The notes I took while watching the movie were a scrawl of “what. So explicit, in fact, that there’s even a scene later in the film when Prince Amleth (get it?) beholds Heimir’s skull and sighs, “Poor Heimir.” Although Hamlet never shows Yorick alive, The Northman ensures that we absolutely get to see Heimir in the prime of his lifetime-making dick jokes and officiating psychedelic “werewolf bar mitzvahs.” It’s fantastic stuff, powered by Dafoe unleashing a level of weird-little-guy energy previously unknown to man. Differences aside-there are plenty of them-Eggers and cowriter Sjón add an explicit Yorick reference in the form of Heimir. The Northman is based on the old Scandinavian legend that inspired Hamlet, albeit with a significant increase in guys wearing wolf pelts. Despite having the epitome of little-guy weirdness at his disposal, however, director Robert Eggers quickly squanders his film’s crown jewel-to the detriment of both the audience and The Northman itself. My friend told me it’s “a combination of magnetism and revulsion.” But I propose an alternative: It’s Willem Dafoe as Heimir the Fool, The Northman’s secret weapon. What is the true essence of a weird little guy?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |