The Shooting (1966)

Director:

Monte Hellman

Writer:

Carole Eastman

Release Date:

12 June 1968 (France)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

A mysterious woman persuades two cowboys to help her in a revenge scheme. |

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Desert | Twin | Shootout | Identity

Cast

Will Hutchins	...	Coley Boyard
Millie Perkins	...	Woman
Jack Nicholson	...	Billy Spear
Warren Oates	...	Willett Gashade
Charles Eastman	...	Bearded man
Guy El Tsosie	...	Indian at Cross Tree
Brandon Carroll	...	Sheriff
B.J. Merholz	...	Leland Drum
Wally Moon	...	Deputy
William Mackleprang	...	Cross Tree townsman
James Campbell	...	Cross Tree townsman

Directed by
Monte Hellman

Writing credits
Carole Eastman		(as Adrien Joyce)

Produced by
Monte Hellman	....	producer
Jack Nicholson	....	producer
John Herman Shaner	....	associate producer
Roger Corman	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Richard Markowitz

Cinematography by
Gregory Sandor

Film Editing by
Monte Hellman		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Wally Moon

Production Management
Paul Lewis	....	production manager

Sound Department
Frank Murphy	....	sound mixer
Art Names	....	sound boom
James Nelson	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Gary Kent	....	stunts
Neil Summers	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gary Kurtz	....	assistant camera
Russ Namarillo	....	key grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bill Milton	....	wardrobe consultant

Music Department
Igo Kantor	....	music editor

Other crew
Walter Phelps	....	script supervisor
Maurice Seiderman	....	technical consultant
John Herman Shaner	....	assistant to producers (as John Shaner)

Production Companies

• Proteus Films

Distributors

• Continental Distributing (1967) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) (1971) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Westlake Entertainment Group (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• VCI Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• VCI Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Jef Films International (2004) (USA) (VHS)
• Showtime Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Works Editora (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Jack H. Harris Enterprises (????) (USA) (theatrical)
• Catcom Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Liberty Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Weton Wesgram (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• World Film Magic (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Edit-Rite  sound effects
• Producers' Sound Service  re-recording (as Producers Sound Service)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Finland:K-16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1994) | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Kanab, Utah, USA

Company:

Proteus Films

Trivia:

"The Epitaph" was the unfilmed script that Jack Nicholson wrote with Monte Hellman. Reputedly based partly on Nicholson's relationship with his wife Sandra Knight, the script dealt with theme of abortion, which producer Roger Corman felt was a no-no at that time.

Quotes:

Coley Boyard:I don't give a curly hair, yellow bear, double dog damn if ya did!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

Rare Western by Monte Hellman that tells hows a group pursues an unknown rider

This especial Western with allegoric qualities deals about a mysterious woman (Millie Perkins), bent on vengeance, forms a group (Will Hutchins, Warren Oates) to escort her across a warm desert . Later on, the posse is joined with a cocky gunfighter (Jack Nicholson) until a surprising finale.

Outlandish western is packed with exciting pursuits, noisy gun-play and strong performances . Written, produced (along with an uncredited Roger Corman) and starred by Jack Nicholson. It's well set against the hot barren background and splendidly photographed landscapes by Gregory Sandor. Made back to back with ¨Ride the whirlwind¨ (where some cowboys are mistaken for members of a band) , bears similar cast, cameraman, director and technicians.

This offbeat and strange motion picture is well directed by the maverick Monte Hellman . His movies are full of similarly independent-minded stars as Jack Nicholson and Warren Oates ( his habitual actor) and result to be appreciated by the critics but virtually suffer lukewarm reception by the public. His firsts films were produced by Roger Corman , two horror quickies in low budget, titled ¨The beast from haunted cave (1959)¨and ¨Back door to hell (64)¨. After that, he directed two intelligent Western filmed concurrently in 1967 , and ¨Two-lane blacktop (71)¨, describing the underbelly of American life , furthermore ¨Cockfighter (74)¨, a not easily approachable film and sometimes nor even easy understandable . Later on, Hellman has not got his balance right , film-making flops as the Western ¨China 9, Liberty 37 (1979)¨, adventures ¨Iguana (88) and commercial terror as ¨Silent night, deadly night 3 (1989)¨. Nowadays, Hellman only makes failed B movies and television series .