The Runestone
Encyclopedia
The Runestone is a 1991 adventure/horror film, the first film written and directed by Willard Carroll
. The film is an updating of the Ragnarok
legend, with Fenrir being found in a runestone in Pennsylvania unearthed by archaeologists.
) find it has some connection to their friend Martin. A young boy named Jacob (Chris Young
) is haunted by terrifying nightmares of what is to come, and his grandfather (William Hickey
) explains these dreams through stories from Norse legend, which says that the only one who can destroy Fenrir is Týr, the Norse god of single combat, victory and heroic glory, who is prophesied to return to fight the creature. In the nick of time, the mystical Clockmaker (Alexander Godunov
), who actually is Týr, one-handed Norse God of combat, begins fighting Fenrir. The film cast includes Peter Riegert
as a Pez popping, cussing policeman, and features a cameo by composer David Newman
as a police officer named Strange.
and laserdisc
in the United States
by Live Home Video in 1991. As of 2011, the film has not been officially released on DVD
.
released the soundtrack album with music by David Newman
which its score was a reminiscent of the 50s B-movie scores composed by Henry Mancini
such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon and Tarantula
.
Willard Carroll
Willard Carroll is an American film producer, writer, and director. He was executive producer of The Brave Little Toaster series, writing the screenplays for The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue and The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars...
. The film is an updating of the Ragnarok
Ragnarök
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök is a series of future events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures , the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water...
legend, with Fenrir being found in a runestone in Pennsylvania unearthed by archaeologists.
Plot
Sam Stewart and wife Marla (Joan SeveranceJoan Severance
-Early life:Severance was born in Houston, Texas to John and Martha Severance. Her father was an IBM Systems Manager that had to move frequently around the world. According to Severance "by the time I was 11, we'd lived in 12 different places". Severance and her family also lived in Libya, but in...
) find it has some connection to their friend Martin. A young boy named Jacob (Chris Young
Chris Young (actor)
Christopher Tyler "Chris" Young is an American actor, producer and director.-Life and career:Young was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, the son of Judy , a teacher and librarian, and Dick Young, a businessman...
) is haunted by terrifying nightmares of what is to come, and his grandfather (William Hickey
William Hickey (actor)
William Edward Hickey was an American actor. He was best known for his Oscar-nominated role as Don Corrado Prizzi in the John Huston 1985 film Prizzi's Honor, as well as the voice of Dr...
) explains these dreams through stories from Norse legend, which says that the only one who can destroy Fenrir is Týr, the Norse god of single combat, victory and heroic glory, who is prophesied to return to fight the creature. In the nick of time, the mystical Clockmaker (Alexander Godunov
Alexander Godunov
Alexander Borisovich Godunov was a Russian-American ballet danseur and film actor, whose defection caused a diplomatic incident between the USA and the USSR.-Biography:...
), who actually is Týr, one-handed Norse God of combat, begins fighting Fenrir. The film cast includes Peter Riegert
Peter Riegert
Peter Riegert is an American actor, screenwriter, and film director, best known for his role as Boon from Animal House and crooked New Jersey State Assemblyman Ronald Zellman on the HBO original series The Sopranos.-Early life:...
as a Pez popping, cussing policeman, and features a cameo by composer David Newman
David Newman (composer)
David Louis Newman is an American composer and conductor known particularly for his film scores. In a career spanning nearly forty years, he has composed music for nearly 100 feature films.-Life and career:...
as a police officer named Strange.
Release
The film was released on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Live Home Video in 1991. As of 2011, the film has not been officially released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
.
Soundtrack
In March, 2010, Perseverance RecordsPerseverance Records
Perseverance Records is a record label which releases film scores on CD and online. Releases are usually accompanied by extensive, well-researched booklets...
released the soundtrack album with music by David Newman
David Newman (composer)
David Louis Newman is an American composer and conductor known particularly for his film scores. In a career spanning nearly forty years, he has composed music for nearly 100 feature films.-Life and career:...
which its score was a reminiscent of the 50s B-movie scores composed by Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini
Henry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon and Tarantula
Tarantula (film)
Tarantula is a 1955 science fiction film directed by Jack Arnold, and starring Leo G. Carroll, John Agar, and Mara Corday. Among other things, the film is notable for the appearance of a 25-year-old Clint Eastwood in an uncredited role as a jet pilot at the end of the film.-Plot summary:The plot...
.