What A Shame ...

Top French stuntman, Remy Julienne, was sued by French film producer Luc Besson over the death of a cameraman while shooting the 2nd in the popular 'Taxi' series. Shot in 1999, one particular sequence included a car leaping off a ramp. On its way back down to earth it struck and killed cameraman Alain Dutartre.

77 year old Julienne, who's credits include 7 James Bond films and the infamous original "The Italian Job", was then pursued by film bosses and Besson. The prosecutor had asked for a 6 month prison term and a €6000 fine. On September 11th of this year, the veteran stuntman was sentenced to an 18 month suspended sentence and a €13,000 fine.

The prosecutor accused Julienne of "not taking all the necessary measures for the security of the stunt in question" and notably to have "neglected the speed calculations of the car and the length of the jump".

Funny how lawyers suddenly become experts in any field they see fit.

I met Remy Julienne last year during the 'Salon du Cinema'. Here's the link: http://nooffenceintended.blogspot.com/2007/01/i-need-my-space.html

A charming man with a fascinating back-catalogue of stories and experience of up-ending vehicles. He wasn't very well then and I doubt that he's any better now.

Looks to me as though the money people won ...

Stu