I absolutely LOVED this movie when I was a little kid. I didn't love it with the passion that I had for Forbidden Planet, but it was exotic and loads of fun. Sidney Poitier made an incredible impression on me. I was in a remote, subarctic Canadian town, and had never seen a Black person. I became fascinated by the Moors, and then read a lot of West African history.... which culminated, when I grew up, in some time spent visiting several West African countries and even reaching fabled Timbuktu. As for the Vikings --- well I also fell in love with Iceland, which I ended up visiting three times. But that wasn't because of The Long Ships. It was because of Journey to the Center of the Earth. The kind of "entertainment" I experienced with movies as a child actually shaped my life.
Wow, you've led quite a life. As for movies i assume you mean 1959's Journey To The Center Of The Earth with James Mason, Pat Boone and Arlene Dahl. - also one of my favorites topped off by a great score by Bernard Hermann.
@@joemorrisseyistheboomer4321 Glad you mentioned Bernard Hermann's magnificent score, which made the whole movie work. But you didn't mention Pétur Rögnvaldsson [aka Peter Ronson in the cast list], the only Icelander in the film. He was an olympic athlete living in Los Angeles at the time, and was hired to speak the Icelandic lines, but he was so godlike in appearance that they kept his shirt off for most of the movie ---- and he was a pleasant distraction from the embarrassing Pat Boone. Arlene Dahl was American, but born in Minnesota and fluent in Norwegian, so she had no trouble playing her part. But of course, the REAL star of the film was Gertrude the Duck, who got full starring role placement in the credits. . . I'm French Canadian, and Jules Verne's "Voyage au centre de la Terre" was one of the first books I read as a kid. I was a dinosaur fanatic from an early age, long before Jurassic Park made it commonplace. Both the book and the film were important childhood experiences. However, I was already aware of all the wrong science in the film, which took away some of the thrill. . . When I finally visited Iceland, I climbed Snæfellsjökull (it's not a difficult climb, you basically just walk up to the top, the last bit on the glacier being the only hard part). Unfortunately, no tunnel leading into a subterranean wonderland was to be found. I also visited Carlsbad Caverns, where some of the scenes were filmed. My advice to anyone who travels: instead of going to places that other people tell you are important, dig into your own childhood and visit the places of your childhood imagination. This is far better than getting herded into famous landmarks that mean nothing to you emotionally.
@@philpaine3068 Very sage advise about traveling, PhilipAside from touring with shows in my early days, I tend to travel emotionally whether its a memory or just curiosity.
@@joemorrisseyistheboomer4321 Actually, my name is Philippe, not Philip. Pronounced in the French Canadian way to rhyme with "tip" and "dip" and not the European French way that rhymes with "deep." But I've always just been known as Phil.
Yeah, I grew up watching both of these films in the 70's and early 80's on local television. I'm not sure which one I think is better but it's interesting that half a century later, Viking themed shows and films are all the rage again. I've enjoyed shows like "Vikings," Vikings: Valhalla" and "The Last Kingdom" quite a bit recently.
Love this film Sidney Portier was an amazing actor with dignity and sophistication. I also ❤the Arabic hairstyles and wardrobe of Rossana Sciafono and Beba Loncar
Thank you, Christina. Sidney was all of that and more. Like all "Firsts" he handled his historic role with grace and humility. And that's the mark of a true hero. As for the Rosanna Sciafino and beba Loncar's wardrope and hairstyles - well., lets just say they cost me many a sleepless night.
