Annoying Braveheart question...not about kilt

[Arizona Scot]

Just chalk this one up to hollyweird, and their warped view of things.

[davedove]

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 ).

Hey, if Amanda from the series can hide a medieval long sword within her form fitting outfit, the Kurgan can have a sword that comes apart.

[adam]

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.

I've managed to walk around with a copy of a Blade (vampire) sword under my trench coat. It IS possible, though not easy. Highlander didn't show him sitting, did it?

[Galician]

There is a way of drawing a bastard sword from the back...

Now, Arlen, there's no reason to be calling that sword names. This is a family-oriented forum, after all!!!

[Ian.MacAllan]

. . . rather than what is real* . . .

or even plausible.

.

[davedove]

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.

I have the series DVD's and on one it showed how the swords appeared. Aparently, as they were shooting, someone sttod just outside the frame. When the actor reached back to "draw" the sword, the prop man would hand the sword to him.

Of course, that's the movie mechanics. It still doesn't explain the story reality.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

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?

You know, I worked on BRAVEHEART (as did every Assistant Director in Ireland), but for the life of me I can't remember how that was done.

Anyhow, I was told by someone (possibly the late Col. Sean O'Driscoll of Castle Matrix in Co. Limerick) that in all likelihood two handed swords (like the claymore in my avatar) weren't sheathed in the usual sense of the word. It was more likely that the blade was wrapped in rags (to provide some padding) and that the sword was then carried across the shoulder. This makes sense when you consider the physics of carrying such a sword: the weight of the sword will always be pulling down, causing the baldric to dig into the shoulder (or slip down, or both) with the result that the blade will ultimately be dragging on the ground behind the wearer.

At the time such swords were in fashion as weapons (and later as symbols of authority) the possessor would have had a sword bearer to lug the thing around until it was needed. Being a sword bearer was a considered honour (as it is today) and often was the prerogative of a gentleman of high status. It was not unusual for the position to be held by the Chief of a clan as indicative of an alliance between his clan and another clan.

[jmercier]

Another thing which tends to be overlooked is that the large claymore was not an anti-person sword for man to man combat, it was an anti horse sword used to take out the legs of calvery. The edges of the blade were not infact very sharp, and in use it was more of a blunt trama weapon with a sharp point on the end. A fight might go like this 1) brace the sword with two hands and get into position facing oncomming horsemen 2) sidestep to avoid getting trampled, with the sword to the side to cut out the front legs of the horse, using the horses own momentum, so your'e not actually swinging something that size 3) drive the point through the chest of whoever was riding the horse as they should now be on the ground

[Tommie]

You Guys !!! Don't ya know you have to see the films nowdays on DVD and not at the movies?
That way you get the second Disk to show how Hollywierd pulls the wool over your eyes.(or tries)Troy and Pirates are good examples.
How boring movies would be computor animation.

[sharpdressedscot]

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

Wouldn't he cut off fingers or something? sounds painful!