The Viking (1928 film)
Encyclopedia
The Viking was the first feature-length Technicolor
film that featured a soundtrack, and the first film made in Technicolor's Process 3.
. (The previous Technicolor Process 2 used two prints—one red, one green—cemented base-to-base.) The film was considered the finest use of color cinematography
at the time of release. The film still survives and remains an impressive example of early color film. The film was based on the novel The Thrall of Leif the Lucky, itself based on Viking history, written by Ottilie A. Liljencrantz.
In 1938, Technicolor president Herbert Kalmus
later wrote,
The film critic for the New York Times agreed, noting that "the figures often look as if they had stepped out of an opera comique
," and, "The make-up of the players is often more than a trifle overdone, especially when the villain reveals on close inspection his mouse-colored eyelids."
concerning Leif Ericson and the first Viking settlers to reach North America
by sea.
sound-on-film
system originally developed by Fox Film Corporation, with color by Technicolor in their new dye transfer process, now known as Process 3.
The film was produced by the Technicolor Corporation, but was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
, after production chief Irving Thalberg
became impressed with the technology. The film carries the MGM Leo the Lion
logo
in color. In 1930, MGM reissued the film as a color sound musical film
titled The Private Life of Leif Ericson. The sound film survives today as well as the silent version.
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
film that featured a soundtrack, and the first film made in Technicolor's Process 3.
Production background
Because of the technical limitation of their previous process with printing sound, the film is also the first time a feature film used Technicolor's dye-transfer processDye-transfer process
-History:Technicolor introduced dye transfer in its Process 3, introduced in the feature film The Viking , which was produced by the Technicolor Corporation and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Techicolor's two previous systems were an additive color process and a poorly-received subtractive color...
. (The previous Technicolor Process 2 used two prints—one red, one green—cemented base-to-base.) The film was considered the finest use of color cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
at the time of release. The film still survives and remains an impressive example of early color film. The film was based on the novel The Thrall of Leif the Lucky, itself based on Viking history, written by Ottilie A. Liljencrantz.
In 1938, Technicolor president Herbert Kalmus
Herbert Kalmus
Herbert Thomas Kalmus was an American scientist and engineer who played a key role in developing color motion picture film...
later wrote,
- There seemed to be two principal troubles with The Viking, both of which I suspected but without certainty. First it came out among the very last silent pictures in 1929, and second, whiskers. Leif EricsonLeif EricsonLeif Ericson was a Norse explorer who is regarded as the first European to land in North America , nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus...
, the Viking hero true to character had a long curling mustache, whereas American audiences prefer their lovers smooth-shaven. At times the whole screen seemed filled with Viking whiskers.
The film critic for the New York Times agreed, noting that "the figures often look as if they had stepped out of an opera comique
Comic opera
Comic opera denotes a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending.Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a new operatic genre, opera buffa, emerged as an alternative to opera seria...
," and, "The make-up of the players is often more than a trifle overdone, especially when the villain reveals on close inspection his mouse-colored eyelids."
Plot
The storyline was based on traditional legendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
concerning Leif Ericson and the first Viking settlers to reach North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
by sea.
Early sound and color technology
The sound was recorded in the MovietoneMovietone sound system
The Movietone sound system is a sound-on-film method of recording sound for motion pictures that guarantees synchronization between sound and picture. It achieves this by recording the sound as a variable-density optical track on the same strip of film that records the pictures...
sound-on-film
Sound-on-film
Sound-on-film refers to a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying picture is physically recorded onto photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an analog sound track or digital sound track,...
system originally developed by Fox Film Corporation, with color by Technicolor in their new dye transfer process, now known as Process 3.
The film was produced by the Technicolor Corporation, but was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
, after production chief Irving Thalberg
Irving Thalberg
Irving Grant Thalberg was an American film producer during the early years of motion pictures. He was called "The Boy Wonder" for his youth and his extraordinary ability to select the right scripts, choose the right actors, gather the best production staff and make very profitable films.-Life and...
became impressed with the technology. The film carries the MGM Leo the Lion
Leo the Lion (MGM)
Leo the Lion is the mascot for the Hollywood film studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and one of its predecessors, Goldwyn Pictures, featured in the studio's production logo, which was created by the Paramount Studios art director Lionel S. Reiss....
logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
in color. In 1930, MGM reissued the film as a color sound musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
titled The Private Life of Leif Ericson. The sound film survives today as well as the silent version.
External links
- Technicolor - a history of the colour process, including information about The Viking.
- The Viking; allrovi.com