Modern Marvels Sort of Review? I Think

[Dwight McLemore]

I just got back yesterday from Brad Waller's Shenandoah Project.. This is an annual 10 year workshop that places stage combat people, martial artists, and Self Defense types and historians together to develop a generic set of guidelines for teaching historic martial arts. Instructors are by invitation only but it is open everyone else for a fee. It is held in the Shenandoah Valley at the Skyline Resort. What I have like about it was that it has given me a deeper understanding of what is involved in Stage/Movie Combat. I've had a chance to work with some of the best in that business now and have come to the understanding of their efforts to make their work more realistic. All that said, last night I settled in with my glass of wine (medicinal only,..yeah sure). I saw that Modern Marvels had a special on the Axe, and hatchet. It covered the history of the Axe and it's migration from europe to the U.S. Interesting talk about chopping, techniques for felling trees. It had the usual historic, rugged looking ole men making flint axes cutting down saplings and all. Some scenes of busting out windshelds and tires was o.k. too if a bit like a demolition derby, but I got their point. Good discussions on the double bit axe and which worked best for which job. Dr. Frolic was on there taking about Frankish and Viking axes. I tell ya, it was not a bad program. Then the medieval guys came up demonstrating stage fighting with the axe, it was entertaining but when they started taking about it as if it was "The Real Thing" which puzzled-the-hell out of me. Staged fights are just that staged fights and those guys should have stressed that point. They did address the tomahawk briefly and showed a still of Peter Lagana and a clip of Kelly Worden. Also RMJ forge was on there with some good info on making the hawk. Overall I sort of enjoyed the program and what stayed with me was the thought that how many people saw that program and went away not knowing that staged combat in an illusion or a painted picture and that the actual lines of attack and defense are a bit different. What also hit me was I wonder how many people talk to experts without actually knowing the background of the fellow they are talking too. Well, that is my review would have liked to have seen some more hawk info. Is the program worth seeing....I guess so
probably a good introduction but I learned more for the cutting demos than the guys from the Medieval Dinner Theater.

 

[Dusty One]

Dwight thanks for the review, Always like to hear what you have to say....