Grendel (film)
Encyclopedia
Grendel is a 2007 film directed by Nick Lyon
that is very loosely based on the Anglo-Saxon
epic poem Beowulf
. The made-for-television film was produced by the Sci Fi channel
as an original movie for broadcasting on the Sci Fi cable television network, and began airing in January 2007 http://www.scifi.com/grendel.
Nick Lyon
Nick Lyon is a Los Angeles-based director and writer. A native of Portland, Oregon, he spent 9 years in Germany where he attended the renowned Film Academy Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg, Germany....
that is very loosely based on the Anglo-Saxon
Old English language
Old English or Anglo-Saxon is an early form of the English language that was spoken and written by the Anglo-Saxons and their descendants in parts of what are now England and southeastern Scotland between at least the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century...
epic poem Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
. The made-for-television film was produced by the Sci Fi channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
as an original movie for broadcasting on the Sci Fi cable television network, and began airing in January 2007 http://www.scifi.com/grendel.
Differences from the original source
The film makes a number of fairly dramatic adjustments to the storyline of the original epic poem.- In the epic poem, Beowulf fights hand-to-hand with Grendel. In the film, Beowulf uses "The King's Weapon," a quadruple crossbowCrossbowA crossbow is a weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles, often called bolts or quarrels. The medieval crossbow was called by many names, most of which derived from the word ballista, a torsion engine resembling a crossbow in appearance.Historically, crossbows played a...
that fires explosive bolts. - Only the first half of the epic poem is adapted, leaving out the narratives of the events at the end of Beowulf's life and his funeral.
- In the poem, Beowulf is at one point crowned a king. In the film, this is not shown.
- In the poem, Grendel and his mother live in a cave under a swamp. In the film, they live in a forest.
- Though Grendel is described as a descendant of Cain, the movie portrayed it as one of the NephilimNephilimThe Nephilim are the offspring of the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men" in Genesis 6:4, or giants who inhabit Canaan in Numbers 13:33. A similar word with different vowel-sounds is used in Ezekiel 32:27 to refer to dead Philistine warriors....
who survived the Great Flood. - Unferth is a prince and a son of King Hrothgar.
Cast
- BeowulfBeowulf (hero)Beowulf is a legendary Geatish hero and later turned king in the epic poem named after him, one of the oldest surviving pieces of literature in the English language.-Etymology and origins of the character:...
: Chris BrunoChris BrunoChris Bruno is an American film and television actor best known for his role as Sheriff Walt Bannerman on the USA Network television series The Dead Zone.His brother Dylan Bruno plays Colby Granger on Numb3rs.... - King HrothgarHroðgarHroðgar, King Hroþgar, "Hrothgar", Hróarr, Hroar, Roar, Roas or Ro was a legendary Danish king, living in the early 6th century....
: Ben CrossBen CrossBen Cross is a British actor of the stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the British Olympic athlete Harold Abrahams in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire.-Early life:... - Queen WealhtheowWealhþeowWealhþēow is a legendary queen of the Danes in the Old English poem, Beowulf, first introduced in line 612.-Character overview:She is the Wulfing queen of the Danes. She is married to Hroðgar, the Danish king and is the mother of sons Hreðric and Hroðmund and also of daughter Freawaru. The meaning...
: Marina SirtisMarina SirtisMarina Sirtis is a British-American actress of Greek descent. She played the role of the human/Betazoid Commander Deanna Troi, ship's counselor, on the television and film series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Life:... - FinnFinn (Frisian)Finn, son of Folcwald, was a legendary Frisian lord. He is mentioned in Widsith, in Beowulf, and in the Finnsburg Fragment. There is also a Finn mentioned in Historia Brittonum....
: Chuck Hittinger - Unferth: Michael J. (Jack) Minor
- Ingrid: Alexis Peters