As in the rest of the series, the thrilling action scenes in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum are a tribute to the craftsmanship of the stunt team and it is an apt tribute to Buster Keaton and his classic work in The General. This artistic connection to the silent movie genre is no accident, for the genre of fast-paced action has always gone hand in hand with the adventurers of cinema, the designers of the shows.
Stars of silent films – Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd – not only extended the limits of the human body but also applied special effects techniques and ideas by Georges Méliès and other innovators to their stunts. They understood that there were ways to dazzle audiences with illusions and reduce the level of risk on their spectacular scenes.
The life of many of his characters is brilliantly captured in one shot from the film Modern Times when his character is seen hanging from a high pedestal. The viewers breathe a sigh of relief believing that he is one moment away from death – the scene was, however, shot on a set. The set’s relative danger was fake and was created by a matte painting, a high-art picture that appears dramatically in front of the camera. For example, Chaplin’s mark was a very low “curb” and his movements within the “abyss” were so choreographed that the painting seemed to fit right in.
For two reasons, this technique remains effective even today. To begin with, the matte painting was meticulously executed in relation to the set so that it provided depth without the necessity of forced perspective which may have been affected by camera motions or shadow cast. Secondly, a large “Danger” sign on a board at the front prop adds to the matte painting and the set, creating an exquisite interplay between real and painted images.
Through the examination of these cinematic trick, a great deal more about the history of the film industry is revealed and supports the adage of cinema that ‘there’s nothing more to inventasa’ For instance, as we move to other classics, such as Harold Lloyd’s Safety Last! with its renowned clock sequence, we have an endless number of such layers and techniques related to these classical performances.