See It Big: Stunts!

As thrillingly demonstrated in our new exhibition, Mission: Impossible—Story and Spectacle, the art, craft, and visual astonishment of practical stunt work remains one of the reasons we still go to the movies, especially in an era when so much CGI has taken the place of human derring-do. The vicarious excitement we experience watching seemingly impossible feats of physicality, strength, and bravery have been a key emotion of moviegoing throughout the last hundred-plus years. In conjunction with this exhibition, which honors the accomplishments of the Mission: Impossible film series, we are pleased to present a selection of movies from around the world that feature some of the most eye-popping, “how-did-they-do-that?” moments of human physicality ever captured on screen. The series extends from the silent comedy stylings of Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd to the groundbreaking, influential jumps of Yakima Canutt (Stagecoach) to the acrobatic innovations of Jackie Chan to gonzo Hong Kong nineties superheroes and to the astonishments of 21st-century action films from Thailand, Indonesia, and beyond. Coming hot on the heels of the announcement that the Academy Awards will be adding a new category honoring stunt performers, See It Big: Stunts! is a tribute to the stuntpeople, the stunt coordinators, and all the fearless innovators who have often risked it all for the sake of unforgettable movie magic. 

Special guests to be announced!