MovieChat Forums > The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) Discussion > Face Plant (spoilers)

Face Plant (spoilers)

posted 12 years ago by MrDeltoid77
5 replies | jump to latest

When Dr. Bernstein falls off the balcony, his stunt double face plants from a good 15 - 20 feet. It is obviously into a pad but at that height, even into a pad could have broken his neck. It is one nasty stunt.
Man o man.

[–] namaGemo 11 years ago

This is the second topic I'm posting in about this fall. I had to watch it more than 10 times. It was one of the most incredible stunts I've ever seen, regardless of that thin padding under the tiles.

[–] rpoehi 10 years ago

Absolutely right! I yelled out loud when i saw this scene, as you might do when you see a football player break his leg on the field - and had my wife come watch it by "rewinding" the DVR. I can't believe the stuntman didn't break his neck and it was a bit unnerving to say the least. Hope he got some hazard pay for that one...

RP

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Apophos 9 years ago

Just came here for that exact reason, look likes the poor guy was out cold. He may have managed to put his hands down first but even then would have broken bones in his wrists.

[–] alifeatthemovies 9 years ago

This fall and the explosion of red tempera paint from Christopher Lee's face are what made the movie so shocking.

I found this:

In the biography, Hammer Horror by Tom Johnson and Deborah Del Vecchio, cameraman Len Harris recalled that the actual filming posed numerous risks: "We had some near-misses. When Peter Cushing pushed the professor off the balcony, we had part of the floor padded - the part where the stunt man's head (Jock Easton) should have hit. Well...he missed! Easton also doubled for Lee in the climactic fire. "This was an extremely dangerous stunt," said Harris. "We had more men with fire extinguishers on the set than you could count! They don't pay these chaps enough!"

His IMDB listing is here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0247721/ Although it does not list a year of death, he died of cancer. I am not sure of the year. He had military training, according to this obit:

https://ilbraccialedisterline.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/chaptnbari-056.jpg