Edward Colman, ASC, who has filmed six feature films to date for Walt Disney, found new and exciting photographic challenges in “Savage Sam."
SCATTERED AROUND A CLUMP of oak trees halfway up a parched mountainside in California’s San Fernando Valley, six Hollywood stunt riders, decked out in the vermillion hues and war bonnets of Apache warriors, and 50 specially trained hurses wait impatiently to begin one of the most difficult and spectacular scenes ever attempted for Walt Disney’s feature motion picture, "Savage Sam."
Surrounding a small lake below the horses and riders, six camouflaged camera crews under the supervision of Director of Photography Edward Coleman, ASC, zero-in on a seven-foot high, twenty-foot wide precipice. Director Norman Tokar shatters the tense silence with the command, “Okay – let°s roll ’em!”
Camera one, speed-camera two, speed-camera three. speed,” and so on, the operators report from around the lake.
"Action!,” the director shouts over the PA. system. “Bring on the horses!”
The whoop and holler of the wranglers in Indian disguise rings through the air, and slowly, two at a time, then galloping four and five abreast, the horses careen down the sheer slope and into the lake.
“Number one, clear!” shouts the assistant director. Down a narrow path gallops the first Apache.” His mount leaps off the embarkment and into the lake.
"Number two, clear!,” and down come two youngsters on a big bay. The horse hurtles on the barrier into the water.
“Number three, clear,” The third “Apache” spurs his horse down the path and on into the now crowded lake.
“Number four, clear!” Two riders on separate horses gallop down the hill together, then plunge on the cliff almost simultaneously in a breathtaking leap.
When the director yells, “Cut!,” the 150-man motion picture crew burts into spontaneous applause.
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