You can find the updated event roster with links here.
I’m very excited! It’s time to bring back my favorite blogathon of all time, a celebration of clashing swords, wooden ships, iron men and women, etc. What am I talking about? The Swashathon!
When:
July 14-17, 2017
Where:
Right here!
The basics:
Swashbuckler:
1: a swaggering or daring soldier or adventurer
2: a novel or drama dealing with a swashbuckler
What’s a swashbuckler? Whatever you think a swashbuckler is!
The main ingredients are swaggering and fun. Great costumes and music help too, as does Basil Rathbone.
You can cover an individual film, television show, performer or you can write an article about an aspect of the genre or even create your personal best list (e.g. “Top 5 Best Sword Fights”)
No reprints and no exact duplicates, please! (If your film or star is claimed, you can attack from a different angle. For example, you might cover the swashbuckling career of Errol Flynn if Captain Blood is taken.)
I realize that life intervenes and we must always expect the unexpected. However, if you claim a popular film (The Court Jester, The Princess Bride, etc.) and find you cannot take part, please let me know as soon as you can so that I can mark your topic as free once again. Thanks so much!
Some Recommendations:
Swashbuckling happened on both television and the big screen, so feel free to choose from either. Possibilities include assorted versions of the King Arthur, Robin Hood, Zorro or the Three Musketeers stories. Adaptations of works by Rafael Sabatini, Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle would also be excellent.
Films starring classic swashbucklers like Douglas Fairbanks (junior or senior), Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power will be quite appropriate. Lady swashbucklers are particularly welcome and encouraged.
Unclaimed Titles to Oil the Old Grey Cells: The Princess Bride, individual Zorro films (any era), The Crimson Pirate, Captain Blood, The Black Swan, The Corsican Brothers, Start the Revolution Without Me, The Scarlet Pimpernel (any), Ivanhoe (any), Cutthroat Island (if you’re brave).
“I’ve never done a blogathon before. Help!”
It’s easy! Just tell me your film of choice and then place one of banners in your blog sidebar to advertise the blogathon. On or before the days on the event, send me your link and I will post it for all to see. Blogathons are a great way to spread the word about your blog and increase traffic for everyone and so I recommend them to new bloggers looking to build their audience.
Please feel free to ask if you have any questions. If something is not clear to you, chances are there are others who feel the same way and will appreciate you asking.
“I have this movie that has a modern setting but I feel it has the swashbuckler spirit. Can I post about it?”
Yes! Douglas Fairbanks, the godfather of all swashbuckling pictures, actually started out in modern films and they contained plenty of bold adventure and the skillful stunts we expect in swashbuckling films. So in the spirit of celebrating Fairbanks, similar films will be allowed at the event. While I expect that most participants will choose something historical, you are welcome to bring the spirit of the swashbuckler into modern times.
“I want to post about a swashbuckler that has comedy or fantasy elements. Is that okay?”
Yes, comedies and fantasies that display the swashbuckler spirit are very welcome.
“The movie I want to cover is a foreign language release, is this event Hollywood only?”
No, it’s not Hollywood only. Please feel free to choose films and television shows made anywhere in the world.
“I want to cover the lives of the men and women who made swashbuckler films.”
Please do! Tell their whole life story or pick fascinating anecdotes. Whatever you like.
Roster
Movies Silently | The Black Pirate (1926)
Love Letters to Old Hollywood | The Court Jester (1955)
Karavansara | The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974)
Skalpell und Katzenklaue | Robin Hood (1922)
Once Upon a Screen | Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Reelweegiemidget | Yellowbeard (1983)
Big V Riot Squad | Zorro: From Douglas Fairbanks to Antonio Banderas
Moon in Gemini | Firefly as a Swashbuckler
lifesdailylessonsblog | Nate and Hayes (1983)
Caftan Woman | Adventures of Don Juan (1948)
Sugarbang | Swashbuckler (1976)
Christina Wehner | Against All Flags (1952)
Cinematic Scribblings | That Man from Rio (1964)
Critica Retro | The Prisoner of Zenda (1937)
Totally Filmi | Dharam Veer (1977)
The Century Film Project | A Modern Musketeer (1917)
David Gill on Zekefilm | Monsieur Beaucaire (1924)
Prince of Hollywood | Gunga Din (1939)
Whimsically Classic | The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Scribblings | Alan Breck of Kidnapped in Film
Maddy Loves Her Classic Films | Anne of the Indies (1951)
Classics and Craziness | The Sea Hawk (1940) and Double Crossbones (1950)
Midnight Drive-In | History of Pirates in Film
Hamlette’s Soliloquy | The Three Musketeers (1993)
Falcon Lair | The Eagle (1925)
dbmoviesblog | The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
Taking Up Room | Treasure Island (1990) and Pirates of the Caribbean (2003)
Cinematic Catharsis | Captain Clegg (1962)
Silver Screenings | The Princess Bride (1987)
Charlene’s (Mostly) Classic Movie Reviews | Captain Blood (1935)
The Movie Rat | The Scarlet Pumpernickel (1950)
Pure Entertainment Preservation Society | The Pirate (1948)
Thoughts All Sorts | George and the Dragon (2004)
F for Films | The Mark of Zorro (1920)
The Filmatelist | The Two Mouseketeers (1951)
John V’s Eclectic Avenue | The Crimson Pirate (1952)
High Noon | Ivanhoe (1982)
The Lonely Critic | The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
The Web of the Big Damn Spider | Krull (1983)
Movies Meet Their Match | The Son of Monte Cristo (1940)
Not This Time, Nayland Smith | Blackie the Pirate (1971)
A Viewer’s Guide to Classic Films | The Buccaneer (1938)
Old School Evil | The Pirates of Dark Water (1991-1992)
INCspot | Don Juan (1926)
wolffian classic movie digest | Ivanhoe (1952)
Old Hollywood Films | Jamaica Inn (1939)
Sat in Your Lap | The Thief of Bagdad (1924) and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975)
Silver Scenes | Scaramouche (1952)
So glad to see that this blogathon is back! I’d like to grab The Court Jester, please!
LoveLettersToOldHollywood.blogspot.com
Yay! Enjoy!
Oooh, Fritzi! You’re making me reallyyyy wish I had a blog! 😉 I’ll have fun watching from the sidelines, though. Gotta love swash. 😀
Swashing is the best! 😀
I can’t miss this one!
What about the two Musketeer movies directed by Richard Lester in the mid-70s?
They’d fit just right on Karavansara 🙂
http://Karavansara.live
Most certainly! Welcome aboard!
Thank you!
Happy to be part of the Swashathon again!
I really wish you’d stop hosting these fabulous things so I could get some work done, Fritzi!!
If it suits this the topic to your satisfaction (AND SINCE YOU MENTION NO YEAR CUT-OFF) I’ll take MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (1975). I haven’t seen it in years and am just in the mood for it. Let me know if that works or I’ll choose any from the long list of swashbucklers. 🙂
Aurora
Once Upon a Screen
Yes, no year cutoff this time. Welcome aboard, lovely to have you! 😀
Wonderful! 🙂
I don’t have a blog but look forward to getting the links to read all those who submit. And I’d like to give a special shout-out to a very recent swashbuckler that had a brief 2 seasons on ABC: GALIVANT. This musical-comedy-swashbuckler was one of the funniest and most enjoyable TV experiences I’ve ever had – you could tell the entire cast was having the time of their lives while at the same time respecting the genre(s) they were performing in – plus I really got invested in the adventure storyline.
I’ve been meaning to check that one out. 🙂
Hi, can I review Yellowbeard (1983) ? – thanks Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews x https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/
You may! Welcome 🙂
Thanks x Discovered it recently and definitely needs a second look x
Hi Fritzi. This is great news. I would like to do Zorro from Douglas Fairbanks to Antonio Banderas.
Joe Thompson
The Big V Riot Squad
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/
How fun! Welcome aboard!
I believe there’s an argument to be made that the TV show Firefly is just as much a pirate/sci-fi mash-up as a Western/sci-fi mashup. May I write about it from a swash perspective?
Certainly! Glad to have you 🙂
Good morning,
I have no idea what you mean by participating in a blog, but I will say this — when I was 16 I wrote a manuscript about the films of both Douglas Fairbankses and in so doing I got to know Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. He was very kind to this young fan/scholar and we met a number of times and corresponded a number of times over the years. Through him I met Raymond Rohauer and more importantly corresponded with Allan Dwan. I know a number of books have now come out about Senior; unfortunately Fairbanks Jr.’s career remains unfairly overlooked. So you are to be praised for including him in your tribute to swashbucklers.
Regards,
Richard H. Dollison
Hi there,
Most certainly! Fairbanks Jr. won immortality as a swashbuckler for Prisoner of Zenda and Gunga Din alone and he was just getting started.
No one should miss this obligation 😂.. Nate and Hayes(1983), please😊
Yay! Welcome aboard, matey
Another Swashathon?! Swell!
Put me down for Errol Flynn in 1948s Adventures of Don Juan. The music! The colour! The swash!
Please and thank you.
http://www.caftanwoman.com/
Yay! Errol in the house!
Might I have Against All Flags (1952), with Errol Flynn and Maureen O’Hara? My blog is Christina Wehner
https://christinawehner.wordpress.com/
You may!
Yay! Add me and The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), please!
Kisses!
Le
Great!
I’d like to join the fun, please, with Manmohan Desai’s 1977 film Dharam Veer
Fabulous!
Ooo! Ooo! Can I call “A Modern Musketeer?” Please?
You can! Welcome 🙂
Yay! Thank you.
I love this Blogathon!
I’d like to write about “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938) starring my love, Errol Flynn!
https://whimsicallyclassic.wordpress.com/
-Kayla (WhimsicallyClassic)
Excellent!
The Swashaton again – how lovely! What about film incarnations of Alan Breck Stewart from Stevenson’s Kidnapped?
Love the idea! (He was one of my first literary crushes!)
Thanks! And I forgot to mention: my blog is Scribblings: https://claragiuliani.com
Looks like a fun blogathon. I’d love to write about Anne of the Indies please.
It’s yours, welcome aboard
Ahrr matey. Pirates have always been an abiding interest of mine. I’m probably over-extending myself, but I’d like to do an overview of pirates on film, from the silent days all the way through Capt. Jack Sparrow, and include a little education for the reader on the true history of the pirate in general.
Excellent! Welcome aboard
I’d like to write about ‘The Sea Hawk’ starring Errol Flynn. Thanks! 🙂
~Eva
Sounds great!
I’d also like to write about ‘Double Crossbones’ starring Donald O’Conner because I love it and I don’t think it’s well known. Could I do a mini-review of both movies?
Sounds good to me 🙂
This looks fantabulous! Could I review the 1993 version of The Three Musketeers?
Yes you can. Glad to have you!
Brilliant! I’ll add a button to my blog sidebar when I get home from the grocery store.
I’d love to do The Eagle with Valentino. That’s as close to a swashbuckler as he got. If you do not think that’s good enough, I will take Milton Sills in The Sea Hawk.
Masked bandits and vows of revenge? Sounds like a swashbuckler to me! Glad to have another Mr. Valentino. 🙂
Oh! This looks really fun! Can I do a review of The Son of Monte Cristo (1940)?
Sounds great!
I can’t wait!
Here is the link to my blog:
I’m MovieCritic at Movies Meet Their Match (https://moviesmeetmatch.blogspot.com/)
Great but what title or topic will you be covering? Thanks!
Could I do, The Son of Monte Cristo (1940)?
Excellent, I will add you to the roster.
Hello, an interesting idea – can I do something more “modern”? A review of “The Man in the Iron Mask” (1998) with Leonardo DiCaprio?
Certainly. Welcome aboard!
P.S. My post was temporarily displaying the wrong date due to a technical glitch. Just wanted to make sure you knew it was July 14-17, 2017. Thanks!
Hi, Fritzi! Would “Treasure Island” with Charlton Heston be OK? If not, my second choice is the first “Pirates of the Caribbean.” This looks fun!
I have not seen that one but it has Christian Bale too so OF COURSE it’s okay. 😉 I’ll add you to the roster.
P.S. Pirates of the Caribbean would be fine too.
Cool, thanks, Fritzi! And LOL–I like Christian Bale, too. 🙂
Whoops, just saw the end of your comment. Yeah, I’ll do both–it’s all good.
No problem at all! You can have one or the other or both, whichever works best for you.
Ah, both is good. Can’t have a swashathon without Jack Sparrow. 🙂
Fritzi, is it true “The Princess Bride” is still available? (Please tell me it is!) If so, I would LOVE to do it.
P.S. So glad to see the return of the Swashathon. 🙂
It is! Glad you can claim it 😀
I am just finding out about this blogathon!! Would I be able to write about “Captain Blood” please?? Thank you!
Sounds great!
Thanks!! 🙂
May as well keep up my tradition and do another Daffy Duck title: I’ll do “The Scarlet Pumpernickle” (1950)
Fabulous!
I would like to participate with “The Pirate” from 1948 with Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. My name is Tiffany Brannan, and I am the authoress of the Pure Entertainment Preservation Society at https://pureentertainmentpreservationsociety.wordpress.com. Thank you for this opportunity.
Yours Hopefully,
Tiffany Brannan
Glad to have you aboard!
Could I join please? I’d like to do George and the Dragon.
Glad to have you! The 2004 film, right?
Thank you. Yes, that is the 2004 film. Do you think it counts as Swashbuckling?
I haven’t seen it myself but it certainly looks like it fits the bill. I’ll add you to the roster. 🙂
Thanks. Can’t wait!
PS: Who’s the lady in the third banner? What Swashbuckling movie?
It’s Jean Peters in Anne of the Indies. She was pirating just fine until that scamp Louis Jourdan showed up.
Ooh sounds interesting.
Howdy, Fritzi. I would like to participate and do the 1920 version of THE MARK OF ZORRO. (fforfilms.net)
Thanks!
Josh
Sounds great!
I’ll do the 1951 Tom & Jerry short THE TWO MOUSEKETEERS
How fun!
Go ahead and tag me as The Filmatelist when you add it to the list above. Looking forward to it!
Will do. 🙂
Ack! I’m the FILMATELIST (as in Film/Philatelist), *not* the “Film Elitist”!
Thanks, and have a great weekend.
No prob 🙂
What a terrific idea for a blogathon! I’d love to take on The Crimson Pirate (1952) over at my blog, John V’s Eclectic Avenue: http://jveclectic.blogspot.com.
Thanks! Lovely to have you. 🙂
What fun! Might I have “Ivanhoe” (1982)?
Excellent choice!
Would you count the 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) as a Swashbuckler? If not, can I do The Thief of Bagdad (1924)?
http://lonelycritic.blogspot.com/
Sounds good to me. Glad to have you. 🙂
I think I’ll do the Terence Hill-Bud Spencer film Blackie the Pirate, assuming it’s swashbuckling enough. I’ll have to rewatch it to recall. 🙂
Sounds good 🙂
HI! I’d like to do The Buccaneer, dir. Cecil B. De Mille, with Fredric March
Sounds great!
I know it’s not a movie but can I cover the Pirates of Dark Water cartoon series?
Sure thing! TV shows are perfectly fine.
I’d like to take on Don Juan (1926), starring John Barrymore (one of my favorite silent films). I’d cover its role in ushering in the sound era as well as its redemption storyline.
Great!
i would love to review Ivanhoe (1952 film) for the The Swashathon
Sounds great 🙂
I’d like to write about the Hitchcock version of Jamaica Inn (1939) for Old Hollywood Films.
Thanks!
Sounds great!
Put me down for The Thief of Baghdad (1924) and The Comedy of Terrors (1963). Hopefully the latter counts as it does have Basil Rathbone sword action.
I’ll actually change to The Thief of Baghdad (1924) and The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Brother (1975).
The Comedy of Terrors had less sword action in it than I remember.
Sounds good 🙂
I have to go out of town over the weekend, so I posted a little early, but here is my entry.
http://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2017/07/in-shadow-of-skull-and-crossbones.html
Thanks!
What’s this?! Scaramouche has not been snatched up yet? In that case, could you put me down for that classic swashbuckler? I’m talking about the 1952 version with Stewart Granger ( swoon! ). – Constance of Silver Scenes ( silverscenesblog.blogspot.com
Excellent! Glad to have you