Ultimate Martial Arts Film

Ye Old Archery Shoppe ^ | 10/20/05 | self

[anthraciterabbit]

Actually there are multiple sources for this one, you could do your own google searches on "tembo" and "howard hill".

Remember the archery movies of the 50s, Robin Hood, Ivanhoe, the arrow splitting the other arrow and what not? The guy doing all the trick shooting for those films was named Howard Hill, one of the greatest archers of all time, and Tembo is one of a number of his own films. We're talking a hunting safari into the Congo back when Ike was president, and a 40-something or 50-something white guy walking out into the bush with just a primative weapon in his hand and no backup of any sort to take on some of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. Somehow I don't picture Bruce Lee or any of the karate or kung fu masters working up the cajones to do that.

There's one scene where Hill takes what looks like an 80 yard shot at a lion which is running across his field of vision and misses by about a foot as the lion changes speed while the arrow is in flight, and then the lion turns and comes after Hill and is killed by three arrows from a longbow which is somewhere between 80 and 100 lbs. draw strength. This was before the advent of compound bows.

[BipolarBob]

Is this a new release? Have you seen the whole thing? If so what is your opinion of the film as a whole. There is no doubt HH was the ultimate archer. I would be interested in this.

[anthraciterabbit]

Don't really know if this is a new release, just something I'd heard about forever and finally got around to ordering a copy of. Pretty amazing.

Hill had collections of bows ranging from 60 to 100 lbs or so. You have to figure he was using a 60 pounder for trick shooting exhibitions and the hevier bows for dangerous game.

[coydog]

Wonder if he was friends with Fred Bear?

[Tribune7]

There's one scene where Hill takes what looks like an 80 yard shot at a lion which is running across his field of vision and misses by about a foot

That sounds like trouble with a capital T.

[LasVegasMac]

40-something or 50-something white guy walking out into the bush with just a primative weapon in his hand and no backup of any sort to take on some of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. Somehow I don't picture Bruce Lee or any of the karate or kung fu masters working up the cajones to do that. Oh puh...leezzeee.

Your idea of macho man is an old white dude, with trusty bow and arrow, in the deepest, darkest, hole of Africa?

I can hear the drums now........

And your comparisson to Bruce Lee is as stupid as anything I've read on the DU web site.

He was smart enough to know when a gun was needed.

Seriously.

What does one have to do with another?

Using your logic, I say your old white dude with a bow and arrow is crap compared to any Nascar driver.....

At Daytona or Talladega - 200 mph - 6 inches from the car on your right.

And the car on your left.

And the car in front of you and the car behind you.

That is balls - big stainless steel ones.

Besides, who would take a bow and arrow into a situation that clearly calls for .50 cal or better?

LVM

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

"this was before the advent of compound bows"

Compound bows have been around for a long time. They were made of wood and horn. I'm pretty sure that the Sythians and Bactrians mounted calvary used them. (Someone in the GGG ping group may be able to confirm this.)

At one time the longest recorded shot with an arrow was made by a Turk using a compound bow. The arrow traveled a distance of approximately 1/2 mile.

[dr_who_2]

Yes, those film archers often couldn't afford to miss. Otherwise, they could have taken out the actors.


"If these get much closer, I'll switch to doing Godzilla films."

[anthraciterabbit]

You're confusing the words 'compound' and 'composite'. The compound bow was invented in 1969.

[FreedomFarmer]

I build bows here on the Res, and have a bunch of Archery movies, including Tembo.

Many traditional archery magazines have an advert for the early movies. Well worth the price.

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

"You're confusing the words 'compound' and 'composite'. The compound bow was invented in 1969."

Oops, so they are! Thanks for setting me straight.

[Khurkris]

Howard Hill Archery - Records

[1stFreedom]

Best marital arts film of all time: Kunk Fu Hustle!!!

[Ciexyz]

Howard Hill did great shooting in Errol Flynn's "Robin Hood".

[BigSkyVic]

"Best marital arts film of all time: Kunk Fu Hustle!!!"
Ditto that!!

[Interesting Times]

Best marital arts film of all time: Kunk Fu Hustle!!!

Wouldn't "marital arts" be a different topic altogether?

[DHak]

"Master of the Flying Guillotine"

[KungFuMaster]

Once has to consider the meaning of 'Martial Art'. On one hand, it is the use of fighting in a Kung Fu style or anything relating to the arts of the Shaolin Monastery. Very reasonable.

Others might consider it an art altogether, not being anything for self defense or violence. Merely for show.

Both are quite true with obvious limitations to meaning and apparent usage.

To be 'martial' means to be relative to war, since 'martial' comes from the word 'Mars', the Roman God of War; and war is not just fought with hands and feet.
And it being an 'art' can be two things; something demonstrative, or it having such mastery that one could be 'playing' the opponent.

So, in terms, a 'martial art' is a system (or discipline, rather) of fighting. There is a discipline to knowing how to fight with swords, *bows*, *hands and feet*, spears-- the list goes on. It is not limited to random monkey shouts or fake jumping about via wires.

I'd rather like to see this 'Tembo'. If it is as good the author of this thread says it is, then I'll most certianly accept it for martial art. Anything can be possible; even if the protagonist is not Chinese. ^_~