Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story

It shouldn’t surprise you that a large section of the film is devoted to discrimination and the “boy’s club.” Early on (and still today), men were doing stunts in wigs and dresses. Women were given lame excuses why they couldn’t do certain “dangerous” stunts until they learned that the bigger the stunt, the bigger the payday. Women weren’t allowed to join the stuntman’s association and denied representation.

Look, we’re here for the stunts, and there’s no shortage. Remember, Debbie Evans as Trinity on a high-speed motorcycle racing against L.A. traffic in The Matrix: Reloaded. Then jump to today as more women and female characters spotlighted in Fast and The Furious, Wonder Woman, and The Avengers are becoming stunt coordinators behind the scenes.

“…an inspiration for women wanting to get into a career that involves danger, excitement, and tells a story.”

The doc is also about the craft of stunt work in regards to staging, shooting, and safety. To some extent you can pull gender out of the discussion today, because a stunt is a stunt. It’s as dangerous to pull off as it is impressive to watch on the big screen. Sure there are apparent physical differences between men and women, but when it comes to fighting, falling, and driving, the differences are small, and it’s merely a matter of adapting. What also comes across is the overwhelming sense of community this small group of women has created. They honor the past and have one another’s back when it comes to pulling off each gag safely.

Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story is not just for the fan of action flicks. It’s also an inspiration for women (or anyone) wanting to get into a career that involves danger, excitement, and tells a story. Films like Stuntwoman exist to continually challenge the archaic notion that “we’ve always done it this way” and encourages thinking outside the box, tearing down the ideas of gender stereotypes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkaO4RVlhEE