dual personalities

I have been thinking about terrible computer-generated action movies and how basically this technology has ruined the story-telling art of movies. In particular I have been thinking about the old days when actors did a lot of their own stunts and about the stunt men who stepped in to attempt the really dangerous stuff.

Remember Buster Keaton who made silent movies almost 100 years ago?

Nothing was faked here!

Remember Errol Flynn and Basil Rathbone, who did all their own sword fighting?

What about Stagecoach (1939) where John Wayne does his own stunts up until the point where Yakima Canutt takes over in the classic retrieving the reins maneuver. (This stunt comes right after Canutt has played the Indian falling under the stagecoach.) Eight of the most exciting (and best edited) minutes in film history.

Then, of course, there’s Ben Hur (1959) with some of the greatest action scenes ever filmed that do not, however, eclipse the basic drama of the movie. Charlton Heston learned how to drive a chariot and his prowess is important to the integrity of the film. Joe Canutt, son of the great Yakima, takes over when the action gets too dangerous.

Compare that to this clip from the 2016 CGI version of Ben Hur…

And who can forget The Great Escape (1962) with Steve McQueen’s iconic motorcycle jump. Bud Ekins did the actual jump–insurance issues again–but the scene is great, as is the editing by Ferris Webster.

Here’s an interesting interview with Bud Ekins about how it all fell into place.

And remember when there was actually a real “cast of thousands” in movies like Lawrence of Arabia (1962)?

I could go on and on…remember the buffalo stampede in How The West Was Won (1962) and the car chase in The French Connection (1971)? Jumping Mulberry Bridge in Smokey and the Bandit (1977)?

What are your favorite non-CGI stunts in movies?

Well, CGI is here to stay and in my opinion that is sad. Even a well done CGI movie is like watching a cartoon–think Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote–there’s no risk involved, so there’s no tension. It’s just like one big amusement park ride and I never liked amusement parks.

Side note: I also read that George Lucas updated the puppet Yoda (puppeteered by Frank Oz) in The Phantom Menace (1999), digitizing him in the 2011 Blue-ray version. That is definitely not kosher.

Whatever.

P.S. Yesterday was the birthday of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, one of our favorite non-ancestors, so a shout out and a belated toast to him.

And Saturday is the birthday of daughter #1 so we have Big Plans for some fun.

However, it is also the 20th anniversary of the most heinous act of terrorism in my lifetime and we will remember it.

*Narrator, The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)