Robin Hood was a murderer

[Blackhawk]

(This is the history forum, right?)

...at least that's the theme of the new Robin Hood movie coming out next year.  I was reading that Russell Crowe will play the "good" Sheriff and he is the "best" archer in the land.  

I did not read who was playing the evil Robin, but it's amazing what Hollywood can do to our heroes (whether real or not).

[Wade Phillips]

Lon...

How about "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" Mel Brooks 1993 version... what did that do to our hero?

Or what did it do for traditional archery in general?

"We're men, we're men in tights"

 

[SELFBOW19953]

Did the common man really wear that style of pants/leg coverings in the 11th/12th centuries? If so, were they wool? I had always thought that the idea of tights in this era, for other than the rich, was a Hollywood invention.

[d. ward]

well one thing I do know I bet not to many of ya'all know...guess who made that bow Robin in tights is holding in Wades pic ?? Fact is guess who made around 40 bows and some of the arrows for that movie ? bowdoc no not bowdoc.Jay StCharles made a good amount of the archery tackle for that movie.Little archery movie trivia for you buffs.bowdoc

[PAPALAPIN]

Hey Doc...that's the only reason we let you stay around...now we all know it

[Wade Phillips]

Doc - Who made the 6 broadheads in the poster?

Collectors will be all over you if you can come up with them...

[Blackhawk]

If they're looking for an actor to play the evil Robin, my vote goes to Alan Rickman.  You may recall he was the bad guy in "Quigley Down Under" and he was also the Sheriff in that Kevin Costner Robin Hood movie.

[Grant Young]

Good choice Lon.                  GY

[jester]

Originally posted by SELFBOW19953:
Did the common man really wear that style of pants/leg coverings in the 11th/12th centuries? If so, were they wool? I had always thought that the idea of tights in this era, for other than the rich, was a Hollywood invention.

Well – yes, they did. Usually called "leggins" nowadays, these could either be joined between the elgs or be two individual legs just knotted together, as they were also joined with the upper garment via loops or knots.
Still, when a peasent bent down working on a field, you could occasionally see right up his ... well, you get the idea. Church didn't like that AT ALL!
Trousers as we know it were worn by the early Germanic peoples and the vikings up to the 10th century, then leggins were worn throughout the population until the 15th or 16th centuries approx.
If you're interested in clothing and equipment of the medieval archer, I highly recommend Clive Bartlett's "English Longbowmen 1330-1515" (Osprey Publishing) – nice illustrations by Gary Embleton.

Oh, and yes, they were made of woven wool, the weaving pattern running in an angle (diagonally), so the material would stretch with the movements.

[Ssamac]

I hear that Barney Frank is going to play Maid Marian.

[Tom I.]

Ssamac...now THAT's funny!!!!!!!!
Tom i.

[SELFBOW19953]

If Barney is Maid Marion, is Nancy going to be the "evil" Robin Hood?

[Blackhawk]

   

[Ssamac]

Sorry, couldn't help it.

[mwmwmb]

if robin hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor what is the difference.

[SELFBOW19953]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! She is Robin Hood!!!

[Ssamac]

And she's in tights!!! So is Barney.

[Wade Phillips]

Sam – You are way too funny.

Lon – Yes, let's continue the "serious history class"... remember this is history about a legend...

While most Robin Hood movies have some memorable scenes, nearly everyone has their favorite movie version...

Mostly because of the archery scenes and the actors, my favorite is "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938) with Errol Flynn as Robin Hood; Olivia de Havilland as Maid Marian; Basil Rathbone as Sir Guy of Gisbourne; Claude Rains as Prince John; Patric Knowles as Will Scarlett; Eugene Pallette as Friar Tuck; Alan Hale as Little John; Melville Cooper as the Sheriff of Nottingham; Ian Hunter as King Richard; and our beloved Howard Hill as the Captain of Archers.

 

[d. ward]

Wade I believe that would be Flynn on the far left.bowdoc  

[SELFBOW19953]

If you get the chance, watch Olvia deHaviland's interview about the "kissing scene" from Robin Hood (he comes in from the balcony and threatens to jump if she won't kiss him).  She said she kept flubbing her lines intentionally so the scene had to be reshot numerous times.  Apparently, it became somewhat "embarrassing" for Flynn in his tights!!!!

My favorite, like Wade's, is the 1938 version.  However, I really enjoyed the TV series from the late 50's with Richard Greene.  I have several DVD's of the show.  Anyone know who made the bows for that show, filmed in England I believe.