Trivia for
Valhalla (1986)

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• The first big-scale cartoon project in Denmark.
  
  
• In addition to working on foreign productions, much of the creative talent from the Valhalla production was later involved in Danish cartoon studios, establishing a stable and considerable cartoon industry including Scandinavia's largest cartoon studio A. Film.
  
  
• The basis of production of the movie was established by Jakob Stegelmann and animators Jeffrey James Varab and Jorgen Klubien when they started a Copenhagen animation school in 1981. Later, the studio Varab-Stegelmann Productions was formed, starting production of Valhalla and other projects along with a consortium of other production companies.
  
  

• The story of the movie was originally designed by the writers of the comic series. Later, when Jeff Varab joined as director, only Peter Madsen and Henning Kure remained as script writers. Allegedly, the storyline was originally supposed to be more humorous and less high-flown than it turned out.
  
  
• With a starting budget of 14,5 million Danish kroner, the project was already the most expensive Danish cartoon. By December 1984, the budget had soared to 22 million kroner, causing turmoil among the production companies.
  
  
• Jakob Stegelmann left his position as production manager, soon followed by Jeffrey James Varab who had concerns about his artistic freedom as director. Finally, the movie was finished by Michael Andreasen's new company Swan Film Production and new director Peter Madsen.
  
  
• The Danish newspaper reviews after the premiere were positive towards the creative animation skills of the movie, but critical of an unfocused storyline and lack of personality. They requested value-for-money for the millions spent. The audiences thought slightly differently, the movie selling more than 500,000 tickets in Denmark alone.
  
  
• The movie was animated to fit the English language, then lip synchronized into Danish and other languages.
  
  
• The popular scene with a tree hut being built was animated by Børge Ring and refined by Hans Perk.
  
  

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