I have quite the weakness for good stage/screen combat. I’ve seen it up close, and I know how much work goes into making it work. This…is not that. Still, if you don’t make it to the scene with Lucas himself, you’re missing out.
Stephanie Zvan is one of the hosts for the Minnesota Atheists' radio show and podcast, Atheists Talk. She serves on the board of Secular Woman. She speaks on science and skepticism in a number of venues, including science fiction and fantasy conventions.
Stephanie has been called a science blogger and a sex blogger, but if it means she has to choose just one thing to be or blog about, she's decided she's never going to grow up. In addition to science and sex and the science of sex, you'll find quite a bit of politics here, some economics, a regular short fiction feature, and the occasional bit of concentrated weird.
Oh, and arguments. She sometimes indulges in those as well. But I'm sure everything will be just fine. Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.
As pointed out in Mr. Plinkett’s epic reviews* of the Star Wars prequels, the fight choreography in the originals was even worse… but in the originals, the fight scenes weren’t about the choreography, they were about what was happening. Ben Kenobi’s final duel with Vader wasn’t about what bad-asses they both were (and good thing, because they look like a couple of grandpas waving their shuffleboard sticks around), it was about the teacher reconfronting his prodigal student, it was about Kenobi’s death and his acceptance that he would die.
You can say the same thing about all of the other light saber duels in the original: there was an important and emotional subtext to them. The subtext of the duel in this video? “Holy shit, that dude has a DOUBLE LIGHT SABER!” Yawn…
* Rape trigger warning if you happen to Google the Plinkett reviews and watch them. They are both hilarious and insightful, but the “reviewer” character is also a serial killer. I did not link because I imagine many readers of this blog would find those parts of the reviews in such bad taste that they would not be able to appreciate the rest of it. Be forewarned.
When I first saw this fight seen, I thought, ‘that’s the worst two-on-one ever! Why do the Jedis only attack when the Sith is facing them? They suck at this!’
OK, in our tae kwan do club, we do mostly let our opponents face us when we attack in two-on-ones. But we’re all friends! I wouldn’t do it that way if I were really trying to kill someone.
That said, as far as unrealistic, flashy Hollywood fights go, I do have a soft spot for this one. I do know quite a bit about sword fighting – both the “real” and the choreographed kind, and it’s clear that this is complete bollocks; but I still think it’s pretty bollocks.
And it’s much less painful to watch than the “swords weighs twenty pounds”-crap one sees in far too many mediaeval-ish fantasy films.
Just in case anyone wants to see: One of the worst fight scenes I can remember off the top of my head.
It starts at 3:25 or thereabouts. I’d recommend the show in general, if sort-of mediaeval murder mysteries strike your fancy, but that fight is soul-crushingly terrible.
It makes about as much sense as the above lightsaber battle, and is so awkward to look at it makes me cringe every time.
Very nice. You would have thought for as much money was spent on that movie that the choreography would be a bit less obvious…
As pointed out in Mr. Plinkett’s epic reviews* of the Star Wars prequels, the fight choreography in the originals was even worse… but in the originals, the fight scenes weren’t about the choreography, they were about what was happening. Ben Kenobi’s final duel with Vader wasn’t about what bad-asses they both were (and good thing, because they look like a couple of grandpas waving their shuffleboard sticks around), it was about the teacher reconfronting his prodigal student, it was about Kenobi’s death and his acceptance that he would die.
You can say the same thing about all of the other light saber duels in the original: there was an important and emotional subtext to them. The subtext of the duel in this video? “Holy shit, that dude has a DOUBLE LIGHT SABER!” Yawn…
* Rape trigger warning if you happen to Google the Plinkett reviews and watch them. They are both hilarious and insightful, but the “reviewer” character is also a serial killer. I did not link because I imagine many readers of this blog would find those parts of the reviews in such bad taste that they would not be able to appreciate the rest of it. Be forewarned.
When I first saw this fight seen, I thought, ‘that’s the worst two-on-one ever! Why do the Jedis only attack when the Sith is facing them? They suck at this!’
OK, in our tae kwan do club, we do mostly let our opponents face us when we attack in two-on-ones. But we’re all friends! I wouldn’t do it that way if I were really trying to kill someone.
All IMO, but…
Choreography is a bit of a moot point, since realistic fights with such weapons would probably last a few seconds at most.
The complaint “at second 15, X’s boot misses Y’s face by a mile” misses main gaffe, which is that there shouldn’t be a second 15.
Possible geek excuse: “Maybe it was a Force kick; no contact required!”
Just in case anyone wants to see: One of the worst fight scenes I can remember off the top of my head.
It starts at 3:25 or thereabouts. I’d recommend the show in general, if sort-of mediaeval murder mysteries strike your fancy, but that fight is soul-crushingly terrible.
It makes about as much sense as the above lightsaber battle, and is so awkward to look at it makes me cringe every time.