Awesome Movie Stunts From The 80's

Back in the 80's before CGI and inflated budgets, movie makers were able to make some pretty magical things happen thanks to the talents of expert stuntmen. Here are some of the most amazing stunts performed without the help of computers. Back when it took some Big Energy to pull off Big Stunts. Check out the 7-Eleven Big Energy stunt crew.

The Wrong-Way Car Chase From 1985's "To Live and Die in LA"

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This scene was the last sequence filmed for the movie, just in case something happened to one of the main actors.

The Helicopter Chase From 1982's "Deadly Encounter"

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Stunt coordinator and helicopter pilot Larry Kirsch was killed 18 years later in helicopter crash in Hawaii.

The Road Warrior Battle from 1981's "Mad Max 2"

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The dog used in the film was obtained from a local dog pound and trained to perform in the film. He was fitted with special earplugs to allow him to appear in the car chase scenes without becoming upset by the sound of the engines.

The Skateboard Scene From 1985's "Back to the Future"

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Despite rumors, Michael J. Fox did not learn to skateboard for this scene. Professional freestyle skateboarder Per Welinder stood in for him in the scene instead.

The Giant Truck Popping a Wheelie In 1989's "Licence to Kill"

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The three trucks used in the film were named Pamela 1, Pamela 2 and Pamela 3, after Carey Lowell's character Pam Bouvier.

An Epic Villain Falls In 1985's "Stick"

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A thin cable ran up famed stuntman and high jump expert Dar Robinson’s leg to a harness around his waist to arrest his fall just feet before he reached the ground.

A Speedboat Jumping Over a Bridge From 1988's "Amsterdamned"

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Dutch stuntman Huub Stapel was left out of production for three weeks when his boat crashed during the filming of this scene.

The Motorcycle Chase From 1983's "Never Say Never Again"

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"Never Say Never Again" was Sean Connery's last appearance as the James Bond character in a film.

The Handcuffed Jump From 1987's "Lethal Weapon"

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Leonard Nimoy (Spock!) was initially approached about directing the movie, but opted out because he wasn't "comfortable doing action movies."

The Truck Chase From 1984's "Terminator"

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Linda Hamilton broke her ankle prior to filming, which means scenes like these in which she ran were probably pretty painful, despite having been moved to the end of shooting.

The Desert Chase From 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

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This stunt scene is widely applauded as one of the greatest of all time. Stuntman Vic Armstrong revisited the shooting in his memoirs, "The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman." You can read an excerpt regarding this particular scene here.

The Mall Fight Scene From 1985's "Police Story"

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One thing makes this fight scene both incredible and wildly entertaining: Jackie Chan.