Your favorite Hollywood Self-Defense Technique?

[Greg Newton]

Often when I watch movies I critique the self-defense and fight scenes. Is this realistic, could this happen, and is this total fiction I find myself asking. Sometimes though, I see an outlandish technique that I have to ask, could it work?

My all time favorite was from the James Garner western/comedy, Support your Local Sheriff. Garner is sitting in the Sheriff's office behind a desk when Walter Brennen walks in and sticks a 45 in his face. Garner calmly sticks his index finger into the barrel of the gun and rises up as Brennen steps back.

"Dad burn it Sheriff, this ain't fittin. You'll kill you and me!" fusses Brennen.

Garner calmy explains, "That's the point."

Could this piece of buffoonery really work? Maybe, maybe not. I guess it depended on how much you messed up the bad guy's head. After all, all he would have to do is step back further and pull trigger.

So what is your favorite Hollywood self-defense technique?

[tom]

A schoolgirl in the Malcolm In The Middle series jabs a finger in a bully's throat at school. I think she mentions Krav Mag. It was hilarious. As two daughters' father, I especially liked it.

Then there is Sean Connery who used his thumb in Presidio, I think it was. And another Sean Connery one, can't remember the name, but he preemptively takes out another prisoner while in a paddy wagon so he'll be left alone for the rest of his prison term.

Tom

[Kathleen]

THE DREADED PINKIE HOLD

PO defeated Tai Lung in Kung Fu Panda by flexing his pinkie finger.

[ben alexander]

Karate Kid Part One.

The final fight scene, where Daniel Larusso faces off against his nemesis, Johnny Lawrence.
All is lost, until Daniel remembers Mr Miyagi's crane technique.

Total fiction! I mean, Johnny walked straight into it - some black belt - but awesome ending!

There are a few from some dodgy kung fu movies, but I can't think of them right now!

Ben

[MikeNY]

You guys named some of the greats. Support your local Sheriff was great, just the mention makes me smile. Can't recall the name of the film but they mentioned one charactor's "just his breath kills most men" must have been a garlic eater lol. Another favorite was the Three Stooges, Moe told Curly to demonstrate how tough he was for a third party; so Curly started to beat himself up, the third party guy mentioned "he is plenty tough"

[Greg Newton]

Well,

Alex Karras knocking out the horse in Blazing Saddles was pretty hilarious.

[Viking Dan]

I think all of my favorites are right in this one scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiANsBkgqjU

[tom]

Yeah, Greg, but you said self defense, and that horse wasn't doin' nuthin'!

Tom

[Greg Newton]

Hey Dan

Tthat was fantastic! Where are the rest of the bad guys when the hero is taking them down one by one? Ironically, I've practiced many of those throws and joint manipulations in Hapkido and Kajukenbo. I doubt they would have been real world effective. Real attackers are too stiff! Didn't do any of the back flips though.

Sorry Tom,

the horse got sucker punched. He didn't know he could bite back!

[THE LONE WOLF]

Something I saw at an Aikido seminar once should have been in a Hollywood movie. The Sensei simply pointed at one of his ukes and the guy fell down.

[Greg Newton]

Ha Wolf,

You dredged up a deep memory of one of Frankie Avalon's Beach Pary Movies where they were giving people a finger to the temple and they would freeze on the spot!

[mts]

That video may be the best thing that's ever happened to me.:laugh: