Movies and Edged Weapons Pt. 2

Andrew · 4th April 2007, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenrisWolf

Not to detract from all things Middle Eastern and SE Asian, but what are some of the better films as far as the European Dark Ages? I was just watching "The 13th Warrior" again, which is one of those that makes me crazy. It's one of the best made as far as capturing Norse attitudes and beliefs ("Your sword is too heavy? Grow stronger!") which is why I love the film, but the arms and armor are a complete nightmare. The viking swords have been given a growth hormone, turning them into two-handed swords, and the armor is a blend of everything from a Roman Gladiator's helm to a 16th century back-and-breastplate, complete with Milanese engraving. Oh, and you have to love Antonio Banderas grinding one of those oversized, double-edged viking broadswords down into a passable single-edged scimitar (that is now sharp enough to cut through a three inch branch with one blow!)

So, examples of reasonably accurate films set in and around the Norman conquest of England or the earlier Viking raids of the same? The only one that jumps to mind for me is 'The Warlord' starring Charlton Heston....

Fenris, I fear you'll be dissappointed if you insist on weapon/armour accuracy in your movies.

For fun, check out the recent "King Arthur" with Kyra Knightly. A new movie is coming out soon about viking visitors to North America. Can't recall the name right now, but in the trailer it was taking the standard liberties.

Emanuel · 4th April 2007, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew

A new movie is coming out soon about viking visitors to North America. Can't recall the name right now, but in the trailer it was taking the standard liberties.

It's called Pathfinder. You'll laugh...or cry...most likely both.

David · 4th April 2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew

Fenris, I fear you'll be dissappointed if you insist on weapon/armour accuracy in your movies.

For fun, check out the recent "King Arthur" with Kyra Knightly. A new movie is coming out soon about viking visitors to North America. Can't recall the name right now, but in the trailer it was taking the standard liberties.

The new flick you are referring to Andrew is called Pathfinder. It is based on a graphic novel so you can bet that it will be visually beautiful and dreadfully inaccurate much as the terribly over-hyped 300 was. Hpoefully it will be better scripted and directed than that travesty and not insulting an entire ancient culture that was the foundation of modern civilization along the way.

But a quick viewing through the films picture gallery doesn't leave much room for accuracy. Looks pretty though.

http://www.pathfinderthemovie.com/

Rick · 4th April 2007, 03:25 PM

Looks like a great sword and shield movie; I saw the poster when I went to see 300.
Throw accuracy out the window and just enjoy the action.

The Wampanoag were just recently recognised by the US gov't; they are our local tribe here on Cabo Bacalau .

micas · 4th April 2007, 07:31 PM

Pathfinder looks like the Norte Americano version of Tarzan. And the Vikings are straight out of Frank Frazetta.

Check out Alatriste with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn from LOTR). Spanish sword and dagger stuff in there. Interesting pike fighting at the end. "Looks" realistic.

Emanuel · 5th April 2007, 02:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by micas

Check out Alatriste with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn from LOTR). Spanish sword and dagger stuff in there. Interesting pike fighting at the end. "Looks" realistic.

The book by Arturo Perez Reverte was good, and I heard the movie was all right.

ariel · 5th April 2007, 04:50 AM

I have only one word for you:
"300"

David · 5th April 2007, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

I have only one word for you:
"300"

When i think of 300 i can only remember corny, wooden dialog, tedious narration, obnoxious characters that are more stupid than heroric, bad CGI effects that looked just plain "fake" instead of the graphic novel "stylization" they were hoping for, extremely bad history that maligns an entire culture of people and portrays them as monsters and enslavers, really bad pacing that breaks the action up with long boring segments that make a pretense at trying to be an actual story and lots of dumb talk about the glory of dying a "good" death in the heat of sensless battle. The fight sequences (the only real reason to watch this flick) became kinda tedious after the first couple with it's repetetive start/stop/start action. I couldn't find a single character in the entire movie that i could care enough for to worry about their impending death (in fact i couldn't wait until they were all dead). I could go on and delve into the not so subliminal political propaganda and comparisions to our (the west) battle with the "Persian" empire today, but i will leave it at that.
My only hope, since i have no real knowledge of the weapons of the time, would be that they might have got the arms and armor right, but somehow i have my doubts.

Marc · 5th April 2007, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manolo

The book by Arturo Perez Reverte was good, and I heard the movie was all right.

It kind of depends on who you ask...

The sword and dagger duels were fairly OK, though, given the circumstances.
The final battle... well, let's not go into that.

ariel · 5th April 2007, 01:20 PM

The only superb Perez Reverte's book was " The Club Dumas" and it was mangled cinematographically into something beyond awful.
"Flanders Panel" was good. " The Fencing Master" was very good.
But the Alatriste series.... very disappointing. Did not see the movies; are they "straight on DVD" releases?

Emanuel · 28th January 2008, 04:09 AM

Just saw a trailer for this Hindi epic http://www.jodhaaakbar.com/ a big period production about Akbar. Seems to have loads of tulwar action, fights between Rajputs and Mughals, along with the ubiquitous love story.
I'm looking forward to it.

kronckew · 31st October 2008, 11:17 AM

having been reading the kampilan thread ala bill marsh with interest, i happened to see Hollywood's 'thief of Baghdad' with Sabu, over the weekend.

there is a point where he opens a bottle, gets the traditional genie & three wishes, he then gets flown to the top of the tallest peak in the top of the world to steal the 'all-seeing eye' from a temple idol.

after arrival, he liberates a sword from a long dead skeleton, all covered in cob-webs ('conan' plagiarism?) as he cleaned off the web, it becomes obvious it's a kampilan, complete with traditional hilt wound in rattan, sinuous metal staple on one side, crocodile beak blade, etc. he then climbs the idol, and a giant spiders web with the kampilan between his teeth, kills the giant spider & unfortunately drops the sword never to be seen again....

there of course were the more common shamshir and daggers throughout.

not bad for a sixty-odd year old movie.

4th April 2007, 03:25 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Wampanoags Looks like a great sword and shield movie; I saw the poster when I went to see 300. Throw accuracy out the window and just enjoy the action. The Wampanoag were just recently recognised by the US gov't; they are our local tribe here on Cabo Bacalau .

4th April 2007, 07:31 PM	#5
micas Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 30	Pathfinder looks like the Norte Americano version of Tarzan. And the Vikings are straight out of Frank Frazetta. Check out Alatriste with Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn from LOTR). Spanish sword and dagger stuff in there. Interesting pike fighting at the end. "Looks" realistic.

5th April 2007, 04:50 AM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I have only one word for you: "300"

5th April 2007, 01:20 PM	#10
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The only superb Perez Reverte's book was " The Club Dumas" and it was mangled cinematographically into something beyond awful. "Flanders Panel" was good. " The Fencing Master" was very good. But the Alatriste series.... very disappointing. Did not see the movies; are they "straight on DVD" releases?

28th January 2008, 04:09 AM	#11
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Just saw a trailer for this Hindi epic http://www.jodhaaakbar.com/ a big period production about Akbar. Seems to have loads of tulwar action, fights between Rajputs and Mughals, along with the ubiquitous love story. I'm looking forward to it.

31st October 2008, 11:17 AM	#12
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,224	having been reading the kampilan thread ala bill marsh with interest, i happened to see Hollywood's 'thief of Baghdad' with Sabu, over the weekend. there is a point where he opens a bottle, gets the traditional genie & three wishes, he then gets flown to the top of the tallest peak in the top of the world to steal the 'all-seeing eye' from a temple idol. after arrival, he liberates a sword from a long dead skeleton, all covered in cob-webs ('conan' plagiarism?) as he cleaned off the web, it becomes obvious it's a kampilan, complete with traditional hilt wound in rattan, sinuous metal staple on one side, crocodile beak blade, etc. he then climbs the idol, and a giant spiders web with the kampilan between his teeth, kills the giant spider & unfortunately drops the sword never to be seen again.... there of course were the more common shamshir and daggers throughout. not bad for a sixty-odd year old movie.