When Albion’s European representative heard that SF Film was going to make a film version of Jan Guillou’s Arn trilogy, he approached them to offer the film production people ’real’ swords. Albion’s designer has been documenting swords over the last 20 years. The swords used in the film are based on studies in museum of swords from the period. This loving and painstaking eye for exact historical detail gives the Arn films a wealth of features and credibility not known from other film productions!
”When I feel the weight of the sword in my hand, feel the balance in the sword, see the details in the hilt and the beauty of the blade – and when I think that it’s a genuine copy of the original swords from the end of the 1100s – I become that crusader!” says the almost 6’6” Irish actor Nicholas Boulton, who is playing the dour Knight of the Temple, Gerard de Ridefort. ”Having such authentic props is an incredible aid when you have to build up a part”. Nicholas Boulton was so enthusiastic about his sword during shoots that he intends to buy it once filming is over.
There are two types of sword in the film – steel swords, and stunt swords which are the same as the “Hero Swords” except that their blades are made of aluminium. One concession made for the steel swords is that their edges are naturally left slightly blunt for the sake of the actors’ safety. The sword types have been selected to fit the historical period, though just as importantly to accentuate themes and part characters in Jan Guillou’s tale
