The Adventures of the Vikings

Fifteen Norse on King Olaf's chest-yo-ho-ho, and a gourd full of mead! From this video's cover and title, you might think it would be about the Vikings and their adventures. Well, Ingrid, you'd be wrong. It starts sensibly enough: re-enacted scenes of daily Viking life (bread-baking, ship-building, sword-fighting), visits to historic sites, and moderately interesting narration. But the producer can't seem to get away from his roots as a travel documentarian: the focus in this video disconcertingly and persistently shifts to scenes of modern Scandinavian life (shopping malls, Icelandic sweater factories, restaurants). Even a short segment on the Norse "discovery of North America" can't resist veering into present-day tourist attractions. Given its washed-out photography, poorly chosen music, misleading title and cover, and ill-organized and lazily pronounced script (did you know that Scandinavian men usually had many wives and "conkabines"?), this video is not recommended. Aud: I, J, H, P. (K. Glaser)