In the Shadow of the Raven (1988)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Please don't spend money on this.

People are voting emotionally.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

I don't know if you've ever seen a movie about vikings, but as far as i know they are few. Of those I've seen this and the one before (korpen flyger) and i think that they are the only "true" viking movies up to this point.This movie has pretty bad image and sound quality which is understandable since its old. But it wins my heart for it's story, it follows a kind of norm in viking tales, basically an eye for an eye. This movie is a follow-up on the story told in "Korpen flyger" so that one should be watched first in my opinion.I am no expert in vikings or history but i have read a lot about them and many sagas (if not all) from the "Edda", anyways i liked this movie because it feels natural and real.Some warnings though: 1. It may not be so interesting for you if you're not interested in vikings. 2. They speak Icelandic and the one i saw had Swedish subtitles only, so beware, you may not understand a word.

I thought this was the better one, the plot is that Trausti comes home from Norway where he had studied Christian, when he arrives to Iceland it's been a whale which stranded, and another family gets to it at the same time as Trausti's family does, meanwhile they are fighting about the whale Traustis mother is stabbed in her ass and dies(funny eh!) then Traustis men wants revenge, but Trausti who dislikes fighting just slams his sword in the ground over and over again, after some scenes I've forgot Trausti and a girl from Eiriks(the other family) family gets together when Traustis men killed her father(Eirik), they are going to get married, but no one from Eiriks family agrees to that, so during the love night Eirik's followers burns down the house they're in and killing everyone who comes out from there, and Isold(the girl Trausti marries) comes out running, but her secret lover mistakes her from being Trausti and throws a knife in her chest. Then Trausti wants revenge, but he doesn't want to fight(cause of him being Christian and all) but after some scenes he gets his revenge.A very good film if you like this Country-Western movies which got scenes with shots of each other eyes for like 5 minutes, saying nothing,All movies from Iceland are about Revenge, and that's what Hollywood movies build upon, like Once Upon A Time In The West etc.

The Shadow of the Raven is bigger in scope and conception than the only other Icelandic film of its kind (Outlaw: Gisli's Saga). It portrays not only a feud between two families, but the conflict in medieval Iceland between the ancient pagan religion and encroaching Christianity. Naturally, the advocates of Christianity use it for their own political purposes. The other big themes of medieval literature are there as well: conflict of loyalties, treachery by trusted friends, romantic attraction between enemies, and revenge against all odds. The film makes some concessions to modern cinematic conventions - the dialog is not always as terse and ironic as you find in the sagas. But the film is still very authentic, and the action (though it flows from the characters and situations) is not easily predictable.

I saw this movie about 10 years ago in Cincinnati under the title "Shadow of the Raven." It was subtitled, obviously, and it was an excellent movie. I would love to see it again. I wonder if it will ever come out on video? It is such a shame that great movies like this are so quickly "forgotten."