Annoying Braveheart question...not about kilt

[CelticMedic]

It's not just Braveheart, but i figured it'd get some response, but when William Wallace pulls his huge sword out of the sheath on his back...how does he put it back? For that matter how does he really pull it out as it's longer than his arm can extend...and yes it is a full sheath as long as the blade. I notice in the many viewings of the film you never really see him form the back when he's pulling it out...I suspect it's because even Mel Gibson can't overcome physics and remove it, so he merely hold's it back there and is filmed from the front. Anyone have any ideas?

[Streetcar]

You're right. The sword could not be drawn in that fashion.

Carrying over the back was meant only as a means of transporting the blade - much like slinging a rifle over your shoulder.

When it came time to use it, the sword and sheath are taken off, the sword drawn, and the sheath can be tossed to the side to be recovered later - provided the owner is still alive to do so....

[Panache]

And I want to know how The Kurgan in the original Highlander can have a sword with a blade in two sections that fit together with a "snick" to become a seamless weapon (not to mention being as strong as a regular sword blade ).

In other words, Hollywood often goes with what is cool looking rather than what is real*

Cheers

Jamie




*i.e. Like Woolly Mammoths building the Pyramids of Egypt.

[Thomas]

And I want to know how The Kurgan in the original Highlander can have a sword with a blade in two sections that fit together with a "snick" to become a seamless weapon

Yes, yes, yes that´s exactly what i asked myself, too.

[Colin]

Since the thread title even says "...not about kilt", I have moved this to Off Topic.

Good observation by the way. As for Jamie's comment about Highlander, I have always wondered how any of those guys managed to hide swords under a jacket or sweater and still go about their daily lives without the swords being painfully obvious.

[Arlen]

There is a way of drawing a bastard sword from the back but it involves having a soft sheath and simultaneously pulling the bottom of the sheath down and towards your left side as you pull the sword up and over your shoulder.
As far as I can recall it never shows you if he held the bottom of the sheath while he drew his sword.

As far as the Kurgen's sword, it is obviously magic.

[CelticMedic]

"...why yes...it is a sword in my pocket.."

[SportBilly]

And I want to know how The Kurgan in the original Highlander can have a sword with a blade in two sections that fit together with a "snick" to become a seamless weapon (not to mention being as strong as a regular sword blade ).

And how he takes it apart again to put back in that attache case

[Coemgen]

Hollywood often goes with what is cool looking rather than what is real*

*i.e. Like Woolly Mammoths building the Pyramids of Egypt.

NO NO NO! How many times do I have to tell you guys? The aliens from Atlantis resurrected the mammoths to build the pyramids in order to take over the world with the invisible lizard people of the Los Angeles sewers, and started the Illuminati after the slave revolt and then hypnotised King Solomon to create the freemasons, who buried his treasure underneath the White House!

[Howard Clark]

Pretty much everything to do with swords in the movies is not accurate. You cannot have your bazillion dollar actors swinging sharp blades at each other. And no matter how hard you try, you cannot make a "safe" sword to play act with that in any way resembles a "real" sword that was meant to use on the field of battle to remove parts from other humans. Superficial resemblance in appearance, yes, but real in any way ? Not.

Please pardon my openly biased perspective as a full time smith, who makes a living making swords.