Movie Fight/Duel Scenes

[Anthony Toledo]

I was reading the Favorite Battle Scene thread, and noted that the thread creator said something along the lines of, "Okay, we all know what our favorite fight scene is, but what about battles?"

I couldn't find the fight scene thread anywhere, so I was hoping to hear everyone's favorite fight scenes from film.

I'll nominate two of mine, for different reasons.

1) The Princess Bride: Purely for fun. The duel between the Spaniard and the Man in Black. They played it like a chess game. I was in stitches. And of course, "I am not left handed!"

2) The final fight in Rob Roy: Usually, we get to see the Hero win because he is better skilled than his adversary. If his opponent threatens him, it is usually because of some flavor of 'dirty trick.' Not so in this case. Rob is clearly outmatched by the rapier fencer. Still, he wins. Not through skill or speed... but through sheer will. A nice change from the usual "Evil people are inept because they spent so much time being evil that they couldn't learn how to properly use a sword" school of thought. In this one, the winner is the man who wants it more.

So, what are your picks? I bet there's some great scenes out there from movies I've never even seen.

--Anthony

[Stephen A. Fisher]

A few of mine in no particular order,

1. Final Fight in Rob Roy, William Hobbs is the best in the film industry for realistic fight scenes.

2. All the fights in the 1974/5 Three & Four Musketeers, especially the comedic fight between Aramis and Porthos in the resturant.
3. The Princess Bride, fun.

4. The Mask of Zorro, All of the swordplay was alot of fun, not 100% accurate. My favorite fight was between Catherine Zeta Jones and Banderas, for obvious reasons.

5. The Duellists, I liked all the duels in the movie.

6. The Mark of Zorro (1940) duel between Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone. This is probably my favorite of all movie duels.

7. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002) I loved all the fights except for the last one. (William Hobbs)

8. Highlander: the series/ Many of the episodes had very cool swordfights and unarmed combat, thanks to the skills of Adrain Paul and F. Braun McAsh.

[Jay Barron]

I think the fight scenes in "The Duellists" are the most realistic duels to ever be put on film. I'm really pissed offf the it hasn't been released on DVD.

[Stephen A. Fisher]

Originally posted by Jay Barron
I think the fight scenes in "The Duellists" are the most realistic duels to ever be put on film. I'm really pissed offf the it hasn't been released on DVD.

Me too. you would think they would. I heard rumors that it and Ridley Scott's other epic film, 1492 Conquest of Paradise would be released on DVD within a year. But I doubt it. It would be great have on DVD, with better picture quality. Although I believe he meant to shoot the film with a dark tone.

[Bjorn A.]

Rob Roy tops my list.

In fact, everything fades in comparison so I'll limit my list to one.

[Angel S.]

Originally posted by Anthony Toledo
I was reading the Favorite Battle Scene thread, and noted that the thread creator said something along the lines of, "Okay, we all know what our favorite fight scene is, but what about battles?"

I couldn't find the fight scene thread anywhere, so I was hoping to hear everyone's favorite fight scenes from film.

So, what are your picks?

--Anthony

My pics are...in no particular order:

The Princess Bride: Wesley & Montoya's fight on top of the cliffs of insanity.

Star Wars: Any scene where Obi Wan (Ewan McGregor) is kicking butt!

Count of Monte Cristo: the major fight at the end.

Highlander (TV show): Any fights involving Methos.

I know there's more but I'm drawing a blank!

[Ian Brackley]

I'll have to second that motion for Ewen McGreggor, particularily his hard-fought tussle with Jango Fett........his line "Uh Oh not good!" before going over the edge was great.........

My favourite duel scene to date remains Keanu Reeves and John Malcovitch in "Dangerous Liasons". A fine example of characters being reflected in their fighting style and the story being acentuated by the fight and not just fighting to stave off boredom.
If you go and examine it, the younger man (Reeves) is hotheaded and impetuous, he flails about on his parries, and his fight is more "Italianate" and scrappy (not dissing Italian swordmanship here!) with the off hand before his breast to be employed (one guesses) in some leathal buisness.
By contrast, Malcovitch's Viscount de Valmont begins the fight in a more Frenchified manner, relying on superior finess (although this soon goes to hell after he tires and the fight gets more desperate) to disarm his younger opponent again and again only to back off and have Danseny (Reeves) charge at him again. The dialogue spoken with swords and disarms is clear:

Clang! Clang! Disarm "Had enough kid?"

"NO!" Clang, clang, clang disarm. "Stop it or you'll get hurt, boy!"


just great........been in a number of assaults with blunts that ended up looking like that, mind you I find I often have to yell "THROW DOWN!" or "DROP IT!" to fully communicate the idea.....

[Mario E. Perez]

I totally agree. It wasn't really proper smallsword technique but it was a great fight.

[James Pax Smith]

Okay perhaps not battle or duel scenes but, the absolute best scenes I have ever seen of a Fencing Salle or Practice hall have got to go to Gerard Depardeiu's Cyrano deBergerac: The level of intensity, and the sheer amount of men practicing all against each other is fantastic as well as, the model wooden horse that pivots and was being fought on was just incredible!! I have wanted to replicate that for the last five years!

And the Salle in Valmont, where the new recruits sword skills are tested against the Counts is just as fantastic. All kinds of swordplay going on in the back and foreground and is just, a dazzling display of swordsmanship.

Both of these films are worth watching just for those scenes but, overall they have such depth in their stories.

James Pax Smith

[Kevin Inouye]

Yeah, I love that Cyrano, and wish I'd been able to find it on US coded DVD back when I had money to buy such things. Not sure it has been or will be released on DVD here, unfortunately.

[Natanael Paredes]

lets see now:

Blade: when Blade and Frost fight

Versus (form Japan): the last scene is a wicked sword fight witht he coolest katana swords

The Musketter: very cool how they used chinese sword work with rapiers

Conan: Very cool sword fights. espically in the end when he fights agaist the man who has his fathers sword.

The Princess Bride: "I'm not left handed!" and "You killed my father...prepair to die!"

Steel Dawn: (old school) the last fight scene very cool

Sword of the Ninja: Toshiro Mifune is in it..nuf said

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: three words Kung-Fu Cat fight

Duel to the Death: Chinese Swords master vs. Japanese Samurai the last scene was wicked when the samurai was dieing (not before he took the other mans arm) he stabbed himself in the foot to die standing up, looking twords the setting sun.

The Count Of Monticristo: (not sure if I spelled it right) Very cool fight screnes and loved the movie over all

Highlander (tv/movie): Do I really have to say anything?

The Strom Riders: Very kick ass chinese movie. think Matrix with swords

A Man Called Hero: Another kick ass chinese movie. maybe better then the Strom Riders

well thats all for now...there is more I know but cant think of any..later

Nat

[Anthony Toledo]

"Of Shadows And Light"

I won't swear to it, but I think this may be a Babylon 5 episode title. Just thought I'd mention it, because I hate accidentally duplicating other peoples titles myself.

--Anthony

[JFults]

Not really sure about a favorite.

But I really like the fight between Aragorn and the head Uruk-Hai near the end of FOTR.

[Joey S]

For massive battles on a huge scale; can't go wrong with Braveheart. For someone that looks like he was born with a sword in hand; Willow, whenever Madmartigan has to lay the smackdown. Princess bride has been listed. It may be against the book and tongue-in-cheek, but most battles in "The Three Musketeers" by disney were awesome. Say what you will, but the battles of "The Hunted" are on a whole other level Best in terms of pure unbeatable toughness is LOTR, Boromir's last stand

[Phil S.]

I have to agree with "The Three Musketeers" by Disney. Although I usually hate anything associated with that damned Mouse, "The Three Musketeers" was (and still is) one of my favorite movies.

There were also some pretty cool sword fighting scenes in "Man in the Iron Mask", but Leo diCaprio just isn't my thing.

The Hunted, like most of Christopher Lamberts movies, was poorly done and the acting was Bleh! I mean come on, has Lambert done anything decent other than the Highlander flicks? And he's done with that role, according to him - the only role he did well, and the one he's famous for. I find that funny. That being said, however, the fight scenes were great. The old samurai dude was pretty good.

One of my fav's: Not with swords, however they were in the film, but the fights in "Last of the Mohicans" (my all time favorite movie). Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeline Stowe, soundtrack by Enya, and people getting creamed with tomahawks. Need I say more?

Phil
Air Force Security Police/K-9

[Mario E. Perez]

That excellent soundtrack to Last of the Mohicans was composed by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman. Thankfully, Enya had nothing to do with the composition of that music.

[David K. Wilson]

Originally posted by Mario E. Perez
That excellent soundtrack to Last of the Mohicans was composed by Trevor Jones and Randy Edelman. Thankfully, Enya had nothing to do with the composition of that music.

In fact, it wasn't even Enya singing; it was Maire Brennan (her sister? Or cousin? Don't remember which) in the band Clannad.

[Phil S.]

Thanks for the corrections on the soundtrack, guys. I didn't have my copy of LotM on hand, and was trying to do it by memory.

Either which way, the soundtrack kicked major behind.

[C Russo]

I've said this before, in a similar thread...

The two main swordfights in the movie Dragonheart are among my favorite broadsword fights. If you can ignore the fact that Bowen is using Japanese katana moves in 10th century Britain. But the fighting is well-choreographed, and I LOVE the part where his sword breaks and it becomes a sword-vs.-axe fight!

[Joshua Adams]

I guess that one of my favs would be in Blade (Blade vs. Frost), but the fight scenes in LOTR were cool too.

[Jonny McCormick]

Seriously, the sword fights in FOTR are among the most exciting and energetic of any medieval style sword fighting in any movie. I would imagine real sword fights don't last more than a few seconds. Their fights aren't long and drawn out like in the movie, Highlander. They are quick and coordinated, though they don't use proper or what's supposed to be proper fighting techniques. I can't get enough of them. I also like Braveheart and I liked the duel at the end of Rob Roy (I thought he was going to die!! )

[Bjorn A.]

Joshua! ARE YOU MAD?
The "duel" in blade 1 must be the worst I have ever seen. They stand at a two meter distance, smacking their swords together a feet above their heads. Smack, smack smack smack smack smack smack smacks smack smack smacks smack smack smacks smack smack smacks smack smack smacks smack smack smacks smack

[GeneF]

OK, maybe it was typical 50s Hollywood fake duel choreography, but I always thought that the duel between Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone in "The Court Jester" couldn't be matched for good, clean fun. Get it? Got it. Good.

[JayTicer]

Though it was a bit willy-nilly, I really liked the sequence after Qui-Gon gets speared in SW:TPM. I'm sure the actors trained and trained and trained, but it was so *fast*.

Henry V, with Branaugh. Just for sheer messiness.

And in the clean fun category (Little relation to real life...) the last sequence in Hook, with Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams.

Peter Pan versus Captain Hook? What's not to like??


Jay