The True Adventures of the World's Greatest Stuntman

by Vic Armstrong

"No CGI can match what Vic can accomplish" - Steven Spielberg

"Vic is The Man" - Pierce Brosnan

"Vic Armstrong is, of course, a legend" - Martin Scorsese

"This is the best and most original behind-the-scenes book I have read in years, gripping and revealing. Vic Armstrong is modest, humorous and wry - altogether brilliant company." - Roger Lewis, Daily Mail

"[A] page-turner... I couldn't put it down! I had a great time reading this book and give it my highest recommendation." - Leonard Maltin

"[Vic has] been this unheralded savior of movie magic for decades, and hearing how he makes the incredible credible is a must for any film fan." - Hollywood.com

"Armstrong's a fascinating guy and a straight shooter. His book is fantastic." - Ain't It Cool News

"The man is a legend in the industry... [A] mind-blowing, must-read biography." - Movies.com

"The movie memoir of the year!" - SciFi Mafia

"[Vic] talks to you like he’s your cool uncle, or the uncle you wished you had, really down to earth, but at the same time you can tell he’s got a twinkle in his eye as he’s talking..." - Geek Six

“A hell of a read.” – Film School Rejects

"The key to an entertaining autobiography is a combination of good stories to tell and a distinctive life; Armstrong has them both." - Library Journal

"Armstrong has done it all." - Empire

"A spills’n’thrills ride through a fast-forward life in pictures." - The Times

"Armstrong takes us on the spectacular journey of his life that left me wondering who would be brave enough to play him in a movie. What a legacy! What a life! What a book!" - Geeks of Doom

--

Think you don’t know Vic Armstrong?

Wrong! You’ve seen his work in countless films...

He’s been a stunt double for James Bond, Indiana Jones and Superman, and he’s directed action scenes for three Bond movies, Mission Impossible 3 , Thor , and the upcoming The Amazing Spider-Man to name but a few.

Counting Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg and Arnold Schwarzenegger among his friends, and officially credited in the Guinness Book of World Records as the World's Most Prolific Stuntman, Vic’s got a lot of amazing stories to tell, and they’re all here in this - the movie memoir of the year!

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Media Tie In, Memoir, Film

Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2011

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Biographies are a strange breed of books, a genre of which I am still finding my way around. This title is pretty explanatory however I still wasnt sure what I was letting myself in for.
The book is broken down in to short chapters some only a couple of pages long. Each chapter represents a part of Vic Armstrong's career and development of the stuntman and coordinator he is today. These chapters are usually represented as a film or show that he has had some sort of professional connection to - so for example the first film he did high wire work with, the first film he used a motorcycle and side car with and so on. The book is a fascinating insight in to the world of a film stuntman and he almost always has positive things to say about all those he has worked with or met. A rare sentiment in this modern world.
However the book really can be summed up on one simple statement - you could have learnt all of this just as easily as if you met him down the pub over a pint as you would reading his book.Each "episode" for want of a better description reads like someone in a comfy chair reminiscing about their former adventures. This style can either enchant you - it does make for easy and enjoyable reading or can infuriate you as it really does not tell you anything beyond a few tales and personal opinions.
Me I found it refreshing when the world of film and TV seems to be full of egos and reputations you have someone here who has captured the respect of his peers and who's very job means that his success is measured in being mistaken for someone else.

[Alan Kingsley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one, but what a boring, badly-written disappointment it turned out to be. Almost every chapter dealt with movies I love but told stories I just didn't care about.

About halfway through, I started skipping around to look at chapters that caught my eye. I hoped that *something* might reinvigorate my interest, but each one had the same bland, rambling anecdotes about a guy he met or a fall he took. I wanted to find the things he talks about fascinating, but it was all so anemic that I finally put the book down unfinished.

Vic Armstrong has clearly led a life most of us only dream about and achieved impressive heights in his dangerous career. Other than a nice photo gallery in the middle, though, there is nothing in his memoir that made me feel anything other than bored.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve long been a fan of behind-the-scenes stuff on films and in the early 80s, thanks to “The Fall Guy” and a Harold Lloyd run on BBC2, I became fascinated with stunt men. Most were American but then I started to hear about this bloke called Vic Armstrong, who did a lot of work on the Indiana Jones films (which I loved) and I kept noticing his name on credits - a sure sign the action in the film would be good. This book is his collection of memories and it makes for fascinating reading. Following a cursory early biography, each film he worked on is allotted its own chapter (most are only a few pages long, they get more indepth as his career progresses) but rather than give us the nuts-and-bolts of the stuntwork (which I would have liked to see more of), he tells us about everything else - this reads, almost, like you’re sitting in the pub with him and he’s regaling you with anecdotes. In fact, the only time he gets into specifics is when he mentions inventing the fan descender (a device which allowed for much safer high falls, reducing the need - and attendant risk - for airbags) whilst making “Green Ice” in 1981 but there’s not a hint of gloating (though he does seem regretful he didn’t patent the equipment).

Along the way, he speaks quite frankly of the films, the crew and the cast but doesn’t stint on praise and whilst he clearly enjoys excellent friendships with the likes of Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Tom Cruise (all of whom come across very well), he seems to delight in the fact that actors are often really nice people, who remember him (or his wife, kids or horses) years later and it’s a lovely touch. Interspersed with the text are testimonials, from the likes of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ford and Arnie, Martin Scorsese, Pierce Brosnan and Kenneth Branagh (amongst many others), all of whom highlight Armstrong’s friendly professionalism and simple approach to his craft. Spielberg and Lucas, who found a true creative ally for the Indy films, come across particularly very well, with George having given Armstrong his break on directing first unit with a Young Indy episode. He’s also not afraid to speak his mind - some of the disagreements with actors and directors are amusing - and his discovery of how shark ‘trainers’ operate (whilst making “Never Say Never Again”) clearly appals him - he’s a keen horseman (his Dad was a farrier for the Olympic team) and his concern for the welfare of people and animals is quite clear.

As mentioned, I’d have preferred a little more of an indepth biography (we don’t know why his first marriage collapsed and his son Bruce seems to disappear from the book long before the end) and Armstrong is poorly served by his writer at times (especially in the early section, when it appears Sellers simply transcribed interviews, with no attempt made to smooth out the answers so the natural repetition and “oh yes, I remember this happened…” moments you would hear are included in all their glory), but those niggles aside, this is a great read. Armstrong comes across well, as both a nice bloke and a very professional craftsman and it’s great to read about an English stuntman who has done so much to transform an exciting part of the film industry. Very much recommended.

[Gareth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pick the name of a movie out of a hat and there’s a good chance Vic Armstrong has worked on it, as a stuntman or stunt co-ordinator or second unit director. His memoir rattles through his dizzying list of jobs, each one carrying some interesting behind the scenes story or hair-raising near miss. As befits his profession he’s never far away from pointing out a crewman that *did* die or suffer a horrendous injury on a film set. It’s only because he’s so good at what he does, and so lucky, that he avoids it.

Vic Armstrong’s book is a great guide to the world of film stunts, but also to the general workload that is *not* the job of the name director. I was surprised just how much of these movies wasn’t down to Spielberg, Verhoeven and so on. Armstrong is justifiably proud of his work but he doesn’t have an ego about it. He comes across as a pragmatic, uncomplicated guy with a cheerful outlook, and his stories are entertaining. There are gobs of photos throughout covering his whole career.

Where the book falls down a little is that it’s wall to wall film sets and stories, always - like Vic himself - moving onto the next thing. It’s easy to put down and pick up again without breaking any sort of flow, so for me it didn’t gain any sort of momentum and I couldn’t sit and power through it. Despite the credited assistance of Robert Sellers you get the sense that it was left pretty much as the author laid it out.

I’d still recommend it quite highly for movie fans as it shows a side of Hollywood that is often glossed over - including, more often than I’m used to in film books, accounts of movies that got underway and were then scrapped. You should read it if you want to know how the action happens, just don’t expect it to vary wildly in tone.

[Roger Kean · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary life, lived to the full, and by no means over. Go to the end first and read the looong list of films that Vic Armstrong, film stuntman extraordinary, has appeared in, disguised as one famous actor or another.

The style is entirely personal documentary, unvarnished, not necessarily polished, but honest sounding.Even before you're a quarter in, the engaging character of the man comes across—neither boastful nor falsely modest. The nicest aspect is how much Vic gets along with his often difficult directors and stars, but how much he admires and likes them (Michael Winner and Keanau Reeves apart).

For a movie buff, the book is a must. It reveals so much that is hidden in film making in literally hundreds of anecdotes about the process, the people, and especially the stars. There's also a lot about horses, too.

[Lucas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what kind of book I expected from a stuntman, but this is a mess. Armstrong is all over the place, the world's greatest stuntman needs the world's greatest proof reader. He goes from stressing the importance of work ethic in one sentence to openly bashing directors and executives in the next. Some areas of the book are completely irrelevant, like when he describes meeting Marlon Brando by explaining how much money he made for his 10 minutes in Superman or when he brags about helping some dickhead steal 3 meters of film from Stanley Kubrick. Many of his stories come across as either suspect or downright bullshit. A big disappointment.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The World's Greatest Stuntman" could have benefited from "The World's Greatest Editor". This disappointing memoir is too long, too self-congratulatory, and too full of celebrity name-dropping.
If you're looking for the inside scoop on how they do all those pre-CGI stunts, look elsewhere.

[James Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read. The writing is detailed without getting bogged down, and there are many compelling stories, tidbits, and anecdotes. The book keeps a good pace throughout, and doesn't feels slow or dull. Good pictures without being overwhelming or taking away of substance.

[Nate · Rating 1 out of 5]

How can a book about a stuntman be so goddamn boring. Blegh.

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, you are walking across a hotel lobby and you bump into a fellow and it turns out to be Vic Armstrong. You babble incoherently for a few seconds, trying to close your slacking jaw, then you offer to buy him a beer to apologise. To your surprise he says yes, so off you go to the bar and he regales you with a few stories. His money is no good for the evening so you continue to keep him well lubricated as a few of his friends join the table. During this time, other than laughing at the antics and grimacing at some of the injuries you hardly say anything at all as this is movie making magic at its finest. It is only with reluctance, and the fact that the bar had shut an hour or two before that you finally part ways after one of the best evenings of your life. That is what this book is. It is a recollection of a life well-lived by a man who loves his profession and excelled in it. You witness the evolution of a craftsman who earns the respect of his peers and the world by doing things most of us will only ever dream about.

The book follows Vic's life from a young lad, crazy about horses, to a minor start in front of the camera doing stunt work. It traces his lifer from that point forward, discussing many of the movies he worked on, many of the set pieces he either performed, designed or both, and also talks about many of the other actors, directors, and professionals he has worked with over his brilliant career. In discussing his experiences, both good and bad, he provides an insight of what goes on in crafting an action sequence, including how he navigated difficult encounters while still getting the job done. He is not afraid to complement where deserved or to give an honest recounting of events when things were not going so smoothly. The genuine candor and humor he brings to the book makes it an absolute corker!

This book was released in 2011 and I was unaware of it until I had heard Vic interviewed and he mentioned it. I ordered it the same day, had it two days later and read it pretty much immediately. You can imagine I had high expectations and they were met. This was a terrifically fun read and is highly recommended. Thank you Vic, outstanding job!

[Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

This man has without a doubt had an incredible career. He is, almost definitely, a super nice guy and probably awesome to hang out with.

He is not, however, a writer. This book was very clearly published on its first draft, and for whatever reason never saw the eyes of an editor or proofreader. The sheer number of grammatical errors is staggering.

Vic's stories meander and drag on and change topic and lose the plot and run on much in the same way that this sentence here does. He writes exactly like I am sure he talks. His thick British accent and working class background oozes through his prose and not in a good way.

This book has many redeeming qualities. Learning how some of the most memorable shots in film history were done behind the scenes, hearing anecdotes from the sets of these movies, and hearing about the off-camera personalities of some of the biggest celebrities are all really big pluses. These things all easily would make it a 4 star book if not for the horrid writing. It's just so bad and it never gets better.

A final critique: the book is way too long. It's nearly 400 pages in the edition I read! I am used to reading books that are over 1000 pages, so it's not like I can't handle it, but does a book about funny or interesting tidbits on movie sets need to be this long? I think not. Could have lost 100 pages and the pacing would have been much better.

All in all I'm not mad I read it, and I would recommend certain passages to film history buffs, but overall it was a negative experience

[Thomas Radigan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea certainly was intriguing-what is it like to be a movie stuntman, and how the industry and culture changed over the decades. And the author does cover that.

So what went wrong? He does cover his life, how he and his father used to be horse breakers in England, successful but it never paid very much, and how he disliked going to school, and how he did work for movies that ended up paying a lot more, and how his adopted profession made him travel the world, put him in constant physical danger, how he had to invent or change things, and as his prestige grew he could get directors to change things, and even would become a director himself.

But he skims over many aspects. He had a wife whom he would divorce and later would marry a fellow stuntwoman but provides no details. He also mentions his children going into the stunt business with him-but did he really give them a choice? (I remember Isaac Asimov saying how much he did not want to inherit his father's candy store.) He also drops a lot of names and says how great or terrible the various people were, but tends to repeat himself a lot, and we don't find out what year when X or Y happened. He also mentioned Harvey Weinstein and calls him a great director, but you wonder if he had any idea about his criminal sexual behavior. An editor should definitely have gotten involved with this book.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am enjoying this book so far, but I may stop reading it because the language is so bad.

UPDATE:
OK, I give up. I'm giving this 2 stars because I was really into this book the first 250 pages, but then, it just got redundant and boring and crass. It definitely doesn't make me want to go into the movie business - it appears that all people who work on movies do is screw around and party and get drunk, which I'm sure appeals to many, many people. Just not me. This author definitely likes to toot his own horn: "I'm the inventor of the fan descender ... I should have named it after me!" "Stuntmen are tough. We get the job done even when we have a broken (insert various appendages here)." "I'm name dropping. And again with the name dropping." Yadda, yadda, yadda.
Same stories. Different names. I'm bored.

[Sarah Bauer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed the conversational voice of the book, and the fact that it was a bunch of anecdotes rather than a full memoir. That gives the book a sort of charm. However, I think it went a little too far in the conversational direction and made many grammatical errors that were jarring and confusing. As a result, sometimes the book was a bit of a drag. It's definitely not one to marathon read. Reading a few chapters a day would have been better, but I had a 6 hour car ride and nothing else to do.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing isn't the best and for someone who's had such an action packed life and career you'd think his storytelling ability would be greater. The book has a lot of insider info and it's an interest take on moviemaking and politics.

[Michael Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating read but Armstrong tends to end every description of an actor or director as, "They were really great blokes" and at times it sounds as if he is worried about pissing off potential clients for future jobs. Still it was a great look into an industry I've always found fascinating.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Books about acting and the industry
recommended by Spotlight staff.

Time spent sitting with a book is never wasted. It’s a chance to relax, contemplate, and absorb information entirely at your own pace. When we have time on our hands it’s also an opportunity to branch out and learn more about any number of topics.

There is a vast array of fantastic stories to learn from, be they from fellow performers, teachers, theatre-makers or people who can shine a light on what happens behind the scenes. We've read quite a few of them so we thought we'd share some of our book recommendations with you! Not only are these titles a great read, but you may also learn something that could help your career too.

Books by Performers

1. Character Breakdown by Zawe Ashton
2. Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life by Michael Caine
3. Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston
4. Behind the Scenes by Judi Dench
5. What's My Motivation? by Michael Simkins
6. Bossypants by Tina Fey

Behind the Scenes Books

1. Balancing Acts: Behind the Scenes at the National Theatre by Nicholas Hytner
2. Quentin Tarantino: Interviews
3. The True Adventures of the World's Greatest Stuntman: My Life as Indiana Jones, James Bond, Superman and Other Movies by Vic Armstrong

Books about Acting Techniques and Tips

1. Stella Adler: The Art of Acting by Howard Kissel
2. Presence: How to Use Positive Energy for Success in Every Situation by Patsy Rodenburg
3. Secrets of Performing Confidence: For Musicians, Singers, Actors and Dancers by Andrew Evans
4. A Life-coaching Approach to Screen Acting by Daniel Dresner
5. Surviving Hollywood: How to Ensure the Acting Industry Doesn't Chew You Up and Spit You Out by Julia Farino

[Jimmy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up to read while on break from some Foreign Legion fiction, and didn't put it down until I finished. I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining, down to earth, interesting, and contemporary a read it was.

Vic Armstrong started doing stunts due to his experience with horses and desire to help support his family - and if you've worked with horses, you know you can learn a lot about what motivates people and animals, about early hours and working even when you're half dead, and about safety - and he continued doing stunts based on his work ethic, nerve and interest.

He provides a play-by-play of key stunts and relationships on movie he worked through his career to date, which has evolved from stuntman to company owner to unit director to director; as a result, this book reads like a who's who of the top directors. He's included reviews of his work, which has been with the best names in the business, such as Spielberg, Branagh, Scorsese, to name a few. And he's smart enough to recognize that he lived under a lucky star many times both in the opportunities he was offered and in the stunts that went smoothly.

Although at times the pinging from movie to movie got a little tedious - which I'm sure was true for him as well - the book was always entertaining, especially as he explained what stunts are real and what stunts were CGI, and discussed the exciting stunts he did for even the worst box office performers. Comes across as a thoroughly likable guy; the book is definitely recommended for the movie buff.

[S.Q. Eries · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Summary

“The world’s greatest stuntman” is a big title to lay claim to, but Vic Armstrong is unarguably one of the most successful men in the business. With a career spanning nearly 50 years, he’s got a lot of crazy stories about the things he’s done on and off the set and the famous personalities he’s encountered. Though the technical and partying aspects get jumbled together, his autobiography is an entertaining read, and the nice thing is that Armstrong’s narrative runs up to the present day, including his work on The Amazing Spider-Man movie coming out this summer.

The Review

When I first got assigned this book, I thought the title was rather pretentious. After all, it’s an autobiography, and the man’s calling himself “the world’s greatest stuntman.” So I messaged my stuntman friend Ian Eyre (yes, he is a stuntman, and yes, he happens to be my friend), and asked if he’d ever heard of Vic Armstrong. As it turns out, they’d both worked on Charlie’s Angels (Armstrong was the second unit director/stunt coordinator, and Ian was on the Effects crew). Ian went on to say that Armstrong really is a big deal, and that I should go to his IMDb.com page to check out his credits.

Suffice to say, they’re quite extensive. They run the gamut of low-budget never-heard-of-them-films to blockbusters such as Superman, Indiana Jones, and The Amazing Spider-Man film to be released this summer. He’s also got an Oscar, a BAFTA Award, and a World Stunt Lifetime Achievement Award, all of which lends credence to the “world’s greatest stuntman” title.

In terms of the book itself, it’s rather thick, 55 chapters, plus an introduction by Steven Spielberg, a filmography, and an index. Most chapters, though, are short enough to breeze through in 5 minutes. Also interspersed throughout are remarks from celebrities such as Pierce Brosnan, Harrison Ford, Angelina Jolie, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Martin Scorsese, and various black-and-white photographs. Unfortunately, the pictures are kind of muddy; some shots are of very famous personalities, but you wouldn’t know who they were without the captions. In contrast, there are 15 pages of color photos printed on glossy stock that are much nicer to look at.

The book’s tone throughout is casual, not unlike that of an older man sharing his exploits at the local pub. As such, the text includes quite a bit of cussing (though they’re generally quotes) as well as grammatical errors. You’re also never quite sure when anything takes place because Armstrong doesn’t provide many specific dates. I should mention that Armstrong is British, and the book was printed in the UK, meaning that British slang and terms are used throughout. On top of the British English, Armstrong uses a lot of film jargon, and there’s no glossary. So if you’re not familiar with terms such as dailies, AD, and second unit, you’ll be looking them up.

Like most autobiographies, he begins with his early life, which, though it has more to do with the equestrian world than film, is fairly remarkable in of itself. Son of Robert Armstrong, farrier (blacksmith) to the British Olympic team from 1948 to 1964, Vic Armstrong was born in the British countryside, but his childhood included a brief stint in Kenya at the time of the Mau Mau uprising. Horses feature largely in his upbringing, and Armstrong likely would’ve been a jockey if he’d been shorter. However, his ability to ride was his ticket into film. He mentions that although stuntmen are expected to perform a range of stunts, each usually has some specialty that got him into the business, and for Armstrong, it was horses.

The book then moves on his stunt career, which can be divided into three general parts: his early days struggling to break into film; his prime stuntman roles where he doubled actors such as Harrison Ford and Christopher Reeve; and his second unit director work. Because he’s been around so long, he provides an interesting perspective on the changes in the movie business. When he first started, stuntmen were risking their lives for a pittance, and the bad old days where horses routinely got injured or killed during stunts were still fresh in memory. So part of his narrative includes how he performed a particular stunt way back when and how it would be done now. For instance, he used to do fire jobs (where they set him on fire) with Nomex underwear and asbestos; nowadays they use a nifty fire retardant/coolant called Zel Gel. Some of the most engaging parts of the book describe how they performed stunts, such as the Superman flying scenes, without the benefit of CG. In the later chapters, he writes critically about the overuse of CG. Although he does rely on CG himself, he’s adamant that there are certain stunts that cannot be replicated by computer.

Generally speaking, his descriptions of stunt work are straightforward enough for a layperson to follow, but there were a few setups, like the Piccadilly Circus crash for An American Werewolf in London, that I read several times and still didn’t understand. He also describes the conception and design of the fan descender, the device for which he won his Oscar, in great detail, but for some reason, the book doesn’t include a photo. Despite everything he wrote about the fan descender, I had no idea what the thing looked like (I wound up asking my friend Ian to draw a sketch of it for me).

There’s also quite a bit of name-dropping in the book. Armstrong’s rubbed shoulders with a host of producers, directors, and celebrities, and more pages are devoted to his anecdotes about famous and outrageous personalities than actual stunt work. In fact, there’s one chapter entitled “Mrs. Mick Jagger” solely about his brief stint as Bianca Jagger’s bodyguard and how he hung out with the Jaggers in Europe.

As much as he writes about the rich and famous, Armstrong doesn’t include much about his personal life off the set. Family members get brief mentions and only in the context of film projects. The two exceptions are his father and his sister Diana, who passed away last year. But given the fact that his brother, wife, children, and nephews are all in the film industry (and mostly the stunt business) and keep popping up in the pages shows what a huge influence his career has had on the people closest to him.

[Stephanie Roberson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a argument with Paul Verhoeven
"......he looked at me and said 'Basically what you're telling me is I'm a fucking idiot'. I said, 'Now, that's a catchy phrase you've used there Paul, not that I'd use it myself'. And he fell about laughing."

At a bar in Thailand
"Then I realised: without fail every night somebody from our group would end up dancing on the table. That's why they gave us a table without a ceiling fan - the restaurant was worried about us getting decapitated! They were thinking of our welfare, bless 'em."

Regarding a meeting with George Lucas
"He owned a post-production facility nearby so we arranged to meet there. He turned up two hours late. 'I went the wrong way,' he said. 'I've never been here before.' That really amazed me: he owned the whole damn corporation and had never even been there."

Regarding Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett was lovely, a gutsy, fun person. I wanted to adopt her, but her mother wouldn't let me. She's very similar to Cameron Diaz in that the whole place lights up when she walks into the room."

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Copy of review posted on my Facebook page on 5/1/20.) I just finished reading a very fun book, “The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman” (Vic Armstrong, 2011).

Armstrong, who started out as a stunt double in 1967—attaining the distinction of most prolific stuntman ever according to the Guinness Book of World Records—went on to become a highly esteemed stunt coordinator and "second unit director" on a multitude of films including some of the most well remembered of the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s (and on into the 2010s).

The first part of this memoir of Armstrong’s which covers his early years growing up in the U.K. up through the start of his career as a stuntman is somewhat interesting.

However, once he starts discussing each of the films he worked on, *that’s* when the book gets really interesting as Armstrong jumps from one well known (and also lesser known) movie project after another.

He has a very nice, conversational writing style and he keeps his chapters very short, which adds to the whirlwind like nature of a successful motion picture stunt man, stunt coordinator, and second unit director. Most chapters are dedicated to one particular movie and the work Armstrong did on that picture, but in some cases he is getting a call to do one while still working on another, flying back and forth between projects.

As a child of the 1970s and 80s, many of the films Vic Armstrong worked on had a big impact on me and still do to this day. Doubling Christopher Reeve on the first two Superman movies and Harrison Ford on the original Indiana Jones trilogy--Armstrong strongly resembled Ford and not only doubled him in the stunt work on those films but also filled in for Ford for several weeks on “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” when Ford seriously injured his back and had to have back surgery in the middle of production--are probably the most significant for me, personally, but he also did so much more, and reading of his encounters with various actors (Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Will Smith, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, etc.), directors (Steven Spielberg, Richard Attenborough, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Richard Donner, John Landis, David Lynch, Roman Polanski, Kenneth Branagh, Paul Verhoeven, James Cameron, Roland Emmerich, McG, David Goyer, J.J. Abrams, Bryan Singer, etc.), producers (George Lucas, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson of Eon Productions, the makers of the official James Bond films, etc.) really puts one back into the time frame Armstrong was making these movies in if they are old enough.

I highly recommend this book for fans of movies and/or movie making, and for those who just watched a lot of these movies (see below) that might get nostalgic feelings reading Armstrong's memories of working on. (I give it four stars out of five.)

Vic Armstrong’s filmography includes (* stunts, ** stunt coordinator or "action coordinator", *** second unit director)

1960s: “Arabesque“ (1966)*, “You Only Live Twice” (1967)*, “The Assassination Bureau” (1968)*, “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (1968)*, “The Charge of the Light Brigade” (1968)*, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969)*,

1970s: “Macbeth” (1971) (Roman Polanski version)*, “Live and Let Die” (1973)* (double for Roger Moore), “The Pink Panther Strikes Again” (1976)*, “Return of a Man Called Horse” (1976)*, “The Big Sleep” (1976)*,
“A Bridge Too Far” (1977)* (assistant stunt arranger), “Superman” (1978) and “Superman II” (1980)*/** (double for Christopher Reeve),

1980s: “An American Werewolf in London" (1981)*, "Dragonslayer" (1981)*, "Omen 3: The Final Conflict" (1981)*, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981)* (double for Harrison Ford), "Blade Runner" (1982)* (double for Harrison Ford), "Krull" (1983)*, "Never Say Never Again" (1983)*/** (double for Sean Connery), "Return of the Jedi"* (double for Harrison Ford), "Conan the Destroyer" (1984)**, "Dune" (1984)*/***, "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984)*/** (double for Harrison Ford), "Legend" (1985)*, "Red Sonja" (1985)**, "The Mission" (1986)**, "Empire of the Sun" (1987)*/**, "Rambo III" (1988)**, "Henry V" (1989) (Kenneth Branagh version)**/***, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989)*/** (double for Harrison Ford),

1990s: "Air America" (1990)**, "Total Recall" (1990)**/***, "Double Impact" (1991)**/***, "F/X 2" (1991)**/***, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" (1991)***, "Universal Soldier" (1992)**/***, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles" (1992, TV) (director, one episode), "Army of One" (1993) (director), "Last Action Hero" (1993)**/***, "Cutthroat Island" (1995)**, "Johnny Mnemonic" (1995)**/***, "Rob Roy" (1995)**/***, "The Phantom" (1996)***, "Starship Troopers" (1997)**/***, "Tomorrow Never Dies" (1997)**/***, "Entrapment" (1999)**/***, "The World Is Not Enough" (1999)**/***,

2000s: "Charlie's Angels" (2000)**/***, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" (2001)***, "Die Another Day" (2002)**/***, "Gangs of New York" (2002)**/***, "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" (2003)***, "Blade: Trinity" (2004)**/***, "Miracle" (2004)***, "The Great Raid" (2005)***, "War of the Worlds" (2005)**/***, "Mission: Impossible 3" (2006)**/***, "The Golden Compass" (2007)**/***, "I Am Legend" (2007)**/***, "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" (2008)**, "Valkyrie" (2008)**, "Salt" (2009)**/***,

2010s: "Shanghai" (2010)**/***, "The Green Hornet" (2011)**/***, "Thor" (2011)**/***, "The Amazing Spider-Man" (2011)**/***, and (after this book came out) "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" (2014)**/***, "Left Behind" (2014) (director), "Mechanic: Resurrection" (2016)***, "A Sunday Horse" (2016) (director), "American Assassin" (2017)***

[Malcolm Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should be titled "The Ego Has Landed".Vic always seems to be right,and if he is confronted by another stint co ordinates will often walk off the film.He clearly has no cares about being cruel to his horsese.Jumping 40 feet into the sea with one.His sycophants to stars is rather nausea inducing.
His tales of him and his crew are moronic.
I hope he wasn't the stint co ordinates when Tom Cruise broke his ankle.Letting highly paid stars do their an stunts seems a note ridiculous.
It is a poorly ghostwritten book.

[Matin Pyron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book!
First and foremost, I had the faintest idea that the actor who did all of the stunts in the Indiana Jones franchise was Mr. Armstrong.
From time to time, the novelty of the book wears off but there is something magnetic about the flow of the book which leaves the readers captivated nonetheless.
This biography made me laugh, however, some parts of the book are quite heartbreaking since Mr. Armstrong loses his workers due to the injuries occurring on the movie scenes.

Oct 12th 2024 Tehran, Iran

[Matthew Ogborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect book to dip in and out of throughout the year. Vic has been at the centre of so many glorious films over the years and his recollections are gold dust to movie buffs, whether you work in the industry or not. He has astonishing recall and fun to read about his experience of big stars/directors over the years and how the stunt game changed too. Love his Harrison Ford stories, in particular.

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read if you're a fan of behind the scenes accounts of movies as well as action scenes/stunts in particular. Vic Armstrong has been in the business since the 60's so you'll find a lot of stories about so many major films he's participated in as well as the actors he's trained.

[Daisy May Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this! I don't think it's the best piece of writing I've ever come across and I do think it could have done with some substantial editing because certain facts are repeated and chapters do sort of suddenly go "oh look, a tree!" but it's still a fascinating look at a remarkable life.

[Bea Elwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Normally this is my favorite type of book, a Hollywood memoir. And I've seen a lot of Vic Armstrong's movies. But I guess I just couldn't get into this bio.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome!One of the more enjoyable books I've read in a while.Vic is a legend!

[Rob Underwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining but not a lot of depth.

[Kiki59 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting, frank and personal account of Vic's full career up to 2012. Loads of background detail about setting up stunts, training and personalities in the movie business. I really enjoyed.