In my own defense, I must add, I thought him a girl upon entry.

[thehefner]

It's Thursday. You know what we all could use to get us through this long and tiresome Thursday? A good old-fashioned ass-kicking.

Because some days, you just need the sword fight from ROB ROY.



Also, apparently, I desperately need to watch ROAD HOUSE. Preferably with friends and beer.

Comments

Love that one...

[american-arcane.livejournal.com]

I think I was one of the few people who saw both Braveheart and Rob Roy in theaters... within a few days of one another. It really is too bad they both came out at about the same time. A lot of people missed Rob Roy which, I must say, is the superior film.

And that fight scene, right there... that's proof of it.

Brutal. Elegant. Realistic. Heroic. Plus a superb use of ambient sound (not much music there at all!) and a nice effects flourish at the end.

Who would've thought that a handful of years later he'd be wielding a lightsaber? :)

Re: Love that one...

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

It's been too long for me to compare the two, but it really does fall into that unfortunate pattern of similar films coming out too closely, and one taking the fall. I firmly believe there's great merit to be found in both TOMBSTONE and WYATT EARP, even better when taken together rather that separately.

God, honestly, can anyone tell me of a better sword fight in film? If ROB ROY isn't the winner, it's certainly up there. THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO's fight was pretty cool as well, if I recall correctly, but not up to ROB ROY's level. You nailed all the reasons.

Seriously, if Tim Roth hadn't been so arrogant to toy with Roy, he'd have fucking won. He's like a lethal dandy Pepe Le Peu.

Re: Love that one...

[american-arcane.livejournal.com]

The biggest "lost movie" effect I know of was "The 13th Floor" which had the unfortunate luck of coming out slightly after "The Matrix"... with an ad campaign that made it look like an instant Matrix rip-off. Needless to say, it bombed. Unfortunately, it wasn't a whole lot like The Matrix. Instead is was a bit of a noir-ish detective story that just happened to have a heavy VR component.

Off the top of my head, I seriously can not come up with a better sword fight. Too many fight scenes (with or without swords) are just overdone. When did every street punk learn high-level marital arts? Best thing I've seen in movies is when the hero just goes and throws a big ass old-fashioned haymaker punch and just takes some lithe little dude down. No need to be fancy. Just effective. :)

Re: Love that one...

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean. See also: EQUILIBRIUM.

I need to see THE 13TH FLOOR. Everything is a little bit better with Bierko.

[shadowlongknife.livejournal.com]

EVERYONE needs to watch Road House. At least twice, to fully appreciate the amazingness of Sam Eliot. Swayze, not so much.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

For some reason, I dig Swayze. Can't bring myself to dislike the man, even though I loathe DIRTY DANCING and could really live without GHOST.

But Sam Elliot? ALWAYS a good idea.

[justcomeinalone.livejournal.com]

That particular sword fight's always been a bit slow for me. Plus, it's good, but nothing beats the one from The Mark of Zorro, still considered to be one of the best and most realistic of cinema. As dude who fenced for years, i love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VTyPWvyAF8

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Slow?! Perhaps I speak as a person who loves the ridiculously slow-pace of films like those of Sergio Leone, but I find that what it lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in intensity, emotion, and "oh shit that hurt!" brutality.

Besides, trust me, I definitely had THE MARK OF ZORRO foremost in my mind, but honestly, I think it's transcended comparison and become something in its own right. It's like, you can't compare Shakespeare to any other playwright, y'know?

[justcomeinalone.livejournal.com]

Oh, I enjoy Sergio's westerns. It's just that particular sword fight, I don't know. Very good, but always just a bit short of the mark for me. It's the problem of becoming an editor later, you're always aware of pacing.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

I was also thinking of the uncut-as-currently-stands version of ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA. I can't even imagine subjecting most people I know to that film, even though I find it superior to THE GODFATHER (now GODFATHER 1 and 2 taken as a single film together, that's another thing...).

Oh lordy, no! Now I won't be able to take you to see anything for fear that there's something I won't be seeing! It's like Ebert's whole HACKERS rule of "never take someone to see a film supposedly about their field," taken to a whole new degree!