NorsePlay.

John Gardner's novel  Grendel  (1971 CE) is slated for a live-action screen adaptation from Jim Henson Company, and is currently in pre-production. For those of you who haven't read this NorsePlay novel, Gardner retells  Beowulf  from the monster's viewpoint. While spiteful & envious, Grendel as a character is given a more empathetically tragic narrative in his fateful defeat . The book's a successful exercise in internally departing from the story , but it's of course limited by Grendel's death, so you miss out on the latter two-thirds of the original epic poem's plot as a big drawback. The above concept art seems more of a lion-wolf hybrid, which'll be voiced by Jeff Bridges. I'd hope for a practical effects creature from Jim Henson's son Bryan, but have to imagine there might be some CGI augmentation when needed to surpass mechanical /performative limitations. Other notables are Dave Bautista as Beowulf, and Bryan Cranston as King Hrothga...

This week NorsePlay won a YouTube Trophy from the esteemed disseminator of Old Norse Philology, Dr Jackson Crawford! While I've left many quite longer, helpful , insightful, and far more erudite comments on his content over the years, I'm glad to get some love back from him. Jackson, my challenge to Crossbows & Catapults still stands , and I would like you to teach me your gunfighter's competitive quick draw techniques sometime you're in Arizona. Hails to you for bringing the Norse Lore to as broad an audience as you do -- NorsePlay loves you back for it. #     #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in  the Norse Lore when he picked up a copy of the d'Aulaires'  Norse Gods and Giants  at age seven. Since t hen he's been fascinated by the truthful potency of Norse Mythology, passionately read & studied, embraced Ásatrú, launched the  Map of Midgard  project, and spearheaded the neologism/brand NorsePlay...

This week's NorsePlay comes from the world of darts with a line of Viking-themed darts complete with shield holder made by Shot Darts! The barrels appear to be highly tactile & partly grooved for easier grip (though this is argued that such a feature in turn makes for a less-smooth release), come in anodized colors, and bomber, taper, or straight in a range of weights depending on which model you get, but all in 90% tungsten. [check out those cool Huginn & Muninn flights!] [whoa, that engraved tip!] While outside of the sewing term of a dart, there isn't an Old Norse reference to darts as we know it now, but the origins are probably the medieval English doing archery, or axes, or spears into the ends of logs with their organically ringed wooden target-like circles & distinct centers, which would way later become the more formal dartboard "clock" we know of once someone wanted to move the action indoors, but decided that battle weapons probably weren't...

  There's something definitely Odinic & Icelandic Saga outlaw-ish in Snake Plissken. I mean, sure, the eyepatch & top tier warrior bad arsery. There's also the ticking clock of Ragnarök against which Odin's taking action against and his wandering into the impossibly hostile territory of Jotunheim to bring out knowledge as a Bolverk-ian operative, much as Snake is compelled to go into dystopian America's prison/rebel zones to go rescue/retrieve critical assets that are important to keeping the nation operational. There's also the implication that Snake essentially sacrificed his eye during his tours of duty. While NorsePlay can find no direct throughline from the Norse Lore to director/co-writer Carpenter's anti-hero (and it was Kurt Russell who suggested the eyepatch), it appears as though some hint of metaphysical manifestation's possibly occurred here if you think about it. #     #    # Guillermo Maytorena IV knew there was something special in...