The Stunt Man (Limited Edition)

Starring:Charles Bail, Philip Bruns, Dee Carroll, Sharon Farrell, Allen Garfield, John Garwood, Barbara Hershey, Jim Hess, Whitey Hughes, Don Kennedy, Peter O'Toole, John Pearce, Michael Railsback, Steve Railsback, Adam Roarke, Walter Robles (II), Alex Rocco, George Wallace, Leslie Winograde
Studio: Anchor Bay
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com essential video

The "lost" sleeper hit of 1980 has since become one of the most revered cult movies of all time, largely due to its bawdy, irreverent story about the art and artifice of filmmaking and an outrageously clever performance by Peter O'Toole. As megalomaniacal film director Eli Cross, O'Toole plays a larger-than-life figure whose ability to manipulate reality is like a power-trip narcotic. The focus of his latest mind game is a fugitive (Steve Railsback) recruited to replace a stuntman killed during a recent on-set accident. In return for protective sanctuary, the fugitive takes a crash course in stunt work but soon discovers that he's the paranoid player in a game he can't control, with the dictatorial director making up the rules. Or is he? The Stunt Man is a game of its own, played through the fantasy of filmmaking, and half the fun of watching the movie comes from sharing the stuntman's paranoid confusion. Barbara Hershey has a smart, sexy supporting role as a lead actress who won't submit to her director's seemingly devious behavior; but it's clearly O'Toole who steals the show. Director Richard Rush adds to the movie's maverick appeal--in a career plagued by struggles against the mainstream studio system, Rush hasn't made a better movie before or since. The Stunt Man clearly represents the potential of his neglected talent. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Completely different to any other film out there.......2007-03-04

I've been informed many times that I should watch this film. To save an argument, I put it in the DVD player. While watching it, I did feel it was a little too long, and some scenes could have been cut so easily, but it's one of the strangest films I've seen in a long time. I think with a couple more viewings I could understand it more fully, and I don't think anyone will every FULLY understand on the first viewing.

But what you get is one of the most innovative and lesser known movies around. While the 80s were full of the Rat Pack, and high school movies, this one may have slightly slipped under the radar, and has become, judging by some of the reviews, what can only be described as a cult classic.

Peter O'Toole gives a great Oscar worthy performance (he was robbed!) as the egomanical director of a WW1 film, who will do absolutely anything, perhaps even murder someone, in order to protect his film. He'll do whatever is necessary to get a precious shot and the viewer feels like he needs to know where his motives lie. You see him place his lead character, Cameron, in many different stunts, each one more dangerous than the other, including the most memorable one, running across the rooftops, being chased. You do get the feeling the director wants to capture death on film, and since Cameron killed (and replaced) the other stuntman, he kinda owes the director a favour. I didn't like Cameron that much, but it wasn't him, it was after he dyed his hair, he reminded me so much of a guy I knew at school, I found it very difficult to watch him.

I think perhaps why this movie never got the attention it deserved, is because how on earth do you categorise it? It could fit under so many different film genres that it's difficult to describe the film in any sense making way. Especially, in a review, which I've had so much trouble writing.

What I found difficult about this film was the perspective it was told from. It's told from the perspective of Cameron, but it's NOT always his point of view, and my head was spinning after a while trying to keep up with it all. It does take some patience to watch it and understand it. What also put some people off is that it took a mere nine years to get to screen and even then it only got a limited release. This limited edition DVD is packed with extras, although it did remind me more of a video cassette case, rather than the slimline DVD that is out there now.

It's definitely a film worth picking out, if you're tired of the same old rom-coms, horror movies and action movies. This is a movie with a difference.

A Film Nobody Wanted Endures As A Brilliant Cult Classic And, Perhaps, The Best Movie Ever About Movie Making .......2007-02-21

There are just some movies in your life that really speak to you--that connect to you on some emotional or intellectual level in a very special way. "The Stunt Man" from director Richard Rush is such a film for me. Released in 1980, this ode to movie making is a challenging, intelligent, incisive and fun film that very few people saw upon its initial release. After a 10 year preproduction struggle by Rush, a tumultuous shoot, and no support from a studio that didn't care about the film--it was essentially dumped with no fanfare. Even star Peter O'Toole has commented, "The Stunt Man wasn't released, it escaped." But with amazing clarity and foresight, the film was surprisingly awarded with three major Academy Award nomination--Best Actor for Peter O'Toole, Best Director for Rush, and Best Screenplay for Rush and Lawrence Marcus. In the years that have followed, the film has attained a cult status and a legion of faithful fans (myself among them). In fact, I have seen this film probably 15 times and it was the first (really!) VHS tape I ever bought--now that's dating me!

To relate the plot of "The Stunt Man" in a concise way is to deny the subtleties and intricacies that really distinguish this as a bold and unusual work of art. But here's a brief synopsis. The film begins as a convict, played by Steve Railsback (Charles Manson in "Helter Skelter"), makes a break from the cops who are transporting him. Fleeing into the neighboring seaside village, he stumbles onto a film set where a tragedy that will likely be investigated has just struck. To avoid police intervention, the film's director (Peter O'Toole) embraces Railsback and identifies him as the company's stunt man who was just involved in an accident. It seems an ideal setup, as Railsback needs a new identity and the film production needs to account for the missing stunt man. As the film progresses, Railsback learns about movie making, becomes infatuated with the leading lady (Barbara Hershey), and starts to suspect that O'Toole has sinister ulterior motives.

The beauty of "The Stunt Man," which may be one of the most delightfully "inside" films about the industry ever made, is that it works on so many different levels. You could aptly describe the film as a drama, a comedy, a thriller, and action picture, a romance, a satire of filmmaking, and a study of truth versus illusion--what is reality? Seriously, it is successful in every one of these fields. Add breathtaking action sequences, a wickedly funny and literate script, and bravura performances--and this mini-masterpiece truly stands the test of time. Hershey and Railsback are terrific, but O'Toole steals the show as the megalomaniacal director! Anyone who loves movies, and the art of filmmaking, should find much merit in "The Stunt Man." But make no mistake, as much as I will defend this as a great film--you, in no way, have to be a film snob to enjoy it. This film is deliriously entertaining and a wild ride!

The Limited Edition of the DVD also contains the feature length documentary--"The Sinister Saga of Making The Stunt Man." This is a fascinating look at the trials and tribulations of getting "The Stunt Man" to the screen by a writer/director with no intention of compromising his vision. I recommend this edition while it's still available, the journey of this film is a tremendous and impressive story! And Rush is easy to admire and like.

This film carries my highest recommendation to movie lovers of all ages. While maybe not one of the 5 "best" pictures ever made, it is easily one of my 5 most enduring "favorites." Check it out. KGHarris, 02/07.

Cult Classic.......2007-01-14

The Stunt Man features Peter O'toole as a megalomaniac director exploiting an unsavory character portrayed by Steve Railsback. You get a glimpse of the art of stunts and the director's callous attitude towards stuntmen. The director is the star of a war epic that has little to do with reality. His skewered vision of war and his approach towards directing his epic go leaps and bounds beyond reality. This film has a fine cast of characters that give some gravitas towards the story. It is a thoroughly enjoyable romp as criminal turns into a vehicle for cinema. The director and stuntman can't agree on who is the star of this picture. The tension is palpable as the stuntman faces increasing danger. In the end they live to see another day.

The Reel Deal.......2006-11-13

It's easy to see why The Stunt Man has stayed around so long and developed a devoted cult following - it's great fun. Richard Rush has created an amusing hall of mirrors that relies on the very essence of film - illusion. Of course, here there are layers of illusion and we're not exactly sure of who is in on the joke and when they've figured it out, which makes it that much more entertaining.

While it's inadvisable for writers to write about writers, and for filmmakers to make movies about making movies, it can be done. Serious students of film looking for deep meaning and symbolism should bypass The Stunt Man altogether and go straight to Truffaut's Day For Night, an extraordinary bit of cinema that blurs the line between celluloid artifice and reality brilliantly, using one to inform the other. I like to think Mr. Rush did not have such lofty goals in mind for The Stunt Man. For him, the - What is real? - question is merely a device to advance plot and maintain interest, which it most certainly does.

The improbability factor in The Stunt Man is very high; the picture is made plausible and held together through the offices of Peter O'Toole, whose performance is absolutely perfect. O'Toole is an amazing actor; as director Eli Cross he is megalomaniacal, nearly mad, vain, narcissistic, staggeringly manipulative, and at least a little bit brilliant, in short, close to the popular image of a real director. While it is easy to focus on his puppet-master control of all events, there are many scenes revealing how he fears the various disasters that may befall his project, not the least of which being his ability to lead.

The Stunt Man for whom the picture is named, Cameron, is played amateurishly by Steve Railsback. (This may explain the long list of movies no one has seen on Mr. Railback's bio.) It doesn't matter, everyone else in the cast is so good, especially Barbara Hershey, that the film easily survives the damage Mr. Railsback inflicts. Indeed, it would be worth seeing the picture just to witness the innumerable nameless stuntmen at work, absolutely great. Not a picture for the art house, this one's for the fun house. Recommended.

The truth only depends on the angle you're watching from........2006-09-13

This was director Richard Rush's dream project and it took him nine years to get it on the screen. And, of course, it would! It's multi-layered, original, funny and packed full of story and circumstance that makes you think.

Why would any studio want to touch it? Fox even sat on it for two years before giving it a limited release. Now, Anchor Bay has created the ultimate DVD and I urge you to buy it. The Stunt Man is a movie you'll never forget and even on its umpteenth viewing, still manages to be as intriguing as the first.

It is a story told from the view of Cameron (Steve Railsback), a Vietnam vet on the run from the law. He stumbles onto the set of a WWI movie and accidentally kills a stunt driver. The director of the movie is the eccentric and megalomaniacal Eli Cross (Peter O'Toole, in one of his best ever performances), who takes Cameron under his wing and protects him from John Law, as long as he keeps his mouth shut about the accident.

Cameron practices to be a stunt artist and takes the place of the man he killed. But as the movie shoot becomes more elaborate and dangerous, he falls in love with the leading lady (Barbara Hershey) and starts to suspect that Eli is trying to capture his death on film.

Although it seems nasty, the movie is wonderfully light-hearted and the outrageous stunt scenes are backed up by a joyous score by Dominic Frontiere. I've been humming that theme since I was 12-years-old. A long scene with Cameron running over a rooftop, as biplanes attack and enemy soldiers give chase, is the stuff of legend. There is a great comic sense of humor in watching them trip over each other, fall off and get blown up.

John Law do not back down on their suspicion of Eli and, through half-heard conversations and eavesdropping, Cameron's paranoia becomes increasingly justified. Because the movie is seen through his eyes we never quite know what is going on with Eli. Is he a madman, or just a crafty director? Would you believe that O'Toole based his performance on his experiences with David Lean?

Why he never won an Oscar - it went to Robert DeNiro for Raging Bull - is beyond me. He truly gives the performance of his career, far exceeding even Laurence of Arabia. It also sucks that Rush never won for Director, or Adapted Screenplay. Had he been awarded the golden statuette, maybe he would have received more recognition. He's clearly a better filmmaker than most of today's hack artists.

You simply have to see The Stunt Man. It's an overlooked gem and, despite the wide praise it received, it has never really reached a large audience. Now is definitely the time to rediscover this forgotten classic.

Filmed in standard widescreen, the 1.85:1 anamorphic picture exhibits varying degrees of quality. Some scenes are a bit grainy and a tad awkward, while others are clear, with beautiful blue skies and fleshtones. Even the soft-focus scenes still retain a golden shine to them. It may not be perfect and consistent, but it's a good transfer, considering the source material.

Taken from the original mono tracks and fully remastered, the Dolby/DTS 6.1 soundtracks are fantastic. The awesome score comes through with full force and takes over the soundfield. Deep bass is reserved for explosions and the rumble of car engines. Dialogue is still mono in nature, but a good deal of surround effects, such as circling helicopters and planes, make the soundfield come alive. Certainly not up to the standards of modern soundtracks, such as Superman Returns or X-Men III, but still the best The Stunt Man will ever sound.

There is a Commentary taken from long interviews with the participants. Some of them speak together and interact with each other, but you can easily tell that the track has been edited to make a whole, rather than one continuous session. But it's a great track, full of info and stories. Usually, I hate listening to commentaries, but this one is cool.

The 114 minute documentary, The Sinister Sage Of Making The Stunt Man, is directed and hosted by Rush as he explains every single (of many) problems he encountered from absolute beginning to absolute end. This is a movie in itself and features so many difficulties similar to those Eli Cross had to deal with and with just as much irony and tragic studio decisions as the WW I movie within The Stunt Man. It really is an interesting back-up story about what is happening on the flip side of reality. Or fiction. Depending on the angle you're watching from.

Still galleries of the shoot and of the promotion art and original poster ideas and the full screenplay and three trailers are also included.

Don't Try This At Home - The Steve-O Video Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

Yeah Dude! The Tour Video!
Steve-o Vol.2 the best so far
Better than the first!
Waste of time and money
Funny yet Not Long Enough

Don't Try This At Home - The Steve-O Video Vol. 2
Starring: Chris Pontius , Steve-O , Jason "Wee Man" Acuna , Preston Lacy , and Ryan Simonetti
Director: Nick Dunlap
Manufacturer: Red Int / Red Ink
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00007G1W2
Release Date: 2002-12-10

Customer Reviews:

Yeah Dude! The Tour Video!.......2007-04-18

Yeah Dude! Steve-O on tour! great footage from steveo's adventures at spring break, and all across america. all the scenes with Dee rock especially hard. watching that dude get knocked the f*** out with the skateboard would make anyone want to yell "hit him again!" haha. totally awsome.

Steve-o Vol.2 the best so far.......2003-12-19

I been a fan of Steve-o (CKY, Jackass) for sometime now and i have to say that this video dosen't disapoint. It lacks on the stunts that the first has but it dose give a good look into the life of steve-o. I personaly love this video and would say that this is a worthwhile investment for any steve-o fan

YEAH DUDE

Better than the first!.......2003-09-28

The second Steve-O Video. This video is about Steve-O and his crazy tour around America. Performing crazy, shocking and hilarious stunts. Featuring Jackasses Wee Man, Ryan Dunn, Bam Margera, Preston Lacey and skaters like Ryan Simonetti and Preston Acuff. This has more stunts than the first and is guaranteed to shock you. This video also has tons of behind the scenes footage and more girls. Tune in to see: Ti*s on fire, Trash Cans, Steve-O's eviction party, more skating, rental vans being destroyed, lighting nuts on fire, breaking mircrowaves, the fireball stunt, and many more. If you liked the first, then you'll love the second. I never get sick of watching it.

Waste of time and money.......2003-09-10

I bought this DVD thinking it would be funny, it's not, it lacks stunts, it's mostly behind the scenes stuff which to be honest is boring. It lacks the comedy of Jackass and what stunts it does have are just not funny. In one scene Steve-o sets a girls chest on fire, I don't find that funny, it's kind of weird.

Am a big fan of the jackass series and I bought this thinking it would be just as good, but it's a poor mans attempt at humour. Mostly Steve-o is out of his head on drugs and it shows alot. I hope the first in the series is better, this was just a waste of money.

1 Star

Funny yet Not Long Enough.......2003-07-26

This is funny as Hell!!! Don't Get Me Wrong.... I love it. However, it does pale to what Jackass the Movie had to offer. If you think Jackass is funny, get this. I love it, but I warn you, it is pretty short. Good for those sober up times before the drive home. (If you think you could re-enact these, don't drive.) It does have some pretty vile stuff.

Average customer rating:

Completely different to any other film out there
A Film Nobody Wanted Endures As A Brilliant Cult Classic And, Perhaps, The Best Movie Ever About Movie Making
Cult Classic
The Reel Deal
The truth only depends on the angle you're watching from.

The Stunt Man
Starring: Peter O'Toole , Steve Railsback , Barbara Hershey , Allen Garfield , and Alex Rocco
Director: Richard Rush
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Comedy | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00005OCK4
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Product Description

Vietnam veteran Cameron (Steve Railsback) is on the run from the police when he stumbles onto the set of a war movie directed by megalomaniac Eli Cross (Peter O Toole). But when the young fugitive is forced to replace a dead stunt man, he falls in love with the movies leading lady (Barbara Hershey) while trying to avoid getting arrested or killed. Is Eli trying to capture Cameron s death on film? And what happens to a paranoid stunt man when illusion and reality change places? Released in 1980, this innovative comedy/drama/action thriller has become one of the most acclaimed cult hits of our time. THE STUNT MAN has been newly transferred from original negative materials and is loaded with exclusive extras, all personally compiled by director/co-screenwriter Richard Rush. NOMINATED FOR THREE 1980 ACADEMY AWARDS® Best Actor in a Leading Role - Peter O Toole Best Director - Richard Rush Best Adapted Screenplay - Lawrence B. Marcus & Richard Rush Includes a 5x7 Theatrical Poster Replica

System Requirements:
Starring: Peter O'Toole, Barbara Hershey, Steve Railsback, Allen Goorwitz, Alex Rocco, Adam Rourke
Director: Richard Rush
Producer: Richard Rush
Running Time: 130 Min.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Completely different to any other film out there.......2007-03-04

A Film Nobody Wanted Endures As A Brilliant Cult Classic And, Perhaps, The Best Movie Ever About Movie Making .......2007-02-21

Cult Classic.......2007-01-14

The Reel Deal.......2006-11-13

The truth only depends on the angle you're watching from........2006-09-13

Average customer rating:

Garbage, don't waste your money.
turned it off
Cesspool of funny
TV: The Movie
Some funny stuff up in this movie

National Lampoon's TV: The Movie
Starring: Tony Cox , Danny Trejo , Jacob Vargas , Abraham Benrubi , and Dian Bachar
Director: Sam Maccarone
Manufacturer: Xenon
ProductGroup: DVD
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School for Scoundrels (Unrated Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000KF0DDO
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Description

National Lampoon's TV: The Movie is a celebration of the ever-increasing ridiculousness of society reflected through television…oh, who are we trying to kid? We just wanted to break stuff, throw Steve-O off a building and get some chicks naked. Biting sketch comedy combined with "Jackassian" stunts form the basis of this demented channel-surfing adventure for the unfocused youth of the world. This spoof comedy stars pop-culture icons of the past and present Lee Majors, Judd Nelson and the cast of "Jackass"! From "Fear Factor" to "Wife Swap" to "The Apprentice" to "Girls Gone Wild", nothing is off limits. So sit back, relax and let us change the channel for you.

Customer Reviews:

Garbage, don't waste your money........2007-04-12

I love Jackass, Wildboyz etc. but this was god awful. I rented the movie & wished I could've gotten my money back. DON'T BUY IT.

turned it off.......2007-03-19

i don't expect much out of National lampoon, but i was hoping for anything more. this movie was nearly as bad as the worst movie i have ever seen, The underground comedy movie. if you even know what that is, then you know what i'm talking about. i turned this movie off after about 45 minutes because i was bored out of my mind. i wasn't shocked, wasn't laughing, and would rather watch something on real TV.

I love jackass, wild boyz, viva la bam, and all the other things this crew has done. i also was a fan of Van Wilder which was by far the best national lampoon movie to come thusfar, so this was indeed a disappointment. i ain't watching anymore of Steve-o's side projects because he just doesn't care about the product he's selling. Just watch Steve-o: out on bail which was another example of his lack of concern for those who are paying him, the fans.

Cesspool of funny.......2007-03-11

This is one of those kind of films that been done better by others.

This film wallows in humilation and excrement. If you like this sort of stuff, there's probably some form of therapy you can receive short of a lobotomy.

TV: The Movie.......2007-03-09

Typical immature movie. Not very entertaining. Expected more from National Lampoon, they used to be very funny!

Some funny stuff up in this movie.......2007-02-28

classic tripped out stoner movie, with no point, but who needs a point, we just need funny stuff, the movie occassionally goes over board with cheezey scenes, but all and all this is a must have for all you stoners. this movie is like a combination of Jackass and reno 911.

Average customer rating:

Going to hell.. with naked chicks and rad stunts!
I'm Going to Hell for loving this movie
This KILLS Jackass and CKY. Funny, Crazy fools!

Going to Hell: The Movie
Starring: Jason "Wee Man" Acuna
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
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ASIN: B00022PZ2E
Release Date: 2004-06-15

Description

From punks to drunks to stunts! From the vilest, most disgusting and perverted minds comes the most entertaining video of the year, a collection of some of the gnarliest, funniest and craziest footage ever put on tape. From pranks to nude chicks. bums to cops -- simply put, this video has it all! Featuring: Jason "WEE-MAN" Acuna, nude model Taylor Love, jokes and pranks, stunts, alcohol and much, much more! Plus music by Oakland punk rockers Cheapskate. It's the lowest form of entertainment!

Customer Reviews:

Going to hell.. with naked chicks and rad stunts!.......2007-04-18

Wee-man gets pretty outta control with the ladies in this DVD. i liked this one much more than wee man's "American Misfits" DVD because it has a lot more stunts and what's basically behind the scenes footage, which i always get more into than the MAD TV esq skits of his other DVD. pick this one up for sure, along with the rest of the Jackass guys DVDs

I'm Going to Hell for loving this movie.......2006-06-30

this is the best video i have seen since CKY and Jackass! 5 out of 5 stars, a great movie to add to the collection.

This KILLS Jackass and CKY. Funny, Crazy fools!.......2004-11-13

This is the funniest SH T I have ever seen! These fools do everything that JACKASS was scared to do. With that funny lil midget WEE MAN, doing crazy stuff himself. He finally shines with his own DVD. Crazy stunts, pranks and a bunch of fine naked HOES!

The Sinister Saga of Making "The Stunt Man"

Average customer rating:

A Film Nobody Wanted--A Documentary About Bringing The Classic Film "The Stunt Man" To Fruition
Informative, but sadly cheesy and annoying
True Hollywood story--in epic detail!

The Sinister Saga of Making "The Stunt Man"
Starring: Charles Bail , Rona Barrett , Sharon Farrell , Lance Guest , and Barbara Hershey
Manufacturer: Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005OCK8
Release Date: 2001-11-20

Amazon.com

Peter O'Toole puts it succinctly, "The Stunt Man wasn't released, it escaped." Director Richard Rush returns 20 years later to this highly praised 1980 film in this two-hour documentary chronicling the decade-long struggle from creation to distribution. Rush calls Sinister Saga a home movie, and it essentially is with Rush talking to the camera--there is no footage from the film's actual shoot. If you can get by the lack of gloss, you're left with an extremely personal view of the filmmaking, and a behind-the-scenes look that is refreshingly void of studio hype. Included are interviews 20 years later with cast members who fondly remember the film's shoot. It's interesting to note that if The Stunt Man was made 20 years later, it would have never struggled. The film would simply have been relegated to cable or a straight-to-video release. --Doug Thomas

Description

Upon its release in 1980, The Stunt Man became a one-of-a-kind cult sensation, a multiple Oscar nominee and ultimately, one of the most acclaimed motion picture of the decade. But the strange history of the film's embattled development, production and distribution has never been fully revealed... until now.
Director Richard Rush is your guide for this epic story of his ten-year struggle from script to screen to make The Stunt Man on his own uncompromising terms. It's a tale told via rare insights, wild memories and exclusive new interviews with the cast and crew, including stars Barbara Hershey, Steve Railsback and Peter O'Toole. This is a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at on filmmaker's visionary reality.

Customer Reviews:

A Film Nobody Wanted--A Documentary About Bringing The Classic Film "The Stunt Man" To Fruition.......2007-02-21

Obviously, most viewers seriously looking at this documentary probably already have an affection for the film "The Stunt Man,"--an audacious film, made by Richard Rush. The process of getting "The Stunt Man" to the screen was one that took almost a decade. Never losing sight of his vision for the film, he was unwilling to compromise his intent. His story is an inspiration--equal parts horrifying, hysterical, and educational. This sparse documentary is, in essence, an interview with Rush. Staged almost like a cheesy industrial film, time is spent just watching Rush speak to the camera--almost like a lecture one might catch at a local film university. But Rush is so engaging and likable, and his courage and fortitude should be an example to modern filmmakers the world over. It's great to see him embrace the success of "The Stunt Man," albeit 25 years after it was released.

There are just some movies in your life that really speak to you--that connect to you on some emotional or intellectual level in a very special way. "The Stunt Man" is such a film for me. Released in 1980, this ode to movie making is a challenging, intelligent, incisive and fun film that very few people saw upon its initial release. After a 10 year preproduction struggle by Rush, a tumultuous shoot, and no support from a studio that didn't care about the film--it was essentially dumped with no fanfare. But with amazing clarity and foresight, the film was surprisingly awarded with three major Academy Award nomination--Best Actor for Peter O'Toole, Best Director for Rush, and Best Screenplay for Rush and Lawrence Marcus. In the years that have followed, the film has attained a cult status and a legion of faithful fans (myself among them). In fact, I have seen this film probably 15 times and it was the first (really!) VHS tape I ever bought--now that's dating me!

So if you love "The Stunt Man," I propose that you will also find this documentary a fascinating contribution--and a real bite of movie history. This documentary is also included in the Limited Edition "The Stunt Man," likewise offered by Anchor Bay. I'd certainly recommend this option as opposed to buying the film and documentary separately (if it is still available). Treat yourself to a great film and a terrific documentary. KGHarris, 02/07.

Informative, but sadly cheesy and annoying.......2002-01-09

Richard Rush's "The Stunt Man" is one of the most original, intelligent, and exhilarating films ever made. It also has one of the most fascinating back-stories in movie history, with a tumultuous production and distribution history that rivals "Titanic" and "Citizen Kane".

It's too bad that "The Sinister Saga of Making 'The Stunt Man'" is one of the most agonizingly cheesy documentaries I've ever seen. It resembles a childrens' science television show, with an overuse of annoying and disgustingly "cute" visual gimmicks. It looks like the work of a recent graduate of a community college videography class, with too much time and equipment on their hands. Sadly, the documentary was directed by Rush himself.

So is this documentary worth seeing? Absolutely, if only because the back-story is so compelling. However, Rush could have saved a lot of time and money merely filming himself delivering the same information as a straight lecture. The approach used here is nearly unbearable.

True Hollywood story--in epic detail!.......2001-09-23

I saw this documentary at the 20th anniversary screening of "The Stunt Man" at LA's Egyptian Theatre last year. It is a low-budget DV affair consisting of the director, Richard Rush, describing the endless process of getting the film made and released and the various individuals who tried to prevent him along the way. It is shot as an homage to the visually inventive style of "The Stunt Man", full of camera tricks and transitions. Being a huge fan of the film, I was fascinated; those who are less interested in this sort of story may find it overlong and overblown.

To me, "The Stunt Man" is one of the best (if not the best) films made about the film industry; I've seen it many many times and am delighted that a DVD is finally being released. This documentary is a fine companion piece and true to the hall of mirrors theme, it's a film about making a film about making a film...

"If God could do the tricks we do, he'd be a happy man"

HORSE AND MAN, Episode 1
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HORSE AND MAN, Episode 1

Manufacturer: CustomFlix
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000OFOLYM
Release Date: 2007-03-15

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