"Hollywood gets swordfighting wrong." Topic

Well it seems that that Hollywood has gotten sword fighting wrong in the movies. Its a shock that this could happen. from game of thrones to the current movies. they are just not doing it like The old timers fought. I just am afraid that if that if they get sword fighting wrong, what is to stop them getting the wrong armor and uniforms. Heaven forfend.

That's just crazy talk.

Flynning

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I am shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you!

You might as well write an article that water is wet. Sheesh.

'they are just not doing it like The old timers fought'

Well, possibly, but… Game of Thrones is fantasy, not historical, so doesn't really enter this particular argument.

I remember a discussion years ago about somebody who had seen a Clint Eastwood western complaining that the dynamite explosions looked "horribly fake, just some dirt being thrown up." People then pointed out that Hollywood explosions are fireballs and are not at all like real explosions. Despite plenty of youtube footage they just couldn't accept it. Hollywood was "the norm".

If you look up HEMA and medieval swordfighting you'll see people in rather unusual fighting stances, using what looks like weird techniques and a lot of punters tend to go nuts when they see people halfswording or using the murderstroke (holding swords by the blade). Given that they are used to seeing people drag the edge of a sword across plate armour and insta-kill their opponent, any real fighting techniques will upset those who believe in Hollywood fighting.

Interestingly enough some HEMA practioners have been approached by Hollywood to provide more realistic techniques, but they declined because they are taught to actually strike people and most techniques wouldn't look good in film. So unless we can get a fight choreographer to pick up HEMA and figure out how to present it nicely, we'll have to make do with classic techniques or *shudder* use Kung Fu style fighting techniques in what would be medieval Europe or a close facsimile.

I thought with Method acting you get live blades/arrows/quarrels and very heavy flaming catapult shot.

Good point.

its really easy.

Pointy end goes toward the other guy.

I am a fencer. What I have heard is only two actors got it right. Cornel Wilde was actually a fencer and his swordplay was good. The other was Errol Flynn. Although he was never formally trained his movie instructors said he had a natural talent for it.

actually Errol's counterpart in robin hood, Basil Rathbone, was also a fencer which is why their sword fight was one of the best ever.

actually Errol's counterpart in robin hood, Basil Rathbone, was also a fencer which is why their sword fight was one of the best ever.

I used to fence, and watching people aim for the sword annoys me

Rathbone did quite the job w/Tyrone Power too,in "The Mark of Zorro".