Erik the Conqueror

With a voracious audience of cinema lovers at home and successful international distribution, the Italian film industry was always quick to spot a trend or rip-off a hit. So, although his name is most closely associated with horror, Mario Bava, like most Italian directors, was fluent in many genres, dutifully cranking out whatever was "hot" at the moment. And after The Vikings (1958) - starring Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis - raked in a hefty worldwide profit, Bava was charged with coming up with his own sword-and-sandal epic to duplicate the original's success...on a fraction of the budget, of course.

Erik the Conqueror (1961) plots the same course of violent battle scenes, political betrayal and strained family ties but shuffles the deck and adds some signature Bava visual panache to boot. The film kicks off with the death of King Lotar on the shores of Britain as his fellow Vikings stumble to the sea in retreat. The King's young sons are separated during the battle; Eron (Cameron Mitchell) returns to the Viking homeland, determined to get revenge at all costs while Erik (George Ardisson), despite his barbarian blood, is raised as a royal Brit by the sympathetic Queen.

Their lives are set on a collision course when both men face each other in a chaotic sea battle that leaves Eron victorious and Erik, ironically, washed up on the Viking shore. Upon his return Eron is set to marry his beloved, unaware that Erik, hiding out in a nearby village has coincidentally fallen for her twin sister (although two brothers having the same taste in women is one of the more logical coincidences in the overstuffed plot). After a few more escapes, chases and double-crosses, Eron and Erik finally stage a battle royale back in Britain, still unaware of the family bond than should make them fast friends rather than sworn enemies.

Bava movies are never too strong on plot. And Erik the Conqueror, even though it's more comprehensible than many Italian gialli, is a narrative whirlpool that circles a dozen different plot holes. But in the end, none of that really matters as Bava distracts his audience with colorful sets, elegant camera moves and blockbuster-on-a-budget scenery. The Viking underworld is a mini-masterpiece of set design and stylistic lighting, easily recognizable to fans of the director's previous work. But even the exteriors, with an Italian nature preserve standing in for both England and Iceland, are beautifully composed shots arranged for maximum visual impact.

Like Bava’s other forays into action films (Roy Colt and Winchester Jack or Knives of the Avenger), the end result isn't quite as compelling as his work within the horror genre; supernatural subject matter always seemed to spark more ingenuity. But Erik the Conqueror provides plenty cinematic showoffery that often bests the material upon which it was allegedly based.

Arrow Video's brand-new 2K restoration will likely be the first viewing for many Bava fans...and what an introduction. Despite an abundance of natural film grain, the image is a supersaturated kaleidoscope of colors that really pop in hi-def. Audio options include a vibrant Italian track and a more subdued English-dubbed one, but at least you can keep your eyes on the screen. A new audio commentary from Tim Lucas (the best in the business) goes down well with a video essay that compares and contrasts Bava's film with its unauthorized source material. A rough VHS transfer of the original ending, reversible cover sleeve and collector's booklet complete the package.