Phrase
to do something that may result in loss, failure, etc.
took great risks
In the early days of cinema, actors did their own stunts. Stars in silent films, like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, took great risks to make their films funny. They thought it was part of a comedian’s job.
isn't hurt
Buster Keaton’s most famous stunt was in ‘Steamboat Bill Jr’ (1928). The wall of a house falls on Keaton, but he isn't hurt because he is standing exactly where an open window lands.
take the place of
The feats of daring actors in the early days of Hollywood were very dangerous and insurance companies soon started asking for stuntmen and women to take the place of the actors.
was at its best
The stunt industry was at its best in the films of the seventies and eighties. The brave (or mad!) stuntmen and women did more and more amazing things.
Phrase
be known or recognized by very many people for something
were famous for
The James Bond films were famous for stunts. In ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’ (1974), Bumps Willard, as James Bond, drives a car off a bridge and turns it over in the air.
didn’t know if it was possible
At the start of ‘GoldenEye’, Wayne Michaels bungee-jumps 250 metres from the top of an enormous dam. He said he didn’t know if it was possible until he tried!
Verb
go from one side of a road, river, area, etc. to the other
get across
Many stunts were extremely dangerous. In the Bond film ‘Live and Let Die’ (1973), stuntman Ross Kananga walks on crocodiles to get across a river. The last crocodile bit his foot!
lose one's life
Some stuntmen and stuntwomen even lost their lives doing stunts. In ‘Top Gun’ (1986), the stunt pilot Art Scholl was killed in an air crash.
Phrase
talk about the problems or faults of someone for something that was done
criticised the film industry
In the 1995 film ‘Vampire in Brooklyn’, stuntwoman Sonya Davis died after falling from a high building. Many people criticised the film industry for her death.
Phrase
shoot a movie in an actual setting in the real world
film on location
In the 90’s, computer-generated imaging (CGI) was developed so that film-makers could create amazing special effects in the film studio which were too dangerous to film on location.
Phrase
like to do something better than something else
prefer to do their own stunts
Nowadays, most films use both CGI and stunt. Still, many actors prefer to do their own stunts. For ‘The Matrix’ (1999), Keanu Reeves trained for six month to do the amazing fight scenes.
Phrase
continue to live despite danger or hardship
has survived crazy stunts
And who is the best stunt actor of all? Film critics say martial arts expert Jackie Chan, who has survived crazy stunts in over 100 films!