Body Doubles in films

[CatInASuit]

Should films be ashamed of using body doubles or is it purely to try and gain as much publicity as possible if they can say the actor ior actress did it all?

A growing trend for film stars to try and perform all the parts of any film including stunts has meant that the stars get more and more visibility for the roles and actions they perform.

The latest bit of gossip going round is that Natalie Portman only did 5% of the ballet dancing shots in Black Swan, with the rest being carried out by her body double, trained dancer Sarah Lane. This has, of course, been denied by the studio who were saying that the majority of it was done by Portman and only the most complicated bits were performed by Lane.

Another example would be artists playing instruments in a movie. Yes, several actors and actresses are accomplished musicians, but should it matter if you can cut the film well enough that it gives the illusion of the person playing, even if they cannot.

So the question is, does it matter as long as it is a good film?

[What Exit?]

It does not matter at all if the director makes it seamless.

Was Flashdance (OK, not a great movie, but I know many that love it) hurt by Jennifer Beals not doing most of her dancing?

I know some actors did most of their stunts, but I cannot think of a good film where the actors using stunts doubles hurt the film.

I do tend to dislike the old practice of over-using voice replacements for singing. I think it got used to very bad effect in parts of My Fair Lady. Audrey had a lovely and real voice and instead they used Marnie Nixon for all the songs. I've heard Audrey's "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and it far superior to Marnie's. I think Audrey could have done the rest of the songs too. Her "Moon River" from Breakfast at Tiffany's is incredibly touching.

[PixieBob]

It's a movie. Entertain me. And...consider the case of Jackie Chan. His early movies ended with out takes of him doing his own stunts and getting hurt all the time. Well...he's really hurt now and can't do that anymore. So was it worth it to him? It wasn't to me. Body doubles in sex scenes? The more money you command, the less likely it is that you will have to take your clothes off. Most top billed actors only did that to get started. I really don't think anyone likes to do it. As for singing. Probably OK. Johnny Depp did his own singing in "Sweeny Todd" but he's just one success. Playing a piano? cut it. It's part of the story. Stunt persons have to work too.

[Marsilia]

I have no reason to expect my favorite actors to be black belts, trained dancers, or otherwise musically gifted. If I cared that much, I would have stopped watching BtVS when Sarah Michelle Gellar's stunt double became campily obvious.

Though, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I totally understand trying to downplay the stunt dancing in Black Swan, especially with the worry people were expressing over Portman's rapid and dramatic weight loss. If you can say "She worked hard to become a dancer," it's a tiny bit less uncomfortable than saying "She worked hard to look like a dancer."

[Orual]

Hell, my favorite ballet movie is Center Stage, and you can totally tell that Zoe Saldana isn't doing all her own dances.

[Marsilia]

Hell, my favorite ballet movie is Center Stage, and you can totally tell that Zoe Saldana isn't doing all her own dances.

Though Amanda Schull is a trained ballerina.

[OneCentStamp]

I do tend to dislike the old practice of over-using voice replacements for singing. I think it got used to very bad effect in parts of My Fair Lady. Audrey had a lovely and real voice and instead they used Marnie Nixon for all the songs. I've heard Audrey's "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" and it far superior to Marnie's. I think Audrey could have done the rest of the songs too. Her "Moon River" from Breakfast at Tiffany's is incredibly touching.

They should have just let Julie Andrews reprise her stage performance in the film.

[What Exit?]

They should have just let Julie Andrews reprise her stage performance in the film.

True, this is the only Audrey Hepburn film I have seen that I really don't like.