By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 5 cats
Director: Amanda Micheli
Country: united_states
Year: 2005
Running time: 81
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0424200/combined
Bruce says: “DOUBLE DARE is the story of two stunt women at different points in their career. Jeannie Epper at the age of 62 is the doyenne of Hollywood stuntwomen. Everyone knows and respects her. She has paid her dues many times over yet she still has to make calls every day to drum up business and remind people she is still around. ‘It is harder to get the job than it is to do the job,’ she points out. Concerned about aging, Jeannie pays visits to specialists to investigate liposuction and other cosmetic possibilities. In the stunt business, the men who run it are always looking for someone younger, more beautiful, with a better figure. Deeply religious, she visits a spiritual consultant at her church for guidance on becoming a stunt coordinator – an area where women are largely excluded. Jeannie feels the role of stunt coordinator is an opportunity ‘to give back what I have inside me.’
“Jeannie made her reputation when she was the double for Lynda Carter in WONDER WOMAN in (1976 – 1979). Since then she has worked consistently. Jeannie’s most recent stunt work has been on THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (8 weeks work, her longest gig in 20 years) and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK. Jeannie’s brother is a famous stuntman and coordinator. Her daughter Eurlyne is now a stuntwoman as well, but her career has been interrupted by childbirth and injuries. In her role as a grandmother Jeannie spends her free time teaching her four grandchildren simple stunts, presumably breaking them into the trade. Unlike many of her peers Jeannie has been blessed with few injuries.
“Zoë Bell’s first job was as stunt woman for XENA: THE WARRIOR PRINCESS (1995 – 2001). Bell is from New Zealand. We first see Zoë as Xena. As Xena flies through the air, her robe catches on fire. A couple of men armed with fire extinguishers quickly smother the flames. Zoë remains cool and calm throughout. No big deal, really. Zoë comes from an upper middle class New Zealand family that fully supports her efforts. Proud of her work she brags, ‘Look at this bruise, dad.’ She displays her bruise like a badge of honor. Stunt coordinators on XENA claim Zoë has an intuitive knowledge of how rigs work and the angles involved in the stunts she is required to perform.
“Zoë’s makes a trip to the states for a Xena convention. During her time here she meets Jeannie Epper. When she returns to New Zealand, however, it becomes clear that Zoë may have to leave the antipodes in order to have a full-fledged stunt career. There simply isn’t enough work down under. When Jeannie invites Zoë to return to the USA and be under her tutelage, Zoë jumps at the chance. During high fall training, Zoë gets a call to audition as body double for Uma Thurman in KILL BILL. Zoë is understandably nervous and gets lots of nurturing from Jeannie and Jeannie’s family. We get to see her audition and here Tarantino remark how he likes the fact Zoë is tough. Zoë Bell does land the job and we also get to see her train in China with a martial arts master.
“Jeannie Epper was instrumental in starting a Stuntwomen’s Association. Jeannie claims she ‘had to make my way in a man’s
world, in a man’s way, yet retain my femininity.’ This film makes it clear that stuntwomen are not treated the same as the men in
the business. For anyone who is familiar with the mechanisms of Hollywood, that should come as no surprise. Stuntwomen, in general, have tougher jobs than their male counterparts. Women almost always have elaborate costumes that make their stunts more difficult. And the first rule of the business is that the women always have to look good. No man in the business has to worry
about that.
“Amanda Micheli’s documentary is both instructive and inviting. DOUBLE DARE is a warm, engaging film that covers its subject lovingly and expertly, giving the audience a great insight into the stunt profession from what seem to be an objective point of view. Both Jeannie Epper and Zoë Bell are extraordinarily down-to-earth. We get to see enough of their personal lives to understand exactly who they are and how they feel about their place in this world.
“When I saw KILL BILL: VOL 2 a few days after seeing DOUBLE DARE, it was fun imagining Zoe as the one actually doing the stunts. In KILL BILL, The Bride (Uma Thurman) was one of the victims of a massacre at her wedding rehearsal. Was I surprised – the preacher’s wife was none other than Jeannie Epper! 5 cats
“This film was shown at the 2004 Woodstock Film Festival”
Michael says: “Forget the fact that DOUBLE DARE is about two fascinating, engaging and entertaining women, or that it’s a
sneak peek behind the scenes of the film industry, something I always enjoy, or that it has given me a renewed appreciation for a profession that is all too easy to take for granted, or that director Amanda Micheli constructed an inspiring, entertaining film… DOUBLE DARE has done something I never thought possible. After seeing this terrific film about working stuntwomen,
notably Jeannie Epper, most widely known for acting as Lynda Carter’s stunt double in ‘Wonder Woman,’ and Zoë Bell, who doubled for Lucy Lawless in ‘Xena, Warrior Princess,’ I actually want to see KILL BILL, something I had no interest of doing before!
“Micheli looks at the careers of Epper and Bell from their early days to the present. Both women are thoroughly engaging and fun to watch. They are tough, determined and smart, and watching them some 40 years apart in age, struggling in different points in their careers is nothing short of inspiring. Epper has earned the respect of filmmakers and actors through her hard work and dedication to her profession, but now, with her dream of becoming a stunt coordinator, a heretofore men-only club,
she still encounters the all-too impenetrable glass ceiling. Bell, on the other hand, was an athletic tomboy in New Zealand when she fell into the job of doubling for Lucy Lawless. She is embarking on a career that led her to Hollywood and the amazing opportunity to double for Uma Thurman’s ‘Bride’ in KILL BILL. The camaraderie shared by these two women when they meet is
a joy to behold. Micheli doesn’t sidestep the danger inherent in the career as a stuntwoman amidst all the excitement and fun. Epper’s daughter Eurlyne received damage to her neck/spine which took her out of the stuntwoman profession for several years. Micheli also handles other scenes with a gentle touch, particularly at a Xena convention where the multitude of extreme fans are portrayed with kindness, showing the joy they bring to their beloved television performers.
“DOUBLE DARE is a feel-good film that examines an under-exposed segment of the movie-making machine. 5 cats”
Chadd says: “To add to Michael’s review, I think the most striking thing about this film was the fact that the 2 ‘protagonists’ in
the film appeared so GENUINE. I feel that it’s a rare feat for a documentary to be able to present people (esp. adults) as ‘people’ and not ‘people who turn into on-screen characters for the movie because the camera is present’. Obviously, this ‘style’ (so to speak) is still created via the director’s choices and the editing, but it was done in such a fantastic way that it appeared transparent to the audience (at least for me).”
Diane says: “Excellent! I really think that are few moviegoers who wouldn’t enjoy DOUBLE DARE. I am so ashamed of my paralysis when faced with jumping five feet into a swimming hole last summer. 5 cats.”
Barbara says: “Hopefully, most members will get to see this documentary. I agree with Diane in that I would be hard pressed to
think of anyone who would not like this film. Jeannie Epper is amazing and still going strong at 64. 5 Cats”