...and they fight again! - The DVD

What Is It?

Short Answer:
It is a collection of scenes hosted by fight choreographer Richard Buswell that demonstrate what fight choreography is and what it can accomplish.

Each scene showcases an aspect of the fight choreographer's art, from the ridiculously obvious to the unexpectedly unusual.

A collaborative effort, choreography for these scenes are crafted by Richard Buswell and others. As you would expect, exhibitions include fighting staples such as swordplay and martial arts sequences.

What you probably don't expect are the examples of how fights tell a story, develop character, turn into dance routines, show movement patterns, create music and rhythms, become cliches, vary in style, make statements, produce comedy vs. drama, or can be believable without being realistic.

What kind of film is this?

  • Is it a documentary?
  • Is it an educational film?
  • Is it entertainment?
The answers to all these questions are: "Yes and No."

It has elements of all of these film types, but it doesn't neatly pigeonhole into any single category.

It is essentially a variety show whose common theme is stage combat.
There is a host that introduces and explains the purpose of each scene as it relates to the overall theme, but the scenes themselves are enjoyable without having to understand the point.

Whatever you think this movie is, you are probably right. It IS what you think, but then it goes the extra mile and ends up being much, much more:

A quasi-documentary that is both educational and entertaining.
A mixture of traditional storytelling and performance art.
A fight show that sneaks in some culture.
An omnibus of violence that is not ABOUT the violence.

For fun, let's describe this film using the pigeonholes we all know and love. Let's describe it first as a documentary, then as an eductional film, and finally as an entertainment anthology.

A Documentary Film

  • What is a fight choreographer?
  • What does a fight choreographer do?
  • How are fights used in a scene?
These and other questions are answered in this exploration of the fight choreographer's art. Multiple scenes are presented, each showcasing a different aspect of the fight choreographer's world, demonstrating
  • different styles of fighting,
  • different cultures and historical eras,
  • the use of fight choreography
    • to tell a story,
    • to develop character,
    • to create performance art,
    • to entertain.

An Educational Film

  • How are fight scenes put together?
  • What's the difference between fights for film vs. stage?
  • When should a fight choreographer be hired?
Useful for theatre and film professionals, academics, and enthusiasts, this DVD demonstrates the scope of the fight choreographer's talents, perhaps in ways you may not have considered.
  • How style affects a fight scene
  • Safety for the actor and stuntperson
  • Comedy vs. Drama
  • What weapons a fight choreographer utilizes
  • What's the difference between a fight and a stunt?
  • Enhancing entertainment value

An Exciting and Entertaining Anthology Film

  • What exactly is a fight scene?
  • What makes a fight scene work?
  • How can fight scenes improve audience enjoyment?
What do action movies, professional wrestling, mixed martial arts, circuses, sitcoms, romantic comedies, westerns, pirates, rubber chickens, video games, horror movies, haunted houses, opera, modern dance, ballet, stunt shows, spy films, performance art, fire spinning and Stomp! all have in common? They all have a huge following of fans, they all utilize some aspect of fight choreography, and they all have sample scenes in this film.
  • What is the full range of a fight choreographer's skills?
  • How do you tell a good fight scene from a bad one?
  • How can fight scenes make a statement?
  • Why do some fights work and others don't?
  • How can fight scenes alter your perceptions?
  • You don't have to question, just sit back and enjoy the show.
...and they fight again! is all of these things:
An entertaining, educational, insightful, and occasionally surprising look at what a fight choreographer does.
An exciting revelation of the world of stage combat, useful as a teaching tool for those who work in the theatre and film industry, and just plain fun for everyone.

...and they fight again! showcases

  • different eras in history,
  • different types of weapons,
  • different styles of fighting,
  • different characterizations,
  • different genres,
  • different styles of presentation (fantasy, romance, horror, comedy, drama, suspense, adventure, clowning, pratfalls, movement, music, realism, absurdity, symbolism, metaphor, the list goes on)