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Movie Stars Get All The Credit, But They Don’t Take The Risks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dear Mr. Movie Maniac,
The injustices continue at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences! How dare they snub stuntmen and -women and not give them an Oscar category recognizing their achievements.
What are your favorite movie stunts and/or action sequences? I humbly submit for your consideration, in no particular order: Truck chase, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981). Chariot race, “Ben-Hur” (1959). The battle of Carthage, “Gladiator” (2000). Helicopter/roof explosion, “Die Hard” (1988). Chuck Norris’ flying kick through windshield of moving car, “Good Guys Wear Black” (1978). Bullet train, “Mission: Impossible” (1996). Steve McQueen and his motorcycle, “The Great Escape” (1963). Helicopter/police van chase, “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991).
Kevin Srivastava, Lawrenceville
Dear Tough Guy,
I know EXACTLY what you are talking about.
The academy is all about injustice. Like I remember the time I had an absolutely exquisite slice of medium rare roast beef au jus on a bed of steamed vegetables with Ed Harris and Amy Madigan on the set of one of their movies.
But did the cook get an Oscar nomination for best catering? No, of course not. Oscar voting is all about propping up big shots.
Leave it to the Emmys and Grammys to appropriately hand out honors. If it wasn’t for the Emmys, how would I possibly appreciate the best commercial of the year? And without those Grammys, I swear I’d be perpetually polka-challenged.
Like you, I have nothing better to do on Oscar night but watch the show get longer.
As for my favorite stunts, I’ll accept almost all your recommendations. (Not, however, “Mission: Implausible.” And, as I’m sure you know, it was stuntman Bud Ekins and not Steve McQueen making the big motorbike leap in “The Great Escape”; you knew that - right?)
I will even more humbly add these: the car chase in “Ronin” (1998), the helicopter assault in “Apocalypse Now” (1979), the house falling around Buster Keaton in “Steamboat Bill Jr.” (1928), Harold Lloyd and stuntman Harvey Parry and the great clock sequence in “Safety Last!” (1923), the scampering over the ice floes in “Way Down East” (1920), the aerials in “Wings” (1927), the crop-duster sequence in “North by Northwest” (1959), just about everything in “Speed” (1994), the car-train chase in “The French Connection” (1971) and just about everything Jackie Chan has done. Oh, and the car-train wreck and dam dive in “The Fugitive” (1993).
Alan
P.S. You get a “Fantastic Four” PlayStation 2 game and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Dear Mr. Smithee,
I look forward to your column every week. Recently you gave an answer about the movies’ Everyman. I agreed with your observations and started pondering about who could be Everywoman.
I’m coming up blank on modern actresses. One of my children suggested Meg Ryan, as she’s been good in all her movies except for “Joe vs. the Volcano.” But no one was good in that movie (not even the volcano).
Colleen Jefferies, Marietta
Dear Do It Naturally,
I know it’s hard. That’s because these days in Hollywood movies, women are either prostitutes (see: heart of gold) or Judi Dench.
I contend that J. Lo is Everywoman. But only if every woman has, like, a billion dollars and a formidable posterior region.
Lindsay Lohan? Marisa Tomei? Jennifer Connelly?
I do know that Halle Berry is every man’s Everywoman-sheshouldbe.
Some might say Renee Zellweger. But that some wouldn’t be me.
Ultimately, your kid is on the right track. Meg Ryan back in the day was a darn good Everywoman. Definitely Susan Sarandon. Meryl Streep. Kathy Bates. Sandra Bullock.
These days, I’d add Drew Barrymore. Toni Collette. Nia Long. Marcia Gay Harden. Kate Winslet. Laura Linney. Frances McDormand. Julianne Moore.
And the love of my life - Helen Mirren.
Alan
P.S. You get a “March of the Penguins” bag and an “Ask Alan Smithee” T-shirt.
Have a question for Mr. Smithee?
E-mail him at alansmithee@ajc.com or go to accessAtlanta.com and click on Movies. Please include your name, city and daytime phone number. Mr. Smithee can’t reply to every request, but inquiries chosen for publication will receive movie-related prizes.
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