Independent Lens: Double Dare
By Marilyn Moss
Bottom line: Hard-hitting and in the end pretty informative.
10 p.m. Tuesday, May 31
KCET
In a media-frenzied world already oversaturated by documentaries on every aspect of the film and television industries, this installment of PBS' "Independent Lens" takes a refreshing course. Focusing on two very independent
stunt women who have made it big in a world populated mostly by men. The documentary, "Double Dare," by Amanda Micheli is hard-hitting and in the end pretty informative as well.
Micheli looks at two women, Jeannie Epper and Zoe Bell, who have made careers for themselves in film and television doing daredevil tricks and stunting for female stars who don't really want to go extreme danger. Epper, who
comes from a long line of stunt doubles, has been doing the job for more than 25 years. The first we see of her in this documentary is as stunt double for Lynda Carter in the "Wonder Woman" series. Even today, Epper shows no
signs of retiring.
Micheli then switches to the work of Bell, who stunts for Lucy Lawless in "Xena: Warrior Princess." Bell is as aggressive in her work as Epper and ready to go places most women wouldn't consider. "Double Dare" is a factual yet
action-packed look at two very independent women who, in large part, lead extraordinary lives.