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
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This would be great in my blog dvd collection. Thanks a lot for your info. Beowulf is awesome with angelina in it!
It must be tricky to have that on a system that won’t last much longer, like Betamax. What will you do then? Isn’t it on Blu-Ray?
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The word “Beowulf” struck fear in the hearts of many a high school student. If we had only been lucky enough to benefit from the excellent movie adaptations (as today’s students have), things might have gone better for us.
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I am going to respectfully disagree that anyone should buy this movie thinking it is anything like the epic poem (which, call me a geek, I adored even when I was younger). The beginning is slow and badly acted. The only part worth watching is where Beowulf battles the dragon. My husband and I paid full price to see this movie in 3-D. I nearly walked out within the first 15 minutes. Not a well done movie. Rent The 13th Warrior, based on Eaters of the Dead, Michael Crichton’s version of Beowulf.
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says:
Graham-I know eventually that movies won’t be released on HD anymore at all, but since we have an HD tv, we might as well take advantage of the cheap prices on HD DVDs while we can! I suppose we’ll have to buy a Blu-Ray player at some point.
I have been waiting for this and finally it is here. Well, I like the story it is very adventurous and the graphics are wonderful.
I like Beowulf somehow…The show do really have nice story line…It’s hard to forget once you have watched
Beowulf was okay. nothing particularly fantastic about it. The cgi was really good tho