Movies with realistic melee combat

Eli Freysson · Post by **Eli Freysson** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 2:41 pm

Hi. Remember me? It's the writer guy who's never held a sword but is trying to write sword fights anyway.

I was thinking, what movie has particularly realistic melee fights that I can take inspiration from? It can involve swords, spears, axes, knives or whatever; My characters use a variety of weapons.

Sal Bertucci · Post by **Sal Bertucci** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 3:35 pm

I've found that most movie fight scenes are actually pretty accurate when the hero is mowing down hordes of faceless masses (within reason). Where they really start to suck it up is when they get to the main antagonist, and they need to stretch it into a 29min sequence to get all the dialogue in.

CalebChow · Post by **CalebChow** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 8:04 pm

Several good ones, I have samples:

The Duellists 1977 first duel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VVHSounmrE

Final duel from Samurai III
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhbCEi_Aac4

Twilight Samurai duel (Duel starts around 2:30)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg5qChXeDdI

And let this be a word to those ridiculous Hollywood choreographers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRUe-gz690

Yes, that's right, the Monty Python fight between the Black Knight and the Green Knight is more realistic than 99% of all other Hollywood swordfights. And that's saying a LOT.

Sal Bertucci · Post by **Sal Bertucci** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:21 pm

Caleb,

I'll agree with those except for the Samurai III one. That one sucks, and is no where near what happened according to the text. Some license for entertainment is ok, but they way overdid it.

CalebChow · Post by **CalebChow** » Tue Nov 16, 2010 10:14 pm

Sal Bertucci wrote:Caleb,

I'll agree with those except for the Samurai III one. That one sucks, and is no where near what happened according to the text. Some license for entertainment is ok, but they way overdid it.

Yeah they did overdo the staring-off and running along the beach, but the actual exchanges weren't THAT bad, were they?

I mean, maybe my expectations for movies is lower than yours, but the quintessential "bad fight" in my book would be like ones in Pirates of the Caribbean or Kill Bill, and Samurai III's was nothing like them.

Here's my criteria to judge the Samurai III fight:

1) Did they have excessive blade contact? No
2) Did they have people spinning or doing gymnastics? No
3) Did they have ridiculously unrealistic weapons? No
4) Did they neglect all form whatsoever? No
5) Did they have the weapons do unrealistic amounts of damage? No
6) Did they swing their weapons around just to look cool? No
7) Did they drag out the fight? Yes

6 out of 7 is a "decent" in my book

Sal Bertucci · Post by **Sal Bertucci** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:40 am

I'll give you that one. It was just too drawn out for an interpretation of an actual historical event for me.

Jonathan Waller · Post by **Jonathan Waller** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 11:45 am

The other thing to know about the Black and Green knight fight is that although Dad directed the fight, it is actually Michael Palin and John Cleese fighting in the film.... apart from the shot with the sword through the helm at the end, that was Dad..

Jonathan Hill · Post by **Jonathan Hill** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 1:19 pm

This is just a great charge, the English versions seem to be removed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1ijHuUw7ag
I prefer battles…
The messenger - cut to about 5:30 good chaos, don’t bother watching the PBI.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79foHV8ctMc
“Rome” the series first 1:45 of this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqzDrFX-cNs
Alatriste - you should at least find this movie, if not the books.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26C758K4 ... re=related

great duel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoWggMyXr7A

Jonathan Waller · Post by **Jonathan Waller** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 3:57 pm

This is a good open melee

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZurAYdBtao

Chris Moritz · Post by **Chris Moritz** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:13 pm

Judicial duel in Rob Roy? Smallsword vs. Basket Hilt.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGNiEExZkk8

Chris Moritz · Post by **Chris Moritz** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:27 pm

Melee: The sack of Vladimir, in Andre Rublev, (Russian, 1968, Andre Tarkovsky).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvMn8W6j ... re=related

JeremyDillon · Post by **JeremyDillon** » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:51 pm

Jonathan Hill wrote:This is just a great charge, the English versions seem to be removed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1ijHuUw7ag
I prefer battles…
The messenger - cut to about 5:30 good chaos, don’t bother watching the PBI.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79foHV8ctMc
“Rome” the series first 1:45 of this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqzDrFX-cNs
Alatriste - you should at least find this movie, if not the books.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26C758K4 ... re=related

great duel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoWggMyXr7A

The pike combat in the alatriste clip is great. Very effective. Except, it bothers me how their using those rapiers. Very very thin blades for all that cutting. Ground executions and dirty fighting, though. Very gruesome. The duel I like less.

It makes me cringe like hell when he grinds the tip of his rapier against the wall.

Also, the bathroom knife fight in the movie "Eastern Promises" is great. Violent violent violent. And unforgiving.

Sal Bertucci · Post by **Sal Bertucci** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 9:40 am

Agreed. I thought the duel was particularly lame fighting. Good stage combat, but a crappy example of the real thing.

nathan featherstone · Post by **nathan featherstone** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 2:47 pm

yes alatriste had some great fights kingdom of heaven had a few rob roy is of note im sure there are others 7 samurai had a few good fights.

Jonathan Hill · Post by **Jonathan Hill** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 3:12 pm

I always liked the Rob Roy one, until one glaring thing occurred to me. If Cunningham can command the fight so well the entire fight, why doesn’t he have the common sense to let go of the blade and get out of the way of the big broadsword that is being swung at him? I know it’s because Rob Roy is our hero, but really Rob had to grab the blade off the ground, rise up and take a full swing. Even with a finger stuck in the grip, Cunningham could have popped off for tea in that amount of time and still come back to get hit.

I like the Alatriste fight because it is an execution, which is a bit more realistic. You quickly see who is intimidating the other and who takes the first minor cuts. Then you just have your way with them.