James Bond, Swashbuckler (Early Bears!)

Back at the beginning of the pandemic, I'm absolutely convinced one of my livestreams got cut off because I said 'coronavirus'. It's a bit less draconian now but...better to be safe and mildly amusing than sorry! :)

Jill Bearup

Oh, right, yes, sorry. Theory of mind failure, my apologies. I meant your comment about saying panini to avoid being potentially struck down by YouTube. I thought people were just avoiding the common words out of emotional protection and saturation, but concern over platform shenanigans makes a lot more sense.

Allan

I don’t think I understand the question 🙂

Jill Bearup

Is that why all the talking-around on YouTube? I thought it was just people being cute

Allan

Speaking as a longsword practitioner, I was just fine with it. Yes, it's not a "good" longsword fight, but it is extremely realistic for the circumstances. The historical manuals even include a few plays specifically about fighting "buffalo" (strong & clueless opponents).

Alex Mckenzie

Even the best choreography can't make up for what's in the script. I imagine that's where the katana bit came from.

Damien Tonkin

"There were many myths and legends relating to the swords of Damascus, mostly dealing with their unrivaled flexibility and razor-edge sharpness. One such tale tells of a meeting between Richard the Lion-Hearted and Saladin. Richard, to impress his guest with his great power, cut through with his broadsword a thick iron bar with a single blow. Saladin, unimpressed, threw a silk pillow into the air and, as it fell, sliced it into ribbons with his Damascene blade." Perhaps the Katana was really a broadsword and the sabre just an iron bar?

Dr Martin Ward

I completely blanked that scene from memory, glad to see there were some decent parts. I do like that they went with Bond not knowing every style of fighting, that he struggled with the longsword, though he was a quick learner which is understandable given the circumstances. Also sad that this was the Bond movie Brosnan went out on.

Helen Ellison

FOR SCIENCE!!!

Anders

It's excellent! Brilliant character development and very interesting themes. Quite wordy, lots of waxing philosophical about stuff, which I like but may not be for everyone. The action is nothing special, but it's much more a political show than an action one.

....yes. Definitely. :D

Jill Bearup

I haven't seen Black Sails, is it any good?

Jill Bearup

I'm buying the Twilight Blu-Ray Boxset FOR WORK, HONESTLY

Jill Bearup

Yuuuupppp

Jill Bearup

I grew up during the Roger Moore Bond Movies on TV Every Christmas era. And then the Pierce Brosnan era also :)

Jill Bearup

Clearly the sheared saber was a stainless steel sword-like-object... right?

Octa9on

Always love me a Bob Anderson fight! We can blame the katana moment on the director or someone else... This is also an excellently timed video because I'm rewatching Black Sails and man, Toby Stephens really enjoys going absolutely feral, huh?

Did you know that there are fights in Twilight? You can watch all the movies in excruciating detail and call it work!

Anders

I'd agree that slashing the wrist is plausible since accidents still happen even while wearing armor. It's also more plausible when contrasted with the katana cutting through steel like a lightsaber.

SlightlyEmbittered Productions

Awesome video! As a long-time Bond fan (grew up during the Roger Moore era), I heartily enjoyed this fight. We usually only see Bond shoot people or deliver a singular punch to knock someone out. This threw the character out of his comfort zone and it was awesome. And yeah...the whole katana sheering a saber trope was something I tried to ignore as well.

Jerry

Might not have been so bad were they not pushing that "we want to make a Halle Berry spinoff" aspect quite so hard. (Well. And if they'd removed the tsunami-windsurfing bit. And probably the invisible car. And the extremely awkward racial bits. And... er, never mind, I give up.)

Karel P Kerezman

Such a weird movie. Some entertaining moments, I grant you, but...so strange.

Jill Bearup

By the end they're practically snarling at each other, it's great. :)

Jill Bearup

"Oh, /right/ in the engineering degree." I admit it, you found something to genuinely appreciate in an otherwise atrocious Bond outing.

Karel P Kerezman

I'm not sure what you mean, I thought Die Another Day was a dramatic reality based recreation of real events...practically a documentary...haha. Great Analysis. I loved how Bond started out basically gentlemanly then started to get pissed (in the American sense).