Thought about PotC

[karohemd]

Despite all the trickery, big sets and all that in the PotC films, I don't think there's any swordfight that can match the one in Princess Bride. :o)

Comments

[faerierhona.livejournal.com]

but they always try...

[envoy.livejournal.com]

*agreement*

[duncanneko.livejournal.com]

Inconceivable!

[ua-meruti.livejournal.com]

I dunno mate, the fight in Princess Bride is mostly great because of the fantastic banter between the characters. But the actual swordplay is relatively plain.
It's certainly never been topped since (though some of the lightsaber duels in Star Wars have come close).
However, we also have to include the fights that Princess Bride was essentially sending up. Some of the swashbuckling fights from the dawn of cinema were absolutely brilliant and very possibly top even the great duel from Princess Bride.

[raggedyman.livejournal.com]

got to agree with the above, in that it was the dialogue that made the Princess Bride scene good. The technical element was relativly sedate, very compitent but aimed to compliment and not overshadow the acting. PotC2 lent more to the technical side than the dialogue side, although I thought the narative that was running through the fight was very well done.

Can it match in the same way? No, because Princes Bride was Princes Bride and to ask for the same again is to ask for the impossible. Can it match in a similar way? Imo yes, in that it was a combination of skilled acting, action, and narative that gave both a spectical to watch and a story to enjoy.

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Agreed - the best swashbuckling sword fights were the Mark of Zorro/Adventures of Robin Hood ones with Basil Rathbone. His undoubted skill with the blade (he was in the British Olympic fencing team) added a sense of realism to the combats.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

*nods* It's the combination of fight and dialogue that make the one in Princess Bride, though.

[eggwhite.livejournal.com]

The fight in the Princess Bride is generally fantastic because it's a simple fight done well, and with a lot of back and forth banter between movements. They make use of the environment, but only as something to run around, jump about on or bump into - most swordfights in film these days try to do something big and fancy which usually draws you away from the banter and the swordfight.

The fight in TPB also has some quite long shots in it - quite a sustained view from a single viewpoint without the camera angle leaping all over the place. More recent fight scenes seem to go for the technically complex, and as a result each exchange is often filmed as a separate take and then it'll be edited together later... The problem there is that you can't see any longer sequences of movement, and you don't get as good a feel for what's happening as you would in the old swashbucklers (or TPB, which is essentially a swashbuckler as well).

If you're after damned fine swordfights, I've been told of a film (I've not managed to see it myself yet - it's in my rental queue) called "Le Bossu" that is largely regarded for the best swordfight captured on film. You might want to keep an eye out for it, although I think there's actually been a few films with that name, so there might be some trial and error...

Of course, Princess Bride will still be the best. If you've not read the book, do so, by the way. It's even better than the film!

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

I shall look out for that film and the book, too (gah, another one for my to-read-stack).

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Oh, if you find out which Le Bossu it is (director, for example), can you let me know? Cheers!

[lslaw.livejournal.com]

Le Bossu is certainly good, but many of the swordfights are disappointingly short, which is sadly an inevitable result of having any character know a bona fide unstoppable thrust.

[twicedead.livejournal.com]

Gore Vebinski can direct comedy action, but he can't direct a good sword fight for shit. He cuts too much so any great stuff gets broken up. Pribcess bride allowed you to appreciate the elegance and skill... and it is the best because of the dialogue... repartee is an integral part of any sword duel, as much as the flashing blades.

[cabd.livejournal.com]

Errol versus Basil in The Adventures of Robin Hood?

Errol versus Basil in Captain Blood?

Naah, you're right, they're good, but Pricess Bride does it better.