Fight Clip Club: Mask of Zorro

Swords are very flirty. Just me? It can’t be just me…

On fighting + flirting & the problematic realms of violence as expressions of sexual interest. Or not.

This film is such a little sleeper. From the late ‘90s, it came, dropped a fluffy besworded bomb onto the entertainment scene, and then kinda disappeared. Banderas of course was a major heartthrob in this time period, and I don’t need to say anything more about Catherine Zeta-Jones’ ethereal and astonishing 1990s beauty—it’s already all been said. And! casting renowned veteran of stage and screen, Anthony Hopkins, as Zorro the Elder? It’s just a fabulous explosion of loveliness, and I don’t know if people remember this movie too often these days, which I find too bad. Let me know if I’m wrong. I mean, it’s no Citizen Kane, but it’s a fun romp.

For me, I was (arguably) in my prime* as a physical performer in 1998, as I was a featured dancer in the well-known local aerial dance company, while simultaneously working as one of the elite swordfighters at the state’s RenFaire. This movie dropped, in other words, right in the middle of my own glory as a woman swordslinger, and it fit right in with where I was and what I was doing at that time in my life. 

FUN NOTE: My swordfighting bros actually bought me a membership to the Xena, Warrior Princess fan club during this time, as a birthday gift. I don’t think I’d seen a single episode, but apparently that was the vibe I was giving. I did feel bad enough that I began watching the show after this gift was bestowed, and did indeed enjoy it as guilty pleasure type fare, but. That’s another fight clip club. Actually probably literally. Stay tuned.

Me & two of my sword bros, CO Renfaire, 1998. I call this picture “Broad’s Swords.” Get it? Broad’s… I’ll see myself out.

*It has been said to me recently that my prime as a movement pro is actually more like nowadays, as I do fight direction and regular burlesque performances, but I’m not so sure. Can a person have more than one prime? Maybe. 

But this isn’t about me, this is about ZORRO! Or, as my first stage combat teacher always said, 

“Enough talk, we fight!!”