Reykjavík Grapevine - 24.06.2005, Side 27

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by Bart Cameron
With Batman Begins,
Svínafellsjökull (Pig Mountain
Glacier) finally gets its time in
the spotlight. Fans of the glacier,
including much of the Grapevine
staff, are glad that this oft-
overlooked glacier finally gets its
props.
Not that Vatnajökull didn’t
deserve the attention it got. Fans
of the glacier may remember it for
its starring role in the James Bond
pic Die Another Day, in which
its lagoon, Jökulsárlón, competed
with Halle Berry in the category of
best thing in the world to look at.
Unfortunately, in that case, there was
some enhancing: the James Bond
crew actually dammed the sea water
to freeze Jökulsárlón over entirely.
Jökulsárlón also made an
appearance in Tomb Raider, next to
Angelina Jolie. Not to mention the
many Icelandic films that feature
it, and even the earlier James Bond
film A View to a Kill. Soon, you can
expect to see Vatnajökull in the most
expensive film ever produced by
Iceland, Beowulf.
Until then, give Svínafellsjökull
its props. In a movie that will revive
a dying franchise, the small glacier
provides the eye candy necessary
to allow viewers to get over mind-
numbing Star Wars-inspired
guidance lectures by Liam Neeson,
which are luckily easy to forget in an
otherwise fine film.
And to the credit of the crew
of Batman Begins, if you visit
Svínafellsjökull you will see no
damage or sign of a visit by the crew
whatsoever.
Batman Begins now playing
in theatres. For information on
Vatnajökull, visit their English-
language website: www.vatnajokull.
com. Svínafellsjökull doesn’t have a
website yet.
See also Batman Begins review on page
44, and Jökulsárlón visit on page 50.
Pure Icelandic Design
goldsmith
WATCHMAKER
HELGI GUDMUNDSSON
Laugavegi 82 - IS 101 Reykjavik
Tel (354) 552 2750 / 562 2760
Mobile (354) 862 4706
Email hallaboga@simnet.is
ANOTHER GLACIER
ON THE BIG SCREEN