Suur Toll

Suur Toll (Translated as Toell the Great) is a 1980 Soviet Estonian film, based on the Estonian myth of Toell the Great, a giant king of Saaremaa. Toell the Great lives a peaceful life, plowing fields until Vanatühi fills his fields with stones. While resting at his home with his wife, some battered soldiers of the island come to him, telling him of the Danish invaders. Toell then heads off to an island to retrieve cabbages, along the way saving a shipwrecked crew. After he and the soldiers drink his soup, he then heads off to the battle. The battle is going terribly, the mighty Danish hordes striking down every soldier. Toell arrives, bringing soldiers on two giant wheels. However, the fresh soldiers are also struck down, driving Toell into a rage, wiping out the Danish army by swinging his massive wheels.

Vanatühi, meanwhile, destroys Toell's house, in the process killing his wife. Toell, returning home after the battle, discovers his wife;s corpse, and proceeds to hunt down Vanatühi wielding a tree as a club. Toell, unable to find Vanatühi, rests for a bit on a peninsula. Vanatühi then tries to break off the peninsula and shove it off to sea, only to clubbed by the awakened Toell. Toell then pursues him, driving him into the sea, where he drowns. He then buries his wife, grieving, and only roused by the news that Saaremaa is once more being invaded. This time wielding a whole cart, he goes once more into battle. Many Saaremaans die in the battle, and the hordes are so many that the cart begins to fall apart, its pieces flying everywhere. The hordes also have their own large leader, who wields a giant sword. While searching for a new weapon, Toell's head is chopped off by the opposing giant. His body, headless, grasps the foe, crushing him and driving off the horde. As his body and head turn to wood, Toell declares he will awaken when the land is filled with war once more.

Can be watched here.


 * Big Freaking Sword: The leader of the second horde has one.
 * Curb Stomp Battle: The Danes and the other horde inflict this on the Saaremaans, while Toell does this to the Danes.
 * Deranged Animation
 * Full-Frontal Assault
 * Hellish Pupils: A unique example, but Vanatühi has three pupils per two eyes.
 * It Makes Sense in Context: Though even if you know the mythological and historical background, the cartoon is still very surreal.
 * King in the Mountain: Toell will return when his people are once more ravaged by war.
 * Reality Subtext: Estonian national hero smashing red villians. What Do You Mean It's Not Political??
 * In reality, due to poor quality film stock used in making the original copy of the movie, the actual colours quickly changed into what we see today (and contributing mych to Deranged Animation). Can be seen in picture book adaptation by the main animator, that uses much saner palette, and in which the villains are blue and violet. What Do You Mean It's Not Political??