Jet Li and John Hannah Play With Fire

In “The Mummy: Curse of the Dragon Emperor,” Jet Li plays the title role of Emperor Han.  Once he is resurrected, he not only has the ability to transform his personal appearance, but he can also control the elements, including fire.  In one scene, the script calls for Emperor Han to summon fire with his hands, then form a ball of fire in the air between them.  In order to achieve this, the special effects crew dipped Jet Li’s hands in transparent goo, and then lit them with a butane torch.  Supposedly this is safe enough: as long as the actor’s hands don’t feel warm, he’s in no danger.  Indeed, the production got the shot they wanted, and then shot Jet Li’s hands with a fire extinguisher, smothering the flames before they could injure him.  During post-production, the special effects people enhanced these flames, and added the fireball that the Emperor summons in the movie.

Jet Li has been in countless movies.  He risks injury every time he performs a stunt.  But no process is entirely safe, and accidents--sometimes tragic ones--occur on film sets, just as they do in real life.  So be honest when you consider this question.  Could you dip your hands in this goo, allow the production crew to light your hands with a butane torch, and then perform your scene with the utmost concentration, while real flames are burning away at your precious, irreplaceable palms and fingers? 

At the museum in Shanghai, a group of Chinese soldiers reawaken the Emperor Han.  They then flee in his chariot, drawn by the Terracotta/mummy-horses that have also been reawakened.  Rick and Evelyn O’Connell give chase in a truck filled with fireworks, along with Evelyn’s brother Jonathan (played by John Hannah).  Then a firework shoots at Jonathan, and sets his rear end ablaze.

In order to achieve this shot, the special effects crew wrapped the actor’s lower torso in protective material.  His pants went over this.  The crew then ignited John Hannah's butt, and the director ordered the fireworks truck to race off through the narrow streets of 1940s Shanghai.  Consider, for a moment, John Hannah's plight if something had gone wrong.  Imagine being sent to the hospital, to seek the aid of a qualified surgeon, and hearing him say…

“Excuse me?  You need a skin graft where?”

I've often thought it'd be nice to be an actor.  I could handle lounging around in my trailer all day until the director needed me for a particular scene.  I think I could be talked into attending the glamorous award ceremonies.  After those insufferable post-awards parties, I could fly off in my personal jet, and recharge on my own private island.  I'm just not sure I could let people set me on fire, not for any amount of fame or fortune.  

Still, for the personal jet, and the private island...

Dragon Dave