Best Fire Stunts

(1) Firestarter (1984)
Stunt coordinator Glen Randall and special effects coordinator Mike Wood needed the talents of veteran stuntmen like Dick Warlock to pull off the spectacular multiple fire stunts required whenever Charlie (Drew Barrymore) unleashes her pyrokinetic powers on those nasty agents of The Shop.

(2) Flareup (1969)
Big fire stunt with Denver Mattson doubling for Luke Askew when he is torched by Raquel Welch (doubled by Donna Garrett standing close when he's on fire). According to John baxter's book Stunt, Mattson got 2nd degree burns on his hands when his sweat turned into scalding steam. The fact that a stunt double was used for to double the actress  near the flaming actor is a reminder that safety for fire stunts is not just about the stuntperson on fire but actors/doubles on camera who are near them, crew members, and furnishings on the set or at the location.

(3) Maniac Cop 2 (1991)
The supernaturally powerful title character throws around prisoners while fully on fire in the climax of this film. Director William Lustig said "The Maniac Cop is on fire for three or four minutes, fighting people while ablaze. We did eight full body burns and we did two full body burns going through a prison brick wall, falling six stories [sic] into the top of a bus, all on fire. The filming was nerve-wracking because we didn't get to the shot until 5:30 a.m. and fifteen minutes later the sun rose." (Cinefantastique magazine Vol. 22 No. 1 August 1991)

(4) The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)
There is a big fire stunt at the end as the main bad guy gets toasted. Tony Cecere is listed in the credits as the stunt coordinator, but I don't know if he actually did the stunt or not. The fire stunt is by far the best thing about this muddled movie about voodoo and zombies.

(5) Swamp Thing (1982)
Tony Cecere doubles scientist Alec Holland (Ray Wise) near the film's start as he is engulfed by a fiery chemical explosion and dashes 40 metres into the swamp to extinguish the flames. Far less successful were the suits used for the Swamp Thing that Holland becomes and a rival, evil creature.

(6) The Thing (1982)
The Thing (in human guise) is torched by Kurt Russell's flame-thrower and bursts through a wall, runs across the snows and collapses. Great work under difficult shooting conditions by fire stunt expert Tony Cecere.

(7) The Towering Inferno (1974)
Innovative lightweight fire retardent suits were first used on this feature. For the first time stuntmen didn't look bulked up when they were totally torched. The best individual fire stunt was a (male) double doing a fiery dive for a philandering secretary wearing only her lover's shirt (Robert Wagner played the lover and his double fried when the character tried to run through a blazing room using a wet towel for protection). I've read that this stunt was a dummy, but if you watch the scene closely you can see movement of the arms and can tell he's wearing gloves. There are stacks of big fire stunts in The Towering Inferno - despite it's age a must see.

(8) Westworld (1973)
Dick Ziker (doubling for Yul Brynner) does a huge, lengthy fire gag near the end of this film. The flames go up about 3 metres above his head! Because of the different camera angles, I used to think the stunt was several short ones pieced together. Then I saw a documentary on the making of Westworld. It showed the fire stunt was a single long one, shot with multiple cameras. Even more impressive! Unfortunately I only have a photo of the very beginning of the stunt before the flames really get going.

(9) Snapshot (1979)
Over many years Australian stuntman Grant Page has performed many fantastic fire stunts. The climax of this film has a biggie in a very confined space. Grant has also abesailed down a cliff on fire for the TV documentary series Dangerfreaks. He is the man!

(10) Van Wilder: Party Liaison (2002)
I haven't seen the movie yet, but the trailer has a neat little fire stunt showing a bare backed guy running around in panic and then diving through a window into a swimming pool.
 

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