THE RETURN of the SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN and the BIONIC WOMAN 1987

We're back this week with a look at a quirky TV movie spin off of two very successful TV shows starring LEE MAJORS and LINDSEY WAGNER.

Directed by stuntman, actor, author and bodyguard RAY AUSTIN and the stunts are coordinated by the legendary ALAN GIBBS

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Transcript

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Hello, and welcome to this week's look at the world of action and stunts on film and television. Every once in a while, a group of filmmakers get together because they want to work with other members of that casting crew, or they're enticed by location or great script. This week we look at a project that involves many wonderful professionals with great track records, and they all give their best. But the final offering isn't as great as perhaps it should have been. I refer to the 1987 TV movie, The Return of the Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman.

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Sunday, Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner are back in an all-new Bionic movie. Like fun. With more incredible powers, they take on international terrorists. There's been a series of sabotage raids, joined by a son with a blinding force. Mr. Michael Chipov, the old block. Sunday, the return of the $6 million man and the Bionic Woman.

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On paper, it's a great idea to bring these two characters back together again for a one-off TV adventure. Lee Majors returns as Steve Austin, Lindsay Wagner is back as Jamie Summers, and Richard Anderson returns as Oscar Goldman. It's directed by prolific stunt man Ray Austen, and the stunt coordinator and second unit director is the incredible Alan Gibbs. Now the problem is that the script is really bad. I mean, dialogue that just shouldn't have been given the green light. And perhaps Ray Austen knew this as he litters the plot with great action sequences. The fascinating thing for me about Bionics on this show is that every time there's an opportunity to show them off, the picture must be slowed down. In one sequence, Austin arrives in a car park, gets out of his car, and discovers that Jamie is being bundled into another car and driven off at speed. Well, instead of jumping into his car and giving chase, he slams the door and runs after the car on foot. But to show just how fast he's going, the shots of him running are shown in extra slow-mo. And it just always staggers me. To accentuate speed, they have to show the opposite. I've never understood it and probably never will. The stunt coordinator was Alan Gibbs, who was born on November 24th, 1940, in Hollywood, Florida. Now he worked as a bartender at a restaurant called Edna Earl's Fog Cutter in Los Angeles prior to deciding to pursue a career as a stunt man in the mid-60s. Now, after striking up a friendship with his neighbour and fellow stuntman Charlie Bale, among the notable actors that Alan doubled for are Burt Reynolds, Dustin Hoffman, Charlie Bronson, and Jack Nicholson. Moreover, Gibbs founded the fraternal organization, the International Stunt Association, in 1980, and Alan very sadly died of cancer at just 47 on March 18, 1988. Well his involvement in this picture is critical to the great action sequences that ultimately save the project. Now, as TV budgets go, back in 1987 this cost over $4 million to make, which is certainly not a cheap flick. Acclaimed actor Martin Landau is cast as the villain, and an actor who would consistently deliver in every project he'd been involved in was cast as one of the doctors, a certain Brian Cranston. Oh, and to top it all off, Academy Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlish is in charge of the score. The gags are done in camera, as you'd expect. Alan Gibbs brings in Stuntman Bobby Burns to double for Lee Majors in a number of shots, including the classic jumps from the top of or bottom of buildings. This is done again in camera, but often in reverse, if our heroes are jumping up to a rooftop. Starting at the top in a crouched landing position, the stunt double jumps backwards, keeping as straight as possible for a few beats before tucking to land on his back in a box rig or catcher. Played forward, it gives the impression that they've just performed a huge bionic leap up to the roof. On a couple of occasions, Alan has set up a couple of shots that he hopes the editor will assist him with, only to find out in the edit that the editor couldn't have cared less about the stuntman's position in the air. An example is when Steve Austin must chase a car which has kidnapped Jamie Somers. After jumping up to a building's roof, he runs across to see the car has turned the corner and is now directly below him. So he jumps from the roof onto the roof of the car. A jump of some 50 feet, and one where the stunt man must leap as if attempting to catch a trapeze, then turn in the air so he can land safely in the box ring. Sadly, the editor hasn't cut in early enough, so it's very clear that the $6 million man is turning in mid-air for no obvious reason. Made even worse then by the following shot showing him landing on the roof of the station wagon on all fours. These things are just sent to test you, right? So that's it for now. Join me on Friday when we'll take a look at the action and explore some of the in-camera special effects which allows the stunt team to do their thing. Don't forget to click the link in the show notes and subscribe, and until then, it's bye for now.