Reclaiming the Blade
Posted by Bill Ward on Sep 2, 2011 in News | 6 comments
A recent documentary called Reclaiming the Blade (available on Netflix streaming video as I write this) makes a nice introduction to the topic of Western Martial Arts and the cultural significance of the sword in European history. The initial focus of the film is cinematic swordplay, with numerous Lord of the Rings personnel on-hand to discuss the role of the sword and sword-fighting in our traditional and modern storytelling. From artist John Howe to several members of New Zealand’s Weta Workshop, to fight choreography legend Bob Anderson, the most famous and immediately accessible depictions of sword use are discussed and analyzed before Reclaiming the Blade transitions further along its historical treatment of the subject.
Reclaiming the Blade‘s real aim is to draw attention to the lost martial arts of the Western tradition, and to explode many of the misnomers and lazy assumptions about European fighting skills that have predominated since the prevalence of the gun. From sport fencing to stage fight choreography, from the Society for Creative Anachronism to the Association of Renaissance Martial Arts, the groups interested in the rebirth of the old forms approach the subject from many different angles. Further contributors to the film in the form of sword collector and historian Hank Reinhardt, Western Martial Artist John Clements, and modern day swordsmith Paul Champagne, share their hands-on experience and expertise with the resurrection of European fighting and fencing techniques. Through analysis of medieval and renaissance fighting manuals and a lot of trial-and-error experimentation, a far better picture of the reality of Western hand-to-hand combat is available today than at any time since such forms were abandoned.
Well worth seeing, especially for fans and writers of heroic historical and fantasy fiction in which the sword is a crucial, though often misunderstood, ingredient.
I’ll have to check it out. Sounds intersting.
Sounds great. I’ll need to check this out.
A few years ago, I took a “Historical Weapons” class – mostly so that if I ever wrote a sword fight, it would have veracity. I learned a lot more than expected – and some of that was learning that the learning never ends. Exactly as you mention, some of the instructors were working their way through a German renaissance sword fighting manual – trying to figure the movements between the illustrations, etc.
Wow, Bill, fantastic! I will definitely add it to my Netflix queue and check it out. Sounds like essential viewing to this fantasy writer/editor!
That’s interesting, Periklis, I had no idea Reinhardt had any involvement with S&S. His last book, The Book of Swords, is a great overall survey of sword history and use for anyone interested.
Paul, that class sounds great. That sort of thing seems few and far between — I’d love to take one sometime myself.
Thanks for the comments guys.
I should add that the actual scenes of fighting from the serious, historically-minded fight students in this documentary are priceless for anyone that has only ever been exposed to Hollywood’s and/or the East’s idea of sword fighting. If you’ve never seen the work being done to revive Western Martial Arts, this is a real eye-opener.
Thanks, Bill,
It’s always interesting to train with swords and knives. So many styles throughout the world. It’s even more fun to watch folks move from sport fighting into real fighting schools. Things as simple as taking the old ‘Icepick’ grip on a knife cannot be laughed at enough nowadays by wannabe fighters, yet it is a standard grip in the old fightbooks. All one has to do is suit up into leather and armor to realize that lightening cuts and slashes are mostly useless in the combat of the day. That archaic ‘icepick’ grip concentrates the muscle and leverage to punch through armor of a variety of sorts. The old fightmasters knew exactly what they were doing. It’s often hard to tell that until one gets out and ‘plays’ with like-minded adventurers.
Definitely a video I’ll have to watch. Thanks.