Erik, the Viking

This well-shot viking movie from capable Italian director Mario Caiano offers up enough adventure and excitement to be watchable for genre fans - although the slow spots throughout the film prevent it from reaching classic status. As usual, there are the requisite number of villains (three this time) who pose as allies until the time comes for dramatic revelations; plus the pretty female love interest, the brave and strong allies, the warring tribes and the young, noble hero as played by spagwest stalwart Guiliano Gemma. One thing the film does have as a difference is an American setting; Caiano and his cameraman make great use of the scenic locations as much as possible and the result is a beautiful film to watch.

The various battle sequences are energetic without being particularly skillful, and utilise a fair amount of cast members. They pop up often enough to make the film bearable and the slow spots usually concentrate on the bad guys and their scheming which is always interesting. Production values are above average with solid music and the aforementioned excellent photography. As a hero, Gemma proves his worth in the acting stakes although I can't really believe him as a sword-wielding action hero - he looks better with a gun in his hand.

Playing the opposing bad guy is resident movie villain Gordon Mitchell who does his thing with plenty of activity, ruthless slaying, and evil grinning, and as is usual he looks to be enjoying himself in the part. Also popping up is DJANGO villain Eduardo Fajardo playing, you guessed it, another scheming villain. One thing to watch out for are the bloody inserts, including a scene where a man has an axe thrown into his head - surprisingly gruesome for a mid '60s production. ERIK, THE VIKING offers enough heroics, pretty women, horned helmets and long ships to make it a treat for genre fans.