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There was some program on the other day where a couple declared their favourite film to be Robin Hood - Men in Tights.They were getting married and used this as the theme for the wedding. Men were wearing green sagging tights and costumes , women bodice crunching heavy duty sack dresses.Muppets
Quote from: Miss Demeanor on May 05, 2010, 04:23:16 PM There was some program on the other day where a couple declared their favourite film to be Robin Hood - Men in Tights.They were getting married and used this as the theme for the wedding. Men were wearing green sagging tights and costumes , women bodice crunching heavy duty sack dresses.Muppets Was BM there?
Nigel Cawthorne, author of A Brief History of Robin Hood, says "If Robin Hood existed, he was just a common criminal."The name Robin Hood or Robe Hood was the name given to thieves, just like the name Butcher was given to someone who carved up meat."There was obviously somebody around that time who was a bit of a lad. The records weren't clear at that time."It is hard to pin down exactly who Robin Hood was, where he lived or during which time period he existed. But the general opinion is that he was operating either in South Yorkshire or Nottinghamshire in the early 13th century. The stories referring to Robin Hood were not written down for another 200 years. The first ballad, called Robin Hood and the Monk, was written in 1450 and shows the Merry Men as a violent band. In the tale Little John kills a monk and Much the Miller murders a young boy just because he might identify them. It also tells of Robin refusing to pay up to Little John after losing a bet with his fellow fighter.The historian says "He was clearly a bad guy. All the early sources are about him being a criminal. In no sense was he a freedom fighter, taking from the rich and giving to the poor.All that appeared in ballads romanticising him later on."Nigel says that early ballads about Robin told of him being a bit of an alchy. "Robin Hood was supposed to be wandering around the forest getting drunk. In the morning he was carrying three bottles, which is half a gallon each, of wine - which he drinks during the day. How you can shoot straight after that I don't know."The writer also dismissed the notion that Robin was getting fruity in the forest with Maid Marian. Nigel said: "The love interest with Maid Marian was added later on. "She was a French invention. They had these May fairs where they put on little plays and Robin Hood became a popular character. They wanted a bit or romance so they borrowed Maid Marian, who appeared in similar plays in France. Although, originally she was supposed to be bedding Friar Tuck."In the new film, simply called Robin Hood, he is portrayed by Russell Crowe as a heroic archer who has returned from the Crusades.He is called Robin Longstride and becomes Robin Hood near the end.