Bond + Fencing article

[Craig]

Bond could thrust fencers into spotlight
By John Stanley
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 22, 2002


http://www.arizonarepublic.com/smart...fencing22.html

[Sildar]

The last line brought a tear to my eye:

"And if Madonna can do it, you can do it also."

I think I'll make that my new motto, and maybe my club's guiding principle as well.

Maybe I just shouldn't get out of bed in the morning anymore...

[BugabooX]

I toldja: Just a bit of pro-active PR effort, and you can convince a reporter in your area to give some coverage to the sport, too.

Yeah, the article cited above isn't brilliant, but it's something. And every little bit counts.

[Inquartata]

Given the propensity of clueless reporters to misquote and let errors creep into their copy, I am dubious that that "If Madonna can do it" is exactly what was said. And if it was, it's boosterism aimed at potential recruits, not those already "in the know"....

[BugabooX]

And boosterism would be a bad thing in what way?...

[jkormann]

Originally posted by BugabooX
And boosterism would be a bad thing in what way?...

Bootserism isn't bad. Sensationalism is un-needed. IHMO.

[Kodiak Kid]

That was the most appalling, gauche and tasteless....PICTURE I've seen recently! did you see the way Pierce Brosnan was holding that Martini glass???!
Horrors!
Bad enough that James Bond drinks a Vodka Martini, but to hold it like it might bite at any second....

I'll have trouble sleeping tonight I'm sure.

[Inquartata]

Originally posted by BugabooX
And boosterism would be a bad thing in what way?...

In no way. It wasn't a criticism, it was a defense of the statement in the article.

[Craig]

Not only does he drink vodka martinis, he drinks weak vodka martinis.

"Shaken, not stirred" = "get more ice to melt into the damn drink"

(editor's note: I have to admit that I too drink a vodka over a gin martini. Gin just tastes too much like the smell of pine needles to me...)

[BugabooX]

By the way, if you get a chance to visit a book store any time soon, pick up the novelization of the Die Another Day screenplay. Be sure to apply your nose-clip first, though -- it's very stinky writing.

The chapters are clearly marked, so finding the fencing scene will be simple. And then you can marvel at the way Gustav and James somehow removed their lames as they escalated from epee to saber.

... Yes, lames.
Oy.

[Gav]

Aparently Fencing is currently in good ol' Blightey. A reporter wrang up our club and asked if she could come round and interview a few people. She came round and one of the guys gave her a lesson. I'm not sure if she did any interviewing as I'm off Fencing at the moment due to a nasty cold. Anyway this was an unsolicited call and by all accounts she is intending to sign up and the article will be published sometime in December.

[Kodiak Kid]

Ah, but Craig! There are so many other varieties than the Juniper berry flavored gins. Bombay Saphire has a very soft nose and even Tanqeray Ten is much smoother than the standard Tanqueray. As far as the "weakness" of a shaken Martini, the extra H2O helps to release the flavors of all the herbs used in it's manufacture. And, some of us like a little fractured ice in our frozen gin!

[Kallisto]

RE: Bond's grip

But is there any way of holding a Martini glass without looking effeminate?

At least he's trying to be stylish with the thing. Ya gotta give him some points for trying...

[Kodiak Kid]

effiminate? I wouldn't think that Ernest Hemingway or Winston Churchill (sp?) would look effiminate no matter how they were drinking a Martini. The Glass is shaped the way it is for a reason, and it certainly isn't meant to be held by the rim. Maybe we could design one with a big ol' handle on the side like a beer mug, then they'd be easier to chug...

[BugabooX]

From the Oklahoma Gazette, a (short) sidebar to the main Bond movie review:

Let’s get right to the point, because I know we’re all thinking the same thing about the latest James Bond movie, "Die Another Day." The obvious question on everyone’s mind is, "Why the heck was Madonna wearing that leather corset to teach epee lessons?!"

It’s true. The costuming in the fencing club scene detracted from what could have been a very enjoyable film about the sport. Those of us who train in the real world might be able to forgive 007’s pristine white fencing gear (no sweating!), even though he shouldn’t have been wearing a waist-length saber jacket for epee. But Madonna’s black leather, lace-up, sleeveless vest was completely inappropriate for a coach. It would be dangerous for her and distracting to the student.

Seriously, though, any movie even hinting at swordplay is usually enough to attract fencers because it’s about as close as we get in America to serious exposure . In this case, the focus is one scene where Pierce Brosnan’s world-renowned spy character goes mano-a-mano with evil mastermind Gustav Graves, played by Toby Stephens.

Oklahoma City fencers were torn between on-spot realism and thrilling intent. Sure, it’s fun to watch *any* sword fight on the big screen, but I kept wondering why the characters kept swinging at each other’s blades instead of body cuts. Carolyn Gresham-Fiegel, a coach at Oklahoma Sport Fencing, was generally pleased with the representation: "At least it’s fencing, and it looked good. People are going to be interested," she said. She also noted that that the fencing scene in the 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap," with Lindsay Lohan playing 11-year-old twins fencing each other at summer camp, is usually cited by children who come to the club for their first lessons.

Her husband and coach Bob Fiegel, however, was disappointed in Bond. At least in Zorro movies, exaggerated swordplay was part of a period fantasy; "This is supposed to be modern sport fencing," he said.

Redlands Fencing Club assistant coach Gray Martin agreed with Fiegel: "I hated it. I think it will attract people looking for the wrong thing."

Fencing Master Jerry Benson had another perspective to share. In addition to coaching at Redlands, he’s also a stage combat choreographer.

"I was glad they got Bob Anderson to do the choreography in this film. He’s one of the biggies," Benson said. "They used a lot of fencing footage, considering this was a Bond film.

"What intrigued me was that even after they moved from epee to heavier weapons, they were still using a lot of fencing moves. They kept it simple and it looked good. Although," he added, "the guys looked like they had a little difficulty with the heavy weapons."

Still, though, Madonna’s brief cameo bothered all the Oklahoma City fencers. "We didn’t see it, but I’m sure she was wearing high-heeled boots, too," Gresham-Fiegel said.

"Die Another Day" could have been a blockbuster, an epic exploration of the human condition and undefeatable spirit as expressed through the blade of our hero. Sure, movie critics will say the other 92 percent of the movie focuses on explosions and sex and secret agents and giant lasers and whatnot – window dressing, I say! Any fencer can tell you the true heart of the movie is about 10 minutes of swordplay up and down the fencing strip … and through the fencing club, over furniture, down the stairs, and into the fountain. As soon as the public realizes Bond’s parry-ripostes were unnecessarily wide (he should have taken the counter-attack!), they’ll realize that it’s just another flashy action adventure flick.

[edew]

Originally posted by BugabooX
[...]

Still, though, Madonna’s brief cameo bothered all the Oklahoma City fencers. "We didn’t see it, but I’m sure she was wearing high-heeled boots, too," Gresham-Fiegel said.

[...]

A coach here in the SF Bay Area routinely gives lessons (at competitions) wearing high-heeled shoes. Stiletto heels, too. The coach is female, by the way. She also wears tight jeans while giving lessons. But she's not stupid to wear only a chest protector and no arm protection. Then again, she's only training 10-12 year olds. And in foil, not epee.

[BugabooX]

We also composed a short list of films that included sport fencing footage (not just generic swordplay), but didn't have any room to make reference to them on the page. The list included the Duellists, By the Sword, and even the three-second intro scene in Charlie's Angels where Lucy Lui takes off a fencing mask.

So after the movie, I rented The Parent Trap and Sunshine. I can strongly suggest the former to anyone with young kids (13 or younger), and the latter to mature adults. The Parent Trap fencing scenes are simple childish swashbuckling fun - you can't be tooooo picky; they're just kids. And Sunshine was an overall excellent film with some really lovely saber choreography that should please serious fencers.

[remise]

My son was appalled at the fencing in Die Another Day. Firstly, he felt it unfair that all of the fencers were villans. Then, the real "witch" turns out to be a sabre fencer, which, by the way, is his weapon of choice.

[jkormann]

Originally posted by remise
Then, the real "witch" turns out to be a sabre fencer, which, by the way, is his weapon of choice.

I thought all sabre fencers were evil by nature of their weapons.

[epeemike81]

Originally posted by remise
My son was appalled at the fencing in Die Another Day. Firstly, he felt it unfair that all of the fencers were villans. Then, the real "witch" turns out to be a sabre fencer, which, by the way, is his weapon of choice.

umm...... actually, wasn't she supposed to have won an olympic gold in epee???

-m