It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Erik the Conqueror (1961) *** (out of 4) Eron (Cameron Mitchell) and Erik (George Ardisson), as children, witness their father brutally murdered during a Viking massacre. After the massacre Erik is taken in by the Queen while Eron grows up as a viking. Twenty-years later the two are on a collision course.ERIK THE CONQUEROR is quite the action picture as director Mario Bava certainly made the film look like a much bigger budget than I'm sure it had. There's no question that this film was riding on the success of THE VIKINGS but obviously the Italian production didn't have the big stars, the big budget or an unlimited amount of resources. That's what made Bava so special. He could take a small budget and make the picture look like something from a major studio.I think the weakest thing here is the actual story since it's really nothing original and there's really nothing here that we haven't seen countless times before. Where the film succeeds is on every other level and we can start with the wonderful cinematography. This is certainly a beautiful picture to look at with the camera-work really bringing the settings to life. You've got the wonderful use of color that adds to the picture and just take a look at the camera work during the opening battle. This battle sequence was perfectly shot and it manages to grab you and throw you right into the action.The action scenes are all handled with extreme craft and perfection. The movie certainly contains some rather violent moments to add to the fun and I'm sure the kiddies watching this during a matinée were quite shocked. The film also benefits from some nice performances with Mitchell leading the way. He was very strong in the lead role and managed to really sell the character. Ardisson isn't quite as good but he's at least fun as is Alice Kessler and Ellen Kessler as the love interest.ERIK THE CONQUEROR isn't a masterpiece but it's certainly a highly entertaining action film.

It's been written that much of the output from Italian studios in the sixties were little more than remakes of movies from other countries. It's even mentioned in one of the extras on the new blu-ray release of this film. The thing is that's not always a bad thing. Consider that a movie like A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS was a remake of YOKIMBO, a Japanese samurai film. The same was true of THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN here in the U.S. Putting your own spin on another film can work and did. Unfortunately not so much in current fare.Director Mario Bava was a man who had one of the best concepts of visualization when it came to cinematography. The images he places on the screen are interesting and captivating. That becomes obvious in this movie, a remake of sorts of the film THE VIKINGS. While I loved that original film I found much to enjoy in this one as well.In 786 AD a Viking king Harald lands on the shores of England willing to make peace with the English, a country he and his kin have plundered for years in the North Sea. King Loter is willing to agree to terms and sends Sir Rutford to negotiate the peace. Instead, Rutford ceases the opportunity to take out the Vikings with an ambush, killing the king leaving only a few to escape. He also uses them as a patsy when he has one of his men kill Loter as well.Some of the Vikings survive. Among those still alive are the Harald's two sons Eron and Erik. Eron is rescued and returned home while Erik is saved by the Queen and raised as her own. Both are raised differently with two opposing views of the world based on their environments.Twenty years pass and the Vikings are now led by Eron (Cameron Mitchell). Once again they set out to plunder the English coastline and seek vengeance for the treachery of the past. Erik has been placed in charge of the English fleet and sets out to confront them, not realizing that Rutford has planted one of his own men onboard to ensure Erik never makes it back. The unknowing brothers battle and Erik is thought lost at sea only to wash ashore on the beaches of the Viking land.Rutford offers the Queen his hand in marriage which she refuses realizing how treacherous he is. Rebuffed he offers his obedience to Enron and becomes his ally instead.We know that eventually the two brothers will face off against one another and that a winner will be determined. If not something else will interfere with their reunion. Rutford will have to pay for his actions. And somehow, the Vikings and the English will have to settle their differences. It is the journey to these things that makes this movie both interesting and entertaining to watch.Growing up in the sixties the sword and sandal movies as they were called were a staple of my TV movie diet. They showed every week on the local VHS channel, everything from Hercules to his many sons to Samson and more. Watching them now I'm surprised how much I enjoyed them but still find something in them. Somehow this movie evaded me back then. Fortunately I made up for it with this release.The acting here isn't nearly as broad as I've seen it in other Italian movies in this genre. Make no mistake, they were the leaders in this sort of film back then. Here the acting is more subdued when needed and widely open in other scenes as called for. Mitchell, an actor mostly associated with the TV western HIGH CHAPPARAL, comes off nicely here. But it is the visual stylings of Bava that take center stage. The movie might not be Oscar worthy but it does offer solid storytelling that holds your interest throughout.I've seen a number of these movies and never have I seen someone capture such colorful and fantastic shots. Bava used brightly colored lights in many of his movies and that usage of light is on display here in scenes taking place in the Vikings main building. He also does an amazing job capturing shorelines, horizons and more. Many of those images would make great pictures to be placed on the wall they are so rich and well done.Once again Arrow Video has taken what was once a washed out scratched up mess and turned it into a gorgeous presentation. It's a beautiful 2k 1080p hi def transfer and it shows. Extras include a new audio commentary track by Tim Lucas the author of MARIO BAVA ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, GLI IMITATORI a comparison between this film and its unacknowledged source THE VIKINGS, the original ending and a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Graham Humphreys. I will continue to sing the praises of Arrow Video as long as their output remains as top of the line as this one proves. If you enjoyed the film in the past then by all means pick up this edition. It will be like seeing the film as you've never had the chance before.

Movie costumer of early England under partial Viking rule. In the 786 A.D. , two Viking children (one time grown-up Cameron Mitchel, George Ardisson), separated since their early childhood with one raised by the English and the other by Vikings . The Viking half-brothers fight it out the throne . This entertaining adventure contains pillaging ,ax-throwing, manly talk about the glories of Odin , Viking soap-opera , storming of castles and final heroic jumping into walls on fortress where finds enemy .Fairly elaborate but comic-book level costume adventure of Vikings battling the British for power and glory in the 9th Century . This enjoyable picture packs adventures, thrills, good action scenes and is very amusing. Cameron Mitchell is good , he gives a nice performance as leader of a band of Vikings driving his ship sets sail for the unknown land in search of Britanny kingdom . Big-name Italian cast as George Ardisson, Folco Lulli , Andrea Checchi and colorful secondary casting as Franco Ressel , Raf Baldassarre, Franco Giacobini and the gorgeous Kessler sisters who had an ephemeral career as singers. Although full of stupid historical errors and unbelievable events , the film is pretty entertaining. Great location footage with sweepingly photography of booth England , Dover and Britanny and Titanus , Appia studios , Roma, Italy. Shimmer and glimmer cinematography by Mario Bava. Spectacular and evocative musical score by Roberto Nicolisi. The picture is handsomely shot and directed with verve and muscle by Mario Bava . Rating : Good, fine battle scenes and wonderful cinematography and locations make the movie a standout . This throughly amusing historical epic stands up to teens and adults viewings . Don't miss for Bava aficionados.This basic costume epic belongs to Viking genre such as : The classic ¨The Vikings(1958)¨ by Richard Fleischer with Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis , ¨The long ships (1963)¨ by Jack Cardiff with Sidney Poitier and Richard Widmark ; ¨The Norseman(1978) ¨ by Charles B Pierce with Cornel Wilde and Mel Ferrer ; ¨The Viking queen(1967)¨ by Don Chaffey with Don Murray and Andrew Keir; ¨The Viking sagas(1995)¨ by Michael Chapman with Ralph Moeller , among others .

Mario Bava really outdoes himself with this story of two brothers separated in infancy, who grow to be rival leaders in a battle between Scandanavia and Britian.This yarn, replete with monumental battle sequences on both land and sea, magnificent coastal and interior castle settings, and bravura use of color simply amazes in its ambitious achievements.The film opens with a battle sequence on the seashore, by turns both thrilling and horrifying as the soldiers meet with death by spear while the nearby coastal village is burned, with women and children scattering to their doom.With this breathless sequence, Mr. Bava introduces the audience to a breakneck pace that never lets up.The story such as it is, is played engagingly on the level of an Errol Flynn film, intelligent enough for adults, but close enough to a comic book for whatever youngsters may be in the audience.It is, however, the visuals that linger in the mind: a grotto with an enormous twisted tree upon which are bound two captured adulterers, bathed in that phosphorescent green light that Mr. Bava was so adept at casting; a stunning vista of the seashore at twilight with two women in billowing robes silhouetted against a sky banked with tempestuous cloud formations, Georges Ardisson and his mother flanked by flaming braziers, amidst tall stalagmites, in a setting that might be from Dante's Inferno, (and recalls a similar setting in Orson Welle's "Macbeth" and countless others.Mr. Bava painted his masterpieces not on canvas but on celluloid.The cast is both attractive and serviceable, with Mr. Ardisson and the luscious Kessler Twins deserving of special commendation. Indeed the Misses Kessler, (as Vestal Virgins) perform a sword dance with such delicacy and intricate footwork that it is easy to see why their cabaret act was once the toast of Europe.Highly enjoyable for fans of the genre.