As side note 12:45, the spanish equivalent of "between a rock and a hard place" is "entre la espada y la pared", literally 'between the sword and the wall'.
There is a fantastic battle scene later in the movie that kinda suffers from the limited budget (so not a lot of extras and effects) but probably the best pike and shot representation in cinema like ever. I think it would be a good thing to review too.
Yes, that scene was awesome and kind of terrible at the same time. But only because the tercio only had like 73 dudes in it. I forgive that, because the battle was very well done!
As a bit of additional info from the novels: The sheriff, Martin Saldaña, has had to cope with everyone calling him a cuckold behind his back his entire adult life, since he got the job thanks to his wife's influence, and hearing it from a lifelong friend would most definitely send him into a blind rage. Also, Gualterio Malatesta, his second opponent, is quite haughty and has a feud and rivalry spanning years as to who among them is the better swordsman, so any chance he gets, he tries to show off and "play with his food", so to speak, rather than go for the kill straight away, so whenever he wounds Alatriste tries to do so as to incapacitate.
I seem to remember that Malatesta was also supposed to be Italian, or from Spanish occupied Sicily. Matt must not have finished the movie, because our boy Alatriste definitely doesn't die here. The offense to his honor causes his protege to take revenge though, which is another great duel in this movie. So dramatic.
And as later shown in this same film, it was indeed a ploy to goad the man into reckless behavior. Calling him a cuckold was entirely insincere and Alitriste actually quite liked him.
@@zedlav6975 The Malatesta are indeed an italian noble family from that time. But if i'm not mistaken they were from Lombardy, wich at that time was also occupied by the Spanish. Sicily on the other hand wasn't technically part of Spain, it was a kingdom ruled by the same royal house as Spain.
@@arx3516 Technically.... ALL Spain was like that XDD I mean; while the Spanish Empire was a thing; the reallitty was that it was a Crown with multiple kingdoms on it. The Hasburg Familly (Phillip the IVth if I don't recallit wrong) had inherited the kigdoms of Castille, Navarre, Aragon, the Principate of Catalonia, the former emirate of Granada, the Virreinate of New Spain (Latin America, with their own inner divissions), the Netherlands (witch in this time where in open rebellion) and some principates and citty states of Itally... and some other colonies as the Phillipines and other territories I'm probably letting out... What I mean is that from a modern perspective, we tend to see compare theese countries with their modern counterparts... but reallitty was quite more 'federal' in nature than what we consider... they where not really countries; but kingdoms; and some royal famillies had begun to acumulate a bunch of them under their belt; and therefore form empires... In the case of the Spanish Empire; the most powerfull kingdom was Castille; witch was rougthlly the north-western half of modern Spain; including Castille itself, the Pricipate of Asurias, the former kingdom of Galicia and the basque provinces... it was the biggest and most poppulated kingdom; so their soldiers and resources where used for 100 years for the expansion of the empire... no wonder castillian (what today we know 'spanish') was the most common language on the empire... but at the time,the other kigdoms that formed the empire still had mutch to say in pollitics. In fact, some time around the events of the movie; the prime minister the count-duque of Olivares passed a law so the other kingdoms of Spain; would put more effort in the upcoming war aggainst France; and sent castillian troops to Catalonia to start the invasion from there... (they wanted to open a land route to suport the war in Flanders and pacify the zone) ...the unrest forthat moovement of castillian troops on Catalonian soil was so big that Catalonia revolted (The revolt of the Reavers) and declared king Phillip (the IIIrd at the timeif not mistaken) not to be king of Catalonia and expelled the castillian troops... ...the plea went wrong; Catalonia was independednt for a very little time, cause France came and occupied Barcelona with haste (Catalonia had been France in the earlly days of the Middle Ages so they had some vague claim) and for ten years Catalonia was part of France (quite unhapilly, cause french soldiers where even less respectfull than the castillians)... But Spain had no time to attend this invasion, as the Portuguese who had their own empire but where also technically part of this super-empire (a generatiion before, last portuguesse king died without an heir and Phillip II of Spain, who was granson of a portuguesse queen had declared himself also king of Portugal uniting both Empires in his Crown); took the opportnity and also revolted... after thoose 10 years; Spain deffinetivelly lost all claim to the Portugesse crown so Spain diverted the attention back to Catalonia and expelled the French; but even then, the Spanish King Phillip the IVth had to pledge as Count of Barcelona to regain the loyallty of the Catalans as his subjects... So as you see, even inside the Peninsula; Spain functioned as 'federation of kingdoms' (or territories if you wish, as Catalonia was a County, sometimes refered as a principate, not technically a kingdom) rather than a 'uniffied nation' as we understand them now...the real unification came later in the XVIIIth and XIXth centuries when the central goverment of Madrid took more and more compentencies imitating the totallitarian example of the France of Phillip the XVth... The transittion of the Medieval Europe to the 'modern national' sistem was way more slow and full of steps than we must think... in the end, every region was loyal to their local governor and everything looked more like to Games of Thrones with locall nobillitty limitating the power of centralized kings and emperors... long story short; it was not only Itally; practically all Spanish territories had quite local autonomy from their king
"He wasn't the most honest, nor the most pious man, but he was brave. His name was Diego Alatriste y Tenorio, and he had fought in the Tercios in the wars of Flanders" Pronounced alah - Trís - teh. stressed in the second syllable.
Hello Matt, some info to add. You mention 2 reasons to not to kill the second man, the one who is kicked two times. Here he do not kill him because is a "Grande" from Spain, he is a "high" nobleman. On the other hand, with the fight with Malatesta (que last fight), even that on the plot he is hired to kill Alatriste, both have a relationship of respect and admiration for each other's fencing. So because of respect and honor, Malatesta only wants to deadly wound Alatriste and not to kill him directly. That is why he cuts with the dagger and only stabs the torso, not aiming to the heart or lungs. Also on some "behind scenes" of the film, the fencing master (the same one than in Lord of the Rings, as it was proposed by Viggo. Sorry now I don't remember the name) said that the choreographies will be as most realistic as possible but being artistic. 😅 I hope this explains something😉
Funny thing: I made a comment about watching out for Left Handed Fencers quite a while ago and I was excoriated, attacked, ridiculed and basically called stupid. Now Matt has said the same thing and even pointed it out in the treatises .... Whatever ... As usu, great content. Thank you.
@@vadimflaks7795 I made a general comment just like this one and several people ganged up on me. Disorienting is a very good word to describe the feeling. Thanks for the reply. Cheers!
@@kaoskronostyche9939 but seriously. Since I faced my first lefie in competetive Viking Fighting Reenactment in 1993, I have known that. And it was well known already then.
A number of years ago on a german show of historical weapons, i saw a three person group , showing rapier fencing of 17th century. The leader explained, that in case of lifedanger all kinds of moves, wrestling , boxing, kicking , daggers, throwing hat... was used.
Important things about the movie: 1. It is a great piece of cinematography. Scenes shot inside buildings look like 17th paintings that come alive... because apparently same kind of light was used whike making them. 2. It's based of a book cycle created by Arthuro Perez-Reverte. He's also author of "Club Dumas", very crudely made into movie titled "Nine gates", and authir of "The Flanders Panel ", very nicely made into movie titled "Uncovered" with quite young Kate Beckinsale, John Wood and one and only Peter Wingfield (yes, the guy who played Methos). Really, hit your nearest library and ask for Perez-Reverte.
Uhhh, we would love it if you could examine EVERY sword fight in this incredible movie?? This is a wildly unappreciated, great film, with great fights.
Finally!, Although it would be great if you also made a commentary on the other "duel" (more like small battle or skirmish) Alatriste and Malatesta had on the ship, I always found that one more "crude" but also very interesting. About the movie: this movie came in 2006, when Alatriste novels were a hit in Spain but it could no be said necessary the same on the rest of the spanish speaking world (that will come later), so when they made the movie it was kind of a "shot in the dark". Since the producers saw the production as a big risk, instead of making many movies for 6 or 7 novels they made a pastiche for all of them in a single movie (the "put all the eggs in a single bag"), that's why is kinda "clunky" on it's storytellyng. Nevertheless Alatriste has become a sort of "cult film" for anyone who is into military history of the pike & shot/tercios era (probably the best depiction of that type of fighting in cinema so far), the history of the Spanish Empire ("hispanistas"), and into the spanish school of fencing (verdadera and vulgar destreza)... so naturally I love it lol.
Very good commentaries on the fight and its movements in a historical context. One suggestion - play the fight in its totality first then again with commentaries. This allows those of us who have not seen the movie to see the entire fight and then listen to your comments and see how each part of the fight leads to another.
Great analysis, thank you! I would add - the soundtrack is great! The scene begins with spanish guitar, and then we hear just the rain and the sounds of the fight. Common strategy of modern moviemakers would be to use movie music, often quite modern music, to enhance the athmosphere and emotions of the scene. But the decision not to do it made the scene more naturalistic, more real, and enabled me to empathise with the participants more. It felt like watching real fight from 17th century, where real people's lives are at stake. (And it reminded me of final duel from Rob Roy, that is also without music, just clash of steel and heavy breathing.)
In regards to opening the fight with a cut, below is a quote from “ Método de Enseñanza de Maestros ” (1639) discussing using a cut (tajo) as an invitation. “ IT has been custom (not only among vulgar masters, but among most men) when one goes to fight, he will invite [llamar] him by throwing a ripped tajo [rompido] with the body remaining uncovered, saying that this will cause me to be wounded, thinking to bring me running, and in the time that it is thrown, he will withdraw the sword, putting it to me, giving a blow with it.”
Bit of a longshot, Matt, but do you have photos of that Spanish rapier anywhere online? I know you mentioned it was mass-produced for soldiers, so I'm hoping I could find a gallery somewhere. I think it's beautiful and would love to get a HEMA trainer made to look like it 😄
Matt, probably should've watched this because it's a good movie and there's a lot of little touches here. (Like the man he kicks on the floor instead of killing him is his friend and a high ranking noble, so extra reasons not to kill him.) Also there's a lot of prior fights between Alatriste and Malatesta, and character notes about both and the situation that add a lot of context.
I have an odd recomendation for a movie fight. The animated film "Fire and Ice" (1983 i think), has a brief swordfight. What I remember most is it is one of few cinematic fights that shows a high feint used extremely effectively. And please do a full review of the film Knightriders (1981) one day. I know you love that film.
Greetings from Florida Matt! Since you’ve now covered this fight from Alatriste, you could cover the revenge duel between Inigo and Malatesta which takes place later in the film. You’ll have a field day with that one, I’m certain of it.
I'd love you to take a look at some of the war scenes in this film, like the camp raid at the beginning ("encamisada"), the siege scene with the mines and countermines, or the pike and shot scenes from the final battle. In general, I'd like to see more battle scene reviews in addition to the usual small fights.
¡Hola! In spanish there are no silent letters, (with the exception of the letter "h"), so his name does not sound like "Alatrist" but "AlatristE". The final "e" has to be pronounced. By the way, his surname, Alatriste, is a made up word, composed by two real words: "Ala" which means "Wing", and "triste" which is "sad", so the literal translation would be "Sadwing", although, it's just his name, and don't really has any more meaning than that. His final opponent is not spanish, but italian, and is clearly noticiable in the way he speaks (spanish, but with a strong foreign accent and some italian words here and there, if I recall correctly).
Matt, I would like to see you review the Korean movie Musa (Warrior), particularly the fight between the Korean spearman and the Mongolian swordsman, but the entire movie is basically gritty combat from beginning to end.
The was also a variant of the secrete also had folding drop down bars to help shield the face and a full iron helmet styled to resemble the hats of the period and were often blackened or lined with felt or cloth to help disguise them as regular civilian headwear
And in regards to the big floppy hat, people used to empty their chamber pots out of the second story window into the street, If you happened to be on that street well you get the Idea.
14:00 As spaniard I can ensure you that the "Capa Castellana" (that cloack) is heavy, and wet... it would be too heavy to manipulate one handed. Just use it when needed. And remember that is very long, sometimes from your neck to your toes.
Finally! The Alatriste review! Any chance of a review of another fightscene from the movie? Like the Inigo vs Malatesta duel? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IoWggMyXr7A.html
Was the exclamation mark in the title meant to be a question mark? Feels just a tad clickbaity with your final verdict in mind :) Also, what do you think of the film's portrayal of the siege of Breda? Tunnels, trenches etc.
The cinematography is amazing, and the Battle of Rocroi is fantastic. Just too bad they didn't have the budget for a really spectacular battle scene with more extras and effects.
At 13:05 the guy with the dagger initiated the grapple. I think he was doing it to make both their rapiers useless because he also had a dagger and the other guy didn't.
Couple of things, re what 'you're supposed to do' when about 10 in judo comp, opponent flew at me like some mad thing, not what you're supposed to do but took me off guard, i did win, not seen the film, but have just ordered a copy. I've mentioned it before but what about 3 musketeers; where they band together and take on cardinals guards, great fun.
Just for funsies, I wonder if you would consider doing a review of the 1955 film "The King's Thief". It's a very loose re-telling of the crown jewel heist by William Blood in 1671, but what I personally love about the film is one fight scene in the middle of the film. Not that it's an overly amazing choreography, but I find the blending of the dialogue and action masterful and utterly enthralling. Additionally, if you have David Niven (!) as the baddie, you know it's going to be a fun watch. Cheers!
Great movie, enjoyed it a few times and want more. Btw, how realistic was sneacking beneath the pikes to attack the pikeman from below with the rapire, as Alateiste's son did?
On the topic of fencing moves, what whoever does, always consider the mood they're in. You got a rapier? You're trained? Cool. Are you mad as hell and you swing it like a bat? Can happen. Overextending is probably the most common "cardinal sin".
waited a year to see a video like this. an underrated film. not perfect, but i love it alot. seen it five times and and will watch alatriste again soon.
I would like to point out that the big slash with a rapier might be like getting whipped with a car antenna. That shit really hurts even if it doesnt disable you
Matt, I've always wanted to hear your views on The Fencing Master (1992), based on the book by same author. Or the final duel between Robin (Sean Connery) and the Sheriff of Nottingham (Robert Shaw) from Robin and Marian.
Robert Di Niro fights with a knife (navaja) and a rapier in The Mission from 1986. Haven't seen a lot of fight analysis of two-blade fighting. Might this oldie be worth your time? I keep wondering why duelists don't use hand or foot blows when they come close to a clinch? Often see openings for knees or leg blows, or striking with the fist, that are not taken (given film choreography).
Hey Matt, Excellent Review!!! Can you do one on "Inigio's Revenge"? That is a cool sword fight in the movie where young Inigo kills the bad guy who killed Alatriste. That is a really nice 17th Century cup or shell hilt rapier. Why is it that with today's technology, we cant reproduce on a CNC machine the floral chiseling on cup hilt rapiers. It is hard to find modern swordmakers that would take on such a task. Would you agree with that Matt? Your Thoughts Sir? 😁👍
Hello, Matt! Two questions: Do you know Jesus Esperanza, who designed the fencing scenes, and was the instructor for the actors? And second: Would you react to Guy Williams´ Zorro? Thanks!
19:20 You should check out Ultimate Self Defense Challenge season 2, a BJJ guy tried to go to back in the "Shank Tank". Worked better than you'd expect, but still not great.
It's looks realistic for people fighting who aren't very good at swordsmanship. I havent seen the movie so I don't know if that fits the characters or not.
In the books both Alatriste and Gualterio Malatesta (the last enemy) are both very acomplished fencers. And the Alguacil Mateo Saldaña (the first one),may be is not in his league, but not a slouch.
I would be interested in your thoughts on the Sauron/Galadriel fight in the season 2 finale of Rings of Power, especially on his use of a crown as a weapon.
You want a contemporary Spanish duelist ? .Look at theatre genius Francisco de Quevedo .He killed a guy in a duel over slapping a Lady .And he probably killed some of his critics in duels .
@9:33~~therefore, always grow up w/ _a good friend _*_(read 8 years older brother)_* who is southpaw ;^}> gave one of my new team mates from a different school quite the hissy fit when it was our turn to compete. Kinda of an AHA moment since I was completely not caught off~guard.
So out of curiosity, which of the movies and series that you've seen would you say has the best Rapier fight? I'd like to nominate two episodes from the first season of Star Wars Visions for fight reviews. The Elder has two very short and clean duels in it, and there's a group Lightsaber fight at the end of The Ninth Jedi that you might like breaking down That is if you're open to reviewing animated Lightsaber fights XD
