The Stunt Man ( 1980)
Studio: CAV/Severin
Theatrical Release: June 27, 1980
Blu Ray Release: June 7, 2011
Director: Richard Rush
R
Review by James Klein
Much has been written about Richard Rush's cult black comedy about a Vietnam vet/fugitive on the run who accidentally gets involved with manslaughter and a crazed movie director who hires him as a new stuntman. Is the film trying to imply the similarities of a soldier with a stuntman? Is The Stunt Man a story about perception, what we think is true can sometimes be false? Or is it a basic father/son story told in a more surreal way? This strange and insanely brilliant film can be all of these as The Stunt Man is hard to categorize which is what makes this film so special.
Steve Railsback (just coming off playing Charles Manson in the TV mini-series Helter Skelter) is Cameron, a Vietnam vet on the run from the police for a crime that one must assume is severe (it isn't until the third act that we find out what Cameron really did). As Cameron is being chased by the police, he tries to steal a car that is, unbeknownst to him, being used by a stuntman who is making a WWI movie. Thinking that the man is trying to run him over, Cameron accidentally kills the driver by throwing an object at his windshield which causes him to drive off a bridge, thus drowning. When the film's director Eli Cross (Peter O'Toole in arguably his best performance) finds out what has happened, he protects the young Cameron and switches his identity with the drowned stuntman. Now Cameron is stuck on this movie set with an off balanced director who may or may not be jealous of Cameron when he starts to develop a relationship with his leading lady (Barbara Hershey).
The Stunt Man was one of the first films ever released to show an honest look at modern film making. We see how tough it is to make a film as the producer (Alex Rocco) is constantly breathing down Cross's neck or the overweight and whiny screenwriter Sam (Allen Garfield) who is at odds with the director over the plot of the film. I especially enjoyed the scenes of Cameron training with the stunt coordinator on how to do certain stunts. But The Stunt Man isn't just about film making. It's a humanistic and blunt look at human relationships in what I feel is the heart and soul of the picture. What we believe is the truth is sometimes false. Does the leading lady really love Cameron? Is Cross a father figure to Cameron or just another drill instructor who cares only about his film? What is the severity of Cameron's crime? The Stunt Man asks many of these questions and some viewers will be annoyed that some if not all of these questions go unanswered.
The Stunt Man may be a narrative film but at times it plays like a dream thanks to the editing by Jack Hofstra and Caroline Ferriol. Cameron at one moment is shown jumping from a building to climaxing with a woman in bed. There is no mention as to how much time is passed between these moments. Director Rush also seems to enjoy playing with the tone of the film as the movie jumps around from being a comedy to a drama to almost a satire. While this can be confusing at times and frustrating to some, I didn't mind this and in fact, felt that it worked perfectly. What really pulls the film together is the tight screenplay by Lawrence Marcus and his cast of characters. I happened to enjoy Railsback's over the top facial expressions, expressing that his somewhat innocent Cameron is definitely off balanced, most likely due to the war. I love O'Toole's sarcastic and playful delivery, especially when he is hovering over his crew in this contraption that propels him up in the air in a God like manner. I also love the beautiful Hershey's performance as a woman who may be kind but also manipulative.
Severin's beautiful transfer makes The Stunt Man even more enjoyable. The picture is crisp and while the film seems to be shot in a soft focus like most films from the late 70's and early 80's, the picture has never looked more clear. The 5.1 surround is also wonderful as many of the explosions and crashes that we hear in the film is pounded out from various channels. The special features alone are worth the price of the blu ray. Not only do we get a very insightful and often quite funny commentary by Rush and most of the cast, we get new interviews with O'Toole, Railsback and Rocco together (who became best friends while making the film and are still great friends today) Hershey and Rush himself. Throw in some great deleted scenes, a trailer and an extensive making of featurette and you have one hell of a great blu ray.
Throw The Stunt Man on the list of some of the best films made in 1980 (Raging Bull, Ordinary People, The Empire Strikes Back, The Elephant Man, The Shining, and Dressed to Kill all came out that year). While The Stunt Man does overstay its welcome a little, clocking in at 131 minutes with a somewhat strange and unsatisfying conclusion, the movie is still a wonderful black comedy with some great performances that should not be missed.
[Rating: 4]
Theatrical Release: June 27, 1980
Blu Ray Release: June 7, 2011
Director: Richard Rush
R
Review by James Klein
Much has been written about Richard Rush's cult black comedy about a Vietnam vet/fugitive on the run who accidentally gets involved with manslaughter and a crazed movie director who hires him as a new stuntman. Is the film trying to imply the similarities of a soldier with a stuntman? Is The Stunt Man a story about perception, what we think is true can sometimes be false? Or is it a basic father/son story told in a more surreal way? This strange and insanely brilliant film can be all of these as The Stunt Man is hard to categorize which is what makes this film so special.
Steve Railsback (just coming off playing Charles Manson in the TV mini-series Helter Skelter) is Cameron, a Vietnam vet on the run from the police for a crime that one must assume is severe (it isn't until the third act that we find out what Cameron really did). As Cameron is being chased by the police, he tries to steal a car that is, unbeknownst to him, being used by a stuntman who is making a WWI movie. Thinking that the man is trying to run him over, Cameron accidentally kills the driver by throwing an object at his windshield which causes him to drive off a bridge, thus drowning. When the film's director Eli Cross (Peter O'Toole in arguably his best performance) finds out what has happened, he protects the young Cameron and switches his identity with the drowned stuntman. Now Cameron is stuck on this movie set with an off balanced director who may or may not be jealous of Cameron when he starts to develop a relationship with his leading lady (Barbara Hershey).
The Stunt Man was one of the first films ever released to show an honest look at modern film making. We see how tough it is to make a film as the producer (Alex Rocco) is constantly breathing down Cross's neck or the overweight and whiny screenwriter Sam (Allen Garfield) who is at odds with the director over the plot of the film. I especially enjoyed the scenes of Cameron training with the stunt coordinator on how to do certain stunts. But The Stunt Man isn't just about film making. It's a humanistic and blunt look at human relationships in what I feel is the heart and soul of the picture. What we believe is the truth is sometimes false. Does the leading lady really love Cameron? Is Cross a father figure to Cameron or just another drill instructor who cares only about his film? What is the severity of Cameron's crime? The Stunt Man asks many of these questions and some viewers will be annoyed that some if not all of these questions go unanswered.
The Stunt Man may be a narrative film but at times it plays like a dream thanks to the editing by Jack Hofstra and Caroline Ferriol. Cameron at one moment is shown jumping from a building to climaxing with a woman in bed. There is no mention as to how much time is passed between these moments. Director Rush also seems to enjoy playing with the tone of the film as the movie jumps around from being a comedy to a drama to almost a satire. While this can be confusing at times and frustrating to some, I didn't mind this and in fact, felt that it worked perfectly. What really pulls the film together is the tight screenplay by Lawrence Marcus and his cast of characters. I happened to enjoy Railsback's over the top facial expressions, expressing that his somewhat innocent Cameron is definitely off balanced, most likely due to the war. I love O'Toole's sarcastic and playful delivery, especially when he is hovering over his crew in this contraption that propels him up in the air in a God like manner. I also love the beautiful Hershey's performance as a woman who may be kind but also manipulative.
Severin's beautiful transfer makes The Stunt Man even more enjoyable. The picture is crisp and while the film seems to be shot in a soft focus like most films from the late 70's and early 80's, the picture has never looked more clear. The 5.1 surround is also wonderful as many of the explosions and crashes that we hear in the film is pounded out from various channels. The special features alone are worth the price of the blu ray. Not only do we get a very insightful and often quite funny commentary by Rush and most of the cast, we get new interviews with O'Toole, Railsback and Rocco together (who became best friends while making the film and are still great friends today) Hershey and Rush himself. Throw in some great deleted scenes, a trailer and an extensive making of featurette and you have one hell of a great blu ray.
Throw The Stunt Man on the list of some of the best films made in 1980 (Raging Bull, Ordinary People, The Empire Strikes Back, The Elephant Man, The Shining, and Dressed to Kill all came out that year). While The Stunt Man does overstay its welcome a little, clocking in at 131 minutes with a somewhat strange and unsatisfying conclusion, the movie is still a wonderful black comedy with some great performances that should not be missed.
[Rating: 4]
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