Top Ten Tuesday: Sensational Sword Fights

Ridley Scott’s newest epic, his own take on ROBIN HOOD starring Russell Crowe, opens in theaters Friday, May 14. While the classical lore of Robin Hood has him stealing from rich to give to the poor… the trailer suggests Scott has turned the Robin Hood tale into one helluva GLADIATOR-sized period action flick complete with sword fights. So, anticipating quite an awe-inspiring onscreen display of steel blade clashing, we’ve compiled our top ten list of the best sword fights captured on film.

Reader’s Choice: THE PRINCESS BRIDE – In an effort to show we value our reader’s opinions, we’ve included a Reader’s Choice selection this week.

In response to the overwhelming reaction to this film somehow shamefully slipping through the fingers of the Movie Geeks on this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, THE PRINCESS BRIDE has been added as a Reader’s Choice pick. The film is a favorite of virtually all movie geeks and the sword fight between the Dread Pirate Roberts (Cary Elwes) and Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) is not only fun but very well staged. The duel is exciting, smart and witty, embedding itself into our minds among many memorable scenes from this modern classic.

Honorable Mention: STAR WARS, EP. V – THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

While some of you hardcore purists may scoff at this honorary selection, STAR WARS fans and the less-strict cinematic philosophers will surely consider the epic light saber battle between the Jedi Luke Skywalker and his soon-to-be-revealed father Darth Vader one of the most exhilarating and intensely dramatic “sword” fights of movie history. The emotion, the clashing of dark and light, the young versus the old, the variation of styles and discipline… all the makings of a brilliant duel are there. Who cares if the weapons are sticks of glowing light instead of cold, hard steel… when you think about it, its a nice change of pace.

10. CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935)

Billed as THE MOST MAGNIFICENT & THRILLING SEA ADVENTURE EVER FILMED, 1935’s CAPTAIN BLOOD was the movie that catapulted Errol Flynn to the ranks of Hollywood Star. Along with the dazzling sea-battles, director Michael Curtiz rousing tale of imprisoned doctor, Peter Blood, turned slave and then pirate is an exhilarating swashbuckling film. Captain Blood and his crew of fellow slaves become buccaneers, commandeer a ship, and go onto protect the Caribbean from Spanish galleons. The hero does find time, while plundering the seas, to fall in love with the beautiful Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland). It was the first time that the movie-going audiences would see a sword fight between Errol Flynn’s Blood and Basil Rathbone’s Levasseur. The ensuing duel on the beach between the English pirate and French pirate is the epitome of brilliant choreography in footwork and timing, all accompanied by the melodramatic music of composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold. After the final, piercing death blow, no one could die better than Rathbone, as was later seen in THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD.

09. HERO (2002)

Before we even get into it, clearly there are those who do not subscribe to the fantastical Asian wire-work style of storytelling. All I have to say to that is… “to each their own.” I won’t go into how this is a cultural storytelling style that is used primarily in films dealing with myths and legends, stories of incredible feats and heroes. Thus, a period film called HERO about one of a culture’s most famed and beloved warriors who single-handily defeated three assassins bent on murdering the most powerful warlord of pre-unified China. His actions were pure of intent and focused on protecting his leader at all costs. He acted on principle, with honor. Jet Li’s performance was stellar in this beautifully shot and carefully crafted story. HERO combines amazing fight and wire choreography with a powerful story, containing amongst other treats one of the coolest semi-sword fighting duels in martial arts film history between jet Li and Donnie Yen.

08. BRAVEHEART

The battle scenes in Mel Gibson’s Academy Award winning epic are pretty much the heart of this movie, thus its place on this list. However the “sword fighting” in this movie is not your classic, refined, and dignified “fencing” that you see in say, Captain Blood or Pirates of the Caribbean. The weapons here are huge, sharp, heavy, take-your-head-off-with-one-swing Louisville Sluggers – very different than the shiny, pretty, clink-together silver of traditional fencing. The type of hand-to-hand combat in Braveheart showed a grim reality of sword fighting, and it ain’t pretty. Even if you survive, you end up covered in the blood and guts of your enemy. Again, one of the things that made this movie so good was the realism of battle. It’s bloody, its gory and its exhausting!

07. GLADIATOR

Are you not entertained?!?! That line became the rallying cry this time ten years ago when Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe teamed up for the first time. What an awesome collaboration it was, too. GLADIATOR trampled its way into theaters, keeping so many of us on the edges of our seats with its harrowing action scenes and gripping moments of drama. It was a film that made a star of Crowe, who was just beginning his growth in the film world, and it was a film that solidified Scott once again as a director not to be underestimated. For the few years before, Scott had been taking it easy in the directing world having not had a film out since 1997’s GI JANE. However, with the opening battle sequence of GLADIATOR, we knew the man who had brought us ALIEN and BLADE RUNNER was back with a fury, and the second leg of the talented director’s career had begun. GLADIATOR is a film about spectacle, both in that it honors the gladiatorial events of history and it draws on them with an unrivaled intensity. When Crowe cried out his pivotal line, we sat up, nodded our heads, and locked our eyes on screen. We were entertained.

06. SHOGUN ASSASSIN

SHOGUN ASSASSIN is a film that was created in 1980 to bring the six part Japanese LONE WOLF AND CUB saga, about an executioner framed for treason on the road to revenge with his toddler son, to American audiences who didn’t have access to the original films. The first two Lone Wolf films were re-edited to 86 minutes, re-scored and dubbed into English by Roger Corman’s New World pictures and the result was the eye-popping SHOGUN ASSASSIN. Narration was provided by 5-year old Cub, an unintentionally humorous device perhaps necessary to follow the movie’s many plot points. The dubbing was even worse than the Kung-Fu movies from the 70’s (at times characters are talking when their lips aren’t even moving) but it’s the comic-strip savagery of the swordplay that American viewers were unprepared for. Fountains of blood spurt like a hose from decapitations, severed body parts, cleaved heads, sliced necks, and cut limbs. The original LONE WOLF AND CUB films are accessible now but it’s this wacky re-edit that’s more likely to appeal to fans that like things fast and furious.

05. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL

2002. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember hearing about Disney’s plans to turn their popular Pirates of the Caribbean ride into a feature film. I remember thinking this was the worst idea I had ever heard. Boy, was I wrong. Once July 9th, 2003 rolled around, many of us were left holding our tongues, as the swashbuckling adventure Gore Verbinski, Jerry Bruckheimer and crew unfolded before us was epic, engaging, but, most importantly, it was a whole lot of fun. With an eccentric Johnny Depp and an honorable straight-man in Orlando Bloom leading the charge, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL quickly became a phenomenon and deservedly so. While the sword fighting carries throughout the rest of the trilogy (who can ever forget the amazing fight on the rolling mill wheel?), it was this first adventure that brought it all to light for many of us. The first PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN film is truly an adventure for the whole family, and one that proved to all of us that Disney knows precisely what they are doing when it comes to these decisions.

04. ROB ROY (1995)

While HIGHLANDER didn’t make our list, we do have another film representing the Scotts… ROB ROY tells the tale of a man in 1700’s Scottish Highlands trying to make a better life for his small village, but when the money he borrowed to carry out his good deeds is stolen he finds himself forced into a Robin hood type of life by way of his principles and the need to protect his family. Liam Neeson delivers an outstanding performance as Robert Roy MacGregor, the title character, while Tim Roth is equally effective as his very unlikable nemesis Archibald Cunningham, with whom Rob Roy duels without quarter later in the film. This duel more than anything, is what set ROB ROY apart and landed it on this list. Suspenseful, dramatic and very well choreographed, this showdown of two men –very different in class, training and personality– creates a gripping scene of good versus evil. ROB ROY also features great performances from Jessica Lange, John Hurt, Brian Cox and Eric Stoltz.

03. 300

When it comes to movies specifically designed to showcase the extremes of artistically glorified violence, 300 is the first movie that comes to mind, especially if we’re talking old school swords and shields. Zack Snyder’s motion picture interpretation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel is just that… graphic. No drop of blood is wasted, no gore is spared, no ab is left un(air)brushed. From beginning to end, 300 shows off what fight choreography can look like with combined with modern FX technology, adding an entirely new depth of sword-slashing, butt-kicking cinematic battles of the ancient times that weren’t possible from the sword and sandal flicks of the 50’s and 60’s or the swashbuckler flicks from Errol Flynn.

02. THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938)

Longbows, continual sword fights, and archery tournaments are some of the marvelous colors painted throughout the canvas of director Michael Curtiz’s THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD. Who can forget, “Welcome to Sherwood, my lady. What Sir Guy, no greeting from you?” The dramatic entrance and line by Robin of Locksley (Errol Flynn) is, to this day, still unrivaled. The 1938 action film is further enhanced by the rich score of Oscar-winner Erich Wolfgang Korngold. One of the best in all filmdom, it’s #11 on AFI’s 100 Years of Film Scores list. The exciting sword fights between the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest and the Sheriff of Nottingham and his knights are made more colorful by the Academy Award winning editing of Ralph Dawson. Just as Flynn’s Robin Hood embodies the hero’s modus operandi of “stealing from the rich to give to the poor”, so does Claude Rains portrayal of the smarmy, villainous Prince John and his oppression of the Saxon people. Curtiz and cinematographers Tony Gaudio and Sol Polito’s thrilling use of shadows can be seen during the infamous and lengthy duel of Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone) and Robin Hood emblazoned on the walls of the castle during the final act. For a film that epitomizes whirling sword fights all for the love of king and country look no further than THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD.

01. THE THREE MUSKETEERS (1973)

Director Richard Lester romped through Alexander Dumas’ novel in 1973 and came up with a hugely entertaining swashbuckler that was both revival and send up. No expense was spared, and THE THREE MUSKETEERS was a visually extravagant film with fabulous costumes and an A-list cast including Michael York, Richard Chamberlain, Oliver Reed, Fay Dunaway, and Charlton Heston. Everyone I’ve known with an interest in the sport of fencing invariably cites this version of THE THREE MUSKETEERS as home to their favorite sword-fighting sequences and there are many, quite different in scope and choreography, from a thrilling two-man battle in nighttime woods to an all out war at the base of a windmill The swordplay had never been equaled until the next year when Lester’s second half of the story was issued separately as THE FOUR MUSKETEERS, and it’s the sequel where Christopher Lee, as the villain Rochefort, best shows off his own accomplished sword fighting skills.