On the Set, at the Bar, Behind the Wheel, and Over the Edge with Hollywood Stuntmen
May 12, 2008
In this brisk and entertaining look at Hollywood stuntmen, Conley (Stud: Adventures in Breeding
) offers a close look at a daredevil community. Describing the physical skills, exacting preparation, and cinematic challenges, Conley, like his subjects, makes even the glass-smashing, metal-crushing car chases in the Bourne movies (starring Matt Damon) seem easy, as if avoiding certain harm were only a matter of craft and timing. From chapter to engaging chapter, Conley blends film history with his subjects' realistic assessments of athleticism, sexism, death and technological innovations of the mechanical and computerized kind. The most memorable (and humorous) exchanges come, though, from the stuntmen themselves: the seasoned pro who confesses his biggest enemies to be “gravity and blonds” and a stuntwoman who endures a wardrobe malfunction while filming the '70s-era TV series Wonder Woman
. In fact, Conley develops such an impressive camaraderie, access and feel for the stunt world that his newfound friends prep him to set himself aflame in an attempt to do “the full burn,” the stunt that gives the book its title.
May 15, 2008
Conley offers a comprehensive look at the dangerous world of stunt performing, which has rarely been explored from the inside out. He not only illuminates the risks at hand (culminating in his actually performing the title stunt) but also shows the impact of these risks on the performers' marriages, families, and relationships. This is not a study of stunt work, per se, but a contemporary window into the lives of the performers. History is told through their stories, but the text focuses on the physicality involved in today's landscape where computer-generated imagery (CGI) renders traditional stunts either more mundane (as when human participation is used for stock scenes like a person driving fast on a closed set) or more extreme (in competition with CGI effects). Conley's experience as a journalist for the likes of "GQ" and "Sports Illustrated" shines through; the interviews read like live audio clips, though they do contain some questionable language. This lively and entertaining look into a specialized world is highly recommended for all academic and public libraries.Peter Thornell, Hingham P.L., MA
Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
July 1, 2008
Adult/High School-Conley visited the sets of action films to talk with Hollywood stuntmen and -women and to report on the elaborate preparations and precautions that allow heart-stopping feats to be done safely. Performers talk about their lives on and off film sets and recall some of the best, the worst, and the craziest stunts they and their colleagues have enacted. They provide insider tips on how to break into the business and how spectacular falls, car crashes, and other stunts are planned and executed. While the book's format could seem repetitious (another chapter, another stuntman, another set of reminiscences), the stories are so interesting that it's difficult to stop reading. The author transmits his fascination for the profession, and readers come away with knowledge and respect for those actors for whom tumbling head over heels down a staircase or falling off a galloping horse is all in a day's work. Movie buffs will enjoy the inside information and thrill-a-minute tales."Sandy Schmitz, Berkeley Public Library, CA"
Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.