I love the fact that all the combat included elbows, kicks, punches, and the use of make-shift weapons.
While you never see other Musketeers in action, you are left with the impression that they are ferocious fighters, brawlers, and soldiers; the special ops of their day. This makes the plot move much easier, as three or four of them often engage twice their number without hesitation. It also supports the notion that D'Artangnan impressed them by challenging them all to duels in T3M. Clearly they could tell he was fearless...if somewhat naive.
But in terms of the choreography, it is a welcome respite from the Matrix-induced perfect wire fighting that seems to color everything since the 90's. Both brutal and comedic, the fights literally tear the set apart, knocking over chairs and tables, making full use of the room and tight quarters. The initial fight with the Cardinal's guards would be very prosaic if not for the hanging linen, and the battle on the road to Laurelchelle would be nothing if not for the frozen lake.
Beautifully done movie!
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dannieboy20906
9 years ago
I think that a large part of what makes the duels more realistic is that they were done using rapiers. This and the "Three Musketeers" were the first movies I had ever seen in which they used rapiers instead of fencing foils. Even the versions done after these two films hand a tendency to go to lightweight swords that looked like rapiers but handled like foils.
A fencing foil is thinner than a wooden pencil. They weight only ounces, so that the user can flick them about. They have no capacity to injure except 'la punta' so they have no use on the battlefield.
Sixteenth and seventeenth century blade duels were usually fought with rapiers, a la "Hamlet" and stage versions of "Romeo and Juliet." Rapiers are 32 to 36 inches long and weight about 3 1/2 pounds. Anyone who has handled one recognizes instantly that they cannot be 'flicked' with the wrist. The user still depends on the thrust la punta for a killing blow. Thrusts need to be made with a lot of force, but have the inertia supplied by the heavy blade.
Renaissance fencing terminology usually used Italian language for instruction because this is where the most duels occurred, hence the most dueling knowledge reposed there. I think I have used "la punta" for "the point" correctly; please forgive if I have not.
The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank.
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