Stunts (1977)

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Raymond Lofaro (story)
Dennis Johnson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 June 1978 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Dying is one hell of a way to make a living.

Plot:

After a stunt man dies while he is involved in the making of a motion picture, his brother takes his place in order to find out what really happened.

Plot Keywords:

Stunt | Film Within A Film | Beautiful Woman | Murder | Independent Film

Cast

Robert Forster	...	Glen Wilson
Fiona Lewis	...	B.J. Parswell
Ray Sharkey	...	Paul Salerno
Joanna Cassidy	...	Patti Johnson
Bruce Glover	...	Chuck Johnson
Richard Lynch	...	Pete Lustig
Darrell Fetty	...	Dave Allison
James Luisi	...	Alvin Blake
Candice Rialson	...	Judy Blake
Malachi Throne	...	Earl O'Brien
Janet Hadland	...	Doctor
H.B. Haggerty	...	Redneck
Dave Shelley	...	Jack
Gary Davis	...	Greg Wilson (as Gary Charles Davis)
Alex Kubik	...	Gas Station Attendant
Erica Paige	...	Groupie 1
Cindy Correll	...	Groupie 2
Cheré Bryson	...	Bimbo 1 (as Sherie Bryson)
Lucette Dussaud	...	Bimbo 2
Fran Dukehart	...	Nurse
Cass Martin	...	Policeman

Directed by
Mark L. Lester

Writing credits
Raymond Lofaro		(story)
Dennis Johnson		(screenplay) and
Barney Cohen		(screenplay)
Michael Harpster		scenario
Robert Shaye		scenario

Produced by
Peter S. Davis	....	executive producer
Raymond Lofaro	....	producer
William N. Panzer	....	producer
Sara Risner	....	associate producer
Robert Shaye	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Bruce Logan		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Corky Ehlers

Casting by
Harriet B. Helberg

Makeup Department
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	hair stylist
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Crawshaw	....	production supervisor: second unit
Joe Fineman	....	post-production supervisor
Carl Olson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carl Olson	....	first assistant director
Hal Reed	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Max Mendes	....	assistant property master
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master (as Erik Nelson)

Sound Department
Lowell Cannon	....	boom operator
Robert Canton	....	sound effects
Robert Leclerc	....	assistant sound (as Robert Le Clerc)
Mark Hopkins McNabb	....	sound mixer (as Mark McNabb)
Dan Thomas	....	sound effects
Hal Watkins	....	re-recording engineer
Burton Weinstein	....	loop editor (as Burt Weinstein)

Special Effects by
Richard O. Helmer	....	special effects
Peter von Bartheld	....	special effects: second unit

Stunts
Phil Adams	....	rappelling stunt
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts: fire gag (as Dick Butler)
Joie Chitwood	....	ski car and special stunt driving
Deanna Dae Coleman	....	motorcycle stunt (as Deanna Coleman)
Jean Coulter	....	stunts
Bud Davis	....	stunts: fire gag (as Bud George)
Gary Davis	....	motorcycle and helicopter stunts (as Gary Charles Davis)
Ted Duncan	....	cannon gag
Larry Dunn	....	additional driving (stunts)
Beau Gibson	....	additional driving (stunts)
'Wild' Bill Mock	....	additional driving (stunts)
Paul Nuckles	....	stunt coordinator
Lee Pulford	....	bar fight stunts
Dar Robinson	....	high fall stunt
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter stunt pilot (as Chuck Tamburro)
A.J. Bakunas	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Bailin	....	director of photography: second unit
Jay Borin	....	still photographer
Brink Brydon	....	gaffer
Rick Chambers	....	still photographer
Jerry Deats	....	grip
Sal Guida	....	assistant camera: second unit
Kim Hubbard	....	assistant grip
Carey Jones	....	second assistant camera
Ron Lavery	....	assistant camera
Gus Makris	....	key grip: second unit
William R. Maxham	....	camera operator (as Willy Maxham)
Bob McVay	....	key grip (as Robert McVay)
Robert Meisner	....	grip
Scott Spencer	....	best boy
Daniel Pearl	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jean Frost	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amanda J. Flick	....	assistant wardrobe (as Amanda Flick)
Nan Hinds	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Scott Hancock	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Kamen	....	conductor
Bruce Tergesen	....	music recordist

Other crew
Howard Berkowitz	....	production executive
John De Troia	....	production assistant
Jan Kemper	....	script supervisor
Alex Kubik	....	production assistant
Larry Margo	....	production assistant
Cass Martin	....	location manager
Jane Prosnit	....	assistant to producer
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot

Production Companies

• Mark Fleischman Ltd.
• New Line Cinema
• Spiegel-Bergman Productions Inc.

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Concorde Film (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Pan-Canadian Film Distributors (1978) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (video)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Thorn EMI Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Treeline Films (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Doneil Productions  post-production services
• Feature Systems Inc.  location equipment
• NIT Factory  music recording studio

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

San Luis Obispo, California, USA

Company:

Mark Fleischman Ltd.

Quotes:

[last lines]
B.J. Parswell:A very impressive ending.
Glen Wilson:Just like in the movies.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Sinister Saga of Making 'The Stunt Man' (2000) (V)

Stunt packed, but unexceptional 70s movie.

In the late 70s and early 80s, action films didn't rely on CGI to wow the audiences; stunts were what packed in the crowds—real stunts performed by real stuntmen.

Anything with cars flying 30 feet through the air would be guaranteed to fill the theatres and the limits were pushed by these 'fall guys' as to what they would do in order to impress. Stunts—AKA 'Who Is Killing the Stuntmen?' AKA 'The Deadly Game' (UK video title)—tells of one such guy, Glen Wilson (Robert Forster), who becomes involved in the making of a movie after his brother mysteriously dies performing a stunt. Suspecting foul play, he searches for clues between filming, aided by a feisty female reporter (Fiona Lewis).

Director Mark L. Lester, who later helmed the 80s 'classics' Class of 1984 and Commando, packs the film with all manner of death defying feats, but struggles to make anything special from the run-of-the-mill script. Despite a good performance from the ever-reliable Forster and good support from a raft B-movie regulars (including the great Richard Lynch), the result feels very much like a made-for-TV movie, and lacks the grittiness I was hoping for.

Stunts is enjoyable on a nostalgic level (if you love the vibe of 70s flicks, then there is some fun to be had from the movie's general atmosphere), and it does contain a few fairly impressive action sequences, but I found that, even at a running time of less than an hour and a half, the film only just managed to keep my attention.