Stunt men have lived colorful and dangerous lives.
Vic Armstrong is one of the stunt industry veterans seen in the Hollywood Bulldogs documentary. aop
Novelty document Hollywood Bulldogs: The Rise and Falls of the Great British Stuntman tells the story of stunt performers in the film industry. The documentary will be available on Cmore from April 28th.
The documentary delves into the secrets of stunt work and the development of the industry over the decades. Stunt performers do dangerous and spectacular tricks in movies seen by millions of viewers, but the people behind the tricks have remained unknown to many.
For this reason, a British director Jon Spira and producer Hank Starrs decided to make a documentary on the subject interviewing the best in their field. The documentary includes Vic Armstrong, Frank Henson (1935-2019) and Jim Dowdall. They have acted as stunt performers and coordinators for example James Bond-, Indiana Jones– Yes Star Wars movies.
Young Vic Armstrong had the same vision as actress Harrison Ford, so she was hired to do stunts for Ford-starred Indiana Jones movies. BritBox
– When they entered the industry, stunt performance was not an actual profession. They were ordinary alternate actors who were paid a little extra for making more dangerous scenes, Spira tells Iltalehti.
– The film industry did not invest in security. Now, stunt performance is a highly polished field in which professional athletes, such as gymnasts, work.
The dying industry?
Only men are interviewed in the documentary, but of course there are also women in the stunt industry.
– We tried hard to get stunt women involved, but they resisted. Women are more introverted than men. Men love to talk about themselves, Starrs laughs.
Jim Dowdall has done stunts in movies like Harry Potter. aop
Jim Dowdall began his stunt career as early as the 1960s. BritBox
Special effects used in movies, such as green screen and CGI technology, have reduced the need for stunt performers in productions. However, Spira and Starrs do not believe that the entire stunt industry will die with the development of effects.
– In recent years, a lot of Marvel and DC films have been made in which the viewer realizes that there are effects in the scenes. Other kinds of movies need real-looking stunts. For example, when you watch an old Bond movie where the character skis into a gorge, the viewer knows it’s genuine. It’s a different movie experience, Spira says.
– Newer, mid-budget movies prefer real stunts over effects. At one point, the effects were gimmicked so much that they started to look bad, like animation in the middle of a real landscape, Starrs recalls.
In the filming of Vic Armstrong and producer Michael Wilson (right) 007 Tomorrow Never Dies (1997). aop
Honorary role
The veterans interviewed in the documentary reveal that the biggest achievement of the stunt man’s career is being able to play the legendary British agent 007, James Bond.
– 007 is the Grail of stunts, as Vic Armstrong says.
Many stunt men have worked in several Bond films: first as stunt makers, then as coordinators, and in old age in small, harmless roles in the background. The men have formed a close community with each other and shared wild memories with each other.
– One Roger Mooren In the filming of the Bond film, one stunt man was injured, he was taken out on a stretcher and immediately replaced by another man. Five of the men we interviewed claimed to have been that surrogate. They all told the same story, Starrs laughs.
– Maybe their memories are already mixed up when they have told stories to each other.
Frank Henson died in 2019 before being interviewed for the Hollywood Bulldogs documentary. He was 83 years old. aop
Frank Henson worked as a stunt man from the 1960s almost until his death. BritBox
Sacrifices
While the careers of stunt men have been tremendous and they are proud of their work, there have been many sacrifices involved in choosing a career.
Like other professionals in film teams, stunt performers travel after work and spend long periods away from home. Many of the documentary’s stunt men regret not having spent more time with their families. There are also significant risks associated with stunt work.
– Some of their family members have only admitted after years how worried they have been. Men have been somewhere in the world doing dangerous work, which has caused stress to loved ones, Spira says.
There have been casualties, but the men are still in one piece.
– They like to list all the bones and joints that have been repaired in their body. They all have more or less metal parts in their bodies, Starrs notes.
Look Hollywood Bulldogs: The Rise and Falls of the Great British Stuntman trailer below or from here.
Hollywood Bulldogs: The Rise and Falls of the Great British Stuntman On Cmore from April 28th. For program information about streaming services, see Telku’s TV guide.