A friend put me on to the below video: a fresh take on the lightsaber concept, applied to an original setting and done with some really quite excellent swordsmanship (apparently they had an expert consulting on it).

Especial kudos to them for emphasizing how vital distance is in sword fighting, something that most movie sword fights ignore in favor of flashy parrying.

This is a good example of a simple, yet suggestive premise done with skill and creativity: a master swordsmanship school that teaches its students to be the best in the world with their laser-swords, done with a seemingly merciless, but actually uplifting approach.It’s also quite well acted and scripted: I especially love the teacher’s behavior after the fight, and the little smile he gives after the decisive blow, which are both spot-on. The janitor’s reactions are also nicely dovetailed to those of the audience and refreshingly feminine.You could easily turn this into a whole series.

(Also, anyone who’s spent much time in real fencing classes will recognize the bit where the student tries to get flashy and is quickly made to face reality).