The World Beyond BetterMost > The Culture Tent
Is the cinematic age of the Period piece gone? 2011's Three Musketeers
serious crayons:
I glimpsed Christoph Waltz, too. I really like him.
Tell you what, I can't get all upset about the Michael-Bayization of a story that's been told a dozen times already. What else is there to do to make it new, besides put the latest pretty faces in the roles?
As for a woman dueling in period dress, I see where that would be be unrealistic -- the whole underlying point of upper-class women's dress throughout history, including today, is to hamper movement -- but I can't help applauding it. Not to get all political, but if we must target all of our movies at 14-year-old boys, let's at least offer them some sex-role enlightenment while we're at it.
But admittedly, I'm not exactly a Three Musketeers buff. In fact, I've never even understood why they're called the three Musketeers when there are four of them, and they don't seem to be armed with muskets.
Meryl:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on July 15, 2011, 10:19:07 am ---But admittedly, I'm not exactly a Three Musketeers buff. In fact, I've never even understood why they're called the three Musketeers when there are four of them, and they don't seem to be armed with muskets.
--- End quote ---
Good point! I never thought much about that, but it's kind of a "hunh" thing. ;D
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: serious crayons on July 15, 2011, 10:19:07 am ---But admittedly, I'm not exactly a Three Musketeers buff. In fact, I've never even understood why they're called the three Musketeers when there are four of them, and they don't seem to be armed with muskets.
--- End quote ---
That puzzled me, too, when I was a kid and used to watch a Hanna-Barbera cartoon version. But you really have to go back to the novel for that. It takes something like half the book--maybe more--before D'Artagnan is admitted to the regiment. So there were only three for half the story, Porthos, Athos, and Aramis.
Remember the two movies from the early 70s?
The Three Musketeers: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072281/
The Four Musketeers: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073012/
Michael York (who has nothing to fear from Logan Lerman, or even Chris O'Donnel from the Disney version, for that matter) doesn't become a Musketeer until the end of the first film. In the scene where Porthos, Athos, and Aramis place the tabard on him, he is also handed a musket.
BTW, while double-checking at IMDb before I wrote this post, I discovered a sequel that I never heard of (or at least sure don't remember and never saw):
The Return of the Musketeers: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098194/
Interestingly enough, I also learned that the screen plays for all three films were written by George MacDonald Fraser. I've never gotten around to reading his Flashman novels, but I understand that they're very funny.
Front-Ranger:
I was going to answer the three/four question, but Jeff beat me to it! So I'll just say a little something about the period dress...those flowing shirts the men wore presented lots of opportunity to grab something too. I'll bet there were quite a few women who wore men's clothes to duel in, but if there wasn't time to change, they could duel in a dress (good title for a story?) or just cut off excess material with their swords. A dress would be good for concealing extra weapons too!! Maybe the corset might provide a bit of protection against glancing sword blows.
And our friend Jeff HAS worn forementioned flowing shirt so he knows a thing or two about this!!
Front-Ranger:
Somewhat relevant to this...I'm going to see the exhibition "Cowboys and Rock Stars" about the Rockmount Western Wear store that is at the Foothills Art Center in my town today!! Hopefully, they'll let me take pics!!
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version