NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

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Julie Moffet . Cathy Perkins . Jean Harrington . Daryl Anderson . Nico Rosso . Maureen A Miller . Sandy Parks . Lisa Q Mathews . Sharon Calvin . Lynne Connolly . Janis Patterson . Vanessa Keir . Tonya Kappes . Julie Rowe . Joni M Fisher . Leslie Langtry

Monday, September 19, 2011

Love Those Fight Scenes!

Not only do I love writing fight scenes as part of a book's action, but also after a stressful week, sometimes I like to watch a movie with a good fight scene. Talk about being therapeutic. One can let off steam by seeing the bad guy get his just desserts. Sword or gun fights, superpower fights, sibling rivalries, or hand-to-hand combat can all heighten action and move the plot forward. However, a great fight scene can also deliver the ultimate emotional punch.

Here are a few of my favorite movie fight scenes:

1) The opening scene in Casina Royale (2006) ushered in the Daniel Craig’s James Bond and a reminder why this secret agent had a license to kill.




2) Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone’s sword fight in “The Adventures of Robin Hood”. A swashbuckling duel only the golden age of Hollywood could produce. Despite al l the acrobatics, Robin Hood managed to verbally one-up his opponent.



3) Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vader’s light saber fight in “The Empire Strikes Back”. Darth not only showed how ruthless he could be, but Luke’s spectacular retreat by freefalling into the airshaft could have been a deadly choice not to go the dark side.



4) The airplane on the runway fight in “The Raiders of the Lost Ark” matched Indiana Jones with a Nazi mechanic overdosed on steroids. Down, dirty, grisly ending for bad guy. Perfection.




5) How can one not mention the final round in “The Karate Kid”? After all, an ordinary kid can fight back against bullies, and that crane kick. What a brilliantly sweet victory.




6) Have to list at least one Rocky movie and none better than the original “Rocky”. He took a beating from Apollo and in the end he proved he wasn’t just a bum.




I’ve barely scratched the surface. What are some of your favorite cinematic or literary fight scenes?

Carol Stephenson

The Legal Weapons Series: Courting Danger, Courting Disaster & Courting Death
http://www.carolstephenson.com

13 comments:

Rita said...

Loved CR’s opening. In Wanted there is a gunfight scene that is pretty kewl. It takes place in a grocery and the store signs are clues to what is going to take place in the movie. The opening of Silence of the Lambs does that also. Great post Carol.

Marcelle Dubé said...

I have to admit that I like a good fight scene--as long as it's not too realistic. Having just watched Raiders (again) the plane-on-the-runway scene was still very fresh and you're right: when the evil Nazi-on-sterioids got his comeuppance, it was most satisfying. Good post, Carol.

Adrienne Giordano said...

Hi Carol. Yes, that CR opening was crazy good. Of course, it may have just been Daniel Craig. :)

There was a great fight scene in the last Lethal Weapon movie that comes to mind. That was a great scene.

Elise Warner said...

How about any western with John Wayne?

Jane said...

I love the fight between Maximus and Commodus in "Gladiator."

Maureen A. Miller said...

One of my favorite fight scenes was from Bourne Supremacy, when Jason Bourne beats up the German with a rolled-up magazine. :)

Carol Stephenson said...

I knew I couldn't even begin to do justice to all the great fights. Making a list for my Netflix list as I haven't seen all mentioned or want to see them again.

I also thought of Ripley vs. The Queen Alien and the Lara Croft movies.

LOL, Maureen, that was a unique scene in Bourne Supremacy.

It's funny, Elise, when I think of John Wayne, I automatically remember The Quiet Man, but The Shootist...wonderful gunfight.

And oh yeah, Adrienne, the Lethal Weapons movies. Mel and Gary Busey's fight at the end of the first movie.

JB Lynn said...

What?!?! No female fight scenes? No Kill Bill? Or Ripley? Or Trinity in The Matrix? Or Crouching Tiger?

Girls kickass too!

Carol Stephenson said...

Yea, JB! Ripley vs. Queen Alien was wonderful kick-ass.

Marcelle Dubé said...

Ooh, Ripley... When I grow up, I want to be just like her.

Wynter said...

I love me a great sword fight. Pick any of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies for one.
And then there's the scene near the end of Kill Bill when Uma Thurman and Lucy Liu go at it.

Toni Anderson said...

Wow, you've all nailed some of my favorites (Bourne *sigh*).
Not to mention the comic genius of Jacky Chan :)

Carol Stephenson said...

Toni, I love the Jackie Chan movies! The comic timing as he ultimately kicks butt!

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