MovieChat Forums > The 13th Warrior (1999) Discussion > Eaters of the Dead

Eaters of the Dead

posted 13 years ago by Trioxin_Zombie
7 replies | jump to latest

I read somewhere that the book the movie is based on is called this.

Raventhrone - Eaters of the Dead.

the midnight sun above the ruins
darkness drapes the land
a peaceful scene in the dark of night
the carnival of souls

far away lands of kings and queens
in peril they now are
a messenger sent to seek the brave
to free the land enslaved...
a violent creature in the mountain dwells
and preys on the child of man
the eaters of the dead they are
a dread from ancient times
fear the dark and the mist it brings
from the hillsides roars are heard
a battle rages to slay the beast
a fight to free the land

on nightfall of the 7th day
battle cries were heard
broken bodies the price they pay
for a battle fought and won

a broken beast lies conquered now
as a land is freed at last
a tyrant's rule now torn apart
as the grendel's body breaks

The lyrics to the song sound SO familiar to the movies content. Like the part where the mist brings from the hillside the doom that plagues the land. Anyone else think the lyrics to the song match The 13th Warrior's content?. I'd post a link to the song on Youtube but the site doesn't have the song. I've got it on MP3 though.

"Ich bin ein Sheepshagger!" - Jamesie Cotter

[–] Fluffis 13 years ago

Going by the "Grendel" reference, I'd say they've at least taken their inspiration from the same place as Michael Crichton ("Beowulf").

Quidquid Latinae dictum sit, altum viditur.

[–] angelosdaughter 12 years ago

This movie is based on the novel 'Eaters of the Dead' by Michael Crichton. Its original title was the same as the novel. If you look at the credits, Chrichton is listed as the novel writer, and another is listed as the screenwriter. I remember reading the novel.

"..sure you won't change your mind? Why, is there something wrong with the one I have?"

[–] Zanza8 12 years ago

The novel was very good. Ahmad ibn Fadlan was a real person who became famous in the 10th century for his account of traveling to the court of the Volga Bulgars. He also wrote what is perhaps the first eyewitness account of a Viking funeral. Crichton put Ahmad's work together with Beowulf and created a pretty interesting yarn.

http://thinkingoutloud-descartes.blogspot.com/

[–] MartyScorsey 12 years ago

His last pre-Jurassic Park novel to be adapted into a film. Really wish they kept the original title though...it sounded far more atmospheric and intense than The 13th Warrior, which makes it out to be a Braveheart wannabe.

=================

Space Shuttle Atlantis: the music video http://youtu.be/ZZ67FMfC1Gg

[–] Fluke_Skywalker 12 years ago

The novel is quite good, but there are a number of differences. I agree about the title. I suspect they studio felt it sounded too "horror".

Darth... you ARE the Father!

[–] YuunofYork 8 years ago

I've read that the funeral account is pretty much accepted as embellished to an extreme degree. It contains elaborate descriptions of murder and torture of the slaves of a relatively minor personage, and which are not corroborated anywhere else in the historical record, and likely served to play well at court where they could have a laugh at the Rus barbarians.

[–] Riding_With_The_Valkyries 11 years ago

It's actually a Nolanized adaptation of He-Man

Ghost dancers slay together and you’re just in my grave