S.Q. Eries's Blog, page 66

Book Review: The True Adventures Of The World’s Greatest Stuntman

Living in LA County, I’ve come to have a lot of respect for the folks in the movie industry that don’t often get a lot of attention. You know, the people other than the stars and director without whom great films can’t be made. Stuntmen are part of this group, and if you’ve ever been curious about them, Vic Armstrong’s newly updated autobiography offers a glimpse into their world.

Back Cover Blurb

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.

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.

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.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Ancient Olympic Fun Fact 27

2012 is significant in that it is a presidential election year, a leap year, and a summer Olympic year! The modern Olympics, of course, were inspired by the ancient Greek Olympics, a subject I’ve been researching for my work in progress. So in these months leading up to the 2012 London Games, I’ll be posting weekly tidbits about the original athletic festival that started it all.

Here’s this week’s fun fact:

Despite having no water events, Olympia had a swimming pool.

Olympia’s open-air pool was unique in classical Greece. Built in the fifth century BC, it was 24 m long by 16 m wide and 1.6 m deep, with steps leading down into it from each side. It is uncertain why it was installed, but VIPs and athletes probably used it for recreation.

Tune in next week for more about the ancient Olympics!

Manga Review: Spice and Wolf Vol. #06

Spice and Wolf is a wildly popular light novel series that has spawned off an anime, an Internet radio show, and a manga series. While its European medieval setting is typical of high fantasy, this series has  a unique bent to it. Rather than swordfights and magic, the plot focuses on economics, trade, and peddling in a way that skillfully blends adventure and romance.

Yen Press has recently released the sixth volume of the Spice and Wolf manga, and you can read on for the review.

Back Cover Blurb

As Lawrence and Holo put the final phase of their plan to extricate themselves from the jaws of financial ruin into motion, they are confronted by an unforeseen obstacle. With the wolves at the door – both figuratively and literally – can the travelers keep their wits about them and come out ahead of the pack?

The Review

Since arriving at Ruvinheigen, Lawrence has played the swindled fool and the desperate man, but now he gets to take more of a heroic role. As it turns out, the greatest threat to him and his friends in their gold smuggling scheme is not the city authorities nor the forest wolves but their co-conspirators. Lawrence and Holo are separated when Holo takes off to deal with the forest pack, and when the Remelio Company turns on him, Lawrence must fight without Holo’s strength. Although the poor young merchant gets the snot beaten out of him, his desperate efforts to save Norah raise him in my eyes as a character.

Holo, of course, returns in time to save the day, and thanks to Lawrence’s excellent bargaining skills, it’s the wolf to rescue the shepherdess from the humans. Koume-sensei’s artwork does an excellent job of conveying Holo’s power and the fear she strikes when her true form bursts onto the scene. Once Norah is rescued, the mood shifts to a more humorous one as Holo “assists” Lawrence in striking a deal with Remelio that, although it’s not perfect for everyone, will rescue them all from the brink.

One thing that is a little disappointing about this arc is the interaction (or lack thereof) between Holo and the head of the forest pack. As it turns out, he’s one of Holo’s kind. Considering the landscape isn’t exactly crawling with giant wolves (I’d assumed they only inhabited Yoitsu), I’m surprised he didn’t make more of an impression on Holo. Instead, their conflict is resolved in no time at all, and Holo has little to say about the encounter other than to criticize his immaturity.

Included with this volume’s extras are two cute bonus manga about Lawrence nursing a sick and slightly jealous Holo back to health.

In Summary

Danger strikes in the forest! But treacherous humans pose a greater threat than the wolves. The gold-smuggling arc comes to an action-packed end in this volume of Spice and Wolf.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Ancient Olympic Fun Fact 26

2012 is significant in that it is a presidential election year, a leap year, and a summer Olympic year! The modern Olympics, of course, were inspired by the ancient Greek Olympics, a subject I’ve been researching for my work in progress. So in these months leading up to the 2012 London Games, I’ll be posting weekly tidbits about the original athletic festival that started it all.

Here’s this week’s fun fact:

Spectators watched standing.

Remains of the Judges Stand

Unlike ancient Greek theaters, the stadium at Olympia had no seats. Instead, everyone stood upon its grassy slopes to watch (considering the mobs of people that came to watch, it was probably more practical). The only exceptions were the Judges, who had a stand on the south side of the Stadium, and probably the priestess of Demeter, stationed at an altar on the north side. But some researchers believe that the seats were essentially honorary because the Judges should’ve been refereeing on the stadium floor during competition.

Tune in next week for more about the ancient Olympics!

Manga Review: Oresama Teacher Vol. #08

Mafuyu is a high school delinquent who wants to turn over a new leaf. So when she transfers schools, she thinks she’ll finally be able to live the life of a normal girl. There’s just one problem: her teacher  Mr. Saeki is a bigger delinquent than she is and is out to take advantage of her fighting skills!

Oresama Teacher is a shojo manga that offers humor of the silly variety. Volume 8 has recently been released, and you can read on for the review. (For those who are interested, you can click here for my reviews of earlier volumes).

Back Cover Blurb

Summer break doesn’t mean rest and relaxation for Mafuyu. She has a ton of homework to finish, but finds herself distracted when a drunken colleague shows up at Takaomi’s apartment. It’s up to Mafuyu to convince the guy that Takaomi is a good teacher, but will he take the word of an obvious delinquent?!

The RevieW

Volume 8 wraps up summer vacation with a flashback about Yui and Miyabi and an encounter with Saeki’s old college friend. The Yui/Miyabi chapter adds depth to their relationship and is also quite funny in its portrayal of the two boys not quite fitting in their middle school. The college friend chapter isn’t quite the eye-opener that the Yui/Miyabi story is, but Tsubaki-sensei drives home the fact that there is more to Saeki than he lets on.

Then it’s back to school and the battle for Midorigaoka. Miyabi, of course, isn’t going to fight by himself, and the cast expands as he calls in key members of the Student Council. This does add more girls to the male-heavy cast, but between the Student Council, the Public Morals Club, and the delinquents at Midorigaoka and at home, I’m having trouble keeping track of all the characters. It doesn’t help that, of the cast newcomers, only Kosaka actually does anything so far. Chances are though that Tsubaki-sensei will give each Student Council member a turn to cause trouble.

As to how Kosaka stirs trouble, his chosen battleground is the newly revived school festival. School festival stories in manga often revolve around a particular class or club project, but in this arc, food booths, class plays, and student cafés merely serve as background to the Public Morals Club’s efforts to safeguard the event. Kosaka though is the sly sort, and I’m curious to see how Mafuyu will beat him at his “evening vanishings” game.

In Summary

A couple more chapters of summer vacation, and then it’s back to school! Mafuyu returns to Midorigaoka for more Public Morals Club/delinquent silliness with a dash of school festival intrigue.

First published at the Fandom Post.

Call For Submissions of the Apocalyptic Kind

Hey short story writers! The publisher of Spring Fevers (the anthology that included my short story Resolution) is working on a second one.  Titled The Fall, this collection will focus on the end of the world (apocalyptic, post-apocalyptic, dystopian, etc.)!

Submissions of fewer than 7,500 words in any genre except erotica are being accepted until August 17. For more details, email Elephant’s Bookshelf Press at antholsubs@gmail.com.

Ancient Olympic Fun Fact 25

2012 is significant in that it is a presidential election year, a leap year, and a summer Olympic year! The modern Olympics, of course, were inspired by the ancient Greek Olympics, a subject I’ve been researching for my work in progress. So in these months leading up to the 2012 London Games, I’ll be posting weekly tidbits about the original athletic festival that started it all.

Here’s this week’s fun fact:

Footraces began with a standing start.

Starting Sill

This stone sill is what the ancients used as a starting block. Runners would stand, their arms stretched forward, with one foot in front of the other and their toes gripping the grooves in the stone, as they awaited the signal to start.

Thanks to the archaeologists that unearthed the Olympic grounds, tourists can stand on the blocks ancient competitors once used, and they do. When we toured the site, some Greek schoolkids on a field trip were running races starting from those very blocks.

Tune in next week for more about the ancient Olympics!

First Draft for Cynisca–Done!

I’ve heard it said that because creating a novel takes so much time, it’s important to celebrate the milestones. So today I’m reporting that I’ve finished the first draft of my YA historical WIP! By the way, it took 18 months for Cynisca to get to this point, not including the months I was doing pure research.

But even though I know that capturing the story floating in my head onto paper/hard drive is an accomplishment, I’m less excited about having typed “THE END” and more distracted by the list of things-that-still-must-be-done, including:

Proofreading version 4 of Chapter 1
Reconciling the manuscript to match the revised Chapter 1
Reviewing and incorporating my critique group’s comments for Chapters 27-29

Oh, and there’s also the matter of writing my query and synopsis.

I had hoped to have the manuscript ready to query by mid-summer so it’s a little frustrating that it’s mid-June and so much remains to be done. Still, I’m in better shape than I was when I got to this point with my previous manuscript. First draft for Novel #1 weighed in at 156,000 words, which, if you know anything about publishing and word counts, is WAY WAY WAY too long for a debut work and was a bear to edit down. The first draft for Cynisca lands at 65,000 words, right within acceptable YA novel range. Plus, this time around, I got feedback from my critique group as I wrote, so I’m hoping the editing rounds will go faster.

So perhaps I’m a bit stingy with myself, constantly looking forward instead of savoring/celebrating this milestone. But I will take an extended soymilk break (I don’t drink coffee) to remember that bit of Spartan history that sparked inspiration and marvel at the fact that I’ve now got something with a beginning, middle, and end that tells the tale.

Then I’ll get cracking on the edits.

So, to the writers out there, what are your writing milestones? And how do you celebrate them?

Ancient Olympic Fun Fact 24

2012 is significant in that it is a presidential election year, a leap year, and a summer Olympic year! The modern Olympics, of course, were inspired by the ancient Greek Olympics, a subject I’ve been researching for my work in progress. So in these months leading up to the 2012 London Games, I’ll be posting weekly tidbits about the original athletic festival that started it all.

Olympic Stadium Tunnel

This week I’m sharing a photo I took during my visit to Olympia in 2006. The arch pictured above is a partial reconstruction of the tunnel leading into the ancient stadium. Judges and athletes used this tunnel to make their grand entrance into the stadium, and you can imagine the thrill of the competitors when they stepped out into the sunlight to the roars of a cheering throng.

Tune in next week for more about the ancient Olympics!

SCWBI Critiquenic and Chapter 1, Version 4.0

Last Saturday I attended my first Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators-Los Angeles (SCBWI-LA) Critiquenic. The Critiquenic, for those unfamiliar with the term, is an annual critiquing picnic (Critique + Picnic = Critiquenic). Basically, illustrators/writers of the same genre get put into groups moderated by published authors and illustrators. It’s a fun way to meet other writers, get helpful feedback in a friendly outdoor environment, and best of all, it’s FREE!

Suffice to say, it filled up FAST. Although I signed up the instant I heard about it, I was initially waitlisted. But Sue Welfringer and the other event organizers did some amazing work opening up spaces, and I got in! I don’t know how many they originally planned for, but eighteen facilitators and their groups wound up taking over the southern lawn of Roxbury Park.

Heading my YA group was Jennifer Bosworth, whose debut novel Struck was just released. In fact, she’s currently on a cross-country book tour with a few other Macmillan authors. (Considering all the stuff I’ve read about publishers not arranging tours for debut authors, I found that very cool.) She was a great moderator, and in addition to guiding the discussions and giving feedback, she was very sweet about answering our random questions. (By the way, her recommended to-bring items for the LA SCBWI conference were: notebook, layered clothing, and business cards with contact info).

The other participants in my group were wonderful, too. We had a range of ages, and though we all wrote YA, our manuscripts ran the gamut from alternate history to sci-fi to romance/legend.

So all of us had brought five pages/1250 words for critique, and Jennifer made us read our excerpts aloud before opening it up for feedback. The reading part was actually kind of scary for me. The only one that hears me read on a regular basis is my Dragon voice-recognition software, and even that hates my voice. Not to mention, the two ladies that read ahead of me had really nice voices. But I sucked it up and got through it.

Then came the critiquing part. I’d brought Chapter 1 of my WIP, which I’d just rewritten (again) based off feedback from my online critique group. And the main thing I came away with was … I need to scrap it and start all over. Again.

It’s not an awesome feeling, realizing I’ve spent two weeks writing material I can’t use. But better I learn it now than after I’ve revised the entire manuscript to match it. And my group was quite helpful in sparking thoughts as to how I should start my Chapter 1.

So I came out of Critiquenic with a heap of work on my hands. Most of my group did, but that was kind of the point, not to be satisfied with what we had but to help one another figure how to get better. And though it is a little frustrating having to commence work on Chapter 1, version 4.0, I remind myself of something Jennifer mentioned, that she rewrote Chapter 1 of Struck many times over, and that’s the kind of tenacity and dedication it takes to get a manuscript print-worthy.