Dave Lea - Stuntman
by A.D Davies, as featured in the September 1989 issue of Fighters
Posted by raleagh on Thu, 10th January 2008 at 5:46pm
This article has been viewed 179 times
An interview with Dave Lea, bodydouble for Micheal Keaton on both Batman and Batman Returns, as he tells his story of how he went from street punk extra to the Dark Knight himself!
The central figure of "Batman" is Bruce Wayne, who, as a nine-year-old boy, witnessed the brutal murder of his well-to-do parents. Devastated, he pledged his life to combating evil. Set against the backdrop of Gotham City, the film picks up as Bruce Wayne returns after several years' absence spent developing his physical and scientific skills. Discovering that his hometown has become highly corrupt, Wayne, who appears outwardly as a respected millionaire philanthropist, assumes a second identity - the powerful and terrifying crimefighter known only as Batman. From deep within the secret recesses of his mansion, Wayne and his faithful butler, Alfred, create the batcave, a sophisticated laboratory that also serves as a home for Batman's remarkable equipment and vehicles, including the mighty Batmobile and the ultra sleek Batwing aircraft.
Batman's nemesis in the film is his arch enemy, The Joker, who was formerly a hoodlum named Jack Napier, right-hand man to Gotham's crime boss, Carl Grissom. As the result of a horribly disfiguring chemical accident, Napier is transformed into The Joker, the malevolent personification of evil. In a series of breathtaking encounters, Batman battles to save Gotham from the maniacal Joker. The two antagonists use all of the unique weapons, skills and trickery at their command to win this grand scale conflict.
The film stars Jack Nicholson as the Joker, Michael Keaton, of "Beetlejuice" fame in the title role and Kim Basinger as photo-journalist Vicki Vale. The supporting cast includes Robert Wuhl as crime reporter Alexander Knox, Pat Hingle as Police Commissioner Gordon, Billy Dee Williams as District Attorney Harvey Dent, Michael Gough as Bruce Wayne's English butler, Alfred, Jerry Hall as gangster's moll, Alicia, and Jack Palance as villainous crimelord, Carl Grissom.
Dave Lea is fairly well-known to the readers of this magazine as a martial artist. His demonstrations on such TV programmes as ITV's " Just Amazing", "No.73 Show", TV AM Show, etc, have been seen by millions. He has acted in the BBC drama "Salt on the Snake's Tail" and several episodes of TV soap "Eastenders". He has also done security work for singer/model Samantha Fox.
In September 1988, the filming of "Batman" was well underway and Dave got a part in it. How did this come about and what happened? In his own words:
"Well, I was supposed to be doing two weeks work as an extra in the Batman film. My agent phoned me up (he was the one who got me the job on Eastenders), so I went for a wardrobe fitting. I was originally meant to be playing a street punk but I got cast as a biker - like a Hell's Angel. So they fitted me for all the leather gear and I thought 'cor, this is interesting'. When I told a few of my friends 'guess what! I'm doing extra work on Batman', they said 'what, like on TV with words like bang and crash, inside bubbles?' No one knew about the film then. For the next two weeks I was working on the film at Pinewood studios, from about Sam to 7pm, September-October, in what was really cold weather. I walked onto the set. It was massive, really beautiful, I thought 'this is major! ' There were 400 extras used in certain scenes. You could be on that set may be two-and-a-half to three hours, waiting for a 30 second shoot. 'Right, action' and everyone walks across the road and does this and that.
"But I took a certain pride and interest in what I was doing, whatever I was going to be in I'd do something, I'd make something happen. I noticed a lot of the extras would walk down the road with their hands in their pockets. When you see a shot - something is happening, there is all this activity around it, but people are just walking around with no real intention - it’s not very interesting. I decided to be creative, to ad lib. I was walking around with two other guys, I would suggest things to do: snatch handbags, jump in the way of cars - anything! Always trying to create something, putting some life into it, something of myself. You're going to see the film and you're going to look at yourself and you're going to say 'that's me, I did that little bit there. It may be very small but I did it'. What I've heard since is that extras are treated like cattle; in the tent, out of the tent. It was freezing cold, I had three pairs of trousers on, my eyes were bloodshot, I was really tired and just snatching at food. But I was full of enthusiasm, I experienced a lot of things, I'd be out watching them preparing the cars for the stunts and the directors doing their stuff. It was all very interesting.
"At this point, a funny thing, I said to my sister 'guess what, sis, that Mick Keaton better watch himself because I'm going to take his place'. One night they featured five bikers outside a cafe. It was a close up. To me this was brilliant because it meant I was on camera for that shot. In the fight, I ad libbed again. I kicked a chair over and then jumped over it. The director said 'that was great, you created something extra in the scene'. I got an extra £25 for kicking the chair over. It was called special movement or special action. I told some people about the 'close up'. Imagine it! Instead of being 100 yards away, it was right there in front of you - right there. If nothing else out of this 90-minute movie I'm going to have 15-20 seconds on camera.
"It's going international so you have a lot of belief in what you're doing. I got a real big buzz out of this. It's like you're an extra one minute, one of 400, then all of a sudden you get this little feature - you're doing something in front of the camera. My two weeks were nearly up and every night I was hoping to get recalled - they go through the rushes and they pick people out to come back to do another night. Meanwhile I had been featured in a magazine, holding a baseball bat, somewhat controversial but they liked it. Because of this I got the idea of creating a 'form' using a baseball bat, so I decided to get the video 'The Warriors' in which baseball bats are used as weapons. Whilst I was watching the video I received a phone call. It said 'you the guy that does martial arts?' I said yes, then it said 'we'd like you to audition for Batman'. This was a shock. I put the phone down, I knew I wasn't going to sleep that night; how does someone get a break like that? How does it happen to you! Obviously Phil Tan was the inside man.
"He'd seen something happening and put my name up, possibly shown them the picture of me with the baseball bat. It was too big to take in. I'd seen the people filming outside shots and they'd seen me, and then all of a sudden, from being one of many being told to 'stand here' and then 'stand there', and are privileged if the director speaks to you, now I was introduced to him. He said 'you didn't tell us you were into all that stuff! ' I replied 'you never asked'. For two weeks when I hadn't been working, eating or sleeping I had been training behind the set. I came prepared for the audition, fully armed! The director asked me to show how I would deal with three guys he had lined up. So I went into action: bang, bang and I nearly took someone's head off in the excitement. Then the funny part started; they asked me to put the costume on.
How did you feel about this?
"As a kid you want to play your heroes. Well, mine wasn't Batman or Superman, it was Spiderman. The joke was now 'can't wait to see you in those tights and knickers'. I thought why couldn't I have been a goon or something else - you're covered up - you're the unknown guy. I put on the costume and I tell you, it weighed so much that I couldn't raise my leg above my waist, and I'm supposed to start producing! So I had to work out in the costume. When I got this new part I was originally hired for three days to do one fight scene with Master Sken, the Thai Boxer, who was playing one of Jack Nicholson's goons. After that I had planned to take a holiday, I felt I needed a rest from work, teaching and training, I had travelled the world but I had never had a holiday. On the last night some people came up to me and said what I had done was really good. They loved it. I later found out one of them was Jon Peters, the Producer - 'wow!' Phil Tan had been giving me a lot of background on the film and the importance of what we'd been doing. Then I was asked how I felt about doing another five or six weeks work. The next minute I was signing up at Warner Brothers' office. Things just got bigger and bigger. All of a sudden, instead of a tent, I had a dressing room next to the stars. I had wardrobe ladies, I had makeup ladies, everything. It was just there. It was so embarrassing, coming out onto the set and seeing the extras. The ironic thing was that after a week in this new role I got a phone call from my agent, who told me that I was wanted back for more work as an extra. They had been through the rushes and they liked my face.
"But I decided to do it. I phoned up WB. They said 'its OK. Do it if you want'. So I went back on set and became one of the 400 again. The director saw me and said 'you're a glutton for punishment!' 'Yeah, and the money,' I replied. I felt the difference, but I would never knock the work, because in that first two weeks as an extra I learnt a lot about the film business and how it worked, how things were made to happen, particularly about camera angles, fight scenes. Most people don't realise what's needed in an action film to create good fight scenes and stunts; the energy level required to make a scene realistic. This is one thing that the cameramen and the director understand very well and they will make you repeat something again and again until it's right - its important to know that. Phil would 'psyche' me up and also the crew would push me. After doing several takes you get to learn how to use your body and what the crew wants. This taught me a lot. Later on I told a guy to hit me for real - not the head, mind you, but to the body. And then we were getting the scene down in a couple of takes. On another occasion we got a scene done in one take, and I was told that this was the first time there was a one-take done on the film. After that they called me 'one take Dave' .It was good fun.
"You got a tremendous adrenalin rush when they went 'ready and action' and then you went - your heart's pounding, your pulse is up, then someone's bashing the hell out of you, then you're bashing it out of him. It's really amazing. The director was really incredible and really professional. He knew exactly what he wanted and exactly how to get it. He gave me so much confidence. I learnt something about screen fighting in America from Dan Inosanto and from Anthony Delonges (who co-starred in 'Jaguar Lives'). Phil was also giving me advice - he's got a lot of experience and knows the camera angles - this is important to get the right effect; also what looks good in the gym or works on the street does not necessarily look good on camera. Phil and I did a scene together. It was really hilarious - but you will have to see the film to find out!'
I asked if he met any of the stars of the Batman film.
"I met up with Mick Keaton a few times and it was really funny. He said to me: "what do you think of my kicks, Dave. Getting better now, aren't they?' 'Yeah, who's teaching you?' He said 'gee I thought it was easy kicking until I put the bat suit on'. After I'd been on there and started doing the stuff - we'd watch the rushes -when Batman started to perform I'd think 'is that Mick doing that or someone else?' Mick credited himself. He said 'what do you think of my kicks now then Dave?' 'Yeah, they're great.... they’re mine!" Then we had an interesting situation. I was told our facial structures are very close - a double! Well, some people were really amazed how much we resembled each other that the only difference was that I have long hair and he has short hair.
"Some people asked how I did it with long hair. Well, I had this beautiful young lady come in every day and gel it back wet look and then tie it into a pony tail - looked very cute. It was great fun. I had all these girls running around, make up, costume, but they were very professional. They knew I had come in the back door but they took you in and made you feel so relaxed and comfortable and full of confidence. They didn't try to put me down or do anything against me. I had a break and I was giving it my best shot. It was such a great atmosphere.
"One particular thing I remember. I did a stunt, we really had to go for it. When I finished, everyone was clapping, I thought 'what's happening here?' Maybe it was because I'd given all my energy and got it right. We'll move on or maybe everyone's fed up waiting to get out of the scene. I think I got the movements right! Jack Nicholson is unbelievable. He walks around with a sort of charisma. He's great fun to be with and very friendly. You can see the professionalism in him, you know when he's there, you just watch him to see if you can pick up anything from him. He was relaxed with everyone, not high and mighty like some stars can be. There, again, the others, Kim Basinger and Mick Keaton, everyone is working together on a job. To get the best results there has to be some sort of communication. Unless you're some guy working on the side they're not going to walk up and talk to you. There's no reason to.
"You know you're working with the top people but you don't go all "scatty legged" about it, you know, like 'ooh look there's Kim Basinger!' She was there and I did look and for a long time I looked (I didn't see why I shouldn't). I wasn't going to be deprived of a look. ' Just because you're on a diet doesn't mean you can't look at the menu!' One time that lady was swinging from a balcony and I got a stiff neck. Another time I was up there with her and I got another stiff neck! She's everything that they say she is, very sensuous. She's great!
"Mike would be up early every morning, reading his papers, having his breakfast and having his make up done. It was so relaxed, just like on 'Eastenders'. Going back to that, there was this scene where the Dagmar was being opened. A page three girl was to do the honours. One of the builders was to do a chat-up line on her and I was picked to do it. There was a lot of laughing about it, then Lesley Grantham and Nick Berry ran up and said 'Dave, your page 3 girl's come': Well, she wasn't quite what page 3 girls are supposed to be. Maybe they got the casting pictures wrong! Well, everyone was having a good laugh about it. This was the only time I spoke on 'Eastenders'. The part didn't really call for dialogue, which was just as well because they wanted a Coventry accent. Despite coaching, the best I could do was a mixture of a Birmingham accent and Cockney. These people accepted you when you were there working with them. They didn't call you a part-timer. They treated you with respect. That's where you can see the difference between those people who do a few seconds on a commercial and act like a star.
Now you're going over to the States?
Yeah. The producer, Jon Peters, was talking to Phil about this project in the States. Phil told me about him doing some work on it. It so happened that the director on the Batset was also working on the project. Both he and I clicked - he can get you to produce the results. He asked John Peters if I could go over with Phil to help with advising and choreographing the fights. I've trained in a lot of things, now its all coming to fruition. This next film is a big challenge, as was Batman before and Eastenders before that. So I am getting ready. When you go to war you go prepared!
"Originally I had intended to go to the States for the premiere of the Batman film. Where better than Hollywood for a premiere? It's going to be a good laugh and great experience. From what's been written in reports about Batman it could be the biggest box office grossing film ever, and I've got a part in it! I made the most of it and believed in what I was doing. It was a great opportunity. If you don't take them and make them work for you, you will probably regret it. On the film in the States I will be working with Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell. I've met Sylvester in London. He's a really nice guy, I respect him. After that I'm hoping that there will be a Batman sequel, but we shall see. Meanwhile America is the land of opportunity!"
Dave had a lot more to say and I had so little space to put it, but mainly take every opportunity. Do your best and don't let other people get you down. It's only jealousy from small-minded people. There's plenty of room for everyone! |
