Double Dare

In male-dominated Hollywood, no specialty is more fueled by testosterone than stunt work, and the women who choose this path are exactly as tough as you'd expect. Two are profiled in Amanda Micheli's festival-favorite 2004 documentary, which never lets its enormous respect for its subjects interfere with its clear-eyed observations. Sixtysomething Jeannie Epper is the veteran, daughter of a legendary family of stuntfolk and one of the very few stuntwomen who broke new ground in the 1960s and '70s with their determination and awesome physicality. As Lynda Carter's stand-in for the Wonder Woman TV series, Epper actually had to be a lot tougher than her male counterparts, pulling off dangerous jumps and rolls in high heels, all without protective padding (the skimpy costumes just didn't allow for it). The gender politics are better for newcomer Zoë Bell, an Epper protégée, but the costumes haven't improved: as Lucy Lawless's stand-in on Xena: Warrior Princess, Bell was just as exposed during her wire-flying and simulated hand-to-hand combat. On top of the usual challenges facing working women--such as juggling jobs and childcare--the stuntwomen have to contend with career-threatening injuries, the pressure to stay strong and thin, and the near-impossibilities of finding regular work. But the enthusiasm, generosity, and dedication of Epper and Bell are infectious, as is their absolute love of the crazy stuff they do for a living, and this is a wonderful tribute to them. Recommended. Aud: C, P. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary (by Micheli, Epper, and Bell), deleted scenes, interviews (with Quentin Tarantino, Lynda Carter, Steven Spielberg, Lucy Lawless, and others), and home movies of Epper and Bell. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning doc.] (M. Johanson)