Medieval Swordsmanship and Archery Bring Battles to Life in Peter Babakitiss New Film of Shakespeares Henry V

(PRWEB) January 28, 2004 --I knew from the outset that I wanted an authentic approach to the battles in Henry V," explains director Peter Babakitis. It had to be more naturalistic and personal than fantasy epics like Lord of the Rings or The Matrix, but there had to be a sense of menace in the details of what kind of dangers the characters are up against."

I turned to the Skirmishers to Provide the hand-to-hand choreography, the Saint Sebastians for English longbow archery, who make their own gear, forge their own arrowheads and everything, including those amazing 9-foot great-bows, fired with the feet, and then for the sieges, the Medieval Reenactment Society are experts at staging sieges at historical castles and the like, with hundreds of participants in full 15th century gear. These really contributed to the scenes staged at Henrys actual Porchester castle in England."

Tom Conroy, who plays the Constable of France, is an accomplished swordsman, and trains often with the Skirmishers, so he was my main coach the the extended broadsword fight at the crux of the battle. My friend Ang Lee recommended using wooden swords like the ones he used in Crouching Tiger to achieve the lightning speed, but we found that we really needed the weight of the steel blades for the full-on Medieval European experience of banging and clanging; the exhausting, two-handed effort of wielding those massive horse-killer blades."

The stunning effect of this combat choreography can be seen in William Shakespeares Henry V, due to be released this spring.

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