Escape Or Die!

Escape Or Die!
GenreDocumentary
Written byChris Charney, Trevor Suffield, John Titley, Eric Weinthal
Directed byJohn Barnard, Jeff Newman
StarringDean Gunnarson, Cary Tardi, Jeff Gunnarson, Ava Darrach-Gagnon, John MacDonald
ComposerMitch Dorge
Country of originCanada
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producerKyle Bornais
ProducersScott R. Leary, Tony Wosk
Production locationsChina, Colombia, Iceland, Texas, Florida, Manitoba, India, Quebec, Malaysia, West Virginia, Bahamas
Production companyFarpoint Films
Original release
NetworkOLN
ReleaseApril 14 (2015-04-14) –
June 30, 2015 (2015-06-30)

Escape Or Die! was a Canadian reality television series produced by Farpoint Films that premiered[1] in Canada in 2015 on OLN.[2] Starring escape artist Dean Gunnarson, the series showed the behind-the-scenes preparations and escapes filmed in various locations around the world. The series featured Cary Tardi,[3] Jeff Gunnarson, Ava Darrach-Gagnon, and John MacDonald as part of Dean's team that helped make the escapes happen and keep him safe. The show also featured appearances by magician and skeptic James Randi and Colombian magician Gustavo Lorgia.[citation needed]

The series won a Golden Sheaf Award at the 2016 Yorkton Film Festival for Best Documentary Series.

Personnel

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  • Dean Gunnarson – escape artist
  • Cary Tardi – theatrics expert
  • Jeff Gunnarson – safety expert
  • Ava Darrach-Gagnon – office manager
  • John MacDonald – blacksmith

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Shanghai Express"John BarnardChris CharneyApril 14, 2015 (2015-04-14)
Dean Gunnarson attempts to defend his title of World's Most Daring Escape Artist by escaping from one of Shanghai's biggest and fastest roller coasters – the same one that shattered his ankle the last time he attempted this escape.[4]
2"Burning, Bound and Upside Down Escape"John BarnardEric WeinthalApril 21, 2015 (2015-04-21)
Dean is bound in a straight jacket, hanging upside down 45 meters over the deadly cobblestone square of Zipaquira, Columbia. The clock is ticking and the only thing between Dean and a deadly fall are two rapidly burning ropes.[5]
3"Viking Funeral Escape"Jeff NewmanJohn TitleyApril 28, 2015 (2015-04-28)
Dean is reclaiming his Icelandic roots by attempting to escape from a burning Viking ship in the middle of the North Atlantic. Dean must break free of chains, reach the Viking sword, cut himself free, and swim to shore before the ship explodes.[6]
4"Deadly Dallas Draft Escape"Jeff NewmanEric WeinthalMay 5, 2015 (2015-05-05)
Everything's bigger in Texas (including the beer cans) which are dangerous. Dean is in Dallas, Texas, attempting an escape that almost killed Harry Houdini. Dean will be locked up in chains and then submerged in a full can of beer. He must escape the chains and not drown before a live, cheering crowd.[7]
5"Death Tank Escape"John BarnardEric WeinthalMay 12, 2015 (2015-05-12)
Dean has spent years honing his escape skills to face the Death Tank, once used in WWII as a torture chamber. Dean is in Miami, Florida, to change the course of history and be the only person to escape this death trap.
6"Man vs. Machine Escape"Jeff NewmanJohn TitleyMay 19, 2015 (2015-05-19)
Dean returns home to icy Winnipeg, Canada, and his old nemesis, the Red River. Dean will be torn apart by two massive machines, chained on each side as he struggles to break free from his constraints, or he will be splayed on the ice.[8]
7"Buried Alive Escape"John BarnardEric WeinthalMay 26, 2015 (2015-05-26)
Dean will be wrapped in chains inside a steel coffin, locked tightly, and buried alive. Dean will be clawing his way up from six feet below in Udupi, India for 24 hours.[9]
8"Death Cage Escape"John BarnardChris CharneyJune 2, 2015 (2015-06-02)
High up in the isolated mountains of Zhangjiajie, China, Dean is chained, caged, and hauled 45 meters into the sky. He has minutes to escape before the cage plunges him to his death in the river below.[10]
9"Blazing Ball of Death Escape"John BarnardTrevor SuffieldJune 9, 2015 (2015-06-09)
Quebec's world-famous ice hotel is the backdrop for Dean's blazing ball of flames escape. The burning ball is positioned to drop and crush Dean in 90 seconds if he doesn't break free of his chains frozen in 500 kg of ice.[11]
10"Malaysia Viper Escape"Jeff NewmanJohn TitleyJune 15, 2015 (2015-06-15)
Dean has one fear...SNAKES. So...Dean and the team are at the Snake Temple in Malaysia where Dean will be in a glass box while handcuffed with deadly vipers crawling over him. He needs to break out before getting bitten or passing out.[12]
11"Haunted Asylum Escape"John BarnardChris Charney & Trevor SuffieldJune 23, 2015 (2015-06-23)
The Society of American Magicians has challenged Dean to defend his "World's Most Daring Escape Artist" title by breaking out of West Virginia's most haunted asylum. He must ALSO find his team and free them in less than 60 minutes in over 25,000 square feet of hospital, at night, with no light.[13]
12"Underwater Coffin Escape"John BarnardEric WeinthalJune 30, 2015 (2015-06-30)
Dean died attempting the underwater coffin escape 30 years ago. He was brought back to life. Dean is intent on doing this escape again but this time in an ocean rather than a river, in a coffin with holes and with sharks surrounding him.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Manitoba Man Must Escape Or Die In New Reality Series". CBC News. 2015-04-13. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  2. ^ "Escape Or Die". OLN. Archived from the original on 2016-10-14. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  3. ^ "Escaping The Cage Of Death". Interlake Today. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  4. ^ "Escape Artist Dean Gunnarson Wows Shanghai". CNTV. Archived from the original on 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2016-09-22.
  5. ^ Arciniegas, Germán (2014-11-12). "Mañana Dean Gunnarson Grabará Su Escape En Colombia" [Tomorrow Dean Gunnarson will record his escape in Colombia]. pastomagic.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  6. ^ "Canadian Escape Artist Will Attempt To Escape A Burning Viking Ship Outside Reykjavík Harbour". Iceland Magazine. 2015-01-05. Retrieved 2022-06-04.[dead link]
  7. ^ "Drink Your Way Out? Artist Attempts Escape From 5-foot Beer Can Sunday". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  8. ^ "Dean Gunnarson's Escape From River Trail Hell Airing On OLN". ChrisD.ca. 2015-05-19. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  9. ^ "Udupi: World renowned escape artiste Dean Gunnarson 'buried alive' for 24 hours". daijiworld.com. Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB). February 21, 2015. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  10. ^ "15 Canadian Escape Artist Dean Gunnarson Performs In Zhangjiajie Premium High Res Photos". Getty Images. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  11. ^ "Un pro de l'évasion à l'Hôtel de glace" [A Pro of Escape at the Ice Hotel]. Le Journal de Québec (in French). Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  12. ^ Sin Chow, Tan (2015-03-27). "Canadian Performs Daring Escape Act With 20 Snakes In A Box". The Star. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  13. ^ "Dean Gunnarson Brings Escape or Die to WV". Inside Magic. 2015-03-13. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
  14. ^ "Escape Artist Dean Gunnarson to Be Dropped in Shark-Infested Waters". ChrisD.ca. 2014-12-03. Retrieved 2022-06-04.
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