Charles' horse throws him

Mad Dog > Locations > Derbyshire > Monsal Dale > Viaduct

Startled
by the gun
shot,
Charles'
horse bolts
— and he falls

Charles is tipped from his horse and falls

"Urban dogs?"
Charles to Fenton

 

To protect himself from the marauding dog pack, Charles mounts his horse and draws his rifle. But the sound of his gunshot startles the resting animal, and the horse bolts. Charles is unseated and, dropping his rifle, he falls to the ground.

Looking down
on the scene,
from the top of
Monsal viaduct

 The scene in December 2002

December 2002

 

Description: This stunt sequence was staged at the base of the Monsal viaduct, in the area next to the river and between the gateway and the viaduct arches. It was filmed by a camera unit shooting directly downwards from their position on the top of the viaduct.

Where is it?: The area where Charles falls, at the foot of the Monsal viaduct on the valley floor, is accessible by footpaths leading down from Monsal top; from the side of the viaduct; and from the roadway into the valley. The viaduct top is reachable from three directions: a steep, rocky path from the valley floor, along the pathway that forms the 'Monsal trail' from the far side of the valley; and from the footpath leading down from Monsal head.

Where's the best vantage point?: Because the shot is filmed 'straight down', it is relatively easy to locate the exact spot on the viaduct top (a hundred yards or so from the sealed tunnel entrance) where the camera was positioned.

What about access?: The viaduct is open to the public and there are no photographic restrictions. Climbing down from Monsal head to the viaduct, and from the viaduct top to the valley floor, can be treacherous and particularly hard going when the weather is poor.

Anything else?: This shot must have been a particularly tricky one for the crew to stage. The fall itself had to be executed by the stunt man directly onto the hard surface of the frozen earth (without mats — which would have been visible in the shot). The camera also needed to be secured so that it could overhang the railings of the viaduct, safely and without shaking, and look directly downwards. No mean feat for a three-second shot by a crew on a desperately tight timetable.  
 

Mad Dog > Locations > Derbyshire > Monsal Dale > Viaduct  
 
 
 

Page last updated:
07 January 2003