They risk their lives for above-average salaries – hurling themselves off cliffs, leaping onto charging horses, enduring punches and dynamite blasts. Until recent decades, the names of most movie stuntmen (and occasional women) were unknown to moviegoers. While a rare few actors did their own stunts (Buster Keaton and Jackie Chan), most were “doubled” by stuntmen in everything from westerns and costume epics to thrillers and comedies.

Join film historian  and author Max Alvarez for this 75-minute thrill ride with unforgettable selections from over 75 years of film entertainment.

Max Alvarez has been delivering talks on cinema history for over two decades. A former entertainment journalist and Washington, D.C. museum film curator, his previous books include "The Crime Films of Anthony Mann" (University Press of Mississippi) and his major contribution to "Thornton Wilder/New Perspectives" (Northwestern University Press). Max's latest book, "The Cinéphile's Guide to the Great Age of Cinema," highlights 9 essential 20th century movie directors and three key film genres for film lovers to discover, rediscover, and explore.

Registrants will be emailed the Zoom link the day before the event.

This program is made possible by The Friends of the Livingston Public Library