Cinematic Heraldry

 
MohamedHossam
 
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MohamedHossam
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02 September 2008 23:53
 

Another movie (and book) which makes use of heraldry is The Mouse that Roared. The arms of The Duchy of Grand Fenwick are a double headed eagle ‘saying’ nay from one beak and aye from another, (presumably written on a scroll/ribbon held by the eagle).

In the movie version, staring Peter Sellers, the Grand Fenwickian’s declaration of war, which the US State Department thinks to be a prank, is shown on an illuminated manuscript. However, those arms featured a shield on the eagle’s breast, and IIRC the coat of arms used was the Imperial Austrian one, perhaps the producers or whoever was in charge of this design used the first double headed eagle coat of arms they could find!

 

Cheers,

 
Donnchadh
 
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Donnchadh
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03 September 2008 03:08
 

As an aside, the Bond’s of Armagh, Ireland, bore a slightly different coat of arms: Or, on a chevron Gules, three annulets Argent.

These arms, and the crest, as well as the name Bond, were granted to Mr. McGeough of Drumsill House and later The Argory House by the British Crown in honor of Mr. McGeough’s grams who was the last of the Bonds of Armagh. Ironically, however, the writ came down changing the name in reverse – and in error – which logically should have been Bond-McGeough to McGeough-Bond. Which leaves the family sometimes being referred to simply as “Bond” in later records where they are truly, paternally McGeoughs. The arns are also askew with the Bond arms taking qtrs 1 & 4 instead of 2 & 3.

 

All I can say is so much for accuracy. wink

 
Marcus K
 
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Marcus K
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13 September 2008 08:04
 

Well the bureaucracy can work in mysterious ways ...

Som more cinematic heraldry, this time from my native Sweden where the books by Jan Guillou about the Knight Templar Arn Magnusson has made it into the screen. Heraldry is prominent:

 

http://www.nwt.se/ArticlePages/200708/29/20070829173124_983/Arn_-_hugg_honom.jpg

Heraldic banners at the Thing attended by Arn.

 
Jeremy Keith Hammond
 
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Jeremy Keith Hammond
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14 September 2008 16:30
 

I know this is a silly argument on my part - but I can’t help it! I love the Bond movies SO much. I just have to add that it is doubtful (assuming James Bond is real wink  ) that Bond was a descendant of any of the Bond armigers. Why? Because Bond isn’t his real name. It is believed that the name James Bond follows the title 007 and explains (in the James Bond movie universe that only movie buffs and geeks dwell in) why there are so many different double O’s (actors in our world) with the same name. I welcome a bigger fan than me to confirm or deny this because I’m not positive about it - but that is how I have always understood it.

Ok. Sorry about that… back to the real world.

 

I really enjoyed how colorful Kingdom of Heaven (2005) was. I haven’t taken the time to see how accurate everything is, but it is a beautiful display nonetheless.

 
Madalch
 
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Madalch
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15 September 2008 00:17
 

Jeremy Hammond;63317 wrote:

It is believed that the name James Bond follows the title 007 and explains (in the James Bond movie universe that only movie buffs and geeks dwell in) why there are so many different double O’s (actors in our world) with the same name.


That’s what they said in the original "Casino Royale" movie, but that’s not generall accepted as canon.  Who could take Woody Allen as James Bond seriously?

 
gselvester
 
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gselvester
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04 March 2009 19:15
 

There’s good heraldry used in "Knights of the Round Table" and in "Ivanhoe". Also, Olivier’s "Richard III" makes extensive and excellent use of heraldry.

 
Robert Tucker
 
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Robert Tucker
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04 March 2009 20:33
 

I know this in an old thread, but it touched one of my favorite movies, A Knight’s Tale.  To be honest with you the first time I saw this movie in the theater I absolutely hated it, thought it was a waste of money and film.  But, what can I say?  It grew on me.  There are a couple of interesting bits about heraldry in the movie.  In the extended version (and deleted scenes in the other versions of the DVD) there is a part where William, Roland, and Wat (Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, and Alan Tudyk) are discussing the fact that after Sir Ector’s passing they could no longer use his white stag as their emblem.  They even speak rather fondly of using a lion rampant, and Wat throws in his suggestions.  It is really an amusing little scene.  They end up adopting three phoenixes as seen here:

http://i356.photobucket.com/albums/oo3/blueoceanbob/Heraldry/heath_ledger_002.jpg

 

This is the most credible display, despite several examples cited by Darren where it is depicted as only Vert, a phoenix sable enflamed gules.  :-D

 

Also, for those of you with a copy of this movie, when William takes Sir Ector’s place to finish a tournament you can pause and see the White Stag they refer to later on.  And as a added bonus the shield appears to be diapered too!

 
Marcus K
 
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Marcus K
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05 March 2009 14:04
 

Heraldry is also prominet in the movie "Kingdom of Heaven", like the Arms of the Kingdom of Jerusalemand the Barons d’Ibelin.

 
davidwu10
 
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davidwu10
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05 March 2009 14:33
 

Every year, I give a modest talk on heraldry to the 6th grade classes at Episcopal Collegiate School in Little Rock. Three years ago, my daughter’s history teacher told me of her love, but little understanding, of heraldry, and asked if I wouldn’t mind giving a presentation to her students. Naturally, I was eager to expose inquiring minds to the oft-overlooked (in American schools, at least) heraldic arts, in hopes that at least 1 out of 100 might retain the information and pursue it at a later time during their education.

I created a very, very basic PowerPoint of the history and tenets of heraldry, and to maintain their interest in the subject (to keep them from nodding off during the PowerPoint, as 6th graders - and adults - are wont to do), I included as many modern-day examples of the heraldic art as possible.

 

Among these examples were sports teams, automobile logos, and movies - to include the Harry Potter series, the recent Narnia series, etc. Naturally, if anyone has additional suggestions for movies displaying heraldry - keeping in mind that these would be movies favored by, if not targeted at, 12-14 year olds - please feel free to email titles of same to me at dwooten@americancollegeofheraldry.org.

 

Thank you.

 
Marcus K
 
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Marcus K
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06 March 2009 09:34
 

Yesterday I saw the brazilian Movie "Tropa de Elite" about the Special Operations Battalion - BOPE - of the Rio de Janerio Military Police. There was displayed on the Wall of the Battalion HQ the CoA of the BOPE. Also the Badge from the CoA (Skull, Dagger and two Pistols in Saltire) was displayed on the Battalion’s vehicles and on the Policemen’s Berets.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Bope.PNG

BOPE CoA from Wikimedia.

 
Joseph McMillan
 
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Joseph McMillan
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06 March 2009 10:04
 

Marcus K;67175 wrote:

Yesterday I saw the brazilian Move "Tropa de Elite" about the Special Operations Battalion - BOPE - of the Rio de Janerio Military Police.


An explanatory note:  the term polícia militar in Brazil does not mean "military police" in the normal English-language sense, referring to those who enforce law and order within the armed forces.  The PM are rather a militarized police force in each state, roughly similar in function to the French Gendarmerie or the Spanish Guardia Civil, but falling under the command of the state governor rather than the national authorities.  What we would call military police, the Brazilians call army police (Polícia do Exército).

 
Marcus K
 
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Marcus K
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06 March 2009 12:29
 

Correct Joseph, thanks for the explaination.

 
Robert Tucker
 
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Robert Tucker
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06 March 2009 21:04
 

David, I’m looking into my DVD library such as it is and am still trying to find you examples to use.  I did however come across this,

http://www.chivalrytoday.com/Farrell/Class-Projects.html

 

It is a program set up by a man in California, thought it might give you some ideas.  :D

 

Cheers!

 
davidwu10
 
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davidwu10
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06 March 2009 21:19
 

Robert - thanks - had actually seen that, but appreciate the link nonetheless.

 
Robert Tucker
 
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Robert Tucker
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07 March 2009 09:00
 

I suspected you might.  wink  But, thought I would pass it along.