Minute Sixteen: From Horse Riding to Heimdall’s Wish

It’s a special week indeed with not one but two guests joining us as we get to meet Heimdall – Krissy Lenz and Nathan Blackwell from the Most Excellent 80s Movies Podcast.

In the sixteenth minute of Kenneth Branagh’s 2011 film Thor...

• We talk about the physics of Asgard. It’s pretty clear it’s flat, so do they have #round truthers? Does it flip around like a pancake in space to allow for day and night? It’s interesting that the atmosphere is so thin but allow for a lovely bright day in town and a starry, nebulae-filled night when you ride out on the rainbow bridge.
• Why does the group stop so far from their destination?

Perhaps it’s because of the imposing figure standing at the end of the rainbow bridge. It’s Heimdall!

• We get to meet the stoic character who guards the rainbow bridge. We also talk about Idris Elba, one of our faves, who plays him, even though it sounds like he didn’t enjoy his experience. He doesn’t get to do much, after all. Plus he had to wear those contacts and that insanely large costume.
• Heimdall comes from the Norse myths and a lot of his descriptions fit what they did with him. Even the references to him in the deleted scenes last week made by the Warriors Three fit the myths. But we’re really glad they went with Elba instead of someone white considering the mythical character is said to have the whitest skin of them all.
• Loki tries to show his smooth-talking charm to get them past Heimdall. Turns out, Heimdall already knows where they’re going. Is this perhaps a moment where Loki is delaying a bit in the hopes that Odin stops them from traveling to Jotunheim?
• Thor interrupts Loki and demands that Heimdall let them pass. But why is he seemingly so angry? Is it just that Heimdall is delaying his confrontation with the frost giants?
• Heimdall seems to refuse Thor’s request, but it turns out he was just adding a dramatic pause. We don’t think Heimdall was playing with Thor. Heimdall doesn’t seem like the sort who plays those games. He likely was actually making a dramatic pause because he’s so pissed at the frost giants.
• But he does say the frost giants have never made it past him before so perhaps this is their chance to get his help?

Idris Elba brings a lot of stoic weight to the minute as we finally meet Heimdall. So much to talk about. Tune in!

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Film Sundries

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• Script Transcript
• Trailer #1
• Trailer #2
• Poster artwork
• Source Material
• Krissy’s Theatre: The Neighborhood Comedy Theatre, on Facebook and on Instagram
• Nathan’s Company: Squishy Studios, on Facebook, on Twitter, and Instagram