Premier Magazine listed what they thought were the all-time best cinema swordfights.

I can’t remember all of ‘em but...

1. Maximus/Comodus...Gladiator
2. CTHD sister fight.

Actually, they weren’t listed in order of best. Just listed. Also included...Basil Rathbone/Errol Flynn in ROBIN HOOD. Zeta-Jones/A. Bandaras in ZORRO. Luke/Darth in STARWARS 2.

Sorry guys...nothing from KILL BILL...probably too campy. (I’ll never be able to watch little Elaine from Seinfeld quite the same way.)

I can’t say I agree with all of them. CTHD is one for sure. The GLADIATOR is overrated, IMO. There was a terrific swordfight in EXCALIBER.

I think swordfights are hard to do well. (I just had to kill a big fricken spider with a pencil and a kleenex. I couldn’t find the body for a long time. Talk about studio paranoia. The most difficult thing I did all day.)

KILL BILL wasn't in it because Uma could hack the broad side of a coconut tree with that katana of hers. Any suggestion she knows how to use that thing is a punchline to a Jerry Seinfeld joke.

What the heck?! What is so good about Gladiator. I've seen it twice and I don't really remember anything special about any sword fight. There's nothing special about a gladiator fighting...

Now the sister fight is something else!

ehh the Mask of Zorro fight... lol I think not.

I think the Darth Maul saber fight in Phantom was a lot more cool than Luke vs. Vader in Empire, but we don't get to find out whose daddy is whose.:grin:

wasn’t that Maul thing a baton, or lance or something? It was good, but those laser swords are kind of funky.

Those light-sabers seemed kind of dumb. Advanced technology...primitive application. The point is? If I was a Jedi...I’d distract my opponent with the stupid light saber...and blast him with a side-arm...boom...done...dead opponent.

I win.

May the farce be with you.....

I think the CTHD sword fight should have been #1, I think that was the best.

There’s a lot of press about Tom Cruise and his new film TLS... and about all his training and prep...

My understanding of the katana thing is that it’s completely different than in KILL BILL. The typical katana fight is two fighters standing motionless for minutes, or even hours, till one blinks and the other one chops his head off or cuts him in half.

Almost no action...then a death stroke. Also, to do it right, it takes more like 10 to 15 years to learn how not to blink. Not very cinematic. Heh heh.

Who’d buy a ticket?

Originally posted by BootlegZiyi
I think the CTHD sword fight should have been #1, I think that was the best.

i agree.

i can brag of course, that i can perfrom all the sword fights and techniques listed...............except................Michell e-Y double sword's fighting the cute one. It is a no-bullshit well executed realistic work of art, as beautifully performed as it is deadly.:bow:
but
there are some even better ones out there in the older movies

Katana's are crap for swash-buckling
thats just the hollywoody-ness
changing the application of the instrument.

Katanas are the types that only the swift can carry (ninjas? samurais? Tom Cruise? :laugh: ). I can do most of Z's techniques from that fight scene alone, MY has a lot of good technique with all of those traditional weapons. I thought it best to learn straightsword than katana.

Originally posted by BootlegZiyi
I thought it best to learn straightsword than katana.

i'm looking forward to your battle scene movie debut,
bootleg vs the cuteone - swordplay extreme :agree:

i'd offer my participation but i have this "horror" of asian girls armed with sharp objects :D

Actually, I'm kinda surprised they chose the Maximus vs Commodus fight for Gladiator. I would've chosen the fight between Maximus and the former champion, Titus of Gaul. The fight where they had the chained tigers trying to eat them.

There were many good fights in CTHD of course, the 2nd Z vs MY fight being perhaps the best. Yeah, I'd put it above Gladiator, even though Gladiator is one of my favorites. The Obi Wan vs Darth Maul was pretty darn good though. And I didn't even like that movie much. But I'll give credit where it's do and say the lightsaber fight choreography was good.

You know this one will have some good swordfighting:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/master_and_commander/

And so will this one:

http://media.warnerbros.com/wbmovies/troy/teaser_hi/teaser_a.mov

And of course...

http://progressive2.stream.aol.com/newline/gl/newline/lordoftherings/ReturnOfTheKing/returnoftheking_nl480_dl.mov

Originally posted by MarkR
The Obi Wan vs Darth Maul was pretty darn good though. And I didn't even like that movie much. But I'll give credit where it's do and say the lightsaber fight choreography was good.

so true, an excellent display of athletics and gymnastics too.
extremely hard to keep darth mauls pace.

very shaolin in most moves, very circular - credable multi opponent presentation.

Gladiator #1? Huh? Frankly, can't even remember that fight too well...

At least from the more recent films, the second 'sister' fight in CTHD should be the first on that list...

I am talking about the overall impact. Not just the pure 'action' sequence, but also the actual 'acting' part of it...the expressions...giving authenticity and air of honesty and reality to the whole fight.

The movement where MY 'splits' the sword into two is so seamless and natural, I missed it on the first viewing.

Also, the relentless tempo and tenacity at which the fight progresses is something which leaves you breathless.
Imagine a couple of lionesses fighting over the king...:grin:

I have watched that fight probably a hundred times by now...and every time it delivers a thrill not matched by any other.

Gladiator who?


Gaz,

i'd offer my participation but i have this "horror" of asian girls armed with sharp objects

Heh, takes me back to the coke bar fight. Now just imagine Z cracking a coke bottle on the bar and using that as a weapon.

The ensuing carnage would make 'Kill Bill' look like a kindergarten scrap.

:D

CG

was ferocious...like they had a genuine dislike for each other. Z doesn’t look like she would have that kind of energy...she was like a little whippit. Thrilling...like you could get killed being in the same room.

There was a pretty good sword-fight in THE ROCKETEER, and also in Errol Flynn’s THE SEA HAWK. The Tyrone Power MASK OF ZORRO had some nifty sword-work.

Those old Bushido guys would sometimes throw their sword...effectively like a spear.

Originally posted by Brainchild
ZORRO had some nifty sword-work.


that would be my first choice jar jar

Gaz, i thought you would like this one............considering.........:D

Everytime Zorro leaves his mark, he acknowledges who the true sword master is.

the real zorro is leave the mark of the girl he is loves
not his own name:bow:

....and her name is Z!

Originally posted by princessmoonbeam
Gaz, i thought you would like this one............considering.........:D

i do:agree:

brings back memories

where opponents can sword-fight each other over the internet.

Gyroscopically controlled e-swords with feedback to make it real. When you get stabbed you get shocked from the USB port.

Tournaments, urban mayhem...lots of scenarios. Different styles. Katana duels.

CTHD sword fight, Michelle use two split sword , it's almost the same style for a fight, that she did in Wing Chun... Michelle did use two sword in that movie Wing Chun, or maybe because its the same choreographers Wong PIng what ever his name was .... If by chances people you watched the Wing Chun some move in the fight from the CTHD are almost the same... I think she use to many weapon in that movie either.... It's only my opinion !

I liked Wing Chun, despite of (or perhaps, because of) its relatively lighthearted theme.

Michelle was absolutely radiant and beautiful in that movie...and showed some great moves, too.

CG

Originally posted by cassandra58
CTHD sword fight, Michelle use two split sword , it's almost the same style for a fight, that she did in Wing Chun... Michelle did use two sword in that movie Wing Chun, !

she is excellent with butterfly swords.
almost, that now she "own the butterfly sword"

It would be fun sometime to try friendly /set chorographed deul with double swords, ( double broad sword vs butterfly swords ) i observe that despite the fact she says she is not a kung fu expert, she is still the best exponent of that weapon set we have yet seen.

Michelle may chop me up into little pieces, for she is "master" - but it would be worth it