Rules of the duel

I have a confession to make: I fast-forwarded through the fight scenes in "Gladiator." And during "The Lord of the Rings" movies, I looked away when the Orcs and the good guys had it out in Middle Earth.

Now I'm wishing I had paid more attention.

Standing in the Higgins Armory Museum holding a wooden practice sword called a waster, I'm trying to remember how the film heroes defended themselves. The closest I've come to handling a sword is a letter opener the A&E cable network sent me a few years ago. I use it to scratch my back. Not exactly what King Arthur was looking for in a knight.

In the minutes before my first medieval combat workshop, I'm getting a few tips from experts at the Worcester, Mass., museum, who want to make sure I live to hide behind my popcorn again. I get in a fighting stance and am encouraged to take some practice swings to feel the power of a wooden longsword (think pointy baseball bat).

Knights loved the longsword in the 14th and 15th centuries. Along with it, I'll also be learning how to fight with a dagger and with a weapon in each hand (where my back-scratching technique could yet come in handy).

Now is as good a time as any to brush up on fighting practices, as a phalanx of armored films is marching toward theaters. With my newfound knowledge, I'll be able to assess Brad Pitt's technique when he plays Achilles in "Troy." He'll be joined by George Clooney, who is producing "Gates of Fire," about the ancient Battle of Thermopylae. And there are three competing projects about Alexander the Great, one of which will star Leonardo DiCaprio. Even nouveau-action hero Vin Diesel is playing "Hannibal" - the Carthaginian general who liked elephants, not the fava-bean munching serial killer.

These sword-and-sandal epics are the battle-scarred descendants of "Gladiator." But swordfights are as common as superheroes in today's movies - popping up everywhere from sci-fi to romantic fairy tales. Not since the days of Errol Flynn have so many actors buckled their swash.

But while today's make-believe mayhem doesn't stint on the fake blood, swordplay in movies does not typically reflect of the real thing. The actors intentionally avoid hitting each other and the audience is spared the full carnage of ancient battles. (See article, next page.)

At the Higgins Armory, the Sword Guild is all in favor of keeping people's limbs intact, but its combatants make bodily contact far more frequently than Cary Elwes and Mandy Patinkin in "The Princess Bride." The volunteer group teaches courses that explain historically accurate fighting styles - and how best to perform them without skewering your partner.

"We consider what we do a kind of fencing, in that we don't have lethal intent.... We treat it as a martial art," says Mark Millman, an experienced fencer and a Sword Guild teacher.

The museum is unique in that it brings scholars together with people practicing the techniques. The group bases its teachings on curator Jeffrey Forgeng's translations of manuals written by Europeans, mostly Germans. Some of the manuscripts date back to the 1300s, and have been translated only in the past few years.

"It's a growing field. Our understanding of it is still developing," adds Frank Hunt, a member of the Sword Guild who is handy with a longsword.

At the one-day seminar, we are told we'll receive an introduction to various medieval techniques, but should not expect to come away with "Lord of the Rings" expertise.

"Nobody is going to leave the building today being Aragorn the Ranger," jokes Mr. Forgeng.

Those attending the workshop - including couples, a dad, and a guy who makes armor - say they are drawn to what's called Western martial arts, or medieval martial arts, for a number of reasons. Some like the historical aspect. Others say the European traditions, unlike those from the East, don't require participants to adopt religious tenets. And some simply find the activity irresistible.

"I'm completely hooked," says Resa Nelson, a 40-something sci-fi and fantasy writer from Acton, Mass. She originally took a course through the museum as background for one of her books.

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