Code Of Honor - Steven Seagal, Craig Sheffer (completed)

andrey_hard

Well-Known Member
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4684488/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr18

Hi,mr Romrell.I know that you were Steven Seagal's stunt double.Can you tell how many fight scenes Steven did himself?

Chris Romrell
We had some really cool fight scenes choreographed, but Mr. Seagal would just show up and make something up on the spot. They'd film him doing the wide shots with 4-5 moves then he'd leave and I'd step in to do the close shots. Most of the time I just had to memorize what he did and then replicate it. There was a 2 min fight scene that Mr. Seagal didn't want to do but the director really wanted it so they just silhouetted me and the other fighter and we did it all in a single wide shot.
 

JoeDirt

Active Member
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4684488/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr18

Hi,mr Romrell.I know that you were Steven Seagal's stunt double.Can you tell how many fight scenes Steven did himself?

Chris Romrell
We had some really cool fight scenes choreographed, but Mr. Seagal would just show up and make something up on the spot. They'd film him doing the wide shots with 4-5 moves then he'd leave and I'd step in to do the close shots. Most of the time I just had to memorize what he did and then replicate it. There was a 2 min fight scene that Mr. Seagal didn't want to do but the director really wanted it so they just silhouetted me and the other fighter and we did it all in a single wide shot.

The usual...
 

Seagal1969

Active Member
As I told you many times Seagal doesn´t have the motivation anymore because he knows exactly that the movies he is doing now are all crap.
He´s just interested to get his paycheck.

In his prime he used to do all his fight scenes which are known today as "classic"!
 

Kotegashi

Master Of Disaster
Staff member
As I told you many times Seagal doesn´t have the motivation anymore because he knows exactly that the movies he is doing now are all crap.
He´s just interested to get his paycheck.

In his prime he used to do all his fight scenes which are known today as "classic"!

Even in his prime he used doubles in fights. Most obvious one is the end fight with screwface in MFD. But true that nowadays he puts in way less effort.

Peace
 

Bklyn Bryan

Active Member
Even in his prime he used doubles in fights. Most obvious one is the end fight with screwface in MFD. But true that nowadays he puts in way less effort.

Peace

Yes. Steven Seagal also used a stunt double in Half Past Dead. Moviestars use stunt doubles all the time. I don't see the big deal. I guess some people are unhappy that he uses a body double for walking scenes and standing scenes as well. A stunt double for fight scenes is necessary sometimes.
 

Martin01

Well-Known Member
Staff member
There was a 2 min fight scene that Mr. Seagal didn't want to do but the director really wanted it so they just silhouetted me and the other fighter and we did it all in a single wide shot.

Maybe this scene:

11081320_10153165422153934_6423311338965228936_n.jpg


Will probably be pretty strange to watch. Although I like the optical idea of the contrast, but the double probably could be easily noticeable.

Seagals disinterest is really disappointing, "Absolution" was full of doubles too.

The only two movies during his Dtv era with very limited fight doubles are "Urban Justice" and "Pistol Whipped". Those movies really are a little miracle in this regard.

If I would be the writer/director and can't motivate Seagal doing more fights, I probably would just shorten the fight scenes and only film the wide shots Seagal did, if possible. I wouldn't film a 2 minute fight scene if Seagal is not involved.

Instead I probably would Seagal give more shootout scenes. I think that's maybe what Roel Reiné did in PW: Mostly wide shots of fight scenes, and a lot of shootouts (and dialog scenes).

I prefer very limited fight scenes without doubles (and more shootouts), instead of a lot of fight scenes filled up with a lot of doubles.
 

JoeDirt

Active Member
Maybe this scene:




Will probably be pretty strange to watch. Although I like the optical idea of the contrast, but the double probably could be easily noticeable.

Seagals disinterest is really disappointing, "Absolution" was full of doubles too.

The only two movies during his Dtv era with very limited fight doubles are "Urban Justice" and "Pistol Whipped". Those movies really are a little miracle in this regard.

If I would be the writer/director and can't motivate Seagal doing more fights, I probably would just shorten the fight scenes and only film the wide shots Seagal did, if possible. I wouldn't film a 2 minute fight scene if Seagal is not involved.

Instead I probably would Seagal give more shootout scenes. I think that's maybe what Roel Reiné did in PW: Mostly wide shots of fight scenes, and a lot of shootouts (and dialog scenes).

I prefer very limited fight scenes without doubles (and more shootouts), instead of a lot of fight scenes filled up with a lot of doubles.

Most of the time it's really not up to the director though. They're making a product after all, and these DTV actioners are pretty formulaic and the buyers want a certain amount of action in the movies.

I distinctly remember some director of one of the Seagal DTV's saying in an interview that they literally had it in black and white how much and what kind of action they had to shoot, like three hand to hand fight scenes, one car chase scene, two shoot outs, two explosions etc.

Nowadays the budgets are clearly lower and they don't have enough money to film car chases or big action set pieces, most of the action consists of shoot outs and fight scenes, and since Seagal isn't putting in the effort or spending much time on the set, much of that is done by other actors like Byron Mann or Seagal's doubles.

This is not the first time they have shot an entire fight scene without Seagal, I believe they did the same thing on Ticker, and was it Today You Die? I also remember a fight scene from Black Dawn maybe that was filmed from the neck down, and it was clearly not Seagal himself, it was embarrassing.

Urban Justice and Pistol Whipped are two pretty solid Seagal DTV's, probably his best since 2001, he put in at least some sort of an effort, UJ was closest to the old school badass seagal we love and in Pistol Whipped he played the most flawed character he's ever done, a bad father, alcoholic, gambler etc. And not a superman wearing a leather overcoat making out with a 19-year old model.

Outside of those two it's pretty much all the same to me, no effort, no passion, just cashing a paycheck.
 

Mason

Well-Known Member
That is exactly why he should join the Expendables. But nooo, he is always stubborn and pigheaded.

Yeah. If only the films he did was better than Expendables then it would make sense, but they aren't. I think you're right, he should join Expendables and in that way he will be in a really good movie again instead of those medium films he has made over the last many years.
 

DiDa

Super Moderator
Staff member
It's this sentence that annoys and worries me

Totally agree. Come on "a fight scene Steven didn't want to do". What the hell? Just do your job, Steven and don't fuck up every production, There are a lot of people on the set that really want to make a good movie. It feels that he is just sabotaging the production (again). This concerns me...
 

DiDa

Super Moderator
Staff member
My high expectations for this movie (new director, new crew) are just GONE right now!
 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4684488/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr18

Hi,mr Romrell.I know that you were Steven Seagal's stunt double.Can you tell how many fight scenes Steven did himself?

Chris Romrell
We had some really cool fight scenes choreographed, but Mr. Seagal would just show up and make something up on the spot. They'd film him doing the wide shots with 4-5 moves then he'd leave and I'd step in to do the close shots. Most of the time I just had to memorize what he did and then replicate it. There was a 2 min fight scene that Mr. Seagal didn't want to do but the director really wanted it so they just silhouetted me and the other fighter and we did it all in a single wide shot.[/QUOTE

An that is why this movie will also blow....big time.
 

Mason

Well-Known Member
I've leraned a long time ago not to have high expectations for seagal's films any more..
 

DiDa

Super Moderator
Staff member
I've leraned a long time ago not to have high expectations for seagal's films any more..

I know what you mean, but it's just the fact that he was working with another crew. New vision, new style but it seems Waxman is the only person who can get along with Seagal. It seems Seagal was again playing a diva on the set. Who the hell does he thinks he is to change the script just one minute before he has to shoot a scene.

Steven, there is a script! Just stick to it or otherwise don't do the movie. Don't be like a jerk who thinks he knows everything on the set. We buy your movies to see YOU!! That's right YOU. We don't want to see your body double because you didn't want to do THIS scene or THAT scene. You know what the director should say: You don't want to do this Mr Seagal? Then get the fuck off my set!!!

People blame piracy as the one and only problem for DTVs selling worse and worse. It's people like Seagal as well. No fan in the world wants to see the action and fights "obviously" done by a stunt double!!
 

rastafari

Well-Known Member
It depends how much you believe Chris Romrell

Didnt the DOP say how much fun they had shooting the film and that Seagal was fine on set

I will wait until the films released until I make a judgement although this was always my fear if Seagal ever left Waxman
 

DiDa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Hmm, I just contacted Chris Romrell by myself to see what more he has to say about his experience with Seagal on the set. And I got this answer:

I actually really enjoyed working with Mr. Seagal. I actually got the job as his stunt double because he requested me. I'm always grateful to have a job. I showed him a lot of respect and I think he respected me as a stunt performer so I never had any issues working with him. It was actually one of the best working environments I've ever been in. The whole crew was phenomenal!

I don't usually see the movies I work on but I really do want to see this one. The director was amazing and I think the finished product will be really cool.

:confused: I think I just overreacted in the post above....
 

Martin01

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Thank you!

Maybe the fight scene with the silhouettes will be pretty weird, but maybe the rest does still have a chance to turn out good?

Do you think he could tell us more about the action in the movie?
 

DiDa

Super Moderator
Staff member
I asked him about doubling Seagal. He said:

Kind of. He did all of the close up fight scenes where you can see his face. I would memorize what he did and then they would film me doing it in the wide shots. I don't know how much of it is him or how much if it is me in the final product.

Actually it's the same thing as with the Waxman movies. 2nd unit and 1st unit footage will be mixed. No worries I guess...
 
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