Natalie Portman slaying zombies with what 1813 weapons?

[FlashDaddy]

This is gonna be so excellent!

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118012601.html

Actress takes on 'Pride & Prejudice' adaptation
By MICHAEL FLEMINGGiven Natalie Portman’s elegant demeanor, a turn in a period Jane Austen adaptation was inevitable.
Portman will star in and produce “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” a film that is based on the bestselling book written by Seth Grahame-Smith and Austen. Lionsgate will finance and distribute. Quirk Books published the tome.

Though Austen’s name is on the book, Grahame-Smith took the liberty of adding bloodthirsty flesh-eating zombies to the mix.

Portman will produce through her handsomecharlie shingle with Annette Savitch, plus Darko Films’ Richard Kelly, Sean McKittrick and Ted Hamm.

Described as an expanded version of the Austen classic, the book tells the timeless story of a woman’s quest for love and independence amid the outbreak of a deadly virus that turns the undead into vicious killers.

Portman will play feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet, who is distracted from her quest to eradicate the zombie menace by the arrival of the arrogant Mr. Darcy. Darko just released “The Box,” “World’s Greatest Dad” and “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.”

Portman stars in the Jim Sheridan-directed drama “Brothers” for Relativity Media and Lionsgate. Her handsomecharlie banner recently set up “Booksmart” at Fox and is partnered with Plan B at Paramount on an adaptation of the Leanne Shapton book “Important Artifacts,” a potential screen vehicle for Portman and Brad Pitt.

Her shingle just wrapped production on “Hesher.”

“Natalie and I are longtime passionate fans of Jane Austen’s books and this a fresh, fun and thought-provoking way to approach her work,” Savitch said. “The idea of zombies running rampant in 19th Century England may sound odd, but it lends a modern sense of urgency to a well known love story.”

[FlashDaddy]

If they are staying with the early 1800's setting (the original book was published in 1813) what kind of weapons would the movie be able to add, that were available in 1813, to fend off the zombie hordes? I imagine edged weapons would be the most practical, since reloading a blackpowder musket takes precious time when the dead are trying to eat you. Maybe a blunderbuss?

What 1813 weapons would you choose?

[Dead Zed]

Oh that's gonna be a fun movie!

Most swords of that era were point-only thrusting weapons. I wouldn't think them terribly useful against zeds.
I'd have to go with an older european sword, or something japanese.
I imagine a native american war club would do a nice job also.

Without the availability of modern firearms I think defense would take precedence over offence.
Stone walls and small windows.

[TheLastRifleMan]

Oh that's gonna be a fun movie!

Most swords of that era were point-only thrusting weapons. I wouldn't think them terribly useful against zeds.
I'd have to go with an older european sword, or something japanese.
I imagine a native american war club would do a nice job also.

Without the availability of modern firearms I think defense would take precedence over offence.
Stone walls and small windows.

Take a look at some of the European cavalry sabers from that area. Those would hack a limb or head off nicely. Not all edged weapons from that time period were thrust only types.

[TDW586]

Take a look at some of the European cavalry sabers from that area. Those would hack a limb or head off nicely. Not all edged weapons from that time period were thrust only types.

Cavalry saber FTMFW. Specifically, a Blucher saber would be my preference. And as for firearms, if you have slow reloads, just means you need to carry a lot more guns.

[FlashDaddy]

OK, I've googled up my arsenal:

Flintlock rifle with bayonet. Sure its just one shot, but then you have a spear with a good reach.

Blunderbuss; takes out quite a few zeds with one blast, but then needs to be reloaded. And looks cool:



a pistol version was also available:



And as many pistols as I could carry while running from the shambling mob. Looks like a lot of small pistols were available in the day, like this "50 bore" belgian model:



Pistols even came in a handy box of two:



and when there is no time to reload, you go to the edged weapons. I'd prefer something made to hack heads in close quarters, the pirate boarding weapon of choice, the cutlass:

[andygates]

Blunderbuss, cavalry sabre, and scythe. Reap 'em at the ankles, they can't chase you. 8)

[mtnfolk mike]

oh, this definitely looks like it'll be a fun movie... i had a feeling this book would be made into a movie..

[Towanda]

Don't forget that England was a major maritime power at the time and almost every wealthy household contained at least a few nautical items. I'd imagine that cutlasses and belaying pins would be pretty common. The percussion cap was invented in 1807, but I don't know how quickly rifles using it became available.

There are also plenty of household items that could be used to do in zombies. Cricket bats, axes, tennis rackets, cleavers, fireplace implements, sturdy walking sticks, heavy candlesticks, et cetera.

[FlashDaddy]

And I am adding this to my 1813 load out:



Ship boarding tomahawk!

[Czechnology]

A decent 19th century Artillery Sword would be a handy weapon.



Basically a short sword, used by Arty guys for self defense if the enemy ever got around their flanks. Not that useful against Lancers or Heavy horse, but shamblers? Hell yeah. Also, Kentucky Rifles were pretty badass for their era.

[Jeriah]

The percussion cap was invented in 1807, but I don't know how quickly rifles using it became available.

I checked Wikipedia on this; it says that the percussion cap was invented in 1830. It also says that the first weapon to use it was the M1819 Hall Rifle. Although not as contradictory as this might sound at first (the 1819 started life as a flintlock, and later versions were made as percussion guns), it doesn't quite square with the article saying that Joshua Shaw invented the percussion cap in 1814 but didn't patent it until 1822...sigh...oh, Wikipedia, why must you be so vague...

Anyway, Towanda, I'm curious where you heard 1807? Are you referring to Forsyth's patent? That patent, if I understand correctly, was for a "scent bottle" lock, where the fulminates were contained in a little bottle thingie, not separate caps. So, fulminate/percussion ignition was available from 1807, but very rarely, and in scent-bottle not cap form. Percussion caps were available somewhat later, from perhaps 1822 or thereabouts...?

Regardless, for our purposes in this thread, I think it's safe to say that flintlocks are in, percussion caps are out, and scent-bottle locks are technically legit but would have been very rare.

So, since I'm pretty conservative when it comes to history, I'll stick to flintlocks: specifically, dual-wielded Puckle Defense Guns.

For those who don't know: http://www.wedmore.org.uk/puckle/James.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Bluito23]

British Brown Bess-can shoot 5 rounds a minute

Cannon's at least a 12 pounder

Dueling pistols

Shotguns .72 caliber


Mark

[Czechnology]

British Brown Bess-can shoot 5 rounds a minute

In the hands of a Regular maybe. I sure couldn't match that ROF without a hell of a lot of practice.

[Towanda]

Anyway, Towanda, I'm curious where you heard 1807? Are you referring to Forsyth's patent? That patent, if I understand correctly, was for a "scent bottle" lock, where the fulminates were contained in a little bottle thingie, not separate caps. So, fulminate/percussion ignition was available from 1807, but very rarely, and in scent-bottle not cap form. Percussion caps were available somewhat later, from perhaps 1822 or thereabouts...?

I did a quick Google search for firearms used in 1813, and one of the sites I pulled up mentioned 1807. After having read your information, I suspect the site's author misinterpreted info about Forsyth.

Here's the paragraph from Wikipedia on Forsyth's invention:

The discovery of fulminates was made by Edward Charles Howard (1774-1816) in 1800.[1] The invention that made the percussion cap possible using the recently discovered fulminates was patented by the Rev. Alexander John Forsyth of Belhelvie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1807. It consisted of priming with a fulminating powder made of fulminate of mercury, chlorate of potash, sulphur, and charcoal, which was exploded by concussion. It was an invention born of necessity: Rev. Forsyth had noticed that sitting birds would startle when smoke puffed from the powder pan of his flintlock shotgun, giving them sufficient warning to escape the shot. His invention of a fulminate-primed firing mechanism deprived the birds of their early warning system, both by avoiding the initial puff of smoke from the flintlock powder pan, as well as shortening the interval between the trigger pull and the shot leaving the muzzle. Fulminate-primed guns were also less likely to misfire than flintlock guns. However, it was not until after Forsyth's patents expired that the conventional percussion cap system was developed. The percussion cap helped lead to the Self Contained Cartridge, where the bullet is held in by the casing, the casing is filled with gun powder, and a primer (modern day percussion cap), is at the end.

[ThePhantom86]

scythe

+1

[nanuq]

Most swords of that era were point-only thrusting weapons. I wouldn't think them terribly useful against zeds.

I wouldn't say they would be useless. Just stab the the zombie through the eye and drive the point into the brain. Tricky but not impossible.

[ninja-elbow]

There was a big war at that time - The War of 1812. Link to info including gear used:
http://warof1812.ca/uniforms.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ETA: this is also towards the end of the Napolenic Period (1799-1815??) so plenty of re-enactors and Grognards with accurate information on gear/weapons/tactics/strategies on all levels.

ETAII: Also avaialable for your pleasure is the BBC series Sharpe's Rifles - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108108/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Dead Zed]

Oh that's gonna be a fun movie!

Most swords of that era were point-only thrusting weapons. I wouldn't think them terribly useful against zeds.
I'd have to go with an older european sword, or something japanese.
I imagine a native american war club would do a nice job also.

Without the availability of modern firearms I think defense would take precedence over offence.
Stone walls and small windows.

Adding emphasis to my own post. I never said that thrusting swords were the onlys swords of the period. Just that they were the most common. Nor did I say that it would be completely useless, only that they'd be less ideal that their edged counterparts.
The native american war clubs would, in my opinion, be more useful against an opponent that is defeated most easily by destroying the brain.
Muzzle loading guns would have their place as long as you had either the distance or the fortifications to keep from being overrun.

[Jeriah]

There was a big war at that time - The War of 1812. Link to info including gear used:
http://warof1812.ca/uniforms.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ETA: this is also towards the end of the Napolenic Period (1799-1815??) so plenty of re-enactors and Grognards with accurate information on gear/weapons/tactics/strategies on all levels.

ETAII: Also avaialable for your pleasure is the BBC series Sharpe's Rifles - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108108/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That Baker Rifle looks handy. Short enough to be handy, but rifled for accuracy...I like it. That sword bayonet that goes with it looks pretty awesome, too, whether mounted or hand-wielded.

That and a pair of Dragoon pistols would be slick...but with the reload times, anything more than one or two zombies, I'm going to escape and evade, by which I mean run away screaming like a little girl.

[ninja-elbow]

There was a big war at that time - The War of 1812. Link to info including gear used:
http://warof1812.ca/uniforms.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ETA: this is also towards the end of the Napolenic Period (1799-1815??) so plenty of re-enactors and Grognards with accurate information on gear/weapons/tactics/strategies on all levels.

ETAII: Also avaialable for your pleasure is the BBC series Sharpe's Rifles - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108108/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That Baker Rifle looks handy. Short enough to be handy, but rifled for accuracy...I like it. That sword bayonet that goes with it looks pretty awesome, too, whether mounted or hand-wielded.

That and a pair of Dragoon pistols would be slick...but with the reload times, anything more than one or two zombies, I'm going to escape and evade, by which I mean run away screaming like a little girl.

That's what I was thinking - more like the Indians in tactics than line riflemen. You could set up skirmish stuff like in the Sharpe's Rifles shows (great TV BTW) if you had 5 or 6 riflemen.

I'd go Baker 1806 (looks like a carbine) and bayonet, pistol or 2, tomahawk and a way better ability to run than I have now. This, of course based off pure fantasy. I have no idea how the Baker series of rifles are.

rifle: http://www.militaryheritage.com/baker.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
pistol(s): http://www.militaryheritage.com/pistol1.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
'hawks and running - we know what they look like.

[Jeriah]

There was a big war at that time - The War of 1812. Link to info including gear used:
http://warof1812.ca/uniforms.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ETA: this is also towards the end of the Napolenic Period (1799-1815??) so plenty of re-enactors and Grognards with accurate information on gear/weapons/tactics/strategies on all levels.

ETAII: Also avaialable for your pleasure is the BBC series Sharpe's Rifles - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108108/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That Baker Rifle looks handy. Short enough to be handy, but rifled for accuracy...I like it. That sword bayonet that goes with it looks pretty awesome, too, whether mounted or hand-wielded.

That and a pair of Dragoon pistols would be slick...but with the reload times, anything more than one or two zombies, I'm going to escape and evade, by which I mean run away screaming like a little girl.

That's what I was thinking - more like the Indians in tactics than line riflemen. You could set up skirmish stuff like in the Sharpe's Rifles shows (great TV BTW) if you had 5 or 6 riflemen.

I'd go Baker 1806 (looks like a carbine) and bayonet, pistol or 2, tomahawk and a way better ability to run than I have now. This, of course based off pure fantasy. I have no idea how the Baker series of rifles are.

I imagine they're more or less like any other flintlock: don't expect to get off more than 1 shot per minute without some serious training. Accuracy will be inferior to a modern cartridge arm, but they are rifled so it's better than a musket.

Now, I wonder if I can get one with an under-barrel cup grenade discharger...

[Finch]

<---- wants a Blunderbuss to hang on wall

[gelgoog]

I'll take a flintlock boarding axe.



or maybe a revolving musket.










or volley pistol

and the real dangerous hand mortor ( gernade launcher).





and my personal favorite and most useful in this circumstance.
the mace pistol