Michael Herbig Remains Germany’s Top BO Director
"Wickie" Dominates German Box Office
Writer-director-comedian Michael "Bully" Herbig
German writer-director-actor Michael Herbig scored the 3rd best all-time opening for a German language film over the past weekend at nearly $12.5 (€ 8.53) million with Wickie und die starken Männer - Der Pfeil (Vicky the Viking). Based on a 1974 German animated TV series, the film follows the comedic adventures of a timid Viking boy. Previously Herbig wrote, directed and produced the Star Trek parody Raumschiff Surprise - Periode 1 (Starship Surprise - Episode 1), the all-time top-opening German language film, as well as the Western parody Der Schuh des Manitu (Manitou’s Shoe), the all-time top-grossing German film.
Herbig, nicknamed “Bully” after a jersey he wore during soccer practice, began his comedy career with the morning show Langemann und die Morgencrew (Longman and the Morning Crew) before moving to German television as writer-director-actor-host for the skit comedy shows Bullyparade and Bully & Rick where he tried out several different Saturday Night Live-style parodies. His first theatrical smash hits were based on characters and themes voted for by the show’s audience.
Wickie und die starken Männer - Der Pfeil (Vicky the Viking)
German - Constantin Film - 9 September 2009
Swashbuckler adventure comedy from writer-director Michael Herbig and producer Christian Becker; starring Jonas Hammerle, Waldemar Kobus and Olaf Kratke. Based the children’s book by Runer Jonsson and a 1974 German animated TV series.
Story Situation: rescue
Maturity Rating: 0+
Satisfaction Rating: above average
Plotline: Young Vicky lives with his parents Halvar and Ylva in the small village of Flake. As a budding 
Viking, he’s supposed to be rude, strong and courageous. But to the horror of his father, the Viking chief, this boy with auburn hair is none of those things. Actually, he’s quite timid. For a Viking, that’s unimaginable. His father decides to take Vicky along on Viking adventures to toughen him up. Then hostile pirate Sven The Terrible abducts all the village’s children; except Vicky. When Halvar and his men hoist sail for the rescue mission, Vicky sneaks aboard and subsequently saves the Viking crew from dicey situation after dicey situation with his quick wit and clever schemes. He even personally saves his heartthrob best friend Ilvy from the clutches of the loathsome pirate himself.
-
-
World's Favorite Films 2010
-
World Favorite Foreign Language Films 2010
Yip Man 2 (Chinese)
My Name Is Khan (Bollywood)
Nodame Cantabile 2 (Japanese)
Blood Brothers: Secret Reunion (Korean)
L'arnacoeur (French)
Doraemon: Mermaid Adventure (Japanese)
Little Big Soldier (Chinese)
La rafle (French)
Io, loro e Lara (Italian)
Liar Game (Japanese)
Our Rossiya (Russian)
Younger Brother (Japanese)
Housefull (Bollywood)
Harmony (Korean)
Go Lala Go (Chinese)
Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf 2 (Chinese)
Chico Xavier (Portuguese)
Kandahar (Russian)
