I always have had the greatest respect for the stuntman and woman. I first became enthralled by them when watching the silent films with the Keystone Kops and the antics they went through knowing it was all real. Later, I loved Harold Lloyd, Charlie Chaplin and the great Buster Keaton who did all his own stunts and even broke his neck once but didn’t realize it until a few years later when a doctor asked when he broke his neck. Many of the early stuntmen came from rodeos and circuses who knew how to develop the safe stunt. The grandfather of making western stunts safe is Yakima Canutt, a rodeo star who came to the movies and disliked how horses were killed for the sake of a stunt and many men ended up in the hospital. Whenever you see someone fall off a horse, being dragged by a horse or the “star” jumping from the stagecoach into the horse team only to fall underneath, is all Yakima. Yakima taught John Wayne many stunts but he was also a double for Wayne. The most infamous scene that brought in many rules to help the Stuntmen, is the flood scene from “Noah’s Ark” from 1928. When you watch the scene and see the extras in fear trying not to drown…that is real fear! Michael Curtiz didn’t give a rat’s ass about the people so much so that the cinematographer, left the set. You had over a million gallons of water being thrown into the set with the extras…3 people died, one lost a leg and many were badly injured. John Wayne, Ward Bond and Andy Divine were all extras and Wayne said he almost drowned. So, without further delay, here are my 3 picks involving great stunts…
1. SEVEN CHANCES-1925
This is a film my brother and I stumbled across when we were visiting our Aunt and Uncle in Michigan. Buster Keaton plays a man who will receive $7million if he can get married within a day. He tries to find women who are willing to marry him to no avail but then, the women find out he will become very rich and a throng of women chase him. He ends up running down a hill with all sorts of rocks, big and small roll with him and he must avoid all of them. We were just laughing so much at this scene and didn’t realize how dangerous it was but that is how Buster worked.
2. WHAT’S UP, DOC-1972
I love…love this comedy that stars Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal and introduces Madeleine Kahn as Eunice. All these cast of characters end up at a hotel and there are 4 bags that are identical, one holds top secret government information, another, priceless jewels, a third, clothes and lastly, igneous rocks. The climax is this amazingly funny chase scene through the streets of San Francisco( nope, you don’t see Karl Malden or Michael Douglas) creating much havoc, and damage. One man is in a convertible who goes through an awning before being hurled in the air into the bay. The stuntman suffered serious injuries and passed out and, later, could not remember the stunt. The director, Peter Bogdonavich, read that Volkswagens float so the stuntman drove the car into the bay only for the car to sink like a rock. After a tense 3 minutes, the stuntman finally came up for air but it was a close call. I have to watch this again…it is very funny.
3. MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL-2011
Tom Cruise is crazy! I’m not one for this guy since he is a rabid Scientologist but I don’t mind many of his films and I do enjoy his Mission Impossible movies. He loves to run like no one can and he loves doing his own stunts like this one where he does climb up this building which is just way too high and then he swings across! Did I say he is nuts? Obviously, he is an adrenaline junky and loves climbing up these buildings, hanging from an airplane, riding a motorcycle off a cliff and jumping from one building to another (and breaking his foot in the process). The plot is a good one and I love the camaraderie of all the main people here which makes this one a fav of mine.
Bonus…
HOLLYWOOD: HAZARDS OF THE GAME
I love the PBS series that aired in the mid 70s narrated by James Mason. Kevin Brownlow was a film historian who loved the silent film and could create this series that the average Joe loved to watch even if they didn’t like silent movies. It’s less than an hour but talks about the stuntman and what they did and went through. It’s pretty sad but, if you have the time, I hope you will watch this episode( one of 13) that makes your heart stop watching these stuntmen perform.
What stunts made you go…wow! No CGI either.
Three people died? That's terrible. That would never happen today without severe consequences.
ReplyDeleteI think the stunts in the Fast and Furious series are beyond wild.
Yes, they are crazy stunts that Tom Cruise loves doing. No, the director would be ruined and major lawsuits.
DeleteI hadn't seen that particular Buston Keaton before. That was wild! My favorite stunt maven is Jackie Chan, though. He does say Buster Keaton was one of his inspirations. @samanthabwriter from
ReplyDeleteBalancing Act
Yea, Jackie Chan loves Buster Keaton and he is an inspiration to Chan. Keaton did major stunts
DeleteI've always liked stuntmen too. I once worked with one who was well-known at Muscle Beach here in Venice Beach. He led trapeze and acrobatic acts that were on a circus my family worked a few dates with. Later I'd sometimes see his name (Bob Yerkes) in movie credits where he did stunts.
ReplyDeleteRecently my wife and I watched "Seven Chances". She actually wanted to watch it and did enjoy it. Keaton did some amazing work.
I'll add Hooper with Burt Reynolds. I recall seeing it a year or so ago and I think I liked it--I don't remember.
Lee
Keaton is amazing…I use that word a lot but it’s true.
DeleteThat’s cool that you knew a stuntman and, if you watched the documentary I have here, you will find out that the best stuntmen came from the circus and rodeo.
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ReplyDeleteThat was fascinating! Didn't know about that "Noah's Ark" thing!
ReplyDeleteOh it’s infamous as well as the director for being a supreme a hole.
DeleteThat is both scary and infuriating, that human and animal lives meant so little to some producers. Good on Yakima.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
You are so right! Many didn’t care at all.
DeleteI do love What's Up, Doc? Great film. I just heard that they're going to include stunt coordinators in the Oscars starting in a couple years. About time.
ReplyDeleteLove that movie so much! I wish I could find the one where the stuntman goes through the awning before flying into the bay. It’s about time that the stuntman is recognized.
DeleteGreat stuffs here, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteAlthough technically speaking, they're not really "stunts", I've always loved the surfing action in the movie [Link> THE ENDLESS SUMMER II (trailer). Great documentary, fantastic hard-rockin' musical soundtrack, and the entire film is available for free at YouTube.
~ D-FensDogG
I will check it out. I find the surfers very daring to be in those large waves never mind the current…and sharks.
DeleteHi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteStuntmen are such an integral part of film making, especially action films but many other genres as well. I remember seeing a Joan Collins interview in which she was talking about her early days in Hollywood film (most of her previous English movies had been low-key dramas or comedies) and she was cast in a Western. Wanting to be a team player and show her grit she attempted a stunt on horseback and while she did it ended up quite bruised and shaken. Afterwards one of the other actors took her aside and explained that except where it was absolutely necessary for the shot (i.e. where her face would be in the frame) she was needlessly risking her health, as well as denying a stunt double a day's wages, by doing it herself. From that point on she always left any stunts in the script to the appropriate person.
Seven Chances is a fun ride with "The Great Stone Face" Buster terrific in the lead. I have seen the remake with Chris O'Donnell titled "The Bachelor" and while it wasn't terrible it was nowhere near the quality of this.
ADORE "What's Up, Doc?" as I've said before. Such a zany picture with everyone full of zest. The stunts are indeed impressive.
I am neither a Cruise fan nor one of the abominations that have wrought from the originally cerebral and classy Peter Graves "Mission Impossible" series so I have not seen the last.
I love what you said about Cruise…hahahaaa. I love the tv series and I don’t mind the movies..fun entertainment. As for Cruise….i can’t stand the man! His Scientology bullshit, his arrogance..I just want to slap him.
DeleteI know you love What’s UP, Doc. Madeline Khan almost stole the show as well as Kenneth Mars.
I can’t get enough of Keaton.
What came to mind immediately when I saw the theme was those fearless silent serial queens (from the days before stuntpeople) so I am doing a theme within the theme as a tribute to those ladies.
ReplyDeletePearl White: "The Perils of Pauline" (1914)-As with all these ladies Pearl appeared in many serials, but this one is probably the one with the widest name recognition. Week after week Pearl (Pauline) found herself in one dangerous situation after another from which she fought, leaped, plunged etc. her way free. Even as famous as it is, only a condensed version of nine episodes has survived. This was the inspiration for the cartoon series "The Perils of Penelope Pitstop". There was also a highly fictionalized film bio of Pearl starring Betty Hutton produced under the same title (not exactly accurate but entertaining).
Helen Holmes: The Hazards of Helen (1914-1917)-The longest running of all the serial with 119 episodes, mostly set around a train or railyard, with Helen facing highly dangerous challenges with a brave face and admirable athleticism. Helen Holmes only appeared in the first 25 episodes (she left to form her own production company) and the role was assumed by Helen Gibson (wife of Western star Hoot Gibson at the time). Only about a dozen episodes are still extant.
Ruth Roland: “Ruth of the Rockies” (1920)-15-chapter serial where society girl Ruth comes into possession of a valuable trunk. Pursued by villains she resorts to planes, trains and automobiles in the California desert to protect its contents! Only two of the fifteen episodes survive at the UCLA Film Archive. A sadly frequent occurrence, if in fact any of these serials manage to survive at all. However more of Ruth’s output is extant than expected because many years after her death a concrete box holding her personal film collection was unearthed from the backyard of her former home.
All three women were very involved in their films, each having their own production company, writing scripts and at times directing their exploits. Sadly, the rigors of filming took a toll on the trio, all suffered physical health problems in later years and died young-Pearl at 49, Helen 58 and Ruth only 45.
I love your theme within a theme! All these gals did so much and you are on the edge of your seat because it’s all real. I’m going to look them up and read more.
DeleteBirgit, I'm always amazed by actors that do their own stunts. I didn't realize Tom Cruise broke his foot in one of his stunts. YOU have a wonderful, pain free day.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com