Fighting fire with fire: A selection of sizzling film stunt videos
The most dangerous job in Hollywood today must be that of the stuntman. And it’s not a new thing either: ever since the self-performed antics of Chaplin and Keaton in the times of silent cinema, daredevil stuntmen have taken action to the absolute extreme to bring blockbusting entertainment to increasing levels of peril.
Fire With Fire (trailer HERE!), the next stunt-packed action film to hit the screen, comes with action pedigree; directed by stuntman/stunt coordinator David Barrett. To mark the March 8th release, we’ve taken a look at some of the most incredible stunts in film history.
THE DARK KNIGHT – TRUCK FLIP
Director Christopher Nolan is well known for his love of real action scenes. One of the most iconic scenes from his Batman trilogy is without a doubt the truck flip from The Dark Knight, the second instalment in Nolan’s caped crusader saga. Lead by stunt coordinator Paul Jennings, perhaps the most shocking part of it all is the fact that there’s a real guy driving the truck, Hollywood’s legendary stuntman Jim Wilkey.
DISTRICT B13 – PARKOUR CHASE
This lesser known French film from 2004 has attained wide cult status thanks to having, in part, introduced parkour to the world of film. Starring daredevils David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli, this breathtaking chase scene set the precedent for the likes of Casino Royale’s tremendous opening, only District B13 doesn’t make any use of CGI at all.
STEAMBOAT BILL JR. – FALLING HOUSE
Think that nutcase stuntmen are a product of modern cinema? Think again. For few people risked his life for his art like silent film legend Buster Keaton did. Take this scene from 1928’s Steamboat Bill Jr., in which a real wall from a real house really fell around Keaton, coming within inches of actually flattening him. The scene has been replicated in countless of films and TV shows, but often using much lighter materials or CGI trickery. No trickery for the original though.
BEN HUR – CHARIOT RACE
The legendary chariot race from the 1959 epic Ben-Hur has been the subject of many rumours surrounding the alleged death of stuntmen during filming and the inclusion of said scenes in the final cut. According to closer sources however, including Heston himself, this has been proven to be largely untrue, and while parts of the spectacular chariot race got dangerously close to the edge (with one or two unplanned falls making the final cut), no one was seriously injured during filming for this scene.
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME – SKI JUMP
While perhaps not doing anything in the way of invention, the 007 films have had a fine tradition of introducing new and cutting edge elements to the world of cinema (see above for the District B13 inspired parkour scene in Casino Royale). Perhaps more spectacularly, the opening scene for The Spy Who Loved Me, at the time the most expensive stunt scene in film history at $500,000 (of which $30,000 went to the stuntman himself, Rick Sylvester), features a ski chase that introduced audiences worldwide to the wonders of base jumping, at the time only known to skydivers. And yes, you guessed it... it was done in one take.
To celebrate the release of upcoming thriller THE COMMUTER, starring Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson and Sam Neill, in cinemas January 19, we collated a list of the greatest train thrillers ever to hit the big screen.
To celebrate the release of PATRIOTS DAY on Blu-ray and DVD June 26, we take a look at Mark Wahlbergâs most celebrated performances within stories that highlight the unimaginable bravery that ordinary people can demonstrate.
The turning point for the modern Mexican horror genre occurred in 1993, when a certain Guillermo Del Toro burst onto the scene with his inventive and brilliantly creepy film Cronos. Del Toro, along with the likes of Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro G Iñárritu, went on to carve out careers in Hollywood, the latter two directing acclaimed Oscar-winning films The Revenant and Gravity, and pushed open the doors for a new wave of young Mexican directors. Cuarón and Iñárritu, no less, have given plaudits WE ARE THE FLESH, the extraordinary and unsettling debut film from Emiliano Rocha Minter
Jeff Bridges seems to have been around forever, but has undoubtedly improved with age like a fine wine. Bridges secured his first major role in The Last Picture Show in 1971 but did not pick up his first Academy Award until 2009 for Best Actor in Crazy Heart and the Californian is a strong candidate for Best Supporting Actor at this yearâs awards ceremonies for Hell or High Water, having already picked up a Golden Globe nomination.
Now considered one of Hollywoodâs leading action stars, Liam Neeson wasnât always the go-to man for high-octane thrills. His big breakthrough was in Steven Spielbergâs war drama Schindlerâs List which he followed with everything from political biopics like Michael Collins to Christmas rom-coms in the form of Love Actually, before the Taken saga propelled him to action thriller infamy. Itâs fair to say that Neeson has collated an extremely eclectic list of films for his CV...
A furry caper for all the family, NINE LIVES takes audiences on a journey of self-discovery, and reminds us all who and what really matters just in time for the Christmas season. With an award-winning cast, impressive CGI animation, and feline wit, cat lovers and dog lovers alike will be sure to enjoy this hilarious and heart-warming tale of redemption.
Ahhh, Audrey Hepburn - the definition of cinematic grace and style (as well as being a vastly underrated dramatic actress). Thanks to our friends at The Rug Seller, we're thrilled to share with you an Audrey Hepburn style guide infographic for any of you would-be starlets looking to nail that Breakfast at Tiffany's look in the comfort of your own home!
Get your own backstage pass with The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years, on Blu-ray, DVD & 2 Disc Special Edition from November 21st. The Special Edition has 100 mins of extras including; unseen interviews with Paul and Ringo, five rarely seen full length performances of The Beatles live in concert, plus a 64-page booklet with rare photos from The Beatlesâ private archive - a must-own for all fans!
Following the runaway success of Guardians of the Galaxy, Marvelâs sequel to the sci-fi action franchise starter sees the Guardians fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mystery of Peter Quillâs true parentage. Check out the first trailer and poster, right below this official synopsis:
To celebrate the release of Deepwater Horizon, based on the true story of the devastating 2010 incident and starring Mark Wahlberg, Kate Hudson, Dylan OâBrien, Gina Rodriguez, Kurt Russell and John Malkovich, weâve taken a look at some of the greatest true stories ever told on film.
Most film fans will admit to reveling in the glory of siege thrillers. Who doesnât somewhat sadistically enjoy sitting comfortably, watching those on screen suffer the horrific, claustrophobic stuff of nightmares? In homage to all films that have incidentally saved on expensive production costs by filming the entire movie in (mostly) one setting, we pay tribute to the newly crowned leader of said genre - Green Room out on Blu-ray and DVD September 19. Weâve listed some of the most genius, gripping films to get you in the mood. Ready your inner Houdini, here are the top ten movies all claustrophobes should give a wide berth.
Saul Bass: 20 Iconic Film Posters book review
By Jennifer Bass and Pat Kirkham
Laurence King Publishing
September 2016, £19.95
You know when you're looking at a Saul Bass design (or someone ripping him off). The deceptively simple style, the direct focus, the twisted shapes, the solid colours, the striking fonts, the fact that you've been staring at it for way too long as the story within creeps out to greet you... Yes, this is the work of a master.
Starring Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill, Batman: The Killing Joke arrives on Blu-rayTM, DVD & Steelbook on August 8, is available on EST from July 26 and comes to Vue Cinemas for one night only July 25.
Tale of Tales tells the story of a bitter quest of a Queen, two mysterious sisters who provoke the passion of a king, and a King that marries his daughter off to an ogre. These tales are inspired by the fairytales by Giambattista Basile and stars Salma Hayek, John C. Reilly, Vincent Cassell, and Toby Jones
With the Best Picture Oscar winning modern masterpiece The Revenant arriving on DVD and Blu-ray from June 6th, now's a perfect time to look at the film's facts and figures in a fantastic infographic.
With the added bonus of the show now being ahead of its source material, nobody knows exactly what lies ahead. Even though weâve loved and lost many of our favourite characters, we wanted to find out who GoT fans will be getting behind this season. Casino Bonus Tips have conducted a survey of fans to find out which characters they are rooting for. Weâve grouped the top five below, along with why you should keep an eye on them in season six.
As the Oscar nominated Rocky sequel Creed steps out of the ring and to Blu-ray everywhere, let's take a look at the modern classic's stats by the numbers...
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