Pathfinder (1987)

Around the year 1000 AD warlike people, the so-called "tjudes," roam in northern Scandinavia. As they brutally kill a family in a remote area, including the parents and their little ... See full summary »

Director:

Nils Gaup

Writer:

Nils Gaup

Stars:

Mikkel Gaup, Ingvald Guttorm, Nils Utsi

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mikkel Gaup	...	Aigin
Ingvald Guttorm	...	Aigin's Father
Nils Utsi	...	Raste
Henrik H. Buljo	...	Dorakas
Nils-Aslak Valkeapää	...	Siida-Isit
Helgi Skúlason	...	Tsjuderen med arret
Inger Utsi	...	Aigin's Sister
Svein Scharffenberg	...	Tsjuderen, høvding
Knut Walle	...	Tchude Interpreter
John Sigurd Kristensen	...	Tchude Strongman
Sara Marit Gaup	...	Sahve
Anna Maria Blind	...	Varia (as Anne-Marja Blind)
Ellen Anne Buljo	...	Aigin's Mother
Svein Birger Olsen	...	Diemis
Sverre Porsanger	...	Sierge

Storyline

Around the year 1000 AD warlike people, the so-called "tjudes," roam in northern Scandinavia. As they brutally kill a family in a remote area, including the parents and their little daughter, the families teenage son, Aigin, observes the slaughter. He manages to flee from these killers and reaches a camp with other Lapps whose inhabitants are worried if he has been able to hide his track. Afraid of the murderous people, they decide to flee to the coast. The boy stays alone to avenge his families murder. Unfortunately, they get him before he can do anything and force him to lead them to the other Lapps. He guides them but has a plan to destroy the barbarous people before reaching the camp.

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Plot Keywords:

year 1000 | 1000s | early middle ages | high middle ages | middle ages | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama

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Details

Country:

Norway

Language:

Saami

Release Date:

7 April 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pathfinder

Filming Locations:

Kautokeino, Finnmark, Norway

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmkameratene A/S,Mayco,Norsk Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The villains in the film, the "tjuder", are not supposed to be vikings, as some sources claim. Tjud or chud is a term historically applied to several Finnic peoples, in the early Russian annals. They often appear in Sami stories (like the one on which this film is based) as traditional, generic villains. Vikings where a trade among the Norse (Scandinavian) Germanic tribes. Note that the clothing and weaponry of the "tjuder" in the film are very different to the ones used by vikings. The script actually stated the "tjuder" to be eastern. But the filmmakers felt it would be offensive to Russian viewers so they made up a language for them to speak, making their origin rather vague.

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Quotes

Raste: Were you sleeping?
Aigin: Wish I could.
Raste: Why can't you? Scared of the dark?
[Aigin nods positively]
Raste: At daybreak, head for the cost. There are other villages there.
Aigin: Not for me. I have no village.
Raste: Your mind is clouded with thoughts of revenge. You must remember we are all but parts of the whole. We are children in a greater family. The Tchudes have forgotten this. Don't you forget it.
Aigin: My family is dead. I'm all alone.
Raste: You may feel that way, but you are bound up in the greater family. You are not free, ...
[...]

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Connections

Remade as Pathfinder (2007)

User Reviews

Nice film about a savage and ruthless band of invaders carrying out a massacre against Natives and a boy seeks vendetta

Violent motion picture about a brutal army of warriors invading Scandinavia . This is the first and classic version well directed by Nils Gaup in 1988, winning several prizes. Circa the year 1000 AD warlike people, the so-called "tjudes," roam in a strange land , in northern Scandinavia . There a boy , Aigin : Mikkel Gaup , living with his native family , is hunting . But merciless, ambitious and cruel barbarians suddenly appear and they are cruelly murdered . The starring observes the massacre from a distance and he manages to flee these murderers and reaches a village with other Natives whose inhabitants are worried if he has been able to hide his leads. Afraid of the violent savage warriors , they decide to flee to the coast . Meanwhile , the protagonist falls in love with a charming Native. The young stays alone to revenge his families killers but he gets captured by the invading people . Unfortunately , they get him before he can do anything and force him to lead them to the other natives , threatening to kill a friend , when Aigin sees this he dashes forward, and says he will guide them . He guides them and agrees to lead to the hiding place of his fellow villagers but he has a scheme to destroy the cutthroats barbarians before reach the camp.

It's the first version based on ancient folk-tale from Lapland, this classy adaptation is an exciting picture plenty of action, thrills, chills, roller-coaster ride, violence and breathtaking fights . The plot is plain and simple , some violent stranger warriors capture a young man and they want him to guide them to the coast, and start torturing him , then , things go wrong . As the intelligent starring , Mikkel Gaup , will fight for his freedom and his people as well as he'll take off a nasty villain , performed by Helgi Skúlason who doesn't say a word the entire film . The brutal invaders dresssed in black pelts deliver the goods, their appearance is spectacular and creepy . Furthermore , the astonishing killings are gruesome executed and grisly graphic. The atmospheric photography by Erling Andersen with a sort of never-ending dawn is truly awesome. It's a kind of light mingled in a moody and foggy atmosphere. Stirring and evocative musical score by three Scandinavian composers . Stunning and gripping realization by Nils Gaup . He was born in 1955 in Kautokeino, Norway. Gaup is a director and actor, who has made a few but acceptable films , being especially known for Pathfinder (1987), , Misery harbour (1989) , Above Water (1993) , North star (1996) , Journey to the Christmas Star (2012) and The last King (2017) . Gaup turned down offers to direct No without my daughter (1991) with Sally Field, RoboCop (1987) and many others. He began to direct Waterworld (1995), but he thought the budget was blown up and the project too difficult to handle.

It had a remake titled ¨Pathfinder¨ in 2007 by Marcus Nispel. It stars Karl Urban, Clancy Brown, and special mention to Russell Means , he was born Lakota Sioux, a good actor Native American, he along with Graham Greene, Rodney A Grant, Tantoo cardinal, Eric Schweitz and Wes Studi appear in all movies about Indian themes and it deals with a viking child raised by Native Americans, to take on the invaders Vikings .