beowulf.jpg I didn’t take Advanced Placement English in High School, but I remember having friends who did, and I remember their wailing and moaning and gnashing of their teeth over trying to decipher “Beowulf”, a historical epic poem written sometime between the 8th and 11th centuries. I’m not sure what translation was being used then, but I found this one in a Google search:

LO, praise of the prowess of people-kings
of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,
we have heard, and what honor the athelings won!
Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes,
from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore,
awing the earls. Since erst he lay
friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him:
for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve,
till before him the folk, both far and near,
who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate,
gave him gifts: a good king he!

And now, imagine being a 16 or 17 year old high school student, with six other classes worth of information to learn, plus after-school sports and activities and maybe a job, and you’ll see why reading “Beowulf” is not a favored activity. But now those kids are lucky, because there are movie versions to help make sense of the story, including Robert Zemeckis’ 2007 adaptation, done with CG animation laid on top of live acting, for an animation effect that is scarily close to looking like the real thing. In fact, by the time the movie is over, it’s almost hard to remember that what you are seeing is animated characters, not live actors.

Anthony Hopkins (you know, Hannibel Lecter) stars as King Hrothgar, who has built a hall for his men, in which they spend time singing and celebrating. Grendel, a society outcast, cannot stand the singing and so he attacks the hall and kills (and devours) many of Hrothgar’s warriors. Ray Winstone (”The Departed”) stars as Beowulf, the young hero who first battles Grendel, played by Crispin Glover (”Willard”), and then battles Grendel’s Mother (Angelina Jolie), and then finally, a dragon. Other major roles are played by Robin Wright Penn (”Forrest Gump”) as Hrothgar’s wife Wealthow, and John Malkovich (from, well, tons of movies) as Unferth. So much talent, and at the hands of Robert Zemeckis, it can’t help but be brilliant.

My son Ryan, who is eleven, would like you to know that although he was not bothered by the violence in this movie, it is rated PG-13, and he doesn’t think anyone younger than eleven should see it. And it does have a brief moment of nudity, but when I asked him if that bothered him, he said “not really”-ha!

I know that HD is on it’s way out as a DVD format, but if you are going to be stubborn like me and keep buying HD-DVD movies, this is one you should pick up. You can get Beowulf in HD DVD for $24.95 from Amazon (click that link), or there is also a PG-13 DVD and an unrated Director’s Cut available. And it’s a heck of a lot easier to understand than the book, that’s for sure.

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