The Khukuri vs. Count Dracula

Did you know that in Bram Stoker's original novel "Dracula", that the khukuri plays a prominent role? I was reminded of it the other evening, when I saw a broadcast of the tale on television. It was the truest to the novel version (Bram Stoker's Dracula, 1992) and in the final scenes, a khukuri appears in the hands of a participant. Curious to know if this was 'authentic' to the novel, I examined my old copy of the book this morning and found that the hero, Jonathan Harker, indeed armed himself with a 'great kukri' knife (undoubtedly an early version of the Ang Khola.) In chapter 23 we find Harker fending off the vampire's attack on his wife Mina, as described by 'Dr. Van Helsing': "I did not myself know whether our lethal weapons would avail us...(Harker) had ready his great kukri knife and made a fierce and sudden cut at him...A second less and the trenchant blade had shorn through his heart!" And in the climactic scenes of the book, it is the khukuri of Harker and the bowie knife of his friend, the American Morris, which kill the evil Dracula. Anyone know any other 'kukri knife' appearances in literature?

[This message has been edited by gunhou (edited 10 November 1999).]
 
Hmm...all the more reason to have a Khukuri with you at all times. Never know when one of those pesky vampires will make an appearance. Perhaps we should be using garlic oil on the blades?

--Mike L.

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Real men ride Moto Guzzis!
 
Big Bob

Big Bob

Joined
Oct 13, 1999
Messages
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Only if garlic oil is good for preventing rust, and doesn't stink too much. Then again, if the smell keeps the vampires away without a fight, then it would be a plus.
 
There was a thread awhile back on khukuris in the movies. Off the top of my head are:

Waterworld
Objective Burma
Cyborg
The Man Who Would be King

Help, guys! There are more I just can't remember them.

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Uncle Bill
Himalayan Imports Website
http://members.aol.com/himimp/index.html
 
No need for garlic oil, apparently. Dracula was killed when Harker and Morris tore open his casket before sunset and Harke cut off his head with the khukuri while Morris stabbed him in the heart with the bowie. Good steel did the job. Instant dissolution followed. Just the same, I think I'll rub my blades with silver...
BTW, the first movie I ever saw featuring the khuk was the hokey 1953 film 'King of the Khyber Rifles', in which we are shown that the knife is most effective when thrown from a galloping horse, and that the curve of the blade is specifically adapted to two hand cutting of sleeper's throats...even in 1953 I knew what bull that was...

[This message has been edited by gunhou (edited 10 November 1999).]
 
I suggest that Dracula fans read "The Dracula Tapes" by Fred Saberhagen. It tells the Dracula story from the Count's point of view.

More khuk/movie trivia: in "Entrapment", starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones, CZJ has what looks to be an Ang Khola held to her throat.
 
There was a khukuri is "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me." Gunhou, silver would be good if you were going up against a werewolf.
 
"The Dracula Tape" by Fred Saberhagen ( Baen Pub. Riverside CA., ISBN 0-671-57839-1 ) was voted novel of the century by the Transylvanian society. Excellent book but I prefer it's sequel, "An Old Friend of the Family".

Incidentally, Paul Kovi, co-owner of the Four Seasons restaurant in NYC wrote a fairly decent cookbook called "Paul Kovi's Transylvanian Cuisine" ( Crown Pub. NYNY, ISBN 0-517-556698-7 ).

'Course I still prefer my family's own recipes.

[This message has been edited by Rusty (edited 10 November 1999).]
 
I recently saw a movie featuring a khukuri that I don't think was mentioned in the other threads about great khuks in film. It was a nifty little WWII movie that came out about ten years ago called "Farewell to the King". I believe it was directed by John Milius and based on a book by Pierre Schoendoerffer. The basic premise was this: in the latter days of the war a British officer parachutes into the jungles of central Borneo with the mission of organizing resistance (against the Japanese) among the tribes of the interior of the island. Once there, he discovers that the tribes have already been organized and are being ruled by a white defector from the American army (played by Nick Nolte). As the movie progresses, this "king" must be persuaded to abandon his idyllic lifestyle and accept the inevitable onslaught of war/civilization. A little heavy on the cliches and overly simplistic at times, but I really enjoyed the film.

Back to the topic…the British officer is accompanied on his mission by a Kikuyu (sp?) radioman, presumably from one of the British colonial units in Africa. During the course of the movie, this character (the radioman) carries and uses what appears to be a BAS-type khukuri. Probably not historically accurate, but it makes for a pretty entertaining film…UglyJim gives it three winkies
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Yes! I remember that movie (Farewell to the King). Got pretty excited when I saw a khukuri on the screen, I think it was when the two parachute into the jungle in the beginning of the story and one of them gets stuck in a tree. The other fellow takes out a khukuri and cuts him loose.

Also remember that khukuri in the Dracula movie. And did anybody mention that Jean Claude Van Damme movie? Cyborg, I think? Muscles-from-Brussels uses a khukuri or two in that one.

You can also see glimpses of sheathed khukuris in Gandhi and the recent Seven Years in Tibet - all in scenes that show Gorkhas.

And, oh yes! Somebody recently mentioned Courage Under Fire - there was a brief clip of a hand with a khukuri right at the start of the movie, though what it was there for, we can only guess.

- Sonam
 
Not before I brag about my Toltott Kaposzta mas modra.
 
Wasn't a khukuri being carried in the Frank Sinatra/Peter Lawford/Steve McQueen flick "Never So Few"?

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JP
 
I think the knifemaker's name for Dracula is Reinhart. In an interview he picked the khukuri as his #1 choice of weapon when faced with a vampire infestation.

The khukuri is my second choice for this applciation. Holy water, crossed, silver bullets out of a 10 mm auto would be my first choice. I hope this load has decent stopping power for vampires.

Will
 
You must be thinking of werewolves, not vampires, when it comes to silver bullets. First, forget cased cartriges. let alone pistols of less than howdah size. Even after stabilization, the heaviest hardwoods will be too light. You need something akin to a flying ramrod. And bolting a harpoon gun to the bed of a wagon is pretty obvious. An 8 gauge muzzle loading double would be good, though. Bamboo hollowpoints of 5-6" long filled with compressed fresh garlic...
 
Dear forumites.
Is there any vampire or dracula exist in US? I hope she or he won't get access to HI forums - otherwise she or he might purchase a Chakma for teeth burnishing purpose! nyah ... nyah ... nyah!
 
That Vampire killing box was pictured in on of the gun magazines this year. It was supposedly taken from a hotel in central Europe and was standard equipment there. It was a very cool tool set. I think I have everything covered on a personal level. Here is the list of items that are available to me at all times.

Holy water from the river Jordan.
.41 Magnum silver bullets
Silver headed oak cane
Silver washed matched S/F daggers
Silver washed Bowie knife
Silver pocket mirror
15' of iron chain
Silver crusifix

The water,silver,Oak have been blessed by the Pope, Dali Lama, Head Rabbi of Jerusalem.
The Oak came from an old growth forrest traditionally though to be holy to the Druids.

Now all I have to do is Silver wash my Ram Badur and I should have a complete set.

I always carry a copy of the King James Bible(not exactly accurate text, but lyrical)and the Koran.

Also remember to sleep with a bible under your pillow. Before any deamon or witch can harm you they must read the whole book. We know they cannot read it all in one night and they have to start over every night.

I have survived a night sleeping in Vlad's castle and have camped out in the ruins of Frankestien's Castle.

Be Prepaired!

ts

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Guns are for show. Knifes are for Pros.
 
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