does your level of expertise in a certain subject affect how you watch films/ play games etc

[snappydog]

As a philosophy, classics and literature student, almost all media has some sort of hidden message to me that appears bullshit to everyone else.

 

[Wyes]

Let us not forget the severe mistreatment of edges (block with the flat or you won't have an edge), the supreme lacking in the footwork department, the fact armor means nothing to hollywood, how they NEVER counter cut (they prefer to debate with their weapons), how stupid some of the characters fight (In the final fight in Rob Roy, the bad guy could have finished the fight more times than I had fingers), the noise they make when drawn in reality is NOT the *schiiiiiiing* that EVERYTHING with a blade makes in movies, longer swords are extremely difficult to draw from your back, they make up a LOT of weapons that wouldn't work in reality, katanas are not the be all end all sword and in reality are a terrible choice if the enemy has metal armor, pressing against each other's blades to have a chat is ridiculous and a simple turning of the blade and you can hit the fool (or grab him and come around his blade, grappling was as big of a part of swordfighting as actual sword work), and how certain wounds don't seem to bother named characters (an arrow to the shoulder blade would prevent you from living, let alone drawing a strong warbow unless you are the Rock).

What are the sword fights you were referring to as being good?

Spoiler: REAL western longsword techniques in action

I can't agree with you about blocking with the edges, I'm afraid. As far as I'm concerned, blocking is done with the edge. It is biomechanically and physically stronger (and I don't mean the sword is going to snap, though the blade is also weaker along that plane). The only well known guy who seems to think it's a good idea cops a lot of flack from the community for it. As for having no edge; if you're blocking right, you're blocking on the forte, which you aren't cutting with anyway. Yes, blocking with the edge will damage the edge... but it'll damage their edge, which is a good thing for you! Anyway, we probably shouldn't get into a debate about this here, if you do wanna talk about it we can do it in private
The German longsword stuff you linked to looks pretty good, in fact, looks like how we do English longsword at the school I go to!
EDIT: I should note that by blocking I'm referring to stopping a blade. Redirecting and all those sorts of things work just fine with the flat.

The fights I were referring to were Rob Roy (yes, the fight should have ended a lot earlier, but the point of the character was that he was playing with him) and some Polish sabre film who's English name I don't know, but it's easy to find on youtube.

Oh! In that case, what about the sword fight in The Princess Bride? Because it sure talks a good game.

They talk a good game but all they're doing is flynning, which is intentional (comedy and all that).

 

[demoman_chaos]

I can't agree with you about blocking with the edges, I'm afraid. As far as I'm concerned, blocking is done with the edge. It is biomechanically and physically stronger (and I don't mean the sword is going to snap, though the blade is also weaker along that plane). The only well known guy who seems to think it's a good idea cops a lot of flack from the community for it. As for having no edge; if you're blocking right, you're blocking on the forte, which you aren't cutting with anyway. Yes, blocking with the edge will damage the edge... but it'll damage their edge, which is a good thing for you! Anyway, we probably shouldn't get into a debate about this here, if you do wanna talk about it we can do it in private
The German longsword stuff you linked to looks pretty good, in fact, looks like how we do English longsword at the school I go to!
EDIT: I should note that by blocking I'm referring to stopping a blade. Redirecting and all those sorts of things work just fine with the flat.

The fights I were referring to were Rob Roy (yes, the fight should have ended a lot earlier, but the point of the character was that he was playing with him) and some Polish sabre film who's English name I don't know, but it's easy to find on youtube.

Oh! In that case, what about the sword fight in The Princess Bride? Because it sure talks a good game.

They talk a good game but all they're doing is flynning, which is intentional (comedy and all that).

Spoiler: My response to the edge debate

The Rob Roy fight was pretty crap to me.
I know what sabre fight you are talking about, I think. I didn't like it really. I can pick it apart if I rewatch it.

I always enjoy a good sword debate though.

 

[Sir Boss]

Use of computers in entertainment bugs me, as I'm majoring in computing.
Hollywood's physics bugs me, as I've done tertiary level physics.
A lot of writing bugs me, as I've done tertiary level writing courses.
history;s portrayal in entertainment bugs me, as I have a functional knowledge of history.
Use of firearms in entertainment bugs me, as I have a functional knowledge of firearms.

Most of the time, however I can blot this all out and just enjoy the piece of entertainment I'm currently reading/watching/playing. However one thing I can tell you this for certain, George R.R. Martin would have failed the writing course I took, (which I barely passed.)

 

[bigfatcarp93]

Knowing Dinosaurs so well makes it extremely painful to watch anything with dinosaurs in it, because of the CASCADE of scientific innacuracies.

 

[DJ_DEnM]

I remember when Valkyrie [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valkyrie_(film)] came out I was looking into it and noticed that they didn't use Hitlers signature. Needless to say the girl I was with wasn't interested. There was no second date...

This was 4 years ago, my memory of the event is hazy.

 

[soren7550]

The thing that annoys me the most is when people "enhance" a picture by zooming in. CSI does that a lot: zoom in on a picture taken by a camera, add some pixels and tadaah, you got the bad guy.

Spoiler: Like so?

I'm from Ireland, we are woefully represented in American media too, from the awful "Jaysus begorrah hidedidedi" accents to the idea that we are all drunken luddites living in rural mudhuts. I'm looking at you, Leap Year.

I don't know, I met an Irish couple a bit ago, and they didn't really deviate from that. ;] [footnote]Just kidding, they were lovely people that were easily amused by tall buildings.[/footnote]

 

[karcentric]

To a degree but it's my interest in cars and driving so I find it helps when you understand how the car works.

 

[Quaxar]

I think I've ranted before about the stupidity of every single medical drama and show that features anything remotely medical like for example a character in a hospital...
Give me any show. From completely ridiculous ECG lines to daily medical miracles there's everything except reality.

anything medical - don't watch hospitalish-themed series. just... don't. uh-uh, no, stop please god no any 1st semester could tell you AAAAH THE PAIN make it go away

unless you watch it just for fun, which is a good idea for anything, no matter what the theme is, if you know about the stuff i'd guess

I think you'll appreciate that...
<youtube=CZdsNPgajPM>

It's German but you don't even need to understand a word to point out 95% of all the stupidity. The only part that was more or less bearable was the second at the beginning showing the house number.

 

[s0p0g]

I think I've ranted before about the stupidity of every single medical drama and show that features anything remotely medical like for example a character in a hospital...
Give me any show. From completely ridiculous ECG lines to daily medical miracles there's everything except reality.

anything medical - don't watch hospitalish-themed series. just... don't. uh-uh, no, stop please god no any 1st semester could tell you AAAAH THE PAIN make it go away

unless you watch it just for fun, which is a good idea for anything, no matter what the theme is, if you know about the stuff i'd guess

I think you'll appreciate that...
<youtube=CZdsNPgajPM>

It's German but you don't even need to understand a word to point out 95% of all the stupidity. The only part that was more or less bearable was the second at the beginning showing the house number.

EDIT: hey, i see you know what the best pony is *snorting laughter* /)

i am german, so it was even worse because i understood every single word of that horrible dialect.
but. regarding the video.

AAAAAAAAAAAARGH... ! that hurt! physically!
there is SO much wrong in these seventysomething seconds wtf what is this i don't even *brain-asploshun*

*cough* i'm ok, move along, i'm fine, really.
...und Schock! und Schock! und Schock!...
weee!

 

[MetalDooley]

I definitely wouldn't call myself an expert, but I have studied A-level Geography. I can no longer watch The Day After Tomorrow without ripping it to shreds. Mr. Bay, if you're reading this: CLIMATE CHANGE TAKES THOUSANDS OF YEARS, NOT A FEW DAYS. Also, HURRICANES DO NOT WORK THAT WAY.

To be fair to Michael Bay he actually had nothing to do with The Day After Tomorrow.That was written,directed and produced by Roland Emmerich

 

[MetalDooley]

Oh thats right! Sorry, I pretty much tried to blank as much of that film as possible. Yeah, the neutrinos are mutating, which just makes... so... little... sense...

You might enjoy this clip

 

[Quaxar]

I think I've ranted before about the stupidity of every single medical drama and show that features anything remotely medical like for example a character in a hospital...
Give me any show. From completely ridiculous ECG lines to daily medical miracles there's everything except reality.

anything medical - don't watch hospitalish-themed series. just... don't. uh-uh, no, stop please god no any 1st semester could tell you AAAAH THE PAIN make it go away

unless you watch it just for fun, which is a good idea for anything, no matter what the theme is, if you know about the stuff i'd guess

I think you'll appreciate that...
<youtube=CZdsNPgajPM>

It's German but you don't even need to understand a word to point out 95% of all the stupidity. The only part that was more or less bearable was the second at the beginning showing the house number.

EDIT: hey, i see you know what the best pony is *snorting laughter* /)

i am german, so it was even worse because i understood every single word of that horrible dialect.
but. regarding the video.

AAAAAAAAAAAARGH... ! that hurt! physically!
there is SO much wrong in these seventysomething seconds wtf what is this i don't even *brain-asploshun*

*cough* i'm ok, move along, i'm fine, really.
...und Schock! und Schock! und Schock!...
weee!

Well, I'm sorry. Wouldn't have shown you that if I had known you could understand that stupid thing too.

I actually once did a second-by-second analysis together with a friend. You really can't say anything good about that clip.

 

[Froggy Slayer]

Oh thats right! Sorry, I pretty much tried to blank as much of that film as possible. Yeah, the neutrinos are mutating, which just makes... so... little... sense...

You might enjoy this clip

The ELECTRONS are ANNNGRRRY

 

[Byte2222]

I can't agree with you about blocking with the edges, I'm afraid. As far as I'm concerned, blocking is done with the edge. It is biomechanically and physically stronger (and I don't mean the sword is going to snap, though the blade is also weaker along that plane). The only well known guy who seems to think it's a good idea cops a lot of flack from the community for it. As for having no edge; if you're blocking right, you're blocking on the forte, which you aren't cutting with anyway. Yes, blocking with the edge will damage the edge... but it'll damage their edge, which is a good thing for you! Anyway, we probably shouldn't get into a debate about this here, if you do wanna talk about it we can do it in private
The German longsword stuff you linked to looks pretty good, in fact, looks like how we do English longsword at the school I go to!
EDIT: I should note that by blocking I'm referring to stopping a blade. Redirecting and all those sorts of things work just fine with the flat.

The fights I were referring to were Rob Roy (yes, the fight should have ended a lot earlier, but the point of the character was that he was playing with him) and some Polish sabre film who's English name I don't know, but it's easy to find on youtube.

Oh! In that case, what about the sword fight in The Princess Bride? Because it sure talks a good game.

They talk a good game but all they're doing is flynning, which is intentional (comedy and all that).

Spoiler: My response to the edge debate

The Rob Roy fight was pretty crap to me.
I know what sabre fight you are talking about, I think. I didn't like it really. I can pick it apart if I rewatch it.

I always enjoy a good sword debate though.

Now I'll admit that my martial studies have been in Japanese arts with Japanese weapons but we've always been taught to NEVER BLOCK, instead deflecting/parrying the attack. I feel like I feel like I have to put that out there, if you block an attack you still take all its force, just to your weapon instead of your skull.

 

[DazBurger]

What are the sword fights you were referring to as being good?

Spoiler: REAL western longsword techniques in action

First of, thoes are not longswords, its bastardswords, the bastard child of the longsword and the greatsword.
Secondly, most of these techniques aren't possible when wearing heavy armor, which were the thing you did during war, so this is either completely made up or made for dueling-purposes.

 

[mojopin87]

As somone who has studied theoretical physics at a post-graduate level I find some sci-fi themes hard to swallow and also some of the jargon that gets banded about in science fiction in general "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow" anybody?

To be fair, the whole "reverse the polarity of the neutron flow," thing was never meant to be serious. It was just kind of a stock phrase that the actor playing the Doctor at the time (Jon Pertwee) thought sounded cool (also he was apparently really, really terrible at getting/remembering any of the scientific terms they tried to use so they often had to dumb it down for him) so they tried to work it, and variations of it, into more episodes as a running joke.


Also, are you really expecting a show like Doctor Who to accurately and coherently portray physics/science? I thought it was generally understood that it wasn't meant to actually be realistic at all?

 

[The_Waspman]

Oh thats right! Sorry, I pretty much tried to blank as much of that film as possible. Yeah, the neutrinos are mutating, which just makes... so... little... sense...

You might enjoy this clip

Bwa ha ha ha ha! Yes, I've seen that before.

I just... Y'know what narks me the most? is that films like this that (despite being big budget entertainments) purport to have some grounding is scientific accuracy (I know its a stretch with something like 2012) dont even get very basic stuff right. Like this.

And yet people who don't know about it may think 'oh, so thats what particule physics is like.'

As another example, I know sweet fuck all about archery. I do know however that most films get it completely wrong. Mainly from what people have said here. I guess its a good thing though, because it makes me want to learn about this shit, just for that sense of superiority I guess.

Captcha: across the board. Damn right captcha, damn right.

 

[mojopin87]

OT: I have always had a great deal of interest in philosophy (took a number of electives and read extensively on my own) so any movie that has pretensions of asking "deep questions" usually just makes me laugh a little bit as most of the time it is Intro Philosophy level stuff as they still manage to often get it wrong/misquote/make shit up etc. despite the fact that a simple google search by the writer could have mad things much easier for everyone.

Also, as has been said by many people, the whole computers/hacking thing... it's just painful to watch.