It has to be the best quote in the whole movie because not only it defines the whole thing but it's also one of the most funniest (specially when it is said at the ending). The height of 1933's King Kong (3'6) is mentioned in "The Stunt Man" as a representation of how manipulative and incredible movies are. It also represents the audience's manipulation in terms of believing in what they're seeing as real when in fact it's not. Everybody knows King Kong as something monstrous, gigantic but very few know that the real thing was a small toy made to look bigger thankfully to special effects.
But what's have to do with the story of a Vietnam War veteran running away from police, who happens to stumble on a film set to be later get invited by the film director to replace a dead stunt man? Everything! The fugitive Cameron (played by a sexy Steve Railsback) while learning to be a stunt gets fooled over and over by the director Eli Cross (a dynamic Peter O'Toole - Oscar nominated for this role), who puts the poor man in the most audacious, risky and dangerous stunts in a World War I film. Along with the filming, there's a romantic story involving an actress (Barbara Hershey) involved with both director and stunt man, and of course, the police hunt for the man and a investigation of what really happen with the original stunt guy.
Then, just like Kong, there's the manipulation of "The Stunt Man" on us, audience, when we think that all what's happening with Cameron is real until someone yell 'Cut', and the background is revealed, cameras and people start to show up. Here's one example: Cameron is running away from villains, being chased over rooftops, stairs, bullets flying over his head, explosions, the fear we see in his eyes are very real but then we know it's a planned stunt. This screenplay strategy works but not that much if we consider that most of the time Cameron is performing all the stunts in one long shot where he falls and runs and jumps, I mean, Eli's team is filming like five or six sequences continuously, which is quite impossible to be done in films. It's visually impressive to see all that but not much believable.
Even so, this is a very funny and interesting film that show the magic of movies being made. It was a dream project for director Richard Rush that took nine years to be finally made and it worth all the while, guarantying a Oscar nomination for him as Best Director. The performances fit the film perfectly with the highlights on O'Toole making of Eli an egomaniacal film director who believes to be an God who controls everything and everyone, without caring about anything although he's impressed by the mysterious Cameron. Railsback is very memorable and a little sinister as the fugitive/stunt man who gets astonished with the film he became part of and the salary offered, but he doesn't realize how naive he was and how deceivable Eli was.
Fugitive on the run, filmmaking of a big budget film, romance, action, comedy, lots of humor, this film in no way could go wrong. Here's an very enjoyable and underrated classic of the 1980's. 10/10
But what's have to do with the story of a Vietnam War veteran running away from police, who happens to stumble on a film set to be later get invited by the film director to replace a dead stunt man? Everything! The fugitive Cameron (played by a sexy Steve Railsback) while learning to be a stunt gets fooled over and over by the director Eli Cross (a dynamic Peter O'Toole - Oscar nominated for this role), who puts the poor man in the most audacious, risky and dangerous stunts in a World War I film. Along with the filming, there's a romantic story involving an actress (Barbara Hershey) involved with both director and stunt man, and of course, the police hunt for the man and a investigation of what really happen with the original stunt guy.
Then, just like Kong, there's the manipulation of "The Stunt Man" on us, audience, when we think that all what's happening with Cameron is real until someone yell 'Cut', and the background is revealed, cameras and people start to show up. Here's one example: Cameron is running away from villains, being chased over rooftops, stairs, bullets flying over his head, explosions, the fear we see in his eyes are very real but then we know it's a planned stunt. This screenplay strategy works but not that much if we consider that most of the time Cameron is performing all the stunts in one long shot where he falls and runs and jumps, I mean, Eli's team is filming like five or six sequences continuously, which is quite impossible to be done in films. It's visually impressive to see all that but not much believable.
Even so, this is a very funny and interesting film that show the magic of movies being made. It was a dream project for director Richard Rush that took nine years to be finally made and it worth all the while, guarantying a Oscar nomination for him as Best Director. The performances fit the film perfectly with the highlights on O'Toole making of Eli an egomaniacal film director who believes to be an God who controls everything and everyone, without caring about anything although he's impressed by the mysterious Cameron. Railsback is very memorable and a little sinister as the fugitive/stunt man who gets astonished with the film he became part of and the salary offered, but he doesn't realize how naive he was and how deceivable Eli was.
Fugitive on the run, filmmaking of a big budget film, romance, action, comedy, lots of humor, this film in no way could go wrong. Here's an very enjoyable and underrated classic of the 1980's. 10/10