Reclaiming the Blade

Reclaiming the Blade is a 2009 documentary on the culture and craft of swords and their role in entertainment. Written and directed by Daniel McNicoll, produced by Galatia Films, narrated by British actor John Rhys-Davies.

The documentary was produced with the support of Peter Jackson, Weta Workshop, Skywalker Sound and the Royal Armouries. Notable interviewees from the film industry include Viggo Mortensen, Karl Urban, Richard Taylor, and Hollywood sword master Bob Anderson (fencing instructor in LOTR Trilogy, to Errol Flynn and Johnny Depp among others). Interviewed as an expert on swordmaking is bladesmith Paul Champagne.

Seven Western Martial Arts - WMA - groups located in five countries in Europe provide footage for Reclaiming the Blade: Arts of Mars (Germany), Boar’s Tooth Fight School (UK), de Taille et d’Estoc (France), Ringschule Wrocław, ARMA-PL (Poland), Schola Gladiatoria (UK), Stockholm’s Historical Fencing Society (Sweden), The School of Traditional Medieval Fencing (UK).