Long Sword on Middle Earth

[JeanryChandler]

My biggest two beefs with the combat in the LOTR movies was A) the idea of Viigo Mortenson wading into groups of 10 to 20 well armed and ostensibly reasonably skilled opponents and just cutting them to pieces right and left. I think this sue of outrageous odds to emphasize the hero's prowess is a legacy of Kung Fu movies that is really tiresome. I'd be more impressed to see him fight 3 guys (3 orcs, whatever) who seemed to know what they were doing, in a more interesting fight. I dont care how bad ass you are you couldn't wade through a crowd of armed enemies like that and emerge unscathed...

..which leads to my second point, as per standard in hollywood (and this took place in Last samurai too) the heroes go to all the trouble to put on fancy suits of armor, but then don't bother to put on a helmet.

I guess their enemies were all fighting by LARP rules....

JR

[Casper Bradak]

Hehe well apparently in middle earth armour is just for looks anyway. I don't think it saved anybod from cut or thrust.

[TimSheetz]

Unless it is MITHRIL, silly! Remember Frodo!

[Gene Tausk]

"which leads to my second point, as per standard in hollywood (and this took place in Last samurai too) the heroes go to all the trouble to put on fancy suits of armor, but then don't bother to put on a helmet. "

These bad boys don't bother to put on a helmet for the same reason that most Hollywood movies have their heroes use convertables when driving - this way you can see the actor's face. When the actor is Tom Cruise (or I guess Viggo by this point), the idea of a facemask or helmet to a producer is treated like the plague.


------------------>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>gene

[Shane Smith]

Alot of period armoured fighting texts don't show visors either.After all, it's hard to see what the other guy is up to when your view of the world is reduced to a half-inch wide by 10 inch long window <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

All that said, I can't understand why they don't just put on an open bascinet <img src="/forum/images/icons/confused.gif" alt="" />( I did see a coif or two in the battle of helms deep if that counts) <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[JeanryChandler]

Haven't you noticed, the only reason why anyone wears a helmet in Middle Earth is to hide there identity so they can go places they have been told not to go. Unless it's Gimli, but he only wears a helmet because he's so short.

Not just in Lord of the Rings, but in many, many historical, sci fi, and fantasy movies. And yeah, with the exception of the miraculous hidden armor (a cliche going back to the "kiss" of Peter pan) which can in Frodos case save one even from the equivalent kinetic energy of being rammed by a bus at 80 mph (in the book, notably, it was much more believely an orcs spear which the mithryl saved him from, instead of that 5,000 lb ogre or troll or whatever...)

It always irritates me so much how bad guys armor never works in any of these flicks. One thing I always git irked by, was why did the storm troopers in the original Star Wars flicks wear all that neat looking armor, when it not only failed to stop lazer beams, but even bonks on the head from firewood by teddy bears.

Similarly in every fantasy or historical movie, mail or even a solid breast plate never protects against even the lightest draw cut across the stomach...

Maybe ARMA should make a tongue in cheek realism rating on movies like this, to help encourage hollyweird to get their act together. Increasing numbers of their audiences around the world actually know a bit about history and would appreciate it, plus it would probably be more interesting.

At least they covered Russel Crowe's pretty face a few times in Gladiator...

JR

[Craig Peters]

Personally, I think that the ARMA members should get together with an independent film making company and put together a movie. This would not only combat the Hollywood style of fighting, but would also get the ARMA name out to a lot more people who might otherwise not know about it.

Where should the movie take place? I think that the Holy Roman Empire, around the time of Liechtenauer or Ringeck is an ideal setting that is virtually unused by film makers. After all, this is the time when swordsmasters became in high demand so that people could protect themselves against bandits and robber barons in the increasingly divided feudal states of the Empire. Not only is it a period of history that is directly relevent to the longsword, the ARMA's primary weapon of focus, but it's also an era in which an appealing fictional or semi-historical story could be told.

[Tim Merritt]

Ambitious, but considering the interesting and creative stuff floating around this forum (like Hist Channel thread), it's a possibility.

[Scott Anderson]

gee, and the sundance film festival is going to be in the area sometime this month i believe.

SPA