If you didn’t know by now then you should know that ActionAGoGo.com isn’t just a website dedicated to action. No, we are self-appointed record keepers of the action genre, as well. We also believe that movies are the sum of their parts, which is why we find it important to recognize not just the action stars in front of the camera but also the ones behind it — the men and women who help bring a director’s vision to screen through hours of collaboration and execution. Our ongoing “Architects of Action” series is intended to highlight those individuals. Today, we zero in on stuntman Spiro Razatos, a career that has spanned some of the greatest sci-fi and action films of the last 30-plus years.
Here are the top 5 reasons to give a @#*& about Spiro…
5. Shaft inspired his decision to go into stunts
Born in 1960, Spiro Razatos life-defining moment came when he was about 11-years-old. Inspired by a screening of Richard Roundtree’s Shaft (1971), a preteen Razatos took to performing backyard stunts immediately. Spiro recorded himself leaping off of rooftops, surfing the tops of speeding vehicles, and setting himself on fire — all in service of a super 8 demo reel for Hollywood. It worked. Spiro was taken in by the stunt community based off the strength of his demo, igniting a filmography that is truly legendary.
4. The best FAST AND FURIOUS films were coordinated by him.
Among action aficionados (us, basically), Fast Five is considered to be the point where the Fast and Furious franchise takes on new life. While plenty of credit can go to then series director Justin Lin, he had to surround himself with a lot of talent to meet his ambitious new vision for the series. Enter 2nd unit director Spiro Razatos. Starting with Fast Five, Razatos became the go-to guy for the franchise, directing major set pieces such as the insane “air drop” bit from Furious 7.
3. THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE
Based on the strength of his work with Fast Five, Razatos was invited to come and play in the Marvel sandbox. According to the audio commentary for Captain America: Civil War (which is great and you should listen to it), Razatos stunt coordination was definitely needed to bring to life the Washington, DC street combat in Captain America: Winter Soldier, as well as the insane Bucharest foot/car chase in Civil War.
2. COMMANDO
It’s not totally uncommon for a stunt person to be called into a production for an uncredited role. Usually, this involves the production needing a stunt to be performed at the last minute. Not surprisingly, Spiro Razatos resume of uncredited work is just as jaw-droppingly bad ass as his credited stuff. According to his IMDB, Razatos has worked incognito on the sets of action classics like Commando, Beverly Hills Cop II, and Robocop.
1. BACK TO THE FUTURE
One look at Razatos resume and you can tell that cars are his specialty. So is it any surprise that he co-starred alongside Marty McFly’s infamous time-traveling Delorean? In 1985’s Back to the Future, Spiro was tasked with working alongside actor Christopher Lloyd and stuntman Bernie Pock to bring Robert Zemeckis’ vision to life. Back to the future wasn’t the only 80s classic that Razatos was involved in, however. Other credits include The Goonies, Real Genius, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, Return of the Living Dead, The Golden Child, and Colors.
BONUS ROUND!
He’s a great host! Seriously, in this HGTV clip, Spiro shows off his “million dollar” gaming room. The guy really knows how to show his people a good time.
Is that all? Nope. Spiro’s ever-growing filmography continues to impress as he revs up to give audiences even more eye-popping action in Fate of the Furious. From Hollywood to Bollywood, at 56-year-old, Razatos has clearly lived a life less ordinary, abusing his body to provide decades of entertainment to audiences around the globe. And that’s more than enough reasons to give a @#$% about this fascinating fallguy.