The Devil at Your Heels
1981
1 h 42 min
Coming soon
This feature-length documentary introduces viewers to Ken Carter, a Montreal-born stunt driver who made a living by risking his life. The film shines a light on the intense preparation that led to Carter’s first attempt to jump a car across a mile-wide stretch of the St. Lawrence River – a 5-year period during which the dare-devil raised a million dollars, erected a 10-storey take-off ramp and built a rocket-powered car. For more background information on this film, please visit the NFB.ca blog.
Details
This feature-length documentary introduces viewers to Ken Carter, a Montreal-born stunt driver who made a living by risking his life. The film shines a light on the intense preparation that led to Carter’s first attempt to jump a car across a mile-wide stretch of the St. Lawrence River – a 5-year period during which the dare-devil raised a million dollars, erected a 10-storey take-off ramp and built a rocket-powered car.
For more background information on this film, please visit the NFB.ca blog.
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directorRobert Fortier
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editingRobert Fortier
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producerAdam SymanskyWilliam BrindRobert Fortier
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executive producerBarrie HowellsArthur Hammond
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scriptDavid WilsonCharles Lazer
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photographyBarry Perles
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soundJacques ChevignyRaymond Marcoux
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sound editingAndré Galbrand
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re-recordingHans Peter StroblAdrian Croll
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narratorGordon Pinsent
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musicArt Phillips
Education
Ages 13 to 18
History - Canada 1946-1991
Media Education - Consumerism
Media Education - Documentary Film
Media Education - Popular Culture
Warnings: [Bleeped swearing. Depictions of injury and violent situations.]
Documentary about Canadian stuntman Ken Carter’s famous attempt to jump the St. Lawrence river. Appropriate for classroom discussions and research assignments about Canadian media, entertainment and art. Do you consider daredevils like Ken Carter to be artists? Why or why not? Discuss the role funding and financial backing play in Ken’s dream of jumping the St. Lawrence. Do you consider fame and glory to be admirable dreams? Write about your own dreams and goals; what obstacles are there? Are there any similarities between your dreams and Ken’s? Discuss any potential ethical issues behind the final decision to have Kenny Powers make the jump rather than Ken.
