The Shooter (1997/I)

Director:

Fred Olen Ray

Writer:

Tony Giglio (written by)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

The story is of a small town in the early west and of a 'shooter' of reputation that drifts into it...

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Small Town | War Hero | Bar Shootout | Revenge

Cast

Michael Dudikoff	...	Michael Atherton
Randy Travis	...	Kyle Tapert
Valerie Wildman	...	Wendy
Andrew Stevens	...	Jacob Finch / Narrator
William Smith	...	Jerry Krants
Eric Lawson	...	Paul
Robert Donavan	...	Mayor Pete Sayers
Cal Bartlett	...	Sheriff
Hoke Howell	...	Duncan
Libby George	...	Gina
Matthew R. Anderson	...	Deputy Casey (as Matt Anderson)
Peter Sherayko	...	Ed
Bill Langlois Monroe	...	Vince Krants (as William L. Monroe)
Ryan Latshaw	...	Darien
Marc Vahanian	...	Tyler
Pete Walsh	...	Daniel
Robert Quarry	...	Examiner
Neil Delama	...	Otis (as Neal DeLama)
James Assi	...	Bartender
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeff Murray	...	Gunman
Nils Allen Stewart	...	Fighter
Sam Dolan	...	(uncredited)
Kane Hodder	...	Fighter (uncredited)
Nikki Pelley	...	Mayor's Wife (uncredited)
Kim Read	...	Saloon Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Fred Olen Ray		(as Ed Raymond)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tony Giglio		written by

Produced by
Ashok Amritraj	....	producer
Alan B. Bursteen	....	executive producer
William B. Steakley	....	line producer
Andrew Stevens	....	producer

Original Music by
Deeji Mincey
Boris Zelkin

Cinematography by
Gary Graver

Film Editing by
Brett Hedlund

Casting by
Larry Poindexter		(as L.T. Dexter)

Production Design by
Yvette Taylor

Set Decoration by
Joel Ross

Costume Design by
Jonathon Fletcher

Makeup Department
Susan Ham	....	assistant makeup artist
Megan M. Johnson	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
John H. Brister	....	executive in charge of production
Jan Kikumoto	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ric Rodney	....	assistant director (as Rick Rodney)
Franklin A. Vallette	....	assistant director
Nicole Visram	....	assistant director

Art Department
Burton Chambers	....	set dresser
Bill Davis	....	property master
Erin Wooldridge	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Stuart C. Bailey	....	sound editor
Joe Barnett	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Cook	....	boom operator
Lorita de la Cerna	....	adr mixer
Kevin Hamilton	....	adr editor
Kevin Hamilton	....	dialogue editor
Scott C. Kolden	....	foley mixer
Scott C. Kolden	....	supervising sound effects editor
Joseph T. Sabella	....	foley artist
Joel E. Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Waedler	....	sound mixer

Stunts
Matthew R. Anderson	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Kane Hodder	....	stunts
Dan Koko	....	stunts
Dimo Liptkovsky	....	stunts
Johnny Martin	....	stunts
Warren A. Stevens	....	stunt coordinator
Nils Allen Stewart	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Roberto Correa	....	key grip
Nathan Geis	....	assistant camera
Amy Hoffecker	....	assistant camera
Jake Hurn	....	assistant camera
Mary Kasparian	....	assistant camera
Danny Kuchuck	....	key grip
Craig Lerner	....	electrician
David Ortegon	....	grip
Christopher C. Pearson	....	first assistant camera
Clarence Smith	....	electrician
Ted T.E. Tunney	....	gaffer (as Ted Tunney)
Thomas Vozza	....	still photographer
Jon Weiner	....	dolly grip

Casting Department
Jerry Gelb	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elizabeth Grisak	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Randy Carter	....	assistant editor
Brian J. Cavanaugh	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Paul Di Franco	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
William Kuehn	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Peter Avellino	....	production assistant
Paul Bogh	....	production assistant
Bill Davis	....	weapons specialist
Jeff Dolan	....	wrangler
Mark Kadlec	....	production assistant
Marc Kunis	....	vice president of finance
Henry Lockett	....	wrangler
Jesse Long	....	script supervisor
Joanne Mikita	....	consultant
Wil Miller	....	production accountant
Bill Langlois Monroe	....	location manager
Maureen Norton	....	supervisor
Kim Read	....	production coordinator
Peter Sherayko	....	supervisor
Peter Sherayko	....	wrangler
M.S. Tunney	....	craft service

Production Companies

• Amritraj / Stevens Entertainment
• Cabin Fever Entertainment
• Royal Oaks Entertainment Inc.

Distributors

• Artisan Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Desert Shooter Productions
• Royal Oaks Entertainment Inc.
• Vivendi Entertainment (2011-) (USA) (video)

Other Companies

• Ear Whacks!  adr voice talent
• Film Finances  completion guarantor

Also Known As:

"Deadly Shooter" - USA (TV title)
"Desert Shooter" - USA (alternative title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and a scene of sexuality

Runtime:

91 min | Germany:82 min (cut version) | Germany:88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Germany:16 (cut) | Germany:18 | USA:R | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Melody Ranch - 24715 Oak Creek Avenue, Newhall, California, USA

Company:

Amritraj / Stevens Entertainment

Goofs:

Anachronisms: After Atherton recovers and shoots up the guys in the barn, the surviving deputy runs and tells Kyle about it. The sole of Kyle's boots are obviously rubber, with a modern tread pattern.

Quotes:

Jerry Krants:Sounds like you're a brave war hero!
Michael Atherton:It could be possible.
Jerry Krants:It was time that we met.
Jerry Krants:Dead gunfighters need no guns!

A welcome change of role for Michael Dudikoff.

"The Shooter" was a different type of film for Michael Dudikoff. Although normally associated with action flicks that incorporate martial arts, this film , because it was a western, enabled him to display that he is a far more capable actor than certain formula story lines have allowed.

The major problem, of course, is that the film does not allow any solid character development. The fleshing in is really left to the viewer . We can only guess at the sadness that has made the Shooter, whose real name is Michael Atherton, the killer that he is- a killer, mind you, that a little town, terrorized by a local bully, welcomes as a hero who can release it from its misery.