A good example of carefully-laid
explosives is when scenes involve horses - as animals aren't
stupid and won't do what they are rehearsed to do if they feel
threatened and in danger. This photograph of a detonation initiated
by the author on-camera to simulate shell-fire looks very destructive
- but is in fact relatively harmless to both rider and horse.
One of the battle scene in Sharpe's Peril used over fifty horses
ridden by stuntmen using swords and faced with thirty extras
firing firearms loaded with 'blanks' and filmed from three cameras.
During such scenes, the ability of Michael Mallinson (our 1st
AD) to read a potentially hazardous situation - especially night-filming
of 'battles' - has always been handled with awareness, great
skill and applied care.
Proof that Riflemen
can fly - when they have to. There is an interesting story involving
the author behind this entire scene : watch out on tv for the
Indian gunner who fires
the cannon and the full story will - no doubt - follow at some
point.
|