"Bloody Vikings," mutters a waitress as a rowdy group of horn-hats sings "Spam, Wonderful Spam" in a famous Monty Python skit. For a thousand years, "Bloody Vikings" has been a literal image in the Western world's memory. Now NOVA takes pains to point out the artistic, scientific and cultural accomplishments of the old Scandinavian wanderers. Sure, they killed scores of people, and raped, burned and pillaged their way to economic dominance in Europe, but they were also major traders, artisans, explorers, and inventors. The Vikings intermarried with locals and had families in their new homes, settled Iceland, and found the New World long before Columbus arrived. If they had stayed at home and tended their farms, would we today have a professional football franchise named after them? Indeed not. Combining interviews with scholars, costumed re-enactments, a look at archeological specimens, and spiffy computer-generated visions of lost towns, the NOVA team once again excels at making history accessible to the average viewer. Highly recommended for most libraries, and a must-buy in areas with a strong Nordic heritage. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Reagan)
The Vikings
(2000) 120 min. $19.95. WGBH Boston Video. PPR. Color cover. Closed captioned. ISBN: 1-57807-479-7. Vol. 15, Issue 6
The Vikings
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