If you thought getting several different Batman and Robin stuntmen to shoot scenes was difficult, then here’s something crazy — they used the same method for the infamous villain, Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger). While there weren’t as many stunt people used for Mr. Freeze as there were for the more active heroes, the preparation needed to suit these performers up was fairly intensive. Schwarzenegger’s makeup artist Jeff Dawn told The Hollywood Reporter that getting the actor ready was such an arduous process that they essentially only shot him for close-ups. This shouldn’t be surprising, given the intricacies of Mr. Freeze’s suit and makeup.
“We would have a couple of other Arnolds, standing around ready to get in their suits at any one time,” Dawn recalled. “It was so easy to hide the real Arnold with all of that stuff on. It’s really important to the close-ups, and that’s about it. Everyone else could be a double or a stunt person.”
Even if you don’t like the final product, it’s hard not to be impressed by the fact that the crew managed to have all these stuntmen and doubles flow in a somewhat seamless manner. It really does prove how important it is to recognize the achievements of stunt coordination in the industry because it’s more than just achieving wild stunts in uncomfortable costumes. It’s about making all the setpieces of an action movie, no matter the subjective quality, tie together in an entertaining way. And boy, is “Batman & Robin” entertaining.