Jackie Chan’s Book successfully makes his most dangerous stunts even cooler. “I’m Jackie Chan” proves that there is something behind Jackie’s life-threatening stunts that he doesn’t show.
The 1998 publication I Am Jackie Chan, written by Jeff Yang and the man himself, revealed the inner workings of China’s biggest actor. According to Jackie herself, the book details the most important moments in the life of a beloved action hero in movies, as well as some of the most outrageous action scenes in martial arts films. Jackie Chan’s record number of films, from his humble beginnings as a stuntman in Hong Kong cinema to his rise to popularity in the Western market, speaks for itself. Since he does his own stunts, from Project A to Cop Story to Super Cop, Jackie’s blockbusters are known for their risqué yet complex choreography. Jackie Chan was constantly doing wild stunts despite the obvious danger.
In the book I Am Jackie Chan, all his stunts seem even cooler, because the actor knew exactly how terrible they were, both physically and mentally. Showcasing the legend’s ridiculously dangerous stunts, the autobiography gave the harrowing episodes some added realism. It actually makes the tricks cooler than if Jackie Chan weren’t afraid. In fact, the Wheels on Meals star has always been worried about the dangers of stunts, but still performed them despite his natural fears. He confessed, “The commercials called me fearless, but it’s just an advertisement. Anyone who thinks I don’t go crazy when I do one of my stunts is more crazy than me.”
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Jackie Chan hid his fear from the public, but perhaps surprisingly, audiences were willing to accept his public persona. Having appeared in over 150 films, Chan clearly risked his life more than most actors. Therefore, it is rather ironic that Jackie Chan was afraid during his most terrible stunts. “Of course I’m scared, I’m not Superman.” Chan admitted that because the stunts were so dangerous, it naturally caused a feeling of fear. In turn, this fear worked for the big scenes, because the sheer size and huge risk made the stunts more impressive.
Plus, that humble Jackie Chan attitude is a way to show respect. Jackie Chan stated that conscious awareness of his stunt work was a way to honor the memory of his trainer and mentor. That person was Three Dragons’ coach Yu Jim-yuen, who had seen Jackie rise in popular kung fu films mentoring the future superstar in the 1980s. Namely, for this reason, Jackie Chan performed all his stunts. It’s not that Jackie wasn’t afraid to keep doing these feats. Jackie confirmed this by repeating, “Nothing makes me more determined to succeed than someone who tells me something is impossible.” To viewers, Jackie Chan is as fearless as he looks.