Stuntwork of Angel.

POSTED BY: TheSomnambulist
UPDATED: Thursday, June 29, 2006 14:30
VIEWED: 8507
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THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 1:04 PM

Ok well fairly simple really. Your favourite and maybe not so favourite stunts in Angel.

Cheers
The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

AMYEL

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 1:21 PM

I haven't slept in over 30 hours so I probably can't think of my actual favorite ones. But in terms of "most recent," I liked the part in 'Shells' when Illyria threw Angel through the lab observation window, which caused him to go through the office window, down 30 floors, and finally SMACK! on the pavement. They really made that one look painful.

As for not so favorite, there were some times that I think the stunt men just wanted to show off. There were plenty of random flippy things that were just uneccesary in fight scenes. I also wasn't too fond of the Angel-Lindsey fight in 'You're Welcome'. I can buy that Lindsey got some wacky mojo for a smackdown, but how come all of a sudden Angel can just do a backflip up 50ft onto a ledge? And when Connor came back from Quor'toth--those computer effects of him hopping on top of a moving bus were just baaaaaad. Like nearly Clash of the Titans bad.

There was also a vampire, I think it was in 'Deep Down' that skittered up a building like a cockroach. I understand that vampires can have their own unique talents, but their abilities/strength just depends on the episode and what needs to be done. Buffy (the character) was also like that.

For one undecided stunt: in 'Destiny' during the big fight scene when Spike sort of... floats/flies down from the balcony to the ground. When I first saw it I laughed, but I'm just not sure what to think of that one.

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 1:41 PM

Cheers AMYEL.

You've given me some stuff to check out tonight :D I love stunt work, so much so I don't mind if they show off :D However I'll check out the Angel-Lindsey fight. I can never rememeber the episode titles so I can't pin point which stunt to which episode, but I'll try and make a few notes tonight.

I do remember the one where Angel leaps over a gate, while Wes and Gunn figure out how to get over it and then Angel just hits the deck running. That was impressive to be so fluid when dropped from such a height, even if on wires.... Cool.

I know the one you're talking about where Angel gets flung out the building - I remember thinking that was funny, just seeing Angels face :)

As for the Connor one, well that's just dodgey CGI.

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

AMYEL

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 2:10 PM

I generally just like it when vampires get thrown off of buildings. Spike had a good one in Damage, 'cuz his reaction was just like "whoopsie!" Like slayers just happen to toss him out buildings all the time. Well... with Spike...maybe, you just never know with him and slayers.

Not really a stunt- but I loved the part in Reunion when Dru snuck up on Angel and whacked him with a shovel. It's right up there when Spike beat the crud out of Angelus in Becoming II. David Boreanaz just has the funniest pain faces ever. Actually, that whole scene with Angel, Dru, and Darla had some pretty good fights too.

Ooh, and when Wes goes to get Faith out of prison, the "Step away from the glass" thing was really badass. Though they kind of messed up the part when Faith busts them out of the building. When they land on that car, Wes is supposed to land on top of Faith and let her take the brunt of the fall since she's supergirl, but the Wes-guy lands on his shoulder, which would have just shattered everything on a human, but Wes rolls off and jokes about being 5x5.

I just try to ignore the stray shoulder since it's still awesome.

Angel's stuntman, Mike Massa, who is also the stunt coordinator, is just really cool. Stunts were like, "the thing" for AtS, so they got a huge chunk of the budget (whereas the budget for BtVS went to the cast, thus much more tamer fights in comparison).

There was also a cool thing with Angel swinging around a lampost, but I don't remember which episode that was.

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 7:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by amyel:
I liked the part in 'Shells' when Illyria threw Angel through the lab observation window, which caused him to go through the office window, down 30 floors, and finally SMACK! on the pavement.

You know, that was high in my mind! Halfway down, I wondered if he was really gonna hit the ground- then he DID! It all looked great.

I also L O V E D Angel's fight with Faith in Five By Five. Very tight and fierce.
The wire work in Angel (not so used in Buffy) was generally spot-on. I really like when characters go-a-flying.
And the use of 'motion jumping' was cool. Seeing a stuntman smash thru a square collumn in season five first in real time, then cut to slo-mo halfway through was slick.

Cool to be nearly indestructable Chrisisall

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 10:05 PM

Good call you guys. Faith was always good for some fighting. Always enjoyed Buffy and Faith fighting.

Just wanted to post this link to a clip of a stunt which always took my breath away. I'd like to know if this is wire work, or some sort of jig that flips the stuntman across the otherside of the room.

This by the way came from season one, episode two "Lonely Hearts"

www.cirqus.com/stunts/flung_angel.AVI

Hope this works for everyone. Sorry about the quality but I had to record it from the digicam.
The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 10:08 PM

Originally posted by amyel:

Quote:
Angel's stuntman, Mike Massa, who is also the stunt coordinator, is just really cool. Stunts were like, "the thing" for AtS, so they got a huge chunk of the budget (whereas the budget for BtVS went to the cast, thus much more tamer fights in comparison).

There was also a cool thing with Angel swinging around a lampost, but I don't remember which episode that was.

Yeah I'm glad Joss always sung his praises because the work for Angel was always top notch. I'd love to have been a stunt co-ordinator for this show, there was always so much scope, what with the plethora of demons on hand.

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

CHRISISALL

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 10:20 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist:

Just wanted to post this link to a clip of a stunt which always took my breath away. I'd like to know if this is wire work, or some sort of jig that flips the stuntman across the otherside of the room.

Nice one! This is an easy to set up/hard to get right stunt. The editing looks like the stuntman is lifted off the ground, when in reality, he's just coming off a trampolene, bouncing up and foward. He must have been heavily padded, and I hope there was a box or large pillow under the table he landed on. Notice the wall he first hits move a little, it's good it wasn't that solidly built...
But yeah, stunt perfection!
I'd forgotten that one.

Chrisisall

THESOMNAMBULIST

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 11:10 PM

Originally posted by chrisisall:

Quote:
Nice one! This is an easy to set up/hard to get right stunt. The editing looks like the stuntman is lifted off the ground, when in reality, he's just coming off a trampolene, bouncing up and foward. He must have been heavily padded, and I hope there was a box or large pillow under the table he landed on. Notice the wall he first hits move a little, it's good it wasn't that solidly built...
But yeah, stunt perfection!
I'd forgotten that one.

Cheers Chris. This is the one that really got me! This was when I realised ANGEL would be a kickass show!! I simply had to stop the DVD and just replay this again and again. Like you say I hope the stuntman had some padding and a soft landing because that STILL looks painful. I love the flight through the air it's absolutely perfect - beautiful in fact.

Cheers
The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

GROUNDED

Wednesday, June 7, 2006 11:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by amyel:
There was also a cool thing with Angel swinging around a lampost, but I don't remember which episode that was.

War Zone?

That ep also has one of my favourites, which is Gunn grabbing onto the back of the van and then falling off it while it's in motion. A simple looking stunt shot really effectively.

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