Norwegian Ninja
Encyclopedia
Norwegian Ninja is a 2010 Norwegian action comedy film, directed by Thomas Cappelen Malling
. The film, based on a 2006 book, presents real-life espionage
-convicted Arne Treholt
as the leader of a ninja
group saving Norway during the Cold War
and stars Mads Ousdal
as Treholt.
The film is loosely based on the story of Norwegian politician and diplomat Arne Treholt
, who in 1985 was convicted of high treason
and espionage
on behalf of the Soviet Union
and Iraq
. In 2006, Thomas Cappelen Malling
wrote the book Ninjateknikk II. Usynlighet i strid 1978 ("Ninja Technique II: Invisibility in combat 1978"). The book was presented as a military manual written by Treholt in 1978. It achieved a certain cult
status, and was considered a success at 5,000 units sold.
10.5 million, in spite of the fact that the author had no previous experience from the movie industry. The book forms the basis for the film, where an alternative universe
-Treholt leads a group of ninjas set up by then-King Olav V
to combat the Soviets. The original working title was Nytt norsk håp ("New Norwegian Hope"), and the total budget was NOK 19 million. The producers describe the story as taking place directly before Treholt's arrest in 1984, presenting "the true story of how Commander Arne Treholt and his Ninja Force saved Norway during the Cold War." Cappelen Malling himself describes the film as "alternative history", but only in the sense that all history is alternative. Treholt himself has allegedly given his consent to both the book and the movie.
The absurd premise of the film secured a great deal of media attention for it ahead of its release. Aftenposten
, in January 2010, predicted it would be one of the most absurd works of Norwegian cinema. Verdens Gang
quoted producer Eric Vogel, saying "Something like this has never been made in Norway before. Or in the world, as far as I know!" They also interviewed Mads Ousdal
, who portrayed Treholt in the film, describing the role as very different from anything he had done previously. Comedian Trond Viggo Torgersen played the part of King Olav V.
Thomas Cappelen Malling
Thomas Cappelen Malling is a Norwegian author and director, born in Kongsvinger.He hails from the Communications Industry, where he worked in Strategic planning. In 2006, Malling wrote the book Ninjateknikk II. Usynlighet i strid 1978...
. The film, based on a 2006 book, presents real-life espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
-convicted Arne Treholt
Arne Treholt
Arne Treholt is a former Norwegian Labour Party politician and diplomat convicted of high treason and espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union and Iraq during the Cold War. Treholt's espionage is generally seen as the most serious spy case in the modern history of Norway...
as the leader of a ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
group saving Norway during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
and stars Mads Ousdal
Mads Ousdal
Mads Ousdal is a Norwegian actor. He worked as an actor at Den Nationale Scene from 1996 to 1998, at Oslo Nye Teater from 1998 to 1999, and at Nationaltheatret from 2000. He played in the film Detector from 2000 and in Bryllupet from 2000, and has participated in television series.He is the son...
as Treholt.
The film is loosely based on the story of Norwegian politician and diplomat Arne Treholt
Arne Treholt
Arne Treholt is a former Norwegian Labour Party politician and diplomat convicted of high treason and espionage on behalf of the Soviet Union and Iraq during the Cold War. Treholt's espionage is generally seen as the most serious spy case in the modern history of Norway...
, who in 1985 was convicted of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
and espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
on behalf of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. In 2006, Thomas Cappelen Malling
Thomas Cappelen Malling
Thomas Cappelen Malling is a Norwegian author and director, born in Kongsvinger.He hails from the Communications Industry, where he worked in Strategic planning. In 2006, Malling wrote the book Ninjateknikk II. Usynlighet i strid 1978...
wrote the book Ninjateknikk II. Usynlighet i strid 1978 ("Ninja Technique II: Invisibility in combat 1978"). The book was presented as a military manual written by Treholt in 1978. It achieved a certain cult
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
status, and was considered a success at 5,000 units sold.
Production
In December 2008 it was announced that the Norwegian Film Institute would support a film made by Cappelen Malling with NOKNorwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
10.5 million, in spite of the fact that the author had no previous experience from the movie industry. The book forms the basis for the film, where an alternative universe
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
-Treholt leads a group of ninjas set up by then-King Olav V
Olav V of Norway
Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
to combat the Soviets. The original working title was Nytt norsk håp ("New Norwegian Hope"), and the total budget was NOK 19 million. The producers describe the story as taking place directly before Treholt's arrest in 1984, presenting "the true story of how Commander Arne Treholt and his Ninja Force saved Norway during the Cold War." Cappelen Malling himself describes the film as "alternative history", but only in the sense that all history is alternative. Treholt himself has allegedly given his consent to both the book and the movie.
The absurd premise of the film secured a great deal of media attention for it ahead of its release. Aftenposten
Aftenposten
Aftenposten is Norway's largest newspaper. It retook this position in 2010, taking it from the tabloid Verdens Gang which had been the largest newspaper for several decades. It is based in Oslo. The morning edition, which is distributed across all of Norway, had a circulation of 250,179 in 2007...
, in January 2010, predicted it would be one of the most absurd works of Norwegian cinema. Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang
Verdens Gang , generally known under the abbreviation VG, is a Norwegian tabloid newspaper...
quoted producer Eric Vogel, saying "Something like this has never been made in Norway before. Or in the world, as far as I know!" They also interviewed Mads Ousdal
Mads Ousdal
Mads Ousdal is a Norwegian actor. He worked as an actor at Den Nationale Scene from 1996 to 1998, at Oslo Nye Teater from 1998 to 1999, and at Nationaltheatret from 2000. He played in the film Detector from 2000 and in Bryllupet from 2000, and has participated in television series.He is the son...
, who portrayed Treholt in the film, describing the role as very different from anything he had done previously. Comedian Trond Viggo Torgersen played the part of King Olav V.