The Stunt Man

4/5/2021

This incredible movie took me by surprise in the fall of 1980. The Stunt Man replaced The Empire Strikes Back at the theater where I worked. I was prepared to hate this film. To my complete surprise, it became my favorite film from the 1980s. If you haven't seen it, strap yourself in and go for the ride. It's worth every second. Peter O'Toole has Never been better as Cross, the demented and brilliant director. Is he out to kill Cameron just to get a good scene or two from him? Or is he actually a caring person who would never hurt a fly? You won't know until the film is just about over. Basically, Cameron is on the run from the Law. He stumbles into a film set and (perhaps) causes the death of the film's stunt man. Ely Cross, the director, offers Cameron a place to hide from the Law if h

12/16/2024

I'd like to embellish the previous review... CaptNemo did a good job summing up the movie, but there are a few other interesting things that can be said about it. My short summary is that this is probably the best "meta" movie, or movie about making movies you'll find. I discovered the film on cable TV, and immediately fell in love with it. A short time later I came across the Brodeur novel in a used bookstore, and bought and read it immediately. The novel is quite dark, and has a number of plot issues. In several ways the movie is more fun and better than the book. But it's a *quite* different story. One area I disagree with CaptNemo is where he said that you find out everything at the end of the movie... I don't find the end of the movie completely illuminating -- some things are fai