All sarcasm aside, I think they come out about even. First off, regarding the shots from Doc with the shotgun. The first shot to clear the horse is a longstanding theory not invented by the movie, so it should be left as neither accurate nor inaccurate, but rather as a legit exploration of a plausible theory. As for the 3rd shot, some have claimed it was the director replaying the previous shot for the sake of using extra angles, as well as extending the scene. I personally feel like it looks like a poorly included 3rd shot, but people can take from it what they will. If you feel it ruins the fight, that's fair, but if someone else feels it gives them another look at the same shot, I think that's fair, too.
As for Ike shooting at them from behind, I think it's great that Tombstone explored this. There were claims that someone might have been shooting from behind the Earps. This could have been one of the cowboys, or it could have been a ricochet, or even an echo reverberating in some strange way, given the extremely close quarters. Ike scampered off, Billy Allen was supposed to be meeting the cowboys at the corral, and Wes Fuller was there with Behan when Behan claims to have shoved Fuller into Fly's. Any of these create a reliable set-up for someone to take a shot from behind.
Doc took several shots at the cowboys, so it's just wrong to say that he didn't take multiple shots. The reports of a nickel-plated pistol firing at the cowboys are all attributed to Doc, knowing that that was what he carried. However, if you are referring to him turning around and engaging in an all out battle with Fly's boarding house, then I agree and think you should have led with this. This is the one thing that I think gives Wyatt Earp the best edge over Tombstone. If it's true that there was a shot fired from behind, that's great that they played on that. But Wyatt and Doc firing rapidly into Fly's while Ike flails about really is Tombstone's weakest moment in the fight.
One thin I really like about Wyatt Earp is the walk-down. I didn't like Wyatt sitting inside casually drinking his coffee beforehand; I think the edge goes to Tombstone here because of all the activity happening on the streets beforehand. But the walk-down just looks a little more right to me Wyatt Earp. They're both good, but WE I think has a slight edge.
Now post fight I think Tombstone has the edge. Behan pulling out his gun and sticking it in Wyatt's face is not quite as egregious as Doc launching a fusillade into Fly's, but almost. Tombstone has Behan simply addressing Wyatt, and Wyatt dismissing him; sans gun-in-face. The reason why I think this is just about as big a deal is because even though it's many extra gunshots versus a single gun being pointed in someone's face, if Behan had actually done that I think it would have completely changed the minutes of that day. Sticking a gun in Wyatt's face is no casual thing like they did it in Wyatt Earp.
This is why I think they come out about even.
Walk-downs are about even, and both are done really well.
Gunfights are about even, except for the silly Fly's issue. (Not that there was a shooting, but so much of it).
Post fight is superior in Tombstone.
I can't imagine a fan of the Wyatt Earp story thinking one is amazing and the other worthless.
"I am on intimate terms with the desert..."
Anyone know the reference?
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