Alex Carson
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan is known for doing his own stunts. He risks life and limb by combining acrobatic martial arts skills, expert comedic timing, and amazing stunt work. When Chan was shooting the third chapter of Police Story in 1992, everything seemed fine. When Jackie Chan attempted this insane stunt, he didn’t anticipate the bone-breaking consequences. During the scene, he was dangling from a helicopter. He never expected things to do wrong. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time that he risked injury for Eastern and Western films.
Jackie’s Career
When Jackie was just 7-years-old, he joined the Chinese Opera Research Institute, and he spent 10-years there training. This helped him get into the Chinese movie industry. By the time he turned 20, he had already appeared in over 25 films. Because of this, people believed that he would be the next Bruce Lee. His ability to make people laugh made him even more popular. Because he was willing to do his own stunts, his star really began to rise. He started working behind the camera as a screenwriter, a producer, and even a singer. The martial arts legend released over 20 albums since the mid-’80s.
Unknown In Hollywood
While Chan was a superstar in the East thanks to Project A and Crime Story, he was relatively unknown in the U.S. He starred in The Big Brawn and Cannonball Run, but these films didn’t gain too much attention. In 1996, that all changed when he starred in Rumble in the Bronx, which became a box-office hit. Two years later, he became a household name when he starred in Rush Hour with Chris Tucker. By this point, he was over 40. He starred in Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights, and in two more installments in the Rush Hour franchise. After starring in the remake of the Karate Kid, Jackie earned an honorary Oscar. It was a shock to most that Jackie made it this far because his stunts put him in danger all the time.
First Major Injury
In 1978, Jackie was filming Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow. After being kicked by his co-star, Hwang Jang-Lee, he broke his brow bone. This almost caused him to lose his vision in one eye. Jackie wasn’t angry with his co-star. In fact, he says that it was one of his favorite fight scenes during his career.
Jackie Chan Insane Stunt: Project A
Five years later, Jackie starred in Project A. The 1983 film caused an injury that paled in comparison to the Eagle’s Shadow injury. Jackie was hanging from a clock tower about 60-feet off the ground. His fall was supposed to be broken by awnings, but it didn’t work out this way. The awning caused more harm than good, and he damaged his spine. This never stopped Jackie from filming, and after a group of extras helped him to his feet, he continued to film.
Police Story
When Jackie filmed Police Story, he suffered another injury. This time, he was supposed to leap on a pole covered with Christmas lights before tumbling through a roof made of glass. He was supposed to land on the floor of a shopping mall. The glass wasn’t real, but the lights were. When he slid down the pole, the hot lights burned his hands. When he landed on the floor, he damaged two vertebrae and dislocated his pelvis. Less than a year later, Jackie was back at work, performing his own stunts.
A Severe Injury
While Jackie was filming Armour of God, he was to leap onto a tree branch from a castle wall. He misjudged the jump and broke his skull on the rocks below. A section of the bone lodged into his brain. He was taken to surgery where he had a metal plate put into his head. He admits that his timing may have been off while performing the stunt, but his near-death accident didn’t stop him. And he filmed Armour God II after healing, and he had an issue there also. He was to jump from a banner onto a chain. He lost his grip and fell. Fortunately, he gave the crew the thumbs up, saying that he was alright. He dislocated his breast bone but didn’t have it checked until after filming for the day.
Crime Story
When Jackie was filming Crime Story in 1992, he almost lost two of his limbs. He was supposed to run between two vehicles, and jump out of the way just in time. During the second take, the drivers didn’t do their job properly, and their legs were almost squashed. Fortunately, he walked away with only a few bruises.
The Legend Of Drunken Master
When Jackie was filming Legend Of Drunken Master, he had to fall on his back on a bed of hot coals. He pulled off the stunt with minor pain, but he wasn’t happy with the scene. He volunteered to fall on the hot coals a second time.
Hit By a Helicopter
As if all of these injuries weren’t enough, the worst one occurred when he was hit by a helicopter and survived. He was supposed to avoid the helicopter, but it didn’t go as planned. He was supposed to grab onto a pipe, but it didn’t turn the way it was supposed to. Then, he was hit by the helicopter and shattered his shoulder, dislocated his cheekbone, and fractured a rib. He was barely conscious and had to hold onto the pipe until the grew could get him down. This man is crazy.
