Movies have an incredible ability to make the unreal seem real, the mundane seem fantastic, and the death-inducing seem survivable. Movie magic, however, often requires incredible planning, luck, and even faith. In this article, we will explore some of the most jaw-dropping movie stunts ever filmed and the ones that you need to see.
To compile a list of jaw-dropping movie stunts you need to see, 24/7 Tempo consulted a range of movie sites and other publications including The AV Club, Pep Talk Radio, and Trivia Genius. Next, we selected movie stunts from different eras and genres. After that, we consulted other sites like Empire Online to extract specific details about the different movie stunts.
“Death Proof” (2007)
One of the most jaw-dropping movie stunts you need to see is the hood ride in Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof.” Though arguably one of the weaker films in his oeuvre, Tarantino redeems himself with a ten-minute selection of one of the craziest car chase rides ever caught on film.
Starring stuntwoman Zoë Bell playing herself, the scene starts with her tethered to the hood of Kurt Russell’s character’s car. While she initially seems to enjoy the ride, all that changes after Russell attempts to run her and her friends off the road. Comprised of long tracking shots, the scene immerses the viewer in one white-knuckling of a car chase.
“Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol” (2011)
Another one of the most jaw-dropping movie stunts you need to see is Tom Cruise’s character scaling the famed Burj Khalifa building in Dubai. Already known for his willingness to perform death-defying stunts, Cruise takes it to the next level in “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.”
In the scene, Cruise’s character is searching for nuclear launch codes stolen by the movie’s villain. To accomplish the jaw-dropping stunt, the movie’s production team first created a simulation glass wall for Cruise to practice scaling. After that, the team got special permits to drill into the building’s floors and walls, and knocked out some thirty windows to get the right effect. Though Cruise pulled off the stunt without a hitch, the scene had to be shot as quickly as possible as Cruise’s harness was so tight it cut off circulation to his lower body.
“Goldeneye” (1995)
Another one of the most jaw-dropping stunts you need to see is the infamous bungee jump scene in the James Bond film “Goldeneye.” In the scene that opens the movie, Pierce Brosnan’s character needs to bungee jump down the epic, 220-meter-high Verzasca Dam in Switzerland.
To accomplish this never-before-done stunt, the production team enlisted veteran stuntman Wayne Michaels. Due to the scene’s unprecedented nature with a litany of unforeseen variables, a trauma clinic and an emergency helicopter sat waiting in case something went wrong. The crane operator even made the sign of the cross before Michaels jumped. Though he lost consciousness when the safety cord yanked him out of free fall, he still managed to fire the grappling gun to the bottom of the dam. Incredibly, this scene was filmed in only one take.
“Police Story” (1985)
Though Jackie Chan is known for his stunts, the pole slide in “Police Story” remains one of his best and one of the jaw-dropping movie stunts you need to see. In the scene, Chan as Sergeant Chan Ka-Kui must jump from the top floor of a mall and catch a pole covered in electric lights, sliding down it before crashing through a piece of glass into a kiosk.
Reportedly, Chan was terrified of accomplishing this stunt. The film team was already wearing out its welcome having already been shooting in the mall for months, so the pressure was on. However, they accomplished the insane stunt in just one take without practice. In the ensuing chaos, Chan suffered second-degree burns and dislocated his pelvis, yet he instantly got up and kept fighting. No doubt, one of the craziest stunts ever captured on film.
“Ben-Hur” (1959)
Sometimes the best stunts happen by accident. Take the chariot scene from the classic epic film “Ben-Hur.” Featuring Charlton Heston’s body double Joe Canutt (also the son of the second-unit director), the character of Judah Ben-Hur takes a serious fall off his chariot.
Described as an unplanned event, the scene shows Ben-Hur’s chariot colliding with the wreckage of a previous chariot. Upon impact, body double Joe Canutt flips head over heels before catching himself and holding onto his rocketing chariot for dear life. Luckily, Canutt only came away with a scraped chin, as it’s one of the most jaw-dropping stunts you’ll ever see.
“Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)
While “Mad Max: Fury Road” is an incredible testament to car chases and the spellbinding nature of practical effects, there is one scene that features jaw-dropping stunts you need to see. In the scene, amidst a road race between Furiosa and Immortan Joe’s goons, men sitting high up on poles use force to bend down to reach their opponent’s vehicles.
In the incredible shot, almost empty of any CGI by the way, a War Boy, sitting atop a long javelin-like pole, bends from one fast-moving vehicle to another seamlessly. The film’s effects are so impressive, that even other directors express disbelief at what it accomplished. As famed director Steven Soderbergh said, “I don’t understand how they’re not still shooting that film and I don’t understand how hundreds of people aren’t dead.” (For other destructive car movies, explore the 20 movies that destroyed the most cars.)
Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
While you expect most jaw-dropping movie stunts to stand firmly in the action movie genre, some of the ones you need to see will surprise you. Take the classic musical “Singin’ in the Rain.” Not only does it contain some of Gene Kelley’s finest acting and dancing, but it also features an incredibly choreographed scene with Donald O’Connor singing “Make ‘Em Laugh.”
Joyous and carefree, O’Connor moves through a movie set illustrating all types of dancing, jumping, and even some physical comedy. Just when you think it over, however, O’Connor shocks by doing two separate backflips off verticle surfaces before jumping through another wall. Oh, and he is singing perfectly the entire time.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
A classic children’s movie, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” is known for its morality lessons as well as its psychedelic backdrop. However, one of the most famous scenes involves the introduction of the enigmatic and mercurial owner of the factory, Willy Wonka (played by Gene Wilder.) It also is one of the most subtle, but jaw-dropping movie stunts you need to see.
When Wonka first appears, he hobbles up with a cane, unsteady on his feet. Just when the viewer thinks he will collapse, Wonka falls forward almost horizontally before effortlessly rolling into a somersault and landing on his feet. As Gene Wilder put it, “I knew that from that time on no one would know if I was lying or telling the truth.” He’s right, too, as this simple little stunt sets the tone for Wonka’s unpredictable character.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Another one of the most jaw-dropping movie stunts you need to see occurs in the opening shot of James Bond’s classic “The Spy Who Loved Me.” Featuring stuntman Rick Sylvester (in place of Roger Moore) the scene is sweeping, death-defying, and quite possibly the best opening to any James Bond Movie.
In the scene, Sylvester skis straight off the edge of the Asgard Peak in Canada. Clocking in at 9,268 feet high, Sylvester jumps off the precipice straight into the void, spiraling and losing his skis in the process. Just as it seems fatal, he pulls the ripcord on his parachute, and out pops a Union-Jack emblazoned parachute. Jolly good, indeed.
Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928)
Though “Steamboat Bill Jr.” is the oldest movie on this list, and silent to boot, it features a jaw-dropping movie stunt that you surely need to see. Known as the “house fall,” the moment features the impressive stuntwork of famed actor, stuntman, and comedian Buster Keaton. In the scene, a cyclone tears through the town making several buildings collapse around Keaton’s character.
When the facade of the closest building falls, it lands right on Keaton. Luckily, the open attic window prevents him from being crushed completely. Though it appears seamless on film, the stunt was truly dangerous. That’s because the building facade weighed over two tons, and if Keaton’s body placement had been off even an inch, he would have been crushed to death. (For other great car chases, discover the most-watched car chase scenes from action movies.)