Movie Sword (Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence)

vajo · November 27, 2017

I wonder if they used a real sword in the movie. I take a look on the movie and the picture and think it is a real one. Nice Sughua Hamon. What you think?

Look at the 2 chips in the second picture.

Chris

Dave R · November 27, 2017

In my experience with actors,(and I do have some) you never, ever trust them with a real blade on set! Much more likely to be an alloy blade, and the chips produced by the sort of behaviour that justifies not giving

them real swords.

paul griff · November 27, 2017

Hello,

Tassel looks right but not sure of Menuki...?

Paul.

Jon MB · November 27, 2017

My guess would be genuine war capture, brass having been polished up by props dept.

Or were there already repros floating around in 1983? I imagine fewer than now..

Dave R · November 27, 2017

No problem with the koshirae being original. I just doubt it was an original or even sharp blade.

Baka Gaijin · November 27, 2017

Japan Sword Co Ltd in Tokyo certainly had repro Gunto with Duramilium blades in the 1980's.

Bruce Pennington · November 27, 2017

In my experience with actors,(and I do have some) you never, ever trust them with a real blade on set! Much more likely to be an alloy blade, and the chips produced by the sort of behaviour that justifies not giving

them real swords.

I was thinking the same thing, Dave! If its a repro, it's one of the best I've ever seen in a movie. The tsuba looks a little too thin, but the rest looks real - even what I can see of the fuchi, seems to look right,

vajo · November 27, 2017

I think they use original swords. Look at the leather saya and the boars eye seppa washer.

Damn there is no HD Version

Stephen · November 27, 2017

So is the movie any good?

Teimei · November 27, 2017

Quite good. David Bowie and Beat Takeshi in the same movie, can´t ask for much more strangeness .

Stephen · November 27, 2017

youtube blocked in my country. ill kodi it

BANGBANGSAN · November 27, 2017

I believe most movie use prop sword.

Check the swords in The Wolverine (2013) ，Oba: The Last Samurai（太平洋の奇跡

）

David Flynn · November 28, 2017

Great movie. Not many people realise there were camps on Java.

Grey Doffin · November 28, 2017

Kurosawa said that a kabuto worn by one of the gang of thieves in 7 Samurai was Kokuho. How's that for a real prop?

Grey

vajo · November 28, 2017

What is a prop sword? Replica?

Guido · November 28, 2017

Some years ago I watched a documentary on Japanese tv about how costumes, wigs, swords, and other movie props for jidai-geki are made. The sword “blades” were made of wood (basically tsunagi), covered with kind of an aluminum foil, the “hamon” (if any) drawn in clear lacquer. A lot of work went into the koshirae, though, looking pretty convincing.

I remember that they also talked about a director (forgot the name, b/w movie era shortly after the war) who insisted on real swords in his movies, but that didn’t last for long; he had a hard time finding actors who were willing to work with him, and finally the union interfered.

John A Stuart · November 28, 2017

The bullying scene in that movie nearly brought me to tears when I first watched it. John

Brian · November 28, 2017

What is a prop sword? Replica?

movie prop = replica

Baka Gaijin · November 28, 2017

Often real items (Converted to Blank Fire) are used for closeup work in Film and TV production.

This should help clarify terms:

http://www.bapty.co.uk/

Dave R · November 28, 2017

What is a prop sword? Replica?

Not quite a replica. In Lord of the Rings for example every main "character sword" had at least 3 versions. The "hero sword" which was a real functional sword, a "look alike" sword for situations where it might get trashed, and a "prop sword" made out of safe materials like rubber and or foam for combat scenes. (This is why..https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/19395/did-sandahl-bergman-lose-a-finger-during-the-filming-of-conan-the-barbarian)Vigo Mortensen got a certain notoriety for wearing and carrying his "Hero sword" at all times, so that it looked like a part of his daily life when on camera.

He also bought and kept his stunt horse after filming.

Jon MB · November 29, 2017

The high camp in the prison camp film.

paul griff · November 29, 2017

Hello,

Chris...reference prop swords...Kingdom of Heaven swords were for auction a few months back on The Saleroom .com they looked really good but were made of rubber...!

Regards,

Paul.