Five Favorite Films with Stuntman Vic Armstrong
Plus, the prolific stuntman and action director on filming The Amazing Spider-Man and his career working with James Bond, Indiana Jones, Superman and more.
His name may not be instantly familiar, but his work most certainly is: over a prolific career, Vic Armstrong has been a stunt man, stunt coordinator and second unit director on some of the biggest and best-loved action movies of the past four decades -- a list of credits far too long to even consider including here. He's stunt-doubled for successive James Bonds, from Sean Connery to Pierce Brosnan, worn the cape and tights on Richard Donner's Superman, and famously done stunt work for Harrison Ford on, among many of the actor's other roles, the original three Indiana Jones films.
Then there's his work with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Cruise, Sylvester Stallone and Angelina Jolie, to name a handful, or -- our personal favorite -- his listed credit as "Unicorn Master" on Ridley Scott's Legend. How does one get to be a Unicorn Master, anyway?
Armstrong's robust career as a second unit action director has also seen him shoot sequences for the likes of James Cameron, Paul Verhoeven, Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, while he recently completed work on Marvel's Thor and forthcoming The Amazing Spider-Man.
This week, he releases his autobiography entitled -- and with a fair claim to the crown -- The True Adventures of the World's Greatest Stuntman, which chronicles his career from riding horses for Gregory Peck through his role today as one of the industry's most sought-after action coordinators.
Armstrong called in for a chat with RT, having just wrapped shooting on Spider-Man, to talk stunts on the new Marvel web-slinger, some career highlights and, as ever, five of his favorite movies. (And hey, if he wants to pick movies he's worked on -- who are we to say no?)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, 94% Tomatometer)
Raiders would have to be one of them. I just think the ride, the whole thing, is just fabulous entertainment and escapism -- and it felt real, you know.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962, 98% Tomatometer)
Lawrence of Arabia, purely for stylistic reasons. For storytelling -- and visually telling a story -- it's fantastic.
True Lies (1994, 69% Tomatometer)
True Lies, because it's a great, great action film with the right amount of action and the right amount of storytelling.
The Terminator (1984, 100% Tomatometer)
I gotta go for one of the Terminators as well -- I don't know which one. [laughs] Probably one, because the first time I saw it... one is always more difficult than the second one, I think. I saw that in Rome after Arnie brought it over when I was doing Red Sonja. We were gonna go out to Rome one night and I said, "I can't, I'm working, I've got a five-o'clock-in-the-morning start," and he said, "Well, take this -- go up to your room and watch this video." And I watched it -- and it was a rough cut of it -- and I went, "Oh my god, it's the greatest film I've ever seen."
Tomorrow Never Dies (1997, 55% Tomatometer)
And then I'd say Tomorrow Never Dies, because I think you get a real bang for your buck in that -- and I enjoyed making it. It was just a nice, big Bond, going back to the old style. It just kicks arse, and you believe he's in there getting his arse kicked as well.
Next, Armstrong talks about filming action on The Amazing Spider-Man and Thor, and takes us through some of the highlights of his impressive career -- including his stunt work on the original Indiana Jones films.
Dave J
I appreciate him for what he does for a living but feels that he could've made a better list than the ones he listed since I've always thought Jackie Chan was "one" of the main inspirations for people to do all their own stunts instead of using CGI!
May 17 - 04:04 PM
Jeffrey Cooperhouse
Sorry his top 5 isn't the same as yours.
May 18 - 04:37 AM
Dave J
Well, I wasn't so much complaining about his list, but his top 5 seems to be very spontaneous!
May 18 - 11:39 AM
'schak Attack
That's right Dave, his favorites list is ALL WRONG man! He should really re-search his mind and try again dammit.
May 18 - 08:27 AM