In the Shadow of the Raven

1988 film by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson

Í skugga hrafnsins

Directed by| Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
Written by| Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
Produced by| Christer Abrahamsen
Starring| Reine Brynolfsson
Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir
Egill Ólafsson
Sune Mangs
Kristbjörg Kjeld
Cinematography| Tony Forsberg
Edited by| Hrafn Gunnlaugsson
Music by| Harry Manfredini
Hans-Erik Philip

Release date

* 1988 (1988)

Running time

| 124 minutes
Country| Iceland
Languages| Icelandic, German
Budget| ISK 200,000,000

In the Shadow of the Raven (Icelandic: Í skugga hrafnsins (pronunciationⓘ)) is the title of a 1988 film by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson, set in Viking Age Iceland. The film was selected as the Icelandic entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 61st Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.[1]

In the Shadow of the Raven is the second film of the Raven Trilogy (also known as the Viking Trilogy) that consists of three 'Viking' films:

* 1) When the Raven Flies (1984) – (original Icelandic title: Hrafninn flýgur) – usually known as simply The Raven or Revenge of the Barbarians.
* 2) In The Shadow of the Raven (1988) – (original Icelandic title: Í skugga hrafnsins).
* 3) Embla (2007) – (original Icelandic title: Hvíti víkingurinn) – the director's cut of The White Viking.

## Plot

[edit]

The film is a loose re-telling of the legend of Tristan and Isolde. In the year 1077, Trausti returns to Iceland after having studied theology in Norway. Meanwhile, Grim, the foreman on Trausti's farm, discovers a stranded whale. However, the retainers of the cruel neighbouring chief Eirikur discovers the whale as well. As Grim brings Trausti's mother Edda, the chief of the area, they discover Eirikur attempting to steal the whale. A fight erupts between the different clans and Edda is killed in the struggle. Grim kills Eirikur in revenge, and a blood-feud between Trausti's clan and Eirikur's clan is imminent.

## Cast

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* Reine Brynolfsson as Trausti
* Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir as Isold
* Egill Ólafsson as Hjörleifur
* Sune Mangs ad Bishop Hördur
* Kristbjörg Kjeld as Sigrid, The Shrew
* Helgi Skúlason as Grim
* Klara Íris Vigfúsdóttir as Sol
* Helga Bachmann as Edda
* Johann Neumann as Leonardo, The Artist
* Sveinn M. Eiðsson as Ketill
* Flosi Ólafsson as Eirikur
* Sigurður Sigurjónsson as Egill

Noomi Rapace made her debut as uncredited extra at the wedding scene.[2]

## Critical response

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In 1991, the Washington Post published a positive review of the film, critic Jeanne Cooper noting Hrafn Gunnlaugsson reaches gripping heights. The reviewer noted that the character of the bishop came off as similar to Jabba the Hutt and that Trausti's survival ability came off a Rasputin-like, but noted that this did not detract from the film.[3] New York Times wrote in their own review the same year that "In the world of Hrafn Gunnlaugsson's medieval adventure film, The Shadow of the Raven, emotions are as jagged and windblown as the spectacular Icelandic coastline where the movie was shot". Critic Stephen Holden praised the performances of Tinna Gunnlaugsdóttir and Kristbjörg Kjeld, but panned Reine Brynolfsson as unconvincing. Holden described Sune Mang's performance as "glowering exuberance", but was critical to some of dialog delivery of the cast members, calling it "grunting".[4]

## Connections to The Raven Flies

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Though not a conventional sequel at first sight, the film does feature several nods to the original film. The farm Króss is shot at the very same location as Thord's farm in the original film. When Trausti opens up his father's tomb, it's the very same clifftomb featured in The Raven Flies and the father's old helmet and cape and idols of Odin and Thor are the same as in the original film. Also, Gest's throwing knives are also found in the tomb. This heavily suggest that Trausti is the descendant of Thord and Einar.

## See also

[edit]

* List of submissions to the 61st Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
* List of Icelandic submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
2. ^ "Noomi Rapace knows how to handle herself in 'Sherlock Holmes' – News – The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA – Quincy, MA". Patriotledger.com. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
3. ^ ""Shadow of the Raven" (NR)". The Washington Post.
4. ^ "Movie Reviews". The New York Times. December 30, 2021 - via NYTimes.com.

## External links

[edit]

* In the Shadow of the Raven at IMDb
* In the Shadow of the Raven at the Swedish Film Institute Database
* Í skugga hrafnsins Archived 2009-04-17 at the Wayback Machine at Kvìkmyndír

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Hrafn Gunnlaugsson

* Inter Nos (1982)
* When the Raven Flies (1984)
* In the Shadow of the Raven (1988)
* The White Viking (1991)
* The Sacred Mound (1993)

* v
* t
* e

Icelandic submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

* Land and Sons (1980)
* Outlaw: The Saga of Gisli (1981)
* Inter Nos (1982)
* The House (1983)
* When the Raven Flies (1984)
* Deep Winter (1985)
* The Beast (1986)
* In the Shadow of the Raven (1987)
* White Whales (film) (1988)
* Under the Glacier (1989)
* The Adventures of Paper Peter (1990)
* Children of Nature (1991)
* As in Heaven (1992)
* The Sacred Mound (1993)
* Movie Days (1994)
* Tears of Stone (1995)
* Devil's Island (1996)
* Blossi/810551 (1997)
* Count Me Out (1998)
* The Honour of the House (1999)
* Angels of the Universe (2000)
* The Seagull's Laughter (2001)
* The Sea (2002)
* Noi the Albino (2003)
* Cold Light (2004)
* Ahead of Time (2005)
* Children (2006)
* Jar City (2007)
* White Night Wedding (2008)
* Reykjavík-Rotterdam (2009)
* Mamma Gógó (2010)
* Volcano (2011)
* The Deep (2012)
* Of Horses and Men (2013)
* Life in a Fishbowl (2014)
* Rams (2015)
* Sparrows (2016)
* Under the Tree (2017)
* Woman at War (2018)
* A White, White Day (2019)
* Agnes Joy (2020)
* Lamb (2021)
* Beautiful Beings (2022)
* Godland (2023)
* Touch (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Tristan and Iseult

Characters|

* Anguish of Ireland
* Brangaine
* Iseult
* Kahedin
* Mark of Cornwall
* Meliodas
* Morholt
* Tristan

Medieval sources|

* Thomas of Britain's Tristran
* Béroul's Tristan
* Gottfried von Strassburg's Tristan
* Prose Tristan
* "Cligès"
* "Chevrefoil"
* Folie Tristan d'Oxford
* Sir Tristrem
* Ystorya Trystan

Later literature|

* Tristram and Iseult (1852)
* Tristram of Lyonesse (1882)
* Tristan (1903)
* The Famous Tragedy of the Queen of Cornwall (1923)
* Finnegans Wake (1939)
* Tristan and Iseult (1971)
* Arthur Rex (1978)
* The Old French Tristan Poems (1980)

Music|

* Tristan und Isolde (1865, Wagner)
* Discography
* Tristan chord
* "Liebestod"
* Souvenirs de Munich (ca. 1887)
* Turangalîla-Symphonie (1949, Messiaen)
* Tristan (1975, Henze)
* Qntal III: Tristan und Isolde (2003)
* "Tristan" (2005)

Film|

* The Eternal Return (1943)
* The Woman Next Door (1981)
* Lovespell (1981)
* Fire and Sword (1982)
* In the Shadow of the Raven (1988)
* Tristan & Isolde (2006)

Art|

* Tristan Quilt
* Tristram and Isoude stained glass panels
* Tristan and Isolde (Egusquiza)

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