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Pierced by spears, but killed by witchcraft. Saga hero Grettir the Strong was outlawed at the age of 25, and he spent nearly 20 more years on the run in the harsh landscape of Viking-age Iceland. At the end, Grettir lived on the remote island of Drangey. Here, half dead and unable to stand due to the magic of an evil sorceress, Grettir, aided by his brother Illugi, made his last stand: 2 against 20. This film shows a new perspective on the life of a real Viking, viewed through the eyes of respected researchers and scholars in the field of Viking studies, as well by experts in unconventional topics not before considered when studying Vikings. Ghosts, feats of strength, outlawry, magic, military science, archaeology of the hero's weapon, skeletal studies: this film contains it all to tell the story of Grettir. To give you a deeper appreciation of the event, Hurstwic brought the battle to life on the actual location of the historic event by building a Viking-age turf house close to the ruins of Grettir's actual house, even using ancient Viking-age artifacts in costume and weapons, some over 1000 years old. The feature documentary is on the first disc, and the second disc contains nearly two hours of bonus material related to the saga of Grettir, including interviews, demonstrations, and discussions. |
