Nomad, the Warrior

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Fri Mar 07, 2008 12:31 am

I finally got to see Nomad last night. this is the movie filmed in Kazakhstan, performed entirely in Kazakh language and sub-titled in English. It was everything I was hoping it would be; a pure action swashbuckler. Plenty of swordplay scenes intersperced all out battle scenes. A love interest contributes to the complexity of the plot.

The action takes place in the mid 1700s when guns are still apparently rare in Kazakhstan. Supposedly styled after historic events, a particularly talented young man takes charge of a squabbling Kazakh army and drives other nomadic invaders from the homeland.

My favorite part was where the defenders gather round an ancient tree to make a vow to the ancestors to stick together. This agrees perfectly with information that I found while researching my article on Belomancy, which was published in TB magazine in Germany.

Belomancy is divination by arrows, fortelling the future and determining the truth by manipulating arrows. First in history came veneration of trees. There is a reference in the Old Testament to going to the hills to venerate the Turpentine tree. A Turkic tribe of the Kyrgyz were said to worship trees. Then came veneration for walking staffs. Two examples are how Moses was to turn his staff into a snake and how he was to discover water by striking a rock with his staff. Then came veneration for sticks and wands. The Roman Litus and Scythians in Herodotus come to mind. And then came veneration for the powers of an arrow to determine truth. There are many, many examples of how ancients did this.

This was the subject by which Stephen was able to invite me to Korea to speak in 2007. I would like for everyone to be able to read this strange but verifiable story. I'll try to work on it but I do not have it on electronic format any longer, it died with my old computer.

Don't miss Korea this year. It changed me. And go find Nomad. The one archery scene will make your day. Jack

Redbow · Post by **Redbow** » Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:17 am

Very interesting Jack.
Who is the director of this movie ?
This may not be released in Europe, but who knows ?

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 4:08 am

Hail Jerome; long time no see. Sergei Bordrov and Ivan Passer direct. Found it on Amazon. -j-

greg.krankurs · Post by **greg.krankurs** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:24 pm

Just recently saw this one. It was pretty good.
Check out "Mongol" by Bodrov as well
i am not sure if it is out in English yet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_%28film%29

jonR · Post by **jonR** » Fri Jul 18, 2008 11:08 pm

What was the name of the Korean movie about the slave turned warrior?
Fighting the Mongols and defending a diplomatic(?) mission to China.
Was that "The Warrior"?
Jon R.

jsachers · Post by **jsachers** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:31 am

My dear friend Jack,

in case you're (still) in need of an electronic copy of your belomancy-manuscript: just ask your good auld companion and German translator

Jan

Puzio · Post by **Puzio** » Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:02 pm

the movie Mongol is available with eng-sub title

Alam ed Din, Adnan · Post by **Alam ed Din, Adnan** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:05 pm

jonR wrote:What was the name of the Korean movie about the slave turned warrior?
Fighting the Mongols and defending a diplomatic(?) mission to China.
Was that "The Warrior"?
Jon R.

Did you mean " Warriors of Heaven and Earth" ?

Jack I also saw that movie - its not a bad one, after I've seen it though I thought, they shoudn't have taken that Mexican actor to play the role of Abylai Khan - they should have taken a Kazakh or at least a Japanese actor instead.....Its interesting because it tells the History of Oirat/Kalmyk people as well, though they are the bad guys in this movie.But look at those furs on their bows, do really think people used that kind of decoration?

[Images removed for copyright compliance reasons.]

I have got this movie you can pm me.....oops

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Tue Aug 26, 2008 12:35 pm

Alam, The bows and arrows are poor. The art guys usually win out over the historically correct guys on set.

I was also disappointed about the lead casting but many people of Uzbekistan look just like Mexicans. When I went there I asked people if they thought the star was well cast and everyone said yes. Brown hair and blue or green eyes are not uncommon in the area.

Lots of Mongol types in Kz have freckles. -j-

Alam ed Din, Adnan · Post by **Alam ed Din, Adnan** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:07 am

Puzio wrote:the movie Mongol is available with eng-sub title

Yep, its now also available without the nasty Russian overdub, they use the Gung style bow in that movie. Its not so bad. Did the Tanguts actually speak Mandarin in everyday life? In the Movie they do speak a Mongol/Mandarin mixture.I changed my avatar btw, too many people were using my old one.

robno · Post by **robno** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 4:35 pm

Alam ed Din, Adnan wrote: Yep, its now also available without the nasty Russian overdub

Finally! Now I can get through it.

Dusan · Post by **Dusan** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:47 pm

Sorry boys , but very stupid movie... (I mean Nomad )Its like payfull Nursultan Nazarbaev. Big shame for Milo? Forman produktion. I still vait for fine movie from this area.

Orda Khan · Post by **Orda Khan** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:14 pm

I watched 'Mongol'.
Only thing I can say is enjoy it as a movie, that is as good as it gets. Any traces of historical accuracy barely exist.

Dusan · Post by **Dusan** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:37 pm

Mongol is from the same group infantil mouvies. Who give money for that sh... work ? This is secret for me.

gt1cm2 · Post by **gt1cm2** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:48 pm

Orda Khan wrote:I watched 'Mongol'.
Only thing I can say is enjoy it as a movie, that is as good as it gets. Any traces of historical accuracy barely exist.

We watched this a couple of weeks ago, yay, it was finally released over here in little old New Zealand. I don't really know the accuracy of this movie as I know hardly any Mongol history, so my question is can you please point out what parts aren't correct? The whole storyline or the costumes etc