The Runestone

1991 American film

October 1991 (1991-10) (Chicago International Film Festival)

Running time

100 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglish

The Runestone is a 1991 American adventure horror film written and directed by Willard Carroll in his feature directorial debut. The film is an updating of the Ragnarok legend, with Fenrir being found in a runestone in Pennsylvania unearthed by archaeologists. The film is based upon the novel by Mark E. Rogers, which was published in a small press limited edition pamphlet.

Plot

Deep in a coal mine in Pennsylvania, a strange stone is found with Norse runes. The stone is transported to New York City, where archaeologists investigate the mystery. Death and destruction follow, as one of the archeologists becomes possessed, and begins killing everyone around him. Sam Stewart and wife Marla (Joan Severance) find it has some connection to their friend Martin. A young boy named Jacob (Chris Young) is haunted by terrifying nightmares of what is to come, and his uncle (William Hickey) explains these dreams through stories from Norse legend, which says that the only one who can destroy Fenrir is Týr, the Norse god of single combat, victory and heroic glory, who is prophesied to return to fight the creature. In the nick of time, the mystical Clockmaker (Alexander Godunov), who actually is Týr, begins fighting Fenrir. The film cast includes Peter Riegert as a Pez popping, cussing policeman, and features a cameo by Rick Marzan as a police officer named Strange.

Cast

Peter Riegert as Capt. Gregory Fanducci
Joan Severance as Marla Stewart
William Hickey as Lars Hagstrom
Tim Ryan as Sam Stewart
Mitchell Laurance as Martin Almquist
Lawrence Tierney as Chief Richardson
Dawan Scott as Fenrir
Chris Young as Jacob
Alexander Godunov as Sigvaldson, The Clockmaker
Donald Hotton as Ask Franag
Arthur Malet as Stoddard
Rick Marzan as Strange

Release

The film was released on VHS and laserdisc in the United States by Live Home Video in 1991.^[1] In Germany the film was released as Anthony III, without having any connection to The Kindred, which has been released as Anthony. In the late 2010s it was released on DVD.

Soundtrack

In March 2010, Perseverance Records released the soundtrack album with music by David Newman. The score was reminiscent of the 1950s B-movie scores composed by Henry Mancini such as Creature from the Black Lagoon and Tarantula.