An Interesting One by Michael Steele (September 21, 2004)
I dare say most people feel strongly about the films they experienced in their impressionable teens, and I am no exception. 'The Vikings' blew me away with its powerful scenery, action and photography, as well as the music score. The score was the only part of the film you could possess to revisit at will in 1958 and I acquired the UK version of the record as soon as ever I could. It has remained a defining favourite.
I remember at the time being a little disappointed with the sleeve notes: they were not at all helpful like those on other soundtrack albums, and the American version was the same. Technical quality seems to be lacking in CD versions that have appeared. It is as though subsequent sales of the soundtrack were felt to be of little importance at the time.
But for me there are few passages in film where music and pictures complement each other as effectively as Ragnar's return to his fjord near the beginning of the film and Aenar and Eric's departure in the pouring rain for the final climax at Aella's castle.