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Shamsi Modarai
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Posted: Wed 06 Jun, 2007 2:00 pm Post subject: |
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Mikael Ranelius wrote: | Brian Ellis Cassity wrote: |
So is this character based upon a Swede who really took part in the Crusades? Were there many Swedes who did?
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Not many, but some must have made their way to the Holy Land as crusaders. By the 12th century the Catholic Church had been established in most of Sweden (with its own archdiocese founded in Uppsala in 1164), and the Pope's call to the cross was proclaimed in Sweden just like elsewhere in western Christendom. We know that both Danes and Norwegians sent men to join the crusades, and a Swedish medieval historian, Dick Harrison, recently suggested in his book about Nordic crusaders that it's likely that at least some Swedes took part in these campaigns.
Jan Guillou, the creator of Arn, was inspired by the anonymous founder of the church at Forshem, in Västergötland, Sweden. The church dates from the 12th century and is built in the honour of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. This seems to suggest that the founder of the church had some connections to the Holy Land, perhaps a returning crusader. |
Random sidenote......
Its hardly an historic example, but Antonius Block, the Knight's character in Det sjunde inseglet (The Seventh Seal) is supposed to be returning from the Crusades only to come home and find that Death (in the form of the Plague) has come before him. There's an existential Swedish crusader for ya.
Wa bið þam þe sceal of langoþe leofes abidan.
~ The Wife's Lament
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Nate C.
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Posted: Wed 06 Jun, 2007 10:14 pm Post subject: |
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Peter or Soren,
Will the Islamic swords also be available?
Nate C.
Sapere Aude
"If you are going to kill the man, at least give him a decent salute." - A. Blansitt
If they ever come up with a Swashbuckling School, I think one of the courses should be Laughing, then Jumping Off Something. --Jack Handy
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Craig Peters
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Posted: Wed 06 Jun, 2007 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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Robin Smith wrote: | I don't think there is enough taper and the fuller is too long to even call it XII or beyond. Given the length of the fuller and the taper and width of the blade I'd say it would be an XI or perhaps an Xa. |
Judging by the breadth of the fuller, I'd be more inclined to say Xa.
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Søren Niedziella
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Posted: Thu 07 Jun, 2007 2:21 am Post subject: |
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Hi Nate,
Yes - we also plan to make Saladin's sword available :-)
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David Sutton
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Posted: Thu 07 Jun, 2007 3:27 am Post subject: |
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Soeren, do you have any pics of Saladin's sword?
'Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all'
'To teach superstitions as truth is a most terrible thing'
Hypatia of Alexandria, c400AD
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Søren Niedziella
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Posted: Mon 11 Jun, 2007 6:50 am Post subject: |
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Hi David,
Here's a teaser pic :-)
Attachment: 100.18 KB
![saladinsmall.jpg](files/saladinsmall_249.jpg)
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David Sutton
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Posted: Mon 11 Jun, 2007 9:27 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the picture Soeren! The swords from this film are going to be very interesting, especially this one. I don't think anyone produces an accurate saracen sword from this period, the Kingdom of Heaven Saladin sword falls short in a few areas (that forked point ).
'Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all'
'To teach superstitions as truth is a most terrible thing'
Hypatia of Alexandria, c400AD
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Nino Beganovic
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Alexander Borum
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Posted: Thu 27 Sep, 2007 3:49 am Post subject: |
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speaking of Arn - ill be attending an Arn event at Vitskøl Cloister here in Denmark (havnt read the books, but from what i gather, Arn was sent to said cloister at some point or another in the books) (Vitskøl was a cloister for the Order of Cistercians)
in regards to Scandinavians and the crusades, we were mainly engaged in the baltics (as noted earlier) but also in the Middle East - in fact, we have a Knights Hospitaller cloister, in the city i live in and im sure there is quite a few others scattered around here in Denmark - however in the ME, our presense had minimal impact
-/ Alexander K. Borum
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Bob Burns
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Posted: Fri 28 Sep, 2007 1:43 am Post subject: |
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This is all really great and I am Very Glad for Albion's success, they have worked so hard and they deserve the recognition Finally some movies with First Class swords, and I am hoping the extended versions of the movies will become available in the United States!
My Huge Congratulations to ALBION SWORDS!
Sincerely,
Bob
Awesome
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Martin Wallgren
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Posted: Fri 28 Sep, 2007 3:11 am Post subject: |
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Intrestingly they talk about what impact a movie like this do on the general history awareness! The last quote was good. "Fiction can´t be a mirror to reality, but it can help us under stand reality."
Swordsman, Archer and Dad
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Søren Niedziella
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Posted: Thu 06 Dec, 2007 6:36 am Post subject: Updates...new trailer and no Saladins sword |
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Hi all,
A small update now that the premiere of the first Arn movie is getting closer (Sweden 25.12.2007, Norway 26.12.2007, Denmark 11.01.2008 and Finland 22.02.2008).
I am sorry to say that we won't be offering the Saladins sword. We cannot find a good grip material for the "fake ivory" look and won't release a sword with a plastic grip.
We are working hard on getting our official Arn site (www.arn-swords.com) updated. Lots of pictures and info is almost ready and should launch before the premiere.
A new trailer for the movie has been made and will be shown from tomorrow in scandinavian cinemas - here is a link to it:
Quicktime
http://qstream-down.qbrick.com/02291/16002535_stor.mov
Windows media
http://qstream-wm.qbrick.com/02291/16002535_stor.wmv
Mpeg2
http://qstream-down.qbrick.com/02291/16002535.mpg
...needles to say we are very exited :-)
Søren
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Jean Thibodeau
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Posted: Thu 06 Dec, 2007 7:09 am Post subject: Re: Updates...new trailer and no Saladins sword |
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Søren Niedziella wrote: | Hi all,
I am sorry to say that we won't be offering the Saladins sword. We cannot find a good grip material for the "fake ivory" look and won't release a sword with a plastic grip.
Søren |
Have you looked at white micarta or slightly yellowish micarta ? Yes it's a plastic but it's a super durable plastic and can sort of look like ivory I think.
One could make one's own micarta like material by layering paper and epoxy: making it in production quality and quantities is something Albion would have to experiment with.
Using epoxy and white toilet paper and building it up in layers has worked for me in the past for improvised handles built up directly on the tang of a knife and then polished smooth.
Oh, using white carpenter's glue and paper also works but a lot depends on how close to simulating ivory you have to get it !
I assume Albion would only accept something that would look the part and be practical to work with.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Peter Johnsson
Industry Professional
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Posted: Thu 06 Dec, 2007 9:14 am Post subject: Re: Updates...new trailer and no Saladins sword |
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Jean Thibodeau wrote: | Søren Niedziella wrote: | Hi all,
I am sorry to say that we won't be offering the Saladins sword. We cannot find a good grip material for the "fake ivory" look and won't release a sword with a plastic grip.
Søren |
Have you looked at white micarta or slightly yellowish micarta ? Yes it's a plastic but it's a super durable plastic and can sort of look like ivory I think.
One could make one's own micarta like material by layering paper and epoxy: making it in production quality and quantities is something Albion would have to experiment with.
Using epoxy and white toilet paper and building it up in layers has worked for me in the past for improvised handles built up directly on the tang of a knife and then polished smooth.
Oh, using white carpenter's glue and paper also works but a lot depends on how close to simulating ivory you have to get it !
I assume Albion would only accept something that would look the part and be practical to work with. |
We have turned this around a few times trying to find a solution.
To offer a film sword it is a given it has to be faithful to the sword in the film.
The one we made for Saladin had semi prescious stones set in guard, pommel and grip. The grip was also scuplted with relief decoration. (This does not show clearly in the teaser pic above in the thread.)
Therefore the grip had to be cast. No way to hand carve each grip to specification! (It took me several days to carve one grip in wax...)
Sadly that leaves no way open except some resin/plastic. Such a grip looks just like the real thing on the screen, but less so in real life.
Therefore a Saladin sword with plastic grip (and semi prescious stones!) would stand out in the line, and not in a good way I think.
As it now is, the swords from the film that are going to be available are not just similar, but *exactly* alike the the film props. Apart from the dulled edges of the steel hero swords in the film, for obvious reasons.
We produced several examples of each important sword to be used in the filming. Most were made both in a steel and an aluminum version. Steel was used for closeup shots and aluminum for stunt sword fights. There is currently no plan to offer the aluminum versions, only the steel blades.
Since doing the research for the film swords, my interest for the Isalmic sword has grown.
I think it would be interesting to offer Islamic swords in the NG line. That is for later, but it might be some kind of consolation for those who have been loking forward to production representations of these.
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Shayan G
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Posted: Fri 07 Dec, 2007 9:20 am Post subject: Re: Updates...new trailer and no Saladins sword |
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Peter Johnsson wrote: |
Since doing the research for the film swords, my interest for the Isalmic sword has grown.
I think it would be interesting to offer Islamic swords in the NG line. That is for later, but it might be some kind of consolation for those who have been loking forward to production representations of these. |
That's wonderful news!! I've always wished Albion would apply its expertise to the wonderful world of Islamic weapons. Looking forward to it!
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Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom
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Ciaran Daly
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Posted: Fri 07 Dec, 2007 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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Can't wait to see this movie. Any pics of the Big Bad Guy's sword, and will it be available?
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Bruno Giordan
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Posted: Sun 09 Dec, 2007 12:07 am Post subject: |
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Alexander Borum wrote: | speaking of Arn - ill be attending an Arn event at Vitskøl Cloister here in Denmark (havnt read the books, but from what i gather, Arn was sent to said cloister at some point or another in the books) (Vitskøl was a cloister for the Order of Cistercians)
in regards to Scandinavians and the crusades, we were mainly engaged in the baltics (as noted earlier) but also in the Middle East - in fact, we have a Knights Hospitaller cloister, in the city i live in and im sure there is quite a few others scattered around here in Denmark - however in the ME, our presense had minimal impact |
I guess any southern european crusader and chronicler would classify you simply as germans ... as it is done today since physical appearance and language's sound are pretty similar between you and them.
Also the national states were far from being born, so the distinctions between peoples were made on the ground of language spoken: being also no uniforms this is likely what happened to anybody from Sweden or Denmark.
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Søren Niedziella
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Posted: Mon 10 Dec, 2007 3:06 am Post subject: Ulvbane sword |
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Hi Ciaran,
Yes we will also offer the big bad guy's (Edmund Ulvbane) sword.
Here is a full length shot....
Attachment: 41.14 KB
[ Download ]
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Søren Niedziella
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Posted: Mon 10 Dec, 2007 3:09 am Post subject: |
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...and here is a close up :-)
Attachment: 85.45 KB
![UlvbaneHilt.jpg](files/ulvbanehilt_116.jpg)
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