Filmography for The 13^th Warrior (1999)

Directed by: John McTiernan

Screenplay by: John McTiernan, William Wisher Jr., and Warren Lewis

DVD: Touchstone Pictures 1999

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120657/

Actors:

Summary (from Wikipedia):

Ahmed ibn Fadlan is a court poet to the Caliph of Baghdad - until his amorous encounter with the wife of an influential noble gets him exiled as an "ambassador" to "Northern barbarians." Traveling with Melchisidek, his caravan is saved from Mongol Tatar raiders by the appearance of Norsemen. Taking refuge at their settlement on the Volga, communications are established through Melchisidek and Herger, a Norseman who speaks Vulgate Latin. Ahmed and Melchisidek are in time to witness the fight which establishes Buliwyf as heir apparent, followed by the Viking funeral of their dead king, cremated together with a young woman who agreed to 'accompany' him to Valhalla. A youth enters the camp requesting Buliwyf's aid: his father's kingdom in the far north is under attack from an ancient evil so frightening, the bravest warriors dare not name it. The "angel of death," an oracle, determines the mission will be successful if thirteen warriors go to face this danger - but the thirteenth must not be a Norseman. Ahmed is recruited against his will. Ahmed learns Norse during their journey by listening intently to their conversations. He is looked down upon by the huge Norsemen, who mock his physical weakness and his small Arabian horse, but earns a measure of respect by his fast learning of their language, his horsemanship, ingenuity, and ability to write. Reaching King Hrothgar's kingdom, they confirm their foe is indeed the ancient 'Wendol', fiends who come with the mist to kill and eat human flesh. In a string of clashes Buliwyf's band establishes that the Wendol are humanoid cannibals who appear as, live like and identify with bears. Their numbers dwindling and their position all but indefensible, an ancient wisewoman of the village tells them to track the Wendol to their lair and destroy their leaders, the "Mother of the Vendol" and the war leader who wears "the horns of power." Buliwyf and the remaining warriors infiltrate the Wendol cave-complex and kill the Mother, but Buliwyf is poisoned by her. As the last remaining warriors return to the village and prepare for a final battle they do not expect to survive, the Wendol attack. Buliwyf succeeds in killing the Wendol war leader, causing their defeat, before succumbing to the poison. Ahmad ibn Fadlan witnesses Buliwyf's royal funeral before returning to his homeland, grateful to the Norsemen for helping him to "become a man, and a useful servant of God".

Reviews:

• Reelviews.net: http://www.reelviews.net/movies/t/13th_warrior.html

• New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/082799warrior-film-review.html

Suggested Reading, Sorry the MLA is Lame:

• Allen Johnson, “Warrior’ lacking a bite”: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1999/08/27/WEEKEND6562.dtl

• A. Keith Kelly, "Beyond Historical Accuracy: A Postmodern View of Movies and Medievalism," http://www.uni-due.de/imperia/md/content/perspicuitas/kelly_beyondhistoricalaccuracy.pdf.

• John Ganim, "The Hero in the Classroom," in Driver (on reserve).

• Other Things of Interest:

1000 AD: http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/0-9/1000ad/home.html

Questions to Keep in Mind:

• As English majors, when we speak of the Middle Ages we tend to ignore the world outside during this period. How does the 13^th Warrior show us a world outside of Western Europe?
• The movie says that it is showing historically-true events. Is that true? If so, in what sense(s)?
• How well does this movie relate the tribes that we have studied in this class or another?
• Does John McTiernan accurately dream the Middle Ages?  If so, how does he do this?  If he does not, what is he doing that does not fit into Eco’s Middle Ages?