The EXPENDABLES

[dionbrother]

I think the "Austin broke Sly's neck" story is fake. Wrestlers are trained to not injure their opponents and Austin has done the move over a 1000 times. Everytime a wrestler is cast in a movie, a pr spin comes out about how the wrestler injured the lead. No reporter is going to check out Sly's medical records or demand proof. Kind of like how Jackie claims he did stunts performed by Chin Kar Lok, Stanley Tong, etc.

[Fat_Dragon]

I think the "Austin broke Sly's neck" story is fake. Wrestlers are trained to not injure their opponents and Austin has done the move over a 1000 times. Everytime a wrestler is cast in a movie, a pr spin comes out about how the wrestler injured the lead. No reporter is going to check out Sly's medical records or demand proof. Kind of like how Jackie claims he did stunts performed by Chin Kar Lok, Stanley Tong, etc.

its true he was on letterman they showed his x ray

[Lionclaw]

It's very true. Sly released the x-rays a few months back, and says whenever he gets injured while making a film, the film is successful.

Yeah, I saw some behind the scenes/documentary about the fight on youtube. It looked like a pretty hard charge and I think Sly's winded out look after was real. They also showed the x ray.

[dionbrother]

You know X-rays can be faked, right? It's showbiz and Sly has worked with wrestlers since PARADISE ALLEY (Terry Funk, among others). I seem to recall Ricky Steamboat having X-rays of his larynx after Randy Savage "crushed" it with a ring bell.

If he did injure himself, he should have edited the fight better. I could barely tell where the neck injury would have occurred. Jackie would have shown it three times in a row and had his crew of lackeys fanning him during the credits (and you know Jackie has faked that stuff as well).

[Noelle Shadow Kick]

There's no reason to assume Stallone is lying. The Expendable already had such hype that there'd be no reason to make up a story about that. I agree with the above saying that it's a 64 year old man doing his own stunts (remarkable, really) and Austin not recognizing that (jerk). No reason to call out Stallone.

[dionbrother]

Except Sly did use a double. He's always lied about his steroid usage and cheated on his first wife quite a bit, so don't assume he's 100% honest. This isn't a negative on Sly, Hollywood has always been about smoke and mirrors. There's plenty of stories in the industry that never reach the public. They were using every promotion tactic imaginable to get THE EXPENDABLES over and it worked. Jackie fakes his injuries, so why assume Sly is above it? Austin was never known for injuring his opponents in the ring and many would say he was great to work with. So he's gonna injure Stallone during a carefully rehearsed and choreographed fight scene? Doesn't pass the smell test.

And hey, I like Stallone, but I know a work when I see it.

[dionbrother]

A planned tackle doesn't break your neck. If Sly really was injured, it may have more to do with what roids did to him or the HGH he takes these days (not that I really begrudge him for HGH usage, from what I've seen the good outweighs the bad).

I really hope he recuts the action scenes for dvd like Chan did with the Asian version of THE PROTECTOR. He'd be the greatest action director ever for admitting mistakes and correcting them.

[Lionclaw]

Did you guys see this:

Looks pretty convincing to me.

[dionbrother]

I call bullshit. His neck never hit anything, He is tackled into what is likely a crashpad covered in dirt and even if it wasn't a crashpad, landing into a pile of sand or dirt isn't going to crack your spine, especially if you are trained to take a fall and I'd bet a few nickels Sly is trained for that. The whole way the alleged injury is filmed and edited...for "dramatic effect"...gives it away. There is nothing in the footage that reveals a neck injury. And if Sly needed that type of surgery, it's from years of wear and tear, not from what Austin did.

Another bs detector bomb: using footage from the Hogan fight in ROCKY III. Hogan is protecting Sly in every move. But its edited to look like Sly "suffered for his art."

[Guest Markgway]

It doesn't matter how much you rehearse or how many precautions you take there's always room for injury.

[dionbrother]

And said injury is not proven by this video. In fact, it has put more doubt on the story.

[Azn Badger]

Hello all! Just posted my review for The Expendables on my blog last night. I’ve been waiting 3 long years for this movie, and it took me 5 hours to pound out this review.

Have fun reading!

LINK

[Karlos]

FANTASTIC review!!

Now I've seen it twice (with a third viewing coming up!), I have to say, my thoughts on it are pretty much the same - a FUN film, for all it's flaws.

[Guest Markgway]

I have no reason to doubt Stallone's story.

The video doesn't prove he didn't sustain said injury.

So why are you so sure?

What do you know that nobody else does?

[Noelle Shadow Kick]

Agreed. There's no reason to doubt his story, and nothing in the video provides definitive proof that Stallone didn't get injured. All I keep hearing is that someone didn't get their nap today.

[KUNG FU BOB]

That was a very entertaining review Azn Badger.

[Bravery]

Wrestlers are trained to pile drive, but that didntstop Stone Cold from getting a broken neck.

[dionbrother]

New cover story of Muscle & Fitness features an interview with Stallone about THE EXPENDABLES and I saw NO MENTION WHATSOEVER of the injury. Guess it didn't serve the purpose of promoting that bodybuilding lifestyle.

The piledriver is a move that requires the best training and expertise in wrestling. That's why Verne Gagne only allowed Mad Dog Vachon to apply the move in the old AWA territory. And also why Jerry Lawler rarely used it in Memphis except with the most competent pros. WWE fans with more knowledge of the current product can correct me, but I think McMahon banned the move in his promotion.

A tackle to the ground is a different story, however, and under controlled conditions of moviemaking, will rarely injure anybody.

'

What do I know that you don't? Hollywood stars have lied about stuntwork and fake injuries for decades. Like Bridget Fonda claiming she did 6 hours of kickboxing everyday for POINT OF NO RETURN but all of her moves are done by Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon in the film. Sly's bragging about doing his own stunts became a staple of Jim Carey's parody of Sly ("Ehhhh, I do my own stunts") many years ago. Jackie Chan lied to you for years, and everybody always gets so religous and faith-based about ("Why would Jackie lie to us? How dare you question the Chan Man!"). I've been around a long time and dealt with possibly three different generations of fans and its always the same. Any story of a star's injury always enhances action movie publicity among the laymen. There's young people that went to see THE CROW because they thought the movie contained Brandon Lee's death on film. It's no different than Michael Moore claiming the White House was trying to censor his addle-brained crockumentaries or Vin Diesel pretending to be heterosexual or Jet Li doubled for nearly everything except breathing. It's the reason they hire publicist for these movies.

Stunt crews are very professional and if stars are injured on their sets, they wouldn't work again. It reflects very badly on any stunt co-ordinator when an actor is injured. Vernon Wells told me the only injury on the set of MAD MAX 2 was when the crew went out for beer after work. And those are still some of the greatest stunts ever on film.

It's called Showbiz, kids. There's TOM AND JERRY cartoons about this subject.

[Guest Markgway]

Whilst your cynicsm of the movie biz maybe justified I still see not a single shred of evidence to back up your claims. You could be right. Who knows? But forgive me for not just taking your word for it.

Actors frequently train in martial arts in preperation for action movies only for the bulk to be done by stunt people. Bridget Fonda is not an isolated case. There are many reasons why a double will be used. It doesn't mean the actor didn't put the work in.

Jet Li has been heavily doubled for every film he's made post Born to Defend. He badly injured his back doing his own stunts on that one and has been very cautious ever since.

No comment to make on Michael Moore or Vin Diesel.

[dionbrother]

It's not cynicism, it is reality of the business. Look at any movie magazines from the 50s and 60s "Rock Hudson and Doris Day: is there hanky panky behind the scenes?!". Movie spin has been around since the silents. It creates an aura and interest in seeing the film. It's the extra spice that can sell a few more tickets.

I'm not obligated to give you evidence and would only be able to do so by either having worked on the set or hacking into Sly's medical file. I am simply not convinced that the said injury occurred and that video doesn't prove anything. It looks like a big work. Vincent Lyn witnessed an uninjured Jackie Chan faking an injury while the stunt men fanned him, strictly filmed for the credits of OPERATION CONDOR. If Sly cracked his spine, he wouldn't have been able to sulk off the set the way he did. A medical crew would have attended to him ASAP and he'd be crying in pain. The film also would have shut down much longer as that surgery would have required much more recovery time. The whole video is shot and edited to look like an episode of JERSEY SHORE on MTV, and plenty has leaked out that JS has a lot of worked incidents as well.

[Lionclaw]

New cover story of Muscle & Fitness features an interview with Stallone about THE EXPENDABLES and I saw NO MENTION WHATSOEVER of the injury. Guess it didn't serve the purpose of promoting that bodybuilding lifestyle.

The piledriver is a move that requires the best training and expertise in wrestling. That's why Verne Gagne only allowed Mad Dog Vachon to apply the move in the old AWA territory. And also why Jerry Lawler rarely used it in Memphis except with the most competent pros. WWE fans with more knowledge of the current product can correct me, but I think McMahon banned the move in his promotion.

A tackle to the ground is a different story, however, and under controlled conditions of moviemaking, will rarely injure anybody.

'

What do I know that you don't? Hollywood stars have lied about stuntwork and fake injuries for decades. Like Bridget Fonda claiming she did 6 hours of kickboxing everyday for POINT OF NO RETURN but all of her moves are done by Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon in the film. Sly's bragging about doing his own stunts became a staple of Jim Carey's parody of Sly ("Ehhhh, I do my own stunts") many years ago. Jackie Chan lied to you for years, and everybody always gets so religous and faith-based about ("Why would Jackie lie to us? How dare you question the Chan Man!"). I've been around a long time and dealt with possibly three different generations of fans and its always the same. Any story of a star's injury always enhances action movie publicity among the laymen. There's young people that went to see THE CROW because they thought the movie contained Brandon Lee's death on film. It's no different than Michael Moore claiming the White House was trying to censor his addle-brained crockumentaries or Vin Diesel pretending to be heterosexual or Jet Li doubled for nearly everything except breathing. It's the reason they hire publicist for these movies.

Stunt crews are very professional and if stars are injured on their sets, they wouldn't work again. It reflects very badly on any stunt co-ordinator when an actor is injured. Vernon Wells told me the only injury on the set of MAD MAX 2 was when the crew went out for beer after work. And those are still some of the greatest stunts ever on film.

It's called Showbiz, kids. There's TOM AND JERRY cartoons about this subject.

Wow, you seem very passionate about your claim. A lot of your evidence maybe true but I don't think its that serious. Jet Li is doubled in almost every movie which I hate to see. (Thats why I love Kiss of the Dragon.) I don't recall Jackie ever saying he did his own stunts. I think that was all marketing. Jackie Chan has been doubled for many various reasons for a long time but most people are myseterious in denial about that. I really do agree with a lot of your argument, but in the world we live in its so hard to seperate fact from fiction. He may have been injured he may have not, but hes like 64. Its not unbelievable. And I don't see why they'd go as far as to fake x rays. By the way, are you denying all his claimed injuries or just the pile drive one?

[dionbrother]

If you saw Jackie during the press junket for his first two or three big imports in the US (RUMBLE, SUPERCOP and FIRST STRIKE), he did claim to do all of his own stunts and I recall that's how he presented himself to Jonathan Ross on the Incredibly Strange Film Show. It's also how he presented himself in his Asian fanclub magazine and I'm pathetic enough to have an issue from 1989. Play a drinking game of how often Jackie claims "I almost died" during any long form interview and you'll have a serious hangover in the morning.

I'm not claiming Stallone hasn't been injured on his movies. I'm saying I don't believe the Austin tackle injured him enough to have spinal surgery. Austin would have been fired/replaced if that were a legit injury. It adds some sizzle to the pr "Sly is willing to break his bones for this movie." Pure carny marketing.

In his book SLY MOVES (recommended,btw), Sly said his worst injury was blowing out his shoulder while bench pressing with Franco Columbo.

[Lionclaw]

Sly put the x-rays out to prove he's not joking. Here are the x-rays.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2010/01/13/sylvester-stallone-puts-up-x-rays-of-his-broken-neck-on-the-internet-see-pics-115875-21964851/

http://www.worstpreviews.com/headline.php?id=16451

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/usa/2805652/Stallone-silences-cynics-with-X-rays-of-neck-injury.html

http://www.popeater.com/2010/07/20/sylvester-stallone-late-show/

owbiz/article-1242898/Sylvester-Stallone-breaks-neck-shooting-fight-scene-veteran-action-heroes-movie.html'>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvsh

owbiz/article-1242898/Sylvester-Stallone-breaks-neck-shooting-fight-scene-veteran-action-heroes-movie.html

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/3229548/Sylvester-Stallone-reveals-neck-break-x-ray

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/stallone-releases-x-rays_1128481

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1572055.php/Sylvester-Stallone-shows-off-broken-neck-injury-x-ray

http://www.today.az/news/entertainment/59411.html

'For the doubters and the haters, a picture is worth a thousand words. You walk the walk, you pay the price.'

-Sly

Good find DragonSword. This sure beats the video I posted. Like I said, who would go that far to fake x-rays for a movie that was already extremely hyped in the first place?

[Guest franjunki]

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[make believe]

If you saw Jackie during the press junket for his first two or three big imports in the US (RUMBLE, SUPERCOP and FIRST STRIKE), he did claim to do all of his own stunts and I recall that's how he presented himself to Jonathan Ross on the Incredibly Strange Film Show. It's also how he presented himself in his Asian fanclub magazine and I'm pathetic enough to have an issue from 1989. Play a drinking game of how often Jackie claims "I almost died" during any long form interview and you'll have a serious hangover in the morning.

I do recall Jackie saying he did his own stunts too. I'll admit though, him faking injuries is a bit of a surprise to me. I'm not saying it is or isn't true, just that it's a surprise and if true, then that's very disappointing to hear.