The internet adds lightsabers to a lot of things, so it’s hard to accept that we’re only now seeing Inigo Montoya and The Dread Pirate Roberts’s duel from The Princess Bride with lightsabers. The pairing is perfect. How did this not happen years ago?
Extra bonus points for picking not only a charming movie, but a duel in which actual fencing techniques are used, possibly making this the most realistic lightsaber duel now in existence. (If you disagree, link or embed video, because a comment thread full of lightsaber duels is a wonderful thing.)
Names of techniques are used, certainly. Not, I believe, the techniques themselves. Or any technique beyond that of Errol Flynn.
I hadn’t seen that particular video before, but I had seen one of Inigo Montoya and Count Rugen’s climactic duel…with lightsabers. Call me a mundane, fuddy-duddy stick-in-the-mud, but I honestly don’t think that the lightsabers really improve either scene.
:( The video’s blocked in Australia on copyright grounds.
Swordmaster Bob Anderson actually worked on both The Princess Bride and Star Wars – he was the one in Darth Vader’s suit for the actual duels! – so it’s wonderfully fitting that this wedding of the two exists.
BLASPHEMY
They ruined a great scene.
What BenM @3 said, but in New Zealand.
Gah!
This is AWESOME! And actually, I was a fencer for 4 years in high school. Everything they said was historically correct, and they were using all the proper techniques as they spoke of them. It is without a doubt the single greatest swordfighting scene ever caught on film, or that ever will be. When they were filming it, that is the way the director described it, except he said it was the second greatest, and the only one better was later in the film. It is generally agreed that he got that part backwards.
I think someone needs to do this to The Court Jester.
Blocked in HK … it’s my favourite scene so gutted. If you can send to me that would be great ;-)
“This video contains content from MGM, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.”
Wankers.
What Max Planck said. In Scotland even.
Yeah, I can’t see it either. (Scotland too!)
But while I love Princess Bride(and that amazing scene!)…I also love Star Wars. So I can only imagine the awesomeness that results!!
The convincing fencing made the whole light saber concept even weirder for me. I know how it feels to parry a sword — what is the friction of light saber on light saber? Since the blades are functionally weightless, what’s it like dealing with the impact? Are you just manipulating a handle? Wouldn’t that be rough on the wrists?
And honestly. Until I see a light guard, I’m assuming that during a light saber duel, fingers fall like rain. I bet Jedi have fingers like sharks have teeth.
Yeah, the lack of blade guard always sort of bothered me. Although, metal wouldn’t be good enough. Guard made out of cortosis? Would that work?
Also, having a fencer for a roommate at university pretty much ruined most “great” sword/fencing fights in movies. Now I can’t watch a sword fight without noticing how unrealistic it is…
Also blocked in the Netherlands. Come on, MGM, how much money are you going to lose if people across the world watch this?
Blocked in Canada too
It seems MGM never heard of satire
From the MIT MTG Star Wars: Musical Edition:
Darth: “Why are you smiling?”
Luke: “Because I know something you don’t. I am not left handed!”
*Darth cuts off luke’s hand*
Darth: “You are, now!”
For those disapointed that they can’t watch the video due to copyright, fear not: I have an alternate solution.
http://theforce.net/fanfilms/shortfilms/brains/
I present ‘Brains and Steel’ A Star Wars fan Film that combines the script of ‘The Princess Bride’ with the style of Star Wars fan filmmaking. Yes the acting is less than perfect but for fans they did some great work in the effects and the fight.
Also I’m pretty sure it will predate the original posting by a few years however I can’t confirm this because I’m in Australia one of the country’s affected by the copyright blocking.
Hmmmmm the fun police are out in force. Not impressed.
Woof™.
TomR(Mac)@21 is right. The fan film one predates the new one by almost eight years.
But adding the lightsaber effect to the original is wonderful.
Metal? Half of the effect of the light saber comes from the awesome sounds it makes!
There’s actually an older version by a Mormon company called Clean Flicks, who used to edit the sex, profanity and violence out of movies and resell them to people who still wanted them for some reason. Luckily they were stopped. I don’t know exactly when their version of Princess Bride came out, but this article about it is from 2003:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/techpolicy/2003-02-03-film-censors_x.htm
This one is short and only Inigo is wielding a light sabre but has the appropriate sound. Bonus: viewable from New Zealand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXjrDMYPQRU
So…is there a version of this that people outside the US can see?
I tried posting a link but it’s tied up in moderation. I’m clearly a spammer!
Me @26:
That’s the Masked Man a.k.a. Wesley, not Inigo.
A snippet from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Zhang Ziyi cleaves Michelle Yeoh’s weapon with the Green Destiny, then invites her to pick another. Yeoh returns with a rather more durable blade….
Blocked in the Philippines. :,-( Please please please send it!
Dear MGM:
God forbid that anybody poosts anything that might actually entice people to rewatch or even – *gasp* – buy your old movies. We all know that only new movies make real money.
Dearest,
-Lars
This DID happen years ago. The video was uploaded in 2009.