Dept. of Because My Brain Works That Way, Apparently

[kaffy_r]

Just A Thought on Fights on Film or Television

It seems to me that almost any fight, particularly comic-book fights, superhero fights, action film fights, would be shorter, less flashy, and more successful for whoever undertook the final move, if the person determined to win focused almost solely upon kneeing their opponent, hard, in the groin.

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Comments

[clocketpatch]

Too true that. Heh.

[kaffy_r]

Yeah. Over on Dreamwidth, owlboy mentioned that in a real fight, instructors warn against trying for that shot in case you miss and lose your balance. That makes sense in the real world, but in a fight between an assassin like Natasha, who's trained to kill, not to be "sporting," my guess is that she could get that shot quite nicely; perhaps not immediately, but certainly within the first minute or so of a fight.

[liadtbunny]

I think that too, but fight choreography is more a work of art these days? Plus I'm distracted by the unrealisticly loud sound effects.

[kaffy_r]

Oh, fight choreography is the entire reason why supposedly gifted fighters like Natasha Romanov can't bring opponents to their knees almost immediately. A movie fight wouldn't be interesting the way I imagine it; it would just be successful.

Yes, I amuse myself inordinately, why do you ask? Heh.

[eaweek]

I've often sat through fight scenes on the big screen, wondering why one character didn't nail their opponent in the 'nads. I think in the first Bourne movie, Jason was running up a flight of stairs, a security goon was coming down, and Jason punched the guard in the nuts. I think Natasha has used that move at least once. Obviously, if the director wants the scene to play out for X amount of time, having it end too quickly won't work.

[kaffy_r]

I agree with everything you say (although I haven't seen the Bourne movies, so I'll take your word on that. Smart Bourne!)

And of course I know that cinematic fights will never be like this, unless it's a fight that gets played for laughs (and why this always gets a laugh, especially from an audience with guys in it, is a mystery to me, but it always seems that way), or because something else has to happen in a hurry. Possibly because the fights are designed with the same audience that laughs at "'nad shots" in mind.

[carbonel]

Also, especially for TV females, if you have managed to get the drop on your kidnapper/attacker/whatever and are still in fear of your life, finish him off. Do not just trust that because he's prone on the floor now, he will stay that way. Make sure of it. This sounds bloodthirsty, but it's just practical.

[kaffy_r]

Definitely. I don't know if, in real life, I could do that, but I think I'd try to force myself to do it. Possibly by dropping the heaviest thing I could find on the Designated Bad Guy's head. More than once (whilst taking care not to look at whatever potential ruin might be under the heavy item when I lifted it the first, second, or third time. I'm squeamish that way.)

[azalaisdep]

I remember reading a fascinating article somewhere once about real sword-duelling versus film/theatre versions - I think I was researching for a fic, funnily enough ;-) - and reading that in reality, such duels would generally involve an awful lot of circling/eyeing each other up, followed by a *very* short and furious flurry of blows far too fast to follow with the eye, at the end of which one or other swordsman would be either disarmed or dead. This, of course, doesn't make for much of a visual spectacle, hence the Errol Flynn/Princess Bride/Pirates of the Caribbean school of Silly Swordfighting :-)

[kaffy_r]

I think I've read similar descriptions, which make sword fighting sound quite a bit like baseball (a lot of waiting, then a short burst of frantic team activity if the batter actually hits a fair ball.) I think people could also get a hint of the pace of real sword-fighting by looking at a fencing match, which generally follows the pattern you describe.

But give up on Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone in that glorious "Adventures of Robin Hood" battle? Never!