Reclaiming the Blade giveaway

The makers of independent film Reclaiming the Blade are giving away prizes including Hasbro Force FX Lightsabers, practical swords and the grand prize, a Trainer for a Day:



Apparently I'm eligible for something, being a 'friend of RTB', and having their banner on my blog for a while now. You can enter to win swords by signing up for their mailing list. I'm all for supporting independent film, especially when there is booty involved! I figure a high percentage of my readers like swords, and might like to help support this film by buying the DVD or downloading it on iTunes.

Also from their site... NEW: Friends of RTB will be listed in the final film credits. Oh, that makes me squee a little!

Not just another sword movie

Some of you may have noticed the little graphic down on the sidebar for Reclaiming the Blade by Galatia Films. If not, seek it out and click it. Or you can just wait for the link I'll provide in the next paragraph or so.

When I first heard this film was in production, I pored over their website, as any good fencer would do. A documentary about renaissance swordplay, narrated by John Rhys-Davies? Score points for that. But when I last looked, there were no videos: I had been looking for fight scenes. But I found the Friends of RTB, to which I promptly applied. I wanted very much to help this production see the light of day, for so many good independent films never make it to the screen.

And there I sit, right between the Provo chapter of ARMA and the Chicago Swordplay Guild. Aye, distinguished company. The rest of the cast is not a shabby list of rogues, either!




Want to learn more? Or perhaps win one of those prizes? Check out the RTB YouTube Channel and sign up for the newsletter to get on the list for the free booty!

This movie could be coming out as early as this summer! For this, I will go to the theater again. Probably in costume.

How it's Made: Modern medieval swords and armor!

The Discovery Channel has my respect, and I realize there's a high degree of skill and craftsmanship involved in this process, but I long for the good old-fashioned 'dark ages' way of hand forged metal.

At least the mass production process allows for all of us non-nobility to own weapons and armor in these modern times.



Wow, that was pretty cool, but it sure killed my medieval buzz. At least armoring seems to involve a bit more hand-working the metal. I bet the use of power tools sure speeds up the turnaround time for a suit.

Digital Agrippa

Inigo Montoya: You are using Bonetti's Defense against me, ah?
Man in Black: I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain.
Inigo Montoya: Naturally, you must suspect me to attack with Capo Ferro?
Man in Black: Naturally... but I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Ferro. Don't you?
Inigo Montoya: Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa... which I have!

You too can study your Agrippa, and be ready the next time some masked fencer scrambles up a cliff after you. Here's another period fencing manual made PDF by the glory of technology (and the efforts of William Wilson). Click the 'full screen' icon next to the print icon for the best view.

Canadian Coolness - History Bites and AEMMA videos

I've never really watched much Canadian TV, but what I have seen is strange and funny. I managed to catch a few episodes of History Bites once on a local PBS membership drive, and I laughed through the whole thing. Canadians, like the British, enjoy a bit 'different' humor than Americans, which can seem pretty controversial to the more sensitive types. It's rare when jokes or subject matter shocks me, but I appreciate that in my entertainment.

It's really too bad that History Bites doesn't offer their collection on DVD yet. There are scant few clips on YouTube (none of which I'd seen yet) but this one shows that even in the 16th century, there was too much violence on TV.



Also from Canada is the Academy of European Medieval Martial Arts, here on YouTube with their great web-commercial. Now that's selling a lifestyle!




There is just too much coolness in Canada. I think we should invade and take their sense of humor.

SwordPlayLA Video mix

I'm an online video junkie. I'm always looking for fun things I can create playlists of to share with others. Well, these guys at SwordPlayLA have a few pretty cool swordfight, choreography and practice videos that I thought some of you might like to watch, gathered together in a collection I like to call "Playing with Swords."

Plus, this gives me an excuse to try out Revver's video platform. Could it be that YouTube has some competition?

Worth 1000 has a swordfight image contest

Worth1000.com is a great place for photoshop junkies to get inspired, compete or even try and find work.

Every now and then they sponsor image manipulation contests that have a medieval or renaissance flavor. This is the first one I've seen where the source image was actually taken at an SCA tournament. Check out all the ways people have doctored up this great swordfight.

If you've got the time for browsing, check out Animal Renaissance 1, 2, 3, and 4, Childhood Renaissance 1 and 2, If Pirates Ruled, and wow, there's just too many different ones to list. Just check out the directory.