LeonLouisRicci
Multi-Layered, Complex, Frantic and Gonzo Filmmaking from Director Richard Rush. This is a Bizarre Belt in the Face to Unsuspecting Movie Watchers and is one of those Cult Movies that is Lost Somewhere Out There Waiting to be Discovered, Rediscovered, Loved, Hated and Awed at from Numerous Perspectives and Strong Opinions Either Way, will No Doubt be Debated as Long as there are Movies, Critics, and Fans of the Art Form.It is so Different and Requires One to Pay Attention and Think and has so much to Say that it can be an Exhausting Experience as much as an Entertainment. It Never Pretends to be or Ever was a Mainstream Movie, it is just too Strange. The Studio Saw this and was Apprehensive at Best and Determined at Least to let it set on the Shelf for Two Years after it was made.Their Bottom Line Instincts were Correct because No One went to See it, but it did Attain Attention from Critics, Film-Buffs, and Eggheads and Managed (no small feat) to Acquire Three Oscar Nominations, Director, Screenplay, and Peter O'Toole for Best Actor.The Other Lead Performance was not as Endearing as Steve Railsback is Unconvincing, Over the Top, and more Irritating than Not in a Difficult Role that is one of the Films Strong Shortcomings. There aren't Many. With Barbara Hershey Pretty Good, but Nothing Special and a Hit and Miss Supporting Cast.But it is the Movie Making in a Movie about Movie Making and the Symbolic, Rich Script, and Stunning Stunts that Propel this to its Lofty Heights where the Devil Comes From.
ShelbyTMItchell
Steve Railsback's Cameron is on the run for a murder as a Vietnam vet. As he tries to hitch a ride but the arrogant stuntman forces him out as he throws a wrench into the car as the stuntman drives around to try to kill Cameron. As Cameron is not sure whether he caused the stuntman's death.Unbeknowest to the fugitive, he stumbles into a movie set. Ran by the very eccentric and off the wall O Toole as Eli Cross. Trying to find a place to hide, plus O Toole needs a new stuntman, he agrees to hide Cameron. On the condition that Cameron takes the stunt man's place.There Cameron though Vietnam was tough, this playing the stunt man and being directed around the overzealous O Toole, makes his mind crazy and he feels O Toole will kill him. But he falls in love with Barbara Hershey as the leading lady in the picture and who had an affair with O Toole at one point.Cameron wants to survive the police and most of all, survive Cross. O Toole is a god, Railsback did not pick enough good scripts and was relegated to B movies but he really great as the protagonist. Hershey is still beautiful and was a beauty back then.
Rick-34
Up front, I'll say that this film came out when I was 12. Didn't see it in the cinema (did anyone?) but I watched it several times when it hit HBO. It quickly became my favorite movie. Peter O'Toole turns in one of his best performances as Eli Cross, the overbearing, manipulative director of a WWI film. Steve Railsback (known mostly for his portrayal of Charles Manson in Helter Skelter) is a fugitive named Cameron who wanders onto Cross's film set while fleeing the police. He gets involved a stunt where a car drives off a bridge and the stuntman disappears. Having seen Cameron's skill and inventiveness in his flight from the police, Cross decides to bring him onto the film set by pretending that he is Burt, the missing stuntman. Barbara Hershey plays Nina Franklin, the leading lady of the film- within-the-film, and quickly she becomes Cameron's love interest. The main part of the film involves the mind games Cross plays with the young couple, and a good deal of stunt work by Cameron running across the various roofs of the Coronado hotel in San Diego. As the film heads towards its climax, Cameron starts to wonder why Cross keeps making him do increasingly dangerous stunts, and wonders if he'll get off the set alive. The film concerns itself with themes of paranoia and trust. Along the way, O'Toole owns every scene he's in. Barbara Hershey does a fine job as Nina. As for Railsback...well, he's not quite up to the O'Toole standard. He exudes manic energy in every scene he's in, but it ends up lacking in subtlety. The cinematography and screenplay have a lot of what now seem like 70s- era filmmaking tricks. One key scene features Railsback speaking while we see Hershey's reflection in a car window. At one point this may have seemed inventive, but from the current perspective it's comically outdated. Still, in spite of its flaws I love this film for its ambition and, above all, for O'Toole. He deserved his nomination for an Oscar.
CinefanR
I understand perfectly what this movie is trying to say, but I have the impression that it just doesn't say it in a very good way. The themes and message come across clearly, but although "The Stunt Man" makes some good points on several levels, it also drags a lot. Now I hate to criticize a Peter O'Toole movie, but
he's the only bright spot here and the reason to keep watching.The opening scene and some other sequences (especially the stunts and the scenes between Nina and "Lucky") are overlong to the point that you just don't give a damn anymore. The extras are painfully bad in the "carnage" scene on the beach– maybe it's not important, but I couldn't help notice. The script writer (that Sam character if I'm not mistaking) is incredibly tiresome and useless- what he says is supposed to be funny and revealing, but it's not. The whole thing is meant to be funny, but I didn't find anything amusing. Hershey's makeup as an old woman is terrible. The stunt man's stupidity is annoying and his lines sound dumb, but I guess that was the point. The contempt for the audience becomes obvious in the "graveyard scene" (what the hell was that?! was it supposed to be funny or ingenious?).Now, for the good parts
The editing is good. The soundtrack is catchy. Good points on the movie industry are made, even if dialogues could have been infinitely better. But above all, this is Peter O'Toole's show. The 'late 70's style' haircuts and clothes are awful, but he's stunning despite the big hair, jewelry, turtle-necks and other fashion atrocities of the era (men's pinkie rings come to mind). I have mixed feelings about this movie, but O'Toole saves the day. He dominates the space, even if he's not given enough screen time.
AD
