Movies

[SquirrelsaurusR]

Is anyone aware of any movies, old or new, that take place in the matchlock period? Stuff like "Braveheart", "Spartacus", etc. Any sort of historical scenario-based action flick, epic combat sorta thing, but taking place when matchlocks ruled the battlefield. I can find all sorts of movies based on other time periods, from flintlocks on up, and pre-firearm (knights, swords, etc), but I don't know of any films made in recent years based on the matchlock period. Seems like a period ripe for an epic movie, some major wars took place during this period. Maybe an older flick from the 50's-60's that I'm not aware of...? Sure would like to see a good movie like that.

 

[musketman]

The internet movie data base say's that there is 65 muskteer related movies out there, somewhere...

The Three Musketeers, 1973
The classic version directed by Richard Lester, staring Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Richard Chamberlain, Michael York, Christopher Lee and Charlton Heston. The producers filmed so much they released it as two movies: "The Three Musketeers", and "The Four Musketeers". These two movies actually show the Musketeers earning their pay as soldiers during the siege of La Rochelle.
Screen Play by George MacDonald Frazer who wrote the Flashman novels.

The Four Musketeers, 1974
The sequel to the 1973 "Three Musketeers", it was filmed at the same time. In the beginning there is a great scene of the Huguenot firing squad trying to execute Rochefort using matchlock muskets - Musketeering at it's worst!
Great Line: "Only Porthos could invent a new way of disarming himself".
Mistakes: Athos threatens Milady with a wheellock pistol that has not been spanned or cocked, and Milady can't tell that it's not ready for firing. Milady also attempts to murder Buckingham with a caplock pistol that could not be earlier that 1840.

Return of the Musketeers, 1989
Directed by Richard Lester, it's still a sequel to the 1973 and 1974 movies and uses most of the same cast and crew. Kim Catrall as Milady's daughter.

 

Moosketperson.
Ain't thar nutin' y'all don't know????? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
We gotta get you booked on Jeopardy. :haha:

 

[bigmusket]

Hmmm, the movie "The Man in the Iron Mask" has some great shots of Matchlocks in action :: It's the one with Gabriel Byrne and Jeremy Irons and John Malkovitch (sp?) in it. Hollywoody, but I think it's a good flick!

Also, I have heard that the movie "The Last Valley" is good. I haven't seen that one though.

 

I HAVE A MOVIE CALLED "AGUIRRE" The Rath of God.
: This movie takes place in South America with the Spanish heading inland to find 'El Dorado'. The movie is in Geramn with English subtitles. The matchlocks wre kinda neat, including the cannon they pushed, pulled and shoved & tugged along with them. One by one, natives took them out with a single dart, something my bro, who vacationed in South America once, told me is impossible with the amount of quirare - or whatever you call it, you could get on a single dart. He has some, BTW, poisoned, - really quite cool, along with the 8' long blow gun he brought back. It's approximately .45 cal. and takes one big lung-full of air to shoot. The velocity is really good, with accuracy & range, quite surprising. A single dart, if not removed, will make a 1 lb. monkey sick after about 5 in. and he falls from the tree- natice then clean, cook and eat, said monkey. When the monkey grasps the blowgun dart to pull it out, (instant instinctive move on the monkey's part)the almost sawn-through barbed end breaks off inside the monkey, ensuring he get the full doeage. Taylor said one dart would proably make a 180lb. man sick, but that's about it. Now, a dozen or so as was used 'in those days', probably would have worked, after a while.
: While the matchlocks sort of make the movie worthwhile, I wish I hadn't spent the $7.00 on it. I'll probably never watch it again, unless bro wants to watch it with me.
: If someone wants to send me $5.00US (to cover shipping & part of the movie), I'll mail it to them.
Daryl

 

[maxxpyro]

For an older movie:
"Cromwell" I think it was filmed in the 60s
More recent:
"Cyrano"(sp.?)and "Ran" both filmed in the late 80s or early 90s

 

[Rocky Johnson]

Yonder lies the Mayflower" I belive is the right name,one scene show Miles Standish showing the other settlers how to shoot a firearm,set his beard on fire. Early 50s Rocky /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Zonie]

"...one scene show Miles Standish showing the other settlers how to shoot a firearm,set his beard on fire...."

Now THAT'S realism taken to the extreme!!!

 

[Rebel]

The Black Robe. It is set in the 1600's when the Jesuit priests in Canada were trying to Convert the Algonquin indians to Christianity.. Not a bad movie. Can be rented at most video places.

 

[benvenuto]

Cyrano de Bergerac (1990)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099334/
(More fencing than shooting, but very accurate)

Aguirre: Wrath of God (1972)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068182/
(Gotta love Klaus Kinski! No one plays a crazed conquistador better)

Queen Margot (1994)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110963/
(Fictional romance using the real-life "St Bartholemews Day Massacre" as a backdrop. Many MANY wheelocks used in the massacre as well as for hunting)

The Scarlet Letter (1995)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114345/
(early snaphaunce and wheel-lock pistols, a musket or two)

Cellini: a violent life
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100878/
(IIRC Cellini shoots the Constable of Bourbon during the siege of Rome in 1527, and you also see him comanding artillery on the Castle Sant Angelo. He also spends a lot of time shooting pigeons in the ruins of the Roman Forum, to get food while a plague is raging. Unfortunately he also gets into trouble shooting birds roosting on some cardinals palace- but thats another story!)

 

[musketmart]

I made 42 matchlocks for a movie called The New World that finished on 10/20 it is a Jamestown John Smith thing .it has matchlocks allover it, close ups being fired .Historic ?? but should be fun it will be out mid 05.

 

[arilar]

The Black Robe. It is set in the 1600's when the Jesuit priests in Canada were trying to Convert the Algonquin indians to Christianity.. Not a bad movie. Can be rented at most video places.

Well Rebel! I cant agree. Its not a not a bad movie. Its a brilliant movie!! Not only an interesting period and location in North-America. Also fantastic scenery and besides the historical value contains some of the riddles how to live your life as a human being. I am starting to be sentimental. Has to run to the video place. Ohh.... I almost forgot. Yes, some nice matchlooks. If I remember some looked like a model I once had that came from a place called "Chestnut Ridge" and the gunmakers name was Kreckel? I sold that goodlooking rifle 1992 and now I cant locate that gunmaker. I dont know if he is still in buisness. Silly me :boohoo:
ARILAR ::

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

I made 42 matchlocks for a movie called The New World that finished on 10/20 it is a Jamestown John Smith thing .it has matchlocks allover it, close ups being fired .Historic ?? but should be fun it will be out mid 05.

Is this going to be a big screen movie, History Channel...?

 

[GobblerKnob]

Congratulations John Buck! I'm looking forward to seeing it. Out of curiosity, how did you become involved with making rifles for the movie industry?
Rick

 

[musketmart]

The New World will be a feature movie .it has Collin Ferel, Wes Study, Chris Plumber ,Augy Shelinburg and some toplis indian weamon ect.should be ok.

 

[musketmart]

I got into movie work years ago , first I am reenactor and a full time gunsmith making mostly 17c and some 18c weapons.There is just not that many of us willing to do that kind of work.I made matchlocks for 3 feature movies firelocks for 7 and too many tv shows .Thats all good and well but my thing is living history.I have made well over 600 match locks (who new)and still going and going ect

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

I made matchlocks for 3 feature movies firelocks for 7...

Can you name some of the movies you've made guns for?

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

btt

 

[wheelockhunter]

The mission is another oe with jermey irons and robert deniro. I thnk they used matchlocks in the battles. Not sure been a long time since i've seen it.