| Twenty-five years ago the movie Conan | | | | which allows the user to choke up on the weapon |
| spotlighted the Atlantean sword. They designed | | | | and use it in close combat situations. |
| and created a unique sword just for the movie | | | | Blade (1996-2004) is a series of vampire movies |
| and this started a new trend in fantasy movie | | | | that use a variety of weapons including flailing, and |
| making, and today, just about every fantasy | | | | whipping weapons. The primary weapon of the |
| movie is released with a collectible sword. Here is | | | | main character (Wesley Snipes) is a Japanese |
| a look at some of these great movies and the | | | | Katana that has the added effect of a booby |
| swords in them. | | | | trap. If a person picks up the weapon they have |
| The movie Conan, with Arnold Schwarzenegger, | | | | a few seconds to press a secret button. If they |
| was released in 1982 and the sword called "The | | | | don't, secret blades pop out of the handle |
| Atlantean" was specifically designed for the movie | | | | damaging the hand that is holding it. This series of |
| and for the actor. It was given a major role in the | | | | movies are another good example of how the |
| movie because it played a major role in the | | | | Japanese katana has become very popular in the |
| Conan stories and novels written by Robert E. | | | | movies. |
| Howard. The sword itself proved to be very | | | | Gladiator (2000) is a good example of how the |
| popular and replicas were created for sale on the | | | | weapons of the high Roman era have made their |
| mass market. Twenty-five years later replicas of | | | | mark on movies and on the collecting of swords. |
| the Atlantean are still made and sold. This sword | | | | The Roman Gladius wielded by Maximus (Russell |
| started a whole trend in movie making and today | | | | Crowe) is a good example of the weapon that |
| fantasy moviemakers take great care to design, | | | | was wielded at the time and it is still a popular |
| create, and market unique swords as part of the | | | | choice of weapon collectors. |
| movie and as part of their marketing. This can be | | | | The Lord of the Rings trilogy of movies (2001 - |
| seen in the recently released movie 300, which | | | | 2003) have had an impact on the collecting of |
| has caused a resurgence in the gladiator type | | | | movie swords that goes beyond all other movies. |
| sword. And the new Harry Potter movie will | | | | This movie returned the collector to the art of |
| spotlight a sword wielded by Harry himself. This | | | | the pure fantasy sword much like the Conan |
| sword replica has already been released and is | | | | sword. While the trend in movies was to create |
| available in currently limited quantities on the mass | | | | period accurate replicas this series of movies |
| market. | | | | moved the whole trend toward the creation of |
| The Highlander movies, (First installment released | | | | fantastic blades that represented the wielders |
| in 1986) are another good example of the sword | | | | personality. Each major character in the movies |
| as a centerpiece of the movie. The swords play a | | | | has his own or her own weapon. Each weapon is |
| major role in the film plot in that the sword must | | | | unique, and easily available on the mass market |
| be used to dispatch a foe, and consequently, to | | | | for collectors. |
| gain the foe's powers. In the first film a Scottish | | | | Eragon (2006) continues the tradition of unique |
| Claymore was used and as the Highlander moves | | | | fantasy sword in that the main character wields a |
| through time into the present he switches to a | | | | beautiful sword called Zar'roc. This sword has a |
| highly stylized version of Japanes katanas. This | | | | blue Sapphire mounted at the base of the hilt and |
| use of the Japanes katana is one of the earliest | | | | the sword itself has significant power and |
| examples of mass marketing of Japanese swords | | | | symbolism. It plays an important role in the movie |
| and this has been very successfully followed in | | | | and an important role in the replica collection world. |
| the Kill Bill movies. | | | | The past twenty-five years of filmmaking has |
| Braveheart (released in 1995) is a good example | | | | given us a wonderful selection of fantasy swords |
| of using replica swords that stay true to the | | | | that are both accurate reproductions from the |
| flavor of the time period they portray. Mel Gibson | | | | real swords of the past and exciting creations of |
| wields a number of different weapons that stay | | | | fantasy that never existed except in the minds |
| accurate to the time of the movie. These | | | | of writers and blacksmiths. This trend was first |
| weapons include a warhammer and a flail. The | | | | started with Conan and over the next |
| most famous of the weapons that he wields is A | | | | twenty-five years we are sure to get an even |
| Flamberge which is a two-handed sword with a | | | | more incredible selection of weapons and swords |
| leather wrapping around a portion of the blade | | | | in the movies. |