is, of course, also the semi-historical King Halfdan the Black of early Norwegian history.[[/note]]

* TheMole: Keitel Blacksmith and his apprentice Loki both fit this trope, though Keitel changes his mind halfway through.

* HeyItsThatGuy: The [[TheOtherDarrin second Catwoman]] as a priestess? [[Film/HarryPotter Professor Slughorn]] as a rapist Viking named Ernest? [[{{Blackadder}} Captain Darling]] as Sven the Berserk? ''Mickey Rooney?!''

* InvisibilityCloak: Princess Aud owns one, but it only works on her father, King Arnulf.

* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: Sven's Dad is never called anything else but "Sven's Dad". Except by Sven the Berserk, of course, who just calls him "Dad". He's even listed as "Sven's Dad" in the credits.

* SpiritualSuccessor: Despite its lack of most of the Creator/MontyPython cast (only Terry Jones[[note]]Jones also directs[[/note]] and John Cleese were in this movie) many people think this is a Monty Python film. It has to be said it would stand up well with [[Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian Life of Brian]] and [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail The Holy Grail]], probably due to Jones's direction style.

* {{Atlantis}}: Called Hy Brasil[[hottip:*:A mythical land of [[CelticMythology Irish legend.]], but is clearly supposed to be Atlantis, even down to the Greek-stylings of the culture.

* DarkIsEvil: Halfdan the Black isn't called that because he's dark-skinned, or wears dark-colored clothing. He's called that because ''he's evil!''. And how do we know he's evil? Because his name is Halfdan ''The Black''.[[hottip:*:There is, of course, also the semi-historical King Halfdan the Black of early Norwegian history.]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: Despite its lack of most of the Creator/MontyPython cast (only Terry Jones[[hottip:*:Jones also directs]] and John Cleese were in this movie) many people think this is a Monty Python film. It has to be said it would stand up well with [[Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian Life of Brian]] and [[Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail The Holy Grail]], probably due to Jones's direction style.

* VitriolicBestBuds: Sven the Berserker and Thorfinn Skull-splitter.

* AndYouThoughtItWasAGame: Erik borrows Princess Aud's Cloak of Invisibility and uses it to bravely attack Halfdan the Black's crew, not realizing that the cloak only works on Aud's father, King Arnulf (... and Harald the Missionary, for some reason).

* HeyItsThatGuy: The [[TheOtherDarrin second Catwoman]] as a priestess? [[HarryPotter Professor Slughorn]] as a rapist Viking named Ernest? [[{{Blackadder}} Captain Darling]] as Sven the Berserk? ''Mickey Rooney?!''

* {{Atlantis}}: Called Hy Brasil[[hottip:*:A mythical land of [[CelticMythology Irish legend.]]]], but is clearly supposed to be Atlantis, even down to the Greek-stylings of the culture.

Released in 1989, ''Erik the Viking'' is a film written and directed by ''MontyPython'' alumnus Terry Jones. The movie follows the adventures of the eponymous Viking, Erik, who one day discovers that he no longer has a taste for the rape-and-pillage lifestyle of ordinary Viking life. Determined to change things, he recruits a band of his fellow Vikings to journey to Valhalla and petition Odin, King of the Gods, to put an end to the Age of Ragnarok. HilarityEnsues.

* SpiritualSuccessor: Despite its lack of most of the MontyPython cast (only Terry Jones[[hottip:*:Jones also directs]] and John Cleese were in this movie) many people think this is a Monty Python film. It has to be said it would stand up well with LifeOfBrian and The Holy Grail, probably due to Jones's direction style.

* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: The names of several notable people from Norse history are used for characters in the movie, including [[Literature/{{Heimskringla}} Halfdan the Black]], [[Literature/RagnarLodbrokAndHisSons Ivar the Boneless]], Thorfinn Skullsplitter, Leif the Lucky, Mord Fiddle, and [[Literature/{{Heimskringla}} Olaf Tryggvasson]].

* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: The names of several notable people from Norse history are used for characters in the movie, including Halfdan the Black, [[Literature/RagnarLodbrokAndHisSons Ivar the Boneless]], Thorfinn Skullsplitter, Leif the Lucky, Mord Fiddle, and Olaf Tryggvasson.

* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: The names of several notable people from Norse history are used for characters in the movie, including Halfdan the Black, Ivar the Boneless, Thorfinn Skullsplitter, Leif the Lucky, Mord Fiddle, and Olaf Tryggvasson.

* {{Atlantis}}: Called Hy Brasil[[hottip:*:A mythical land of [[IrishMythology Irish legend.]]]], but is clearly supposed to be Atlantis, even down to the Greek-stylings of the culture.

* NamedAfterSomebodyFamous: The names of several notable people from Norse history are used for characters in the movie, including Halfdan the Black, Ivar the Boneless, Thorfinn Skullsplitter, Leif the Lucky, Mordfiddle, and Olaf Tryggvasson.

The movie stars Tim Robbins as Erik, and features cameos by Eartha Kitt, John Cleese, Mickey Rooney, and Terry Jones himself. Jones took inspiration for the film (but not the film's title) from his own children's book, ''TheSagaOfErikTheViking''.

* {{Atlantis}}: Called Hy Brasil, but is clearly supposed to be Atlantis, even down to the Greek-stylings of the culture.

* AndYouThoughtItWasAGame: Erik borrows Princess Aud's Cloak of Invisibility and uses it to bravely attack Halfdan the Black's crew, not realizing that the cloak only works on Aud's father, King Arnulf.
** And Harald the Missionary, for some reason.
* {{Angst}}: Erik's {{Angst}} over the death of Helga drives the entire plot.

* TheBerserker: The aptly named Sven the Berserk and his father, the also aptly-named Sven's Dad (yes, that is how the character appears in the credits).
** Sven's Dad explains the philosophy of the Berkerk, and in a funny voice, too!

* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: Applied selectively. When the Vikings arrive at Valhalla, they demand that Harald the Missionary, who accompanies the Vikings on their quest, admit that all that "Christianity" nonsense he's been going on about for months is wrong. However, because Harald does not believe in Valhalla, he does not see it, while the rest of the crew, who do believe do.
** This gives Harald the ability to ''leave'' Valhalla (As its walls are invisible and insubstantial to him), which enables him to save the rest of the Vikings.

* DirectorsCut: Only in this case, it's officially described as the Director's Son's Cut

* DarkIsEvil: Halfdan the Black isn't called that because he's dark-skinned, or wears dark-colored clothing. He's called that because ''he's evil!''. And how do we know he's evil? Because his name is Halfdan ''The Black''.
* FlatEarthAtheist: Harald the Missionary refuses to believe in the Norse Gods and their accompanying mythology, even when he is ''standing outside the gates of Valhalla!'' Of course, he ''cannot'' see it, or interact with it at all, because he doesn't believe in it. This causes a great deal of frustration for his crewmates, but does turn into an important plot point.
* GratuitousJapanese: the galley taskmaster

** It also works on Harald the Missionary.

* NobodyEverComplainedBefore: Halfdan the Black's men are so used to terrifying their opponents into submission that they have no idea how to react when Erik actually starts fighting back.
** Although their bewilderment is helped by the fact that Eric, convinced he's wearing a cloth that makes him invisible (which only works on the father of the girl he's just slept with), is essentially prancing around in front of them wearing a towel on his head.
* NorseMythology: Boy howdy! There isn't a single element of Norse myth that isn't touched on, dealt with directly, parodied, satirized, joked about, or even mentioned in passing.

* SacrificialLamb: The aptly named Leif the Lucky is the first member of the crew to die... by falling out of the longship.
** Third actually, two anonymous vikings are killed by the Dragon of the North Sea.

* ShownTheirWork: TerryJones - serious academic on this stuff - plays with the Norse mythology but sticks faithfully to a lot of tropes.

* StockForeignName: Erik (the Viking) and Leif (the Lucky).
** Averted with the inclusion of Ernest the Viking and Jennifer the Viking.