MovieChat Forums > The Shootist (1976) Discussion > DVD release in Australia + more goofs.

DVD release in Australia + more goofs.

posted 18 years ago by spocktom
2 replies | jump to latest

The DVD of this film, released in Australia, was a pan & scan 4:3 copy from not- the-best quality master, released by Force Video. I wish we had access to the true widescreen print, as in the US.

Of the film (which I loved...I love all things relating to John Wayne...)I will say little but I must point out the biggest goof of all, unmentioned in the IMDB listing. When Richard Boone's "Sweeney" character pulls up out the front of the saloon in his "horseless carriage" you can clearly see a sandbag used as a wheel chock to stop the car directly in front of the camera. Presumably this was to prevent the old vehicle rolling forward and ruining the shot...it would also mean that Boone wouldn't have to rely on the notoriously poor friction brake of this car.

[–] Ironman54 14 years ago

I thought for sure, when seeing your mention of Boone & a 'goof' was going to be that in the final shoot our scene, the holes in the table that Boone had used as a shield, did not line up with the location on his body where he was shown to be 'shot'. Oh well... but yes, if the holes lined up correctly, Boone would have been shot in the head maybe once and the remaining shots would have missed him altogether going past his head on either side. Presumably, by the way Boone clutched his chest, he was to have been shot in the body - not the head. It doesn't ruin the movie for me or anything close but I can't help but wonder why they didn't re shoot the scene as its soooo obviously 'off' !
I've watched all of Waynes movies,I can't even guess how many times I've seen each since 1955 or so and this movie has become my favorite 'Duke' flick of all
time.

[–] lexyladyjax 13 years ago

Since we're unable to see through the wood, how could we know Mike Sweeney's position behind the table when J B Book's bullets struck/missed him? He was ducking behind the table, with his body turned away, his head tilted, perhaps, the table angled as well - without using lasers to track the bullet paths it's difficult to tell what really happened.

John Wayne was 68 years old when this film was shot and could only work half days. All the time he was off camera he used O2 with only one lung remaining in his body. He was spitting up blood on set according to Lauren Bacall, quoted by Maureen O'Hara and Harry Carey, Jr, in their bios. Richard Boone was 59 with a chronic back injury from HAVE GUN - WILL TRAVEL. IMO they're believable in that action scene for two 'mature' gunfighters.

Ironman, it was a miracle they finished that film. There were subterfuges used to conceal from the Hollywood Suits that they only filmed half days. The film would have been cancelled with the financing pulled had it been known what condition John Wayne was really in, i.e., working half days. That's the true reason THE SHOOTIST was John Wayne's final film.