Netflix’ Troll: The Folklore Behind the movie explained, feat. Norse Magic and Beliefs

[@hound3000]

I like 'Troll' and the previous film 'Trollhunter'. I can see why JRR Tolkien was interested in European folklore. There are so many stories in different regions.

[@brotherknight9484]

Tolkien was mostly interested in Germanic Myth. Though I suppose you do find commonalities across Europe considering every culture and religion was related. Tolkien's objective however, was to create a sort of mythology for the English people. Arthurian Legend was certainly British Mythology but it wasn't English.

[@hound3000]

@@brotherknight9484 I know "King Arthur" is probably a French-influenced British myth. If I'm not mistaken, the story of Turin Turambar was inspired by a Norwegian or Finnish folklore story (I think it was on the latter). Anyway, the idea of trolls and them turning to stone after being exposed to direct sunlight was taken from Norwegian folklore, isn't it?

[@trukeesey8715]

@@hound3000 The vulgate cycle and other Arthurian sources originated from documents acquired by crusaders in Palmyra, dating back to first century events, camouflaged as other centuries in order to avoid death for "heresy".

[@Trygvar13]

Trollhunter was actually scary. I loved that movie. I have not seen the new movie but the troll looks like the Jotnar from the other movie.

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

Rare Exports is very much in the same vain and an excellent X-mas movie. Just a tip.

[@snittykitty1]

Fascinating to learn about Norse mythology, thanks for it!

[@tatersquad2000]

I really wanted the movie to go deeper in mythology and history, the best parts were the cavern and the bit of lore we got.

[@haleztrom2597]

I agree. It skimmed the surface, but deeper Norse mythology would have elevated the whole thing.

[@shukarion6677]

As a fellow norwegian I really loved the movie (and this video), and seeing so many familiar places. My wife's family had a cottage in Heidal, we have of course visited Hunderfossen when our son was younger, and I have worked several years at Akershus Castle.

[@headspaceastronaut]

It is a beautiful country, it is my dream to live and work in it someday, though I'm a graphic designer and I heard the main industry over there is maritime, but the vistas are incredible, specially cities like Bergen.

[@kevinizatt4358]

Liked both of Norways troll movies, the new one is a fun monster action movie and the earlier is a great "what if". Glad to see Norway using its folklore like this and hope more cultures do this.

[@gearsoverdusk7303]

Yeah, you really got the sense in 'Trollhunter' that the government was doing an almost SCP like thing where they were doing everything they could to contain the various kinds of trolls for both the trolls' and humanity's own good. To keep them both apart so that humanity wouldn't just destroy them like we normally seem too eager to do.

[@SuperOmnicronsj44]

Yeah, since Marvel has sort of c*cked up Thor, good on them to portray their culture a bit more. Wonder if Africa does it as well after Wakanda Forever. Although it is myth, I think Christianity was used to dispel tribal myth/sorcery into o divinity and man being the centre and his extension into the divine vs. bearing witness to occult symbolism which was feared in that time. but Troll Hunter was AWESOME!!!

[@creativeconsciousness7392]

The materialisation of earth spirits as our own culture has increasingly materialised is an interesting one. A similar thing happened with demons and Djinn, both of which were terms for nature spirits or elementals until the monotheists got ahold of them and worked them into their own pantheons. The efforts of modern authors and creators to return them to their roots (think of all the giants and trolls in Tolkien, and the daemons in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials) seems like a noble effort to me. Thanks for the insight guys

[@SuperOmnicronsj44]

I notice that the interest is gaining as many are combating trans humanism which his the new religion of progressivism. I think it is intrinsic to many cultures to explore their past as the "futurist cult" i.e. vaccines, gender affirmation , etc bears down on them in a particularly forceful way. So interesting, because BELIEF is key and now we are curiously challenging politics as belief.

[@Edgar-Friendly]

This looks like a potential franchise where a prequel makes sense. Living in Japan, I could easily see the Godzilla parallels, but troll myths pre-date Toho movies by a wide margin, and the movie was fun anyway. I'd be for sequels/prequels.

[@segapig]

The older definition of Troll is very similar to the Japanese Yokai. Both cover a wide variety of supernatural beings including human ones.

[@UPTAUT]

Just watched this movie. Absolutely loved it. Felt like watching a movie made ten years ago. Nothing like the trash of today

[@RootRoad]

These editorial videos are awesome! Keep them coming ❤

[@lexiedovahkiin]

Informative video! Other than the ending I really enjoyed Troll. The comment about Greta got a giggle. I liked that the film didn't take itself so seriously while being high octane entertainment. I noticed the nods to Japanese titans, nicely incorporated into the narrative. Trollhunter was equally a great film.

[@brintonsdad]

I notice the similarities of Troll mythology brought to light here with many theories of the Civilization that Hancock and others suppose were wiped out in the Younger Dryas impact. The ancient remnants were often described all over the ancient world as red haired giants (Denisovan some claim). Many mounds in America of the Hopewell age also had recorded giant remains along with normal sized humans. Curious connection...

[@SchmokinJoe]

First heard Andre talk about _Norse Magic & Beliefs_ in a video a few years ago and I'm beyond grateful, I've learned so much from that channel. Really, a rare treasure.

[@michaelgonzalez6295]

Excellent Andre👏! know about trolls, but only the Americanized versions in games and fiction and the English with their Warhammer 40K games. Even comic books have interpretations. But not their origins, This was excellent!

[@GladeRiven]

This is fascinating, especially with my family history (Mom's side moved from Norway to England to Canada to Wisconsin and married Germans all along the way), so it's nice to know some of the cultural roots. I also wonder if trolls are somewhat of a cultural ancestral memory of Neanderthals, especially as science marches on to show that we were closer to them than we thought.

[@rylandvex3280]

Appreciate the deep-dive into the lore, as always very entertaining and informative 👍🏻

[@stevenwilgus8982]

I was REALLY surprised how much I loved this movie! I am so much looking forward to the (possible) sequel!!!

[@Warraci]

Excellent video. Your guest's youtube channel is very interesting, too.

[@jonfreeman9682]

I thought this was a pretty monster movie. The ending was perfect too. Overall a must watch for monster movie fans.

[@phaeded0ut]

Yes, this was new folk information for me, too. I thought that the smaller critters weren’t trolls, but were some form of spirit or faerie-equivalent. Thanks, again!

[@warslayr7341]

I Ioved and really appreciated this movie. We need more of these.

[@p.bckman2997]

Very nice to see a Norwegian specialist take on this. As a fun fact, the actor playing the Palaeontologist in the film actually visited the labs of the Natural History Museum in Oslo and interviewed one of palaeontologist working there to get a feel for the field.

[@theblackflame4002]

This was a fun throw back to the creature feature type movie. I liked it, and hoping for a sequel where we can go deeper into the mythology

[@Cre8Lounge]

That was Troll Hunter

[@OlafvanEss]

Andre love the vid so far, quite educational besides the movie. (who i yet have to see) love to learn more about scandanavian culture like this

[@rhedosaurus2251]

As a fan of giant monsters and mythology, watching this makes me wish that we eventually get Fenrir, the wolf titan or Jormungandr, the giant water dragon, in a giant monster movie. Heck, there was a rumor about big J appearing in the Godzillaverse, but that one died within a year.

[@jonfreeman9682]

We definitely should. We want new monster movies instead of the usual Kong and Godzilla.

[@rhedosaurus2251]

@@jonfreeman9682 I'm by no means against new Godzilla and Kong movies. But yes. We do need some new ones. Even new twists on old favs would be welcome. Case in point: I'd love to see a movie based on the legend of the Lambton Worm. (Which was actually a huge limbless dragon.)

[@jonfreeman9682]

@@rhedosaurus2251 That would be a great monster movie. The problem with these films is they don't do well in the box office without brand recognition like Kong and Godzilla. As a fan I'd love to see them but cinemas these days are all dominated by Marvel and DC. LoL

[@rhedosaurus2251]

@@jonfreeman9682 I think the Lambton Worm could work considering how the legend is fairly well known. That and with the MCU basically dead, we can see non superhero movies make a comeback.

[@jonfreeman9682]

@@rhedosaurus2251 It could work. Not likely it'll get a huge budget and but it can be done on a smaller budget like trolls. Netflix can afford it. I'm down for more monster movies.

[@jonathanmulondo9206]

They should do a spinoffs based on other Norse mythology creatures

[@MSinistrari]

There's a vast wealth of mythological beings in so many cultures that would make incredible movies.

[@jasonsantos3037]

I like to see other mythical creatures get their own movies I will love to see a monster movie about the Hydra from Greek mythology.

[@trukeesey8715]

For tale of Christianization (not trolls) read The Franks by Franz Los available in English or Dutch.

[@Pippis78]

In Finland we have this Easter tradition where witches go from house to house to do spells of good fortune and health for the household. These witches are called "trulli". A more common word for witch is "noita". Finns - as well as Scandinavians/"vikings" I believe - used to attach different magical and spiritual properties into different trees. Willow brings health. The trulli also give decorated willow branches to the people of the house. I would imagine the original idea was that the spell was bound into the branch. It's quite similar to Halloween really. Because atleast in modern times it's children who dress up as trulli and they get chocolate and candy and earlier money as pay for the blessing. People still do it but really don't think about it as casting spells but just cute "poems" kids recite.

[@yurriaanvanduyn]

I watched Troll quite some years ago, but will watch it again now. Great vid!

[@policesquad]

This film? It just came out last week.

[@Aksel_16]

I loved the opening scene of the movie and loved the mythology aspect in it but I couldn't understand how an archeologist was picked by the prime minister just like that, and I wished the movie would be more serious and dial down the comedy. I also loved the CGI of the TROLL and loved the cinematic shots, it was fantastic. I liked the TROLL backstory and Gard B. Eidsvold character and the interaction between them (I shed some tears on a certain scene). When the movie went full kaiju, I liked the military! usually the military in kaiju movies are very basic they just keep shooting in the movie you can feel them hopeless they don't know what to do as they realized weapons can't kill the TROLL. I wish to see another TROLL movie to continu this beautiful mythology.

[@trukeesey8715]

The Orvar Odd tale resembles somewhat the skinwalkers. My brother and I saw a skinwalker in the Badlands 1959.

[@IannisMaragakis]

Beautiful thesis. I’ll watch the film tonight. Thank you guys.

[@basteagui]

i've never been more proud of being a troll

[@tolnaijani]

I bet it makes André proud being able to review a norvegian movie :)

[@BigApeBooks]

I was very much into Norse mythology back in high school and college. I even took an elective course on Norse mythology, but this is news to me. I really find it interesting that the word troll originally referred to a class rather than a race, if I may borrow a couple of terms from D&D. Thanks for making this video, Andre!

[@sunraider0_0]

Fascinating explanation of trolls and interesting review. I'll have to watch this and Troll Hunter now. Thanks for uploading!

[@MakerInMotion]

I learned from this movie that in Norway, sunrise takes 5 seconds.

[@matthewdavies2057]

The way nobody wanted to say the word troll in the movie cracked me up. They did the same gag in The Walking Dead where nobody said zombie.

[@sphyrnazygaena2690]

Great to have Andre´s take on this one!! I´m looking forward to see it soon, as I love Troll Hunter movie!! Also great to have such interesting guest for explaining us Norwegian Folklore! Hail ME, Hail Andre & Tom!

[@rudiruttger]

I like the eating competition, that's a fun story.

[@wyzasukitan]

Really love this type of new content on the channel Andre!

[@liljenborg2517]

I'd always wondered, when reading Norse Mythology if the Jontun were some preserved memory of the Neanderthals. The seem at once to be both monsters and yet human enough for humans to intermarry.

[@Moray2023]

That piece of music is the Alton Towers song.

[@trukeesey8715]

Alton is one, of my favorite composers.

[@LaMirah]

Amazing video.

[@thegametroll6264]

I absolutely love everything to know about trolls. This video hit the spot.

[@LordShad0w.162]

I absolutely loved Troll Hunter. I got all of my friends to watch as well and the majority enjoyed it very much. I love things that deal in classic folklore whether it be music, book or film.

[@gormlind8002]

I live in Trollhättan, a swedish city. It means Troll-hat and should be in a sequel :D

[@TheLastRoman0000]

Ah, I thought that was the older Troll Hunter when I glanced the new film on my sister's Netscape account.

[@jamesmcv]

Troll and Troll Hunter before it are two very underrated movies. Troll is the first Netflix movie I've actually enjoyed that I can remember. Outside of the excellent story and effects, I loved the picturesque cinematography. Would love to see the Norway in person before I shuffle off this mortal coil. Really enjoyed this video on the lore behind it.

[@Cl0ckcl0ck]

Loved his video on the Dutch 'Vikings'. :) Tusen takk.

[@denkerbosu3551]

Watched it yesterday. Movie's getting a global following.

[@angryaussie3233]

Watched the movie last night and very much enjoyed it. Good to learn some of the actual mythology behind it.

[@hyperguyver2]

ABOUT DAMN TIME YOU GOT HIM ON HERE!

[@cmbaz1140]

wow nice video as always... i am a bit of a troll myself... the internet kind not the rock/earth type...🤣

[@aliciabell6688]

Thank you I loved this.

[@trapsberry]

Great video Andre and team!!!

[@trukeesey8715]

Always avoid contact with potheads. Both those in vivo and those onscreen.

[@Trollificusv2]

"Troll Hunter" is absolutely wonderful! Watched it at random and was amazed. It's about the existence of trolls in the modern era, sure. But about halfway through it morphs into the poignant tale of a lonely man with maybe the world's worst job. Not sure it's got a classic structure: character intro, rising tension, conflict, climax and denouement, but it is uniquely enjoyable to watch, and the locations are stunning. Top recommend!

[@jimluebke3869]

One thing about growing up in a Lutheran church, it makes Norwegians all look like Sunday school teachers.

[@trukeesey8715]

Wow your expert certainly did a convincing American accent!

[@wizardbeard69]

nice, i really liked 'Trollhunter' i'll go check out 'Troll' now...thanks for the heads up, i kind of just tuned out of netflix, disney and amazon shows a few years back so i appreciate the tip from peeps i trust with entertainment recommends.

[@PunditKING]

The stop stepping on the main character by the Troll because it hears a noise is very enjoyable. Also the long dialogue repeating the same thing is just trilling. Oh oh and the video feed you see from looking at ppl looking at it, their faces just a masterpiece. Don't forget hey a tank doesn't work maybe a gun will, this is just well written. But really putting a skull of its baby family member (I guess), like bait on a truck, cause after 100s of years doing nothing it's memory is great, now that's original how they did it, I don't know, I was in and out of it because it was sooooo entertaining. I laughed at how I didn't laugh so that counts right..... Then a documentary in this video on Trolls that wasn't in the movie at all, maybe if that was a back in time movie. Well I'm not the only one who can't be objective hahahah

[@Joemantler]

I'll have to look up Bardar Saga! What a happy ending, to be martyred for your faith just after your Baptism!

[@mhaze210]

It doesn't take cues from other movies, it steals them. Also there is a scene from the 2018 movie Rampage that is basically the exact same scene. I mean exactly the same, all that's missing is the lady in the red dress.

[@chriskunz1494]

It’s a good movie. Norwegian flicks are pretty interesting and well made. I never would’ve known about them if it wasn’t for Netflix.

[@wyzasukitan]

10:02 I believe her 😂 either way, Bragi was being trolled here

[@52moviesayear]

Cool video.

[@chillwalker]

One of the best movies I saw this year!!! Und funny af!!!

[@PrincessFionaYT]

This morning, Vanguard securities announced that it was going to be abandoning the net zero and E.S.G. banking groups due to intense public scrutiny. I’m surprised there has been nothing about this on the KZbin entertainment channels

[@chefmcd7788]

I just watched Troll on Friday night with my cousin and his wife. I really liked it. I think I preferred Troll Hunter. Maybe it's because I saw it first.

[@JD.Martin]

It was a very enjoyable movie in spite of the ESG DIE mandates. I just realized though, I've seen Dovre before. I have an old pair of Nordic hickory skis decorating my walls, and the bindings are Dovre. Very cool.

[@Halbared]

Great video. I'll take a peek at that bloke. Some of it was new to me, some of it not. Being a lifelong fan/reader of Northern European mythology/religions as well as a lifelong reader of terry Pratchett and Tolkien. I've no read the prose Edda, but I have read stuff on/about it. Some of this stuff I recognised, some was really new. Personally I also think remaining non-modern human Homos' may be he original origin but who knows.

[@trukeesey8715]

Since trolls are metaphysical, a psychic or spiritualist may be more authoritative about the reality of trolls. Also, they are bad news, you don't want to experience contact with a troll, even if it is positive now it would work out negatively in the long hauling, so to type.

[@Darkurge666]

It's interesting that in Swedish "trolla" is a verb, referring to doing magic. A magician is a "trollkarl" (magic man). A "troll" is a magical being, the size of the large rocks you find in the our woods (left from the ice age), and sometimes trolls in the folk lore are the size of giants. Trolls are large, slow, dangerous and not very smart. Although the verb and the name of the being are almost the same they have very different connotations in the Swedish language today and a modern troll is usually a much cuter and smaller creature, similar to the trolls in Disney's movie Brave. Not slow or stupid or dangerous.

[@lordtrinen2249]

I finished the movie earlier today. Got some issues with it, especially the ending, but info here helped clear some things up for me and I think it's a decent movie overall.

[@yokaiou5848]

So Troll is like Yokai, more a combination of undead, spirits, and nonhuman entities.

[@pdzombie1906]

Very interesting!!! The folklore is the best part of the story in the movie, and christianity is truly the villain of history...

[@trukeesey8715]

My Norwegian ancestry is from England: Haskell. Well, also 1/4 Norman, which is half Breton (they took no wives with them to Normandy), making 1/8 Norwegian plus the Haskell.

[@Czernobog999]

Hi! Any thoughts about Ægishjálmr?

[@TheLordUrban]

Everything I know about trolls I learned from David the Gnome.

[@TheRavenShadowsWolf]

In the explanation it sounds like in "don't wake the trolls" Christianity seems to have taken the trolls in Scandinavia to be like the Celts take the Fey. Like an umbrella word for anything supernatural. It also sounds like they didn't want people to do anything either akin to druidic/shamanic. I take the video as an exemplefication of how opposed were paganism vs. christianity. Frankly even today, there are still plenty to hold more paganist beliefs. Thank you both. I appreciate the ability to learn about the culture. (I'm half Irish, so I likened it to something I could interpret but I imagine other cultures would be able to say the same)

[@manarayofhope2374]

This is a remake of the movie troll hunter I loved that movie !

[@vladtheinhailer1428]

I always thought a Norse Giant was called a Jotun rather than a Troll. It's interesting to hear how the idea of 'Troll' has changed over the centuries.

[@JackDecker63]

Wow! You actually used your end-capper to give links to his videos and channel homepage. That was very nice of you. I have never seen another KZbinr ever do that for another KZbinr.

[@MidnightsEdge]

We always do for guests who appear in videos.

[@JackDecker63]

@@MidnightsEdge That's great!

[@rainking1470]

I saw the movie yesterday, it was really good

[@Umbra_TuSlayer]

I remember an old cartoon that had you hiding from the trolls at night and the only way to defeat them was to have lured them into the open as the sun rises. I have no idea what it was called...

[@anzebeton1869]

Did it also involve gnomes with red pointy hats ??

[@Umbra_TuSlayer]

@@anzebeton1869 Maybe..? I cant recall much of it any more.

[@anzebeton1869]

@@Umbra_TuSlayer David the Gnome was an old cartoon that featured trolls and they looked exactly like the illustrations

[@jerryschramm4399]

Have you seen "Trollhunter"? If you haven't, it's a smaller movie with a great story, and a hero that truly seems conflicted about what he's doing. Definitely worth seeing.

[@mariokarter13]

There's something poetic about the only good movie from Netflix recently being literally titled "Troll."

[@trukeesey8715]

funny observation

[@Slitheringpeanut]

This is was interesting! So what's the main difference between Giants and Trolls?

[@EclipseWarlord]

Wait, you mean trolls aren't shin high with long, ludicrous hair in uncanny colors, that use song magic to bring happiness to all by singing modern pop songs?

[@lynnm6413]

that was very interesting, I would have expected you to speak on one obvious flaw in the story... how does the Trollking understand Norwegian when he spent a thousand years under the mountain? Should they not have consulted a linguist to try to talk with him in old Norse?

[@AbberjamUK]

Awesome video. Great movie too! From what I gathered listening to the history of trolls it seems (in my estimation) that perhaps the 'truth' of it would be that when the Christians came along they perceived that some Scandinavians were performing magical feats by use of spirits and/or demons. The word 'troll' being an umbrella term for spirits, people who conjure spirits & magic performed using spirits. As both magic and divination are forbidden in the bible the Christians forbid it by law. The term 'waking a troll' would refer to divining or raising spirits/demons. Over time these spirits would be represented by the monsters we now know, perhaps by Christians as propoganda to scare people from meddling with them or perhaps by Scandinavians as a way of romanticising and remembering the old ways.

[@TheoryMaK15-255]

I love The Movie!! A true Norse Mythology Kaiju Movie. Tusentuk Andra and T'hor . Visne Nansa Gan!!

[@trukeesey8715]

Not so much a matter of "smelling blood" as being instinctively averse to becoming affected by The Light, for it would mean the end of the ego. All negative spirits have been in a consciousness that is a repercussion of the initial rebellion against The Light.

[@thomasn3882]

I'm glad that this video bombed in terms of number of views. Maybe now Andre will knock it off with his ethnocentrism.

[@dangerouslydazzling]

I loved the movie, thanks

[@chaosmatic404]

Scandinavia trading in their religion and stories for the christian ones is the equivalent of trading your dads new porsche for a rusty bike.

[@theblackneon5396]

Norwegian Overload hell yeah! (Cudos for shameless norwegian tourism ad)

[@GenX_Catholic]

Loved Trollhunter. Troll however, I bailed when the Troll reveal happened with the helicopter scene. The acting and humor were getting on me nerves, especially the female lead. Had to pass.

[@Clint52279]

Me too. I noped out when she was in one of the Troll's giant foot print with a UV black light looking for "signs of life" or something along those lines. She shines this little hand held light in the middle of the footprint, says, "Nope, no life..." There were other "I like science," moments but that was just too much. Granted its a movie about a giant troll, but my suspension of disbelief could tolerate the Troll or "the science," not both.

[@trukeesey8715]

Avoid contact with poltroons.

[@henrygambles3652]

Personally I always found Norse Mythology to be the most fascinating!(Though Shinto and Yoruba mythology are interesting)

[@ThatsMrPencilneck2U]

I thought a troll one of those people that respond to your post by contradicting you, telling you that you're stupid, without adding anything to the conversation.