The Stunt Man (1980)

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1. 

   Zeltaebar

   Forgotten by most, but a minor classic nonetheless. The lively musical score and the flamboyant cinematography adds class to a very well played ensemble study where the three principal character's true motives, relations and backgrounds are shrouded in mystery. Especially Steve Railsback's edgeful performance is a joy to behold, but Peter O'Toole's Academy Award nominated performance is almost as compelling. 10 years 8 months ago
2. 

   Siskoid

   A very quirky action film, The Stunt Man has a fugitive from justice (and Vietnam vet) hiding as a stunt man in a movie production run by an eccentric and tyrannical director (Peter O'Toole playing God), and it comes off as a PTSD-fueled fever dream. Much of the action comes from the movie inside the movie, a World War I epic that would be exciting on its own, and seems to be comprised of massive done-in-one action sequences, which are impossible, but meld the fictional with the truth in the stunt man's mind. We come to interpret the movie production as a war - HIS war - and the fickle director as the U.S. government (or more existentially, yes, God), putting people in danger and not explaining why they should do so. Throw in some wicked barbs at the movie industry for good measure. What if Kafka had written First Blood? Well, it doesn't necessarily clinch all those concepts as definitively as I make it sound, but there's a lot bubbling under the surface. 2 years 9 months ago
3. 

   jacktrewin

   100/10 - absolutely loved it 5 years 11 months ago

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