Episodit

  • It's time to put Valla-Ljot's Saga on trial. How will this brief story that's less than a single Hrafnkel hold up under scrutiny? Is there enough violence for a proper round of Best Bloodshed and Body Count? With only a few nicknames, how will John stretch his section out to the usual length? What kind of surprise reveal does John drop on Andy at the start of Thingmen? And how does Valla-Ljot's Saga perform when all is said and done? Does it have what it takes to compete with the greats of Saga Thing past? There's only one way to find out!

    While you're waiting for the next episode of Saga Thing, check out The Partially Examined Life.

    Did we get things right? How would you have judged Valla-Ljot's Saga? Who would you have chosen for thingman? Share your thoughts on our social media:

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • We’re back, and not a moment too soon! After the pot-stirring life and unceremonious death of Halli Troublemaker at the hands (and axe) of Valla-Ljöt Ljotolfsson, Halli’s older brother Hrolf Jaw retaliated by having Ljöt’s nephew Thorvard killed by a squad of murderers at a market. Now the whole valley’s on edge, waiting to see whether a carefully-brokered truce between Ljöt and Guðmund the Powerful can bring peace to the Tumultuous Valley. But men on both sides are looking for an excuse to shatter the peace once more.

    What happens when Halli’s younger brother and son return from overseas to find out what’s been happening in their absence? Why is Thorvard’s foster-brother Sigmund skiing all over the valley in a snowstorm and disturbing everyone’s sleep? Can Havarð the Norwegian companion survive among all these pugnacious Icelanders? And why is Ljöt hiding a golden spear from his own family?

    Join us for the conclusion to Valla-Ljöts saga!

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • Puuttuva jakso?

    Paina tästä ja päivitä feedi.

  • While we may have finished Svarfdaela Saga, we're not done with the most tumultuous valley of medieval Iceland just yet. In this episode, we pick up with the next generation. The lead actors in this little drama are Halli, the grandson of Karl the Red, and Ljot (aka Valla-Ljot), the son of Ljotolf the godi. And though the tensions between Karl and Ljotolf's families had cooled at the end of Svarfdaela Saga, it doesn't take Halli long to get things boiling once again.

    This saga also features the return of Gudmund the Powerful (Guðmundr inn ríki Eyjólfsson), who we've seen pop in from time to time in other sagas as a power broker. He's going to be playing a big part in this saga and then again in Ljósvetninga saga. Now's as good a time as any to start forming an opinion on this guy.

    We hope you enjoy this one!

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • It's time for the third installment of our side project known as Hwaet a Movie! In this episode, we give the Saga Thing treatment to the 2005 Canadian-Icelandic film Beowulf and Grendel. If you haven't seen it yet, do yourself a favor and watch it (even if our review might not cast it in the brightest light). The film stars Gerard Butler as Beowulf, Stellan Skarsgård as Hrothgar, and Sarah Polley as Selma the witch. Don't worry if one of those characters doesn't sound familiar. And while the film could be better in a number of ways, we do appreciate much of what they were attempting here.

    As an added bonus, the film was shot in Iceland. That means that no matter what's happening at the front of a scene, there's always a beautiful backdrop for this interesting interpretation of the epic Old English poem about a monster-fighting Geat in Denmark.

    Each Hwaet a Movie episode includes an exhaustive summary and discussion, a brief Q&A, and then our final ratings categories for the film's take on Beowulf, Grendel, and Grendel's mother. We conclude by rating the film for its faithfulness to the source material and then for its entertainment value.

    This one takes a while to get through, but that's because this one offers a lot of grist for the mill.

    We'll be back after Valla-Ljot's Saga with the next installment of Hwaet a Movie. And don't worry, we've only scratched the surface of Beowulf movies so far.

  • Though Svarfdaela Saga itself is behind us, the story of the inhabitants of the Tumultuous Valley continues. In this episode, we follow Thorleif Asgeirsson, one of Klaufi's killers and the brother of Yngvild.

    As you'll discover, Thorleif has that independent spirit that Icelanders carry with them into the courts of Norwegian rulers. He's also got a talent for poetry, which serves him well both at home and abroad. But his real talent is magic, which he learned from his uncle and father. All of this combines for some interesting encounters with Jarl Hákon Sigurdsson.

    This short story is both shocking and hilarious. It's got everything you could ask for, including a young man chasing his hopes and dreams, a robbery, some senseless violence, black magic, plenty of poetry, and even a golem-like construct with a vengeful heart. Oh, and it's pretty funny too. Needless to say, it's one of our favorite þættr.

    Join us as we explore the Tale of Thorleif Earl's Poet!

    Richard Cole's "French Connection, or Thorr versus the Golem."

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - from “Death Awaits” by Billy Malmstrom

    Poetry Music - "Morgana Rides " Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - From “Óðinn” by Krauka

  • Join us for an in-depth interview with Dr. Rebecca Merkelbach, Assistant Professor of Old Norse-Icelandic Studies at the University of Tübingen, Germany. Her latest book, Story, World and Character in the Late Íslendingasögur: Rogue Sagas, offers a fresh perspective on the often overlooked "post-classical" sagas. We delve into the complex and fascinating nature of these sagas, exploring their social and artistic dimensions, as well as the rich tapestry of the "saga-verse."

    Our discussion spans many of your favorite sagas featured on the podcast. And given that we just finished recording our series on Svarfdæla saga before this interview, there's plenty of talk about that saga in particular.

    It was a great pleasure speaking to a fellow saga enthusiast, especially one so knowledgeable and passionate about Old Norse-Icelandic literature. Dr. Merkelbach's enthusiasm for the sagas comes through clearly in this interview, as does her remarkable ability to recall intricate details and character names from many different sagas. We think you'll find that she fits right in here at Saga Thing.

    Pick up a copy of her book here: Story, World and Character in the Late Íslendingasögur: Rogue Sagas by Rebecca Merkelbach

    Correction: This episode is Saga Brief 26, despite the label on the file saying 25.

    Music Credits

    Opening song – Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur

    Outro – Ólafur Liljurós

  • After 7 exciting episodes (they were exciting, right?), we're finally ready to put Svarfdaela Saga on trial. As usual, we drag the text to the Saga Thing and review it through our judgment categories:

    Best Bloodshed

    Body Count

    Nicknames

    Notable Witticisms

    Outlawry

    Thingmen

    Final Ratings

    How does Svarfdaela Saga stack up against the 30+ other sagas we've reviewed so far? Do we judge it as harshly as the scholars who came before us? And how can the Big Lacuna not walk away with Best Bloodshed????

    There's only one way to find out. Listen and then share your thoughts on our social media:

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • This is it. We've reached the end of Svarfdaela Saga.

    In this episode, we discuss the aftermath of Karl the Red's death. Will Ljotolf step up and retake control of the valley? Or will a new contender emerge to challenge his authority? And what becomes of Skidi and Yngvild? The answers may shock you.

    Seriously. This is a tough one for a number of reasons. We've mentioned that the end of this saga is pretty brutal. Now that we've arrived, it's worth saying it again. This episode features the abuse of Yngvild that we've warned you about.

    Listen and then join in on the conversation here:

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • In this episode, things come to a head between the factions of Thorstein the Tumultuous and Ljotolf the godi (quite literally). Listen in and find out what happens as Karl the Red learns about the death of his best friend and the whole valley is thrown into chaos. We're in the heart of the saga now and things are getting real juicy.

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Poetry Music - Adapted from "Vega" by Danheim

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • In this episode, Klaufi rescues his friend Karl the Red from a terrible Viking called Atli. But don't get too excited about Klaufi becoming the hero of this saga. He also kills a whole bunch of people, causes general havoc, and even gets married by dubious means. We also get to see him in full berserker mode, which can be fun (if viewed from a distance).

    All of this makes one wonder, just how long will the people of Svarfaðardalur continue to put up with Klaufi and his shenanigans?

    Along the way, we talk about the tendency of this saga narrative to dip out when it's time for action. We look a little deeper into the question of Gris and his motivations. And we dip our toes briefly into the subject of medieval Icelandic dying herbs and mosses.

    If you're interested in learning more about club moss and its uses in medieval Iceland, check out the following:

    Viking Age Dyes

    Using Clubmoss as an Alum Mordant

    And, since Andy mentions it in the episode, grab yourself a copy of the Eyrbyggja Saga graphic novel.

    Join in on the conversation about Klaufi, medieval Icelandic textiles, and creative works inspired by the sagas here:

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Poetry Music - Adapted from "Vanheimr" by Danheim

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • With the Big Lacuna now behind us, we embark onto a new adventure in what may or may not be (but probably is) a new saga. Is this the same Thorstein we've come to grow and love? Or is it a different man altogether?

    In the end, it doesn't matter much because Thorstein shifts into the background as new characters take center stage, like Karl the Red, Gris the Merry, and Klaufi the Mauler. That's a lot of nicknames. But this episode features more than just nicknames. We've got wrestling, murder, intrigue, and runes. That's right, we've got runes!

    Join us for Svarfdaela Saga, chapters 10-14a!

    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • In this episode, we find ourselves navigating the murky depths of the massive gap in Svarfdæla saga that we call "The Big Lacuna." What happened to Thorstein Thorgnirsson when he left Sweden? Why is he feuding with someone named Ljotolf in Iceland? How did he get to Iceland? Is that even the same Thorstein or is it Thorstein's son or maybe his grandson? And what the hell is happening here!?!

    But never fear, we successfully steer the Saga Thing ship through the dangerous waters of the Big Lacuna and reach the other side of the saga safely. Along the way, we explore how a lacuna this big happens, what its effects are, and how scholars work to fill the empty space left in the narrative. Good times!

    Let us know what you think by getting in on the conversation here:

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • We return to the tale of Thorstein as seeks fame, honor, and a bit of respect from his father. He's already defeated the great Viking known as Ljot the Pale, which is a big feather in his cap. Unfortunately, he lost his brother Thorolf in the battle. Eager to bury his beloved brother in style, Thorstein heads for the shores of Sweden where he'll meet an aging jarl with a problem that only the bravest of men could possibly resolve. This episode features a nice blend of all that good medieval literature has to offer.

    Along the way, we navigate around a little lacuna at an important moment in the text and then get sucked into the gaping maw of the big lacuna that separates the two parts of this saga. It's a pretty wild ride.

    If you're interested in learning more about the rules of the holmgang as it appears in the Icelandic sagas, check out this old Saga Brief on the subject: Saga Brief 2: Holmgang, or The Icelandic Art of Dueling

    Share your thoughts on the saga so far and join in on the conversations here:

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • We begin the new year with a saga that has been compared to the works of Shakespeare himself. Not necessarily in a favorable light, but definitely compared. As we hinted in our 10th Anniversary episode, we're jumping into the sagas of Eyjafjörður in Northern Iceland (including Svarfdæla saga, Valla-Ljóts saga, Víga-Glúms saga, and Ljósvetninga saga).

    Up first is Svarfdæla saga, a surprisingly compelling (but sometimes frustrating) narrative that Jónas Kristjánsson described as "one of the greatest oddities among the sagas of Icelanders" in his book Eddas and Sagas (244). And if that doesn't sell you on it, then how about this fine quote from Fredrik Heinemann from his paper "Svarfdæla saga: The Norwegians and the Swedes," the saga efficiently characterizes minor and major figures with the deft brush strokes of saga writing at its best" (237). We think you'll agree after listening to this episode covering the first six chapters of the saga.

    In this episode, we meet two brothers called Thorolf and Thorstein. One is a typical saga golden boy, the other is a kolbítr. But if you know your saga tropes, you know that big things are in store for that lazy coal-eater.

    Along the way, we talk about other brothers we've met in the sagas, the sudden appearance of a castle in the narrative, and one of the more unbelievable candidates for Best Bloodshed we've seen in a while. We also get back to the listener runesack to address a question from our Discord page about Viking weddings.

    There's all that and more in our first episode of 2024. It's good to be back!

    If you're interested in doing your own word usage research, check out The Dictionary of Old Norse Prose.

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • Gleðileg jól frá Saga Thing! We're back with another exciting holiday discovery for you. This time, we share a bit of backgroundy stuff about the famous Yule Lads of Icelandic tradition before premiering a brand new poem about them. This may or may not be the oldest surviving poem about the Yule Lads, though we have some suspicions about the nature of the manuscript we were working from for the translation. Either way, it's a lot of fun.

    Merry Christmas!

    If you're interested, here's the original poem (in Icelandic) by Jóhannes úr Kötlum

    “Jólasveinarnir” by Jóhannes úr KötlumEnglish translation by Hallberg Hallmundsson

    Let me tell the storyof the lads of few charms,who once upon a timeused to visit our farms.

    Thirteen altogether,these gents in their primedidn´t want to irk peopleall at one time.

    They came from the mountains,as many of you know,in a long single fileto the farmsteads below.

    Creeping up, all stealth,they unlocked the door.The kitchen and the pantrythey came looking for.

    Grýla was their mother –she gave them ogre milk –and the father Leppalúdi;a loathsome ilk.

    They hid where they could, with a cunning look or sneer,ready with their prankswhen people weren´t near.

    They were called the Yuletide lads– at Yuletide they were due –and always came one by one,not ever two by two.

    And even when they were seen,they weren´t loath to roam and play their tricks – disturbingthe peace of the home.

    The first of them was Sheep-Cote Clod.

    He came stiff as wood,to pray upon the farmer´ssheep as far as he could.

    He wished to suck the ewes,but it was no accidenthe couldn´t; he had stiff knees –not to convenient.

    The second was Gully Gawk,gray his head and mien.He snuck into the cow barnfrom his craggy ravine.

    Hiding in the stalls,he would steal the milk,while the milkmaid gave the cowherda meaningful smile.

    Stubby was the third called,a stunted little man,who watched for every chanceto whisk off a pan.

    And scurrying away with it,he scraped off the bitsthat stuck to the bottomand brims – his favorites.

    The fourth was Spoon Licker;like spindle he was thin.He felt himself in cloverwhen the cook wasn´t in.

    Then stepping up, he grappledthe stirring spoon with glee,holding it with both handsfor it was slippery.

    Pot Scraper, the fifth one,was a funny sort of chap.When kids were given scrapings,he´d come to the door and tap.

    And they would rush to seeif there really was a guest.Then he hurried to the potand had a scrapingfest.

    Bowl Licker, the sixth one,was shockingly ill bred.From underneath the bedsteadshe stuck his ugly head.

    And when the bowls were leftto be licked by dog or cat,he snatched them for himself –he was sure good at that!

    The seventh was Door Slammer,a sorry, vulgar chap:When people in the twilightwould take a little nap,

    he was happy as a larkwith the havoc he could wreak,slamming doors and hearingthe hinges on them sqeak

    Skyr Gobbler, the eighth,was an awful stupid bloke.He lambasted the skyr tubtill the lid on it broke.

    Then he stood there gobbling– his greed was well known –until, about to burst,he would bleat, howl and groan.

    The ninth was Sausage Swiper, a shifty pilferer.He climbed up to the raftersand raided food from there.

    Sitting on a crossbeamin soot and in smoke,he fed himselfon sausage fit for gentlefolk.

    The tenth was Window Peeper,a weird little twit,who stepped up to the windowand stole a peek through it.

    And whatever was insideto which his eye was drawn,he most likely attemptedto take later on.

    Eleventh was Door Sniffer,a doltish lad and gross.He never got a cold,yet had a huge, sensitive nose.

    He caught the scent of lacebread while leagues away stilland ran toward it weightlessas wind over dale and hill

    Meat Hook, the twelfth one,his talent would displayas soon as he arrivedon Saint Thorlak´s Day.

    He snagged himself a morselof meet of any sort,although his hook at timeswas a tiny bit short.

    The thirteenth was Candle Beggar –´twas cold, I believe,if he was not the lastof the lot on Christmas Eve.

    He trailed after the little oneswho, like happy sprites,ran about the farm withtheir fine tallow lights.

    On Christmas night itself– so a wise man writes –the lads were all restraintand just stared at the lights.

    Then one by one they trotted offinto the frost and snow.On Twelfth Night the lastof the lads used to go.

    Their footprints in the highlandsare effaced now for long,the memories have all turnedto image and song

  • It's time for another installment of our side quest podcast, Hwaet a Movie! In this episode, we review the other Beowulf movie from 1999. That's right, there were two. This one stars Antonio Banderas as the far-traveled Ahmed Ibn Fadlan, an unlikely hero and perhaps originator of the Beowulf legend. Sure . . . that's the ticket. Join us for a rather exhaustive overview of The 13th Warrior, Saga Thing style.

  • After 4 episodes of reviewing The Saga of Havard of Isafjord (Hávarðar saga Ísfirðings), it's time to take it to the Saga Thing. In this episode, we pass judgment on the usual categories: Best Bloodshed, Nicknames, Notable Witticisms, Outlawry, and Thingmen. This saga proved to be more interesting in some categories than in others, but does Havard's Saga have what it takes to earn a good score from John and Andy in Final Ratings? Listen and find out.

    Join in on the conversation here:

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • While Havard and his band of merry cousins and bloodthirsty tweens hides out at Atli's, his good friend Steinthor is heading to the Althing to work his magic on a settlement for all the killings. But there's one more brother of the sons of Thjodrek out there. His name is Thorarin and he's a chieftain of some consequence. He's hatched a plot that could earn him a healthy settlement and a bloody revenge that depends on Atli being the kind of cowardly pushover his reputation suggests. Does Havard have what it takes to defend himself against these powerful men or will he fall victim to their cunning plan?

    Join in on the conversation here:

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    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLicensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

  • What do you do after a successful killing spree? Kill some more! At least that seems to be Havard of Isafjord's motto. There's a certain logic to it as one killing begets another. But Thorbjorn has a lot of brothers and there's only so much killing Havard can do before he needs to find a sweet spot to hide out. Perhaps that nice fella from the Althing who offered his help will provide the protection Havard needs?

    This episode moves quick. We meet some new characters, see some familiar faces, and get a shocking surprise involving two young boys who stand up to a local bully. We also spend some time talking Old Norse poetry. All in all, a good time.

    One more episode of Havard's saga to go before we take it to the Saga Thing!

    Music Credits

    Intro Music - "Prelude and Action" by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4236-prelude-and-actionLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

    Review Music - "The Royal Vagabond Medley" by Jocker's Dance Orchestra

    Poetry Music - – “Fornheim” by Danheim

    Outro Music - "Stormfront" by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4421-stormfrontLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

  • As part of our 10th Anniversary extravaganza, we are launching what could become a new podcast: Hwæt a Movie! It's a movie review podcast focusing on films with a medieval (or medieval adjacent) setting.

    To get this little experiment off on the right foot, we are starting with a series on Beowulf movies. There are a lot of them and they aren't necessarily good representations of the poem. But that doesn't matter.

    Join us as we discuss, review, and rate 1999's Beowulf, starring Christopher Lambert, Rhona Mitra, and Mac from Night Court!

    Music Credits

    Intro Music - Beowulf

    Performed by Jonathan David Sloate (as Jonathan Sloate)Written by Jonathan David Sloate (as Jonathan Sloate)Published by Sorcerer's Apprentice Publishing Company

    Segment and Outro Music - Guilty (Juno Reactor Mix)

    Performed by Gravity KillsWritten by Gravity KillsPublished by TVT Music, Inc.Gravity Kills appears courtesy of TVT Recordsp1997 TVT Records