Do you think there is gun-placement in movies?

[BHPshooter]

I don't know how much it happens, but I know that it does happen.

Anybody that has the first Spider-man movie on DVD should pop it in and look at it. It's a Beretta commercial, basically.

Wes

 

[Gordon Fink]

In the commentary for the Dawn of the Dead (2004) DVD, the director and producer talk about how the firearms used in the movie were selected. The prop master apparently wanted to use Desert Eagles, but the director insisted on guns that the characters might really have, which is how they ended up with .357-mag. revolvers, 9×19mm pistols, and a couple 12-ga. shotguns.

~G. Fink

 

[Swamprabbit]

Yes, it does happen although I can't say if it is intentional. I do know that dealer friends have, over the years, told me about the numbers of Beretta 92s and other guns they've sold to people who comment that they wanted a gun just like so-in-so carried in such-n-such movie. People may not generally be able to distinguish between Kimber and Springfield 1911s but they will buy some type of 1911.

I think this is why you see more of the newer - unique looking guns in movies. The makers want to be sure that their particular brand is readily identifiable.

Also, have you ever noticed that despite the loud speaking anti-gun rhetoric coming from hollywood that when just how many movie posters, and VHS/DVD jackets, all have the stars posing with some type of weapon? Hmmmm.

 

[g56]

Stembridge Gun rentals of Hollywood, California, was formed in about 1920 by James Stembridge and Cecil B. DeMille to supply guns to the movie industry. The company is still in exsistance and is currently being run by Syd Stembridge whose father was the nephew of the founder.

Stembridge Gun Rentals Inc
431 Magnolia Ave
Glendale, CA 91204-2405
Phone: (818)246-4333

http://www.stembridge.us/stembridgegunrental.html

http://www.moviegunservices.com/

http://movieguns.com/

http://www.propguys.com/

http://www.striketeamprops.com/900/rif/index.html

http://weaponsofchoicetheatrical.com/

http://weaponspecialists.com/

http://www.westernstageprops.com/

 

[Nightspell]

I'm going to have to say that it's very possible. I just watched "Man On Fire" the other night and got somewhere between 3-7 really good clear shots at the glock he favored.

 

[Justin]

G56-

Thanks for the links!

I was under the impression that Stembridge had closed shop back in the early 1990's.

 

[Rumpled]

Heck yeah, it happens.
Check out this S&W news release

http://ir.smith-wesson.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=90977&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=644061&highlight=

Smith & Wesson Goes Hollywood
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 15, 2004--Smith & Wesson (AMEX:SWB), the legendary 152-year old firearms manufacturer has announced the signing of Hollywood-based Norm Marshall Associates (NMA) as its exclusive agent for product placement and promotion in television and feature films. NMA will work with studios and production companies to get S&W branded products in many categories into the hands of America's entertainment hero's on-screen. S&W is the country's leading handgun producer; but is also a major supplier of eyewear, safes, knives, footwear, apparel and sports accessories.

"Norm Marshall is the entertainment marketing conduit for many top consumer brands in automotive, beverage and retail categories, and will be a powerful ally to us in spreading the Smith & Wesson brand message of security, protection and safety through the entertainment media," said Tom Taylor, VP Marketing for S&W. "In addition to targeting action movies, we will be seeking to place our products in TV programs like the three CSI series, Deadwood, Las Vegas, and other topical series where our heritage and authenticity fits the storyline," adds Taylor. "NMA's charter also includes keeping us out of programming that would undercut our commitment to gun safety. Their record of delivering the right brand message for their clients over 25 years is unsurpassed."

"Smith & Wesson has been an American icon of immense proportion since the 1850's and is as relevant today as any time in its history," said Norm Marshall, the NMA President. "With their brand strategy of surrounding the shooter with high quality performance and security products, they are a perfect complement to many of today's most popular programming. We have already penetrated several of the targeted TV series for Fall 2004, and expect to have S&W products amply represented in the Summer 2005 movie releases. S&W was the brand of Wild Bill Hickok, Buffalo Bill and Dirty Harry --- and is today a leading choice of law enforcement agencies worldwide. What producer of a "cop show" wouldn't want to feature such an authentic brand?"

 

[zastros]

"I doubt that the gun manufacturers are working directly with the movie makers, more likely they are working with the armorers that supply Hollywood. They do have a lot ot gain, look at how Beretta sales jumped after Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, or Desert Eagles after The Matrix."

When "Last Action Hero" was in production, the .50 AE came out and they HAD to get one for Ahnold. Both sides won with the deal. He got the biggest, hottest gun available and they got product placement for a brand new model in a blockbuster film. (OK, not such a win there but you know what I mean.)

 

[Gunpacker]

Placement

The lib Hollywood crowd probably makes gun companies pay to avoid having their products be the KILLER GUN in film. What a great place. Make others pay for producing your crap. Damned if you do and damned if you don't with guns in Hollywood today. Only brutal sadistic "good guys" with guns, and even more brutal and sadistic bad guys have guns. Everyone else is just fodder for murder and collateral damage caused by the evil guns with minds that can control humans from afar.

 

[Devonai]

The Aliens super-duper special edition DVD has a section on pre-production weapons development. The statement from one of the armory guys was simply something like "we needed blank-firing guns that went bang every time they were supposed to and had an impressive muzzle flash." He also displayed a pistol and said "This is the Heckler and Koch VP70. It's out of production but it still looks futuristic." Maybe in 1986

One warning, though... don't watch this featurette if you have any respect for Sigourney Weaver, as she makes some rather unbelievable comments with regards to the firearms. One question, babe: If you have such a strong moral objection to firearms being "glorified" in the movies, why did you star in this one? Oh yeah, the $$$. I guess we know what that makes you.

 

[Justin]

The lib Hollywood crowd probably makes gun companies pay to avoid having their products be the KILLER GUN in film. What a great place. Make others pay for producing your crap.

And you have documentation to back this up?

 

[Trebor]

Stembridge Gun Rentals close in 1999. That is an old link to a genealogy website and it's outdated. From what I understand, the increasingly anti-gun atmosphere in Ca impacted the business and helped them decide to close.

Most of Stembridge's vast collection of Machine Guns were sold off. Long Mountain Outfitters handled, most, if not all, of the sales.

 

[patentmike]

It might not always have been intentional, but it's probably always a consideration these days. PPKs still sell becasue of James Bond, and Garand demand went up after Saving Private Ryan.

 

[Dr.Rob]

You know SW might have got that started with "The Shield" Vic carries a big stainless 645 that looks pretty impressive.

And what about NYPD Blue? Andy still carries a 5-shot smth J-frame, while most of his younger partners use Glocks. Det. Russel, when she shows up, packs a Colt Detective Special. (I was under theimpression NYPD doesn't issue revolvers anmore)

Can you imagine a CSI Denver? Denver cops have the widest choices out there, including the good old 1911.

 

[ceetee]

I read somewhere that many of the movies and TV shows that feature extensive gunplay do their filming in Vancouver BC, because of the more leniant laws there regarding fully-automatic ownership, rental, and use. It made me think of the movie (I can't remember the name) that starred Lucy Liu as a P90-toting vengeance-seeking hottie. If I remember right, there is (or was) quite a cottage industry springing up in supplying movie gun rentals.

As far as gun placement in movies, I think for it to be at all effective, it'll have to be much more blatant. I mean, my wife owns a S&W Model 686 (it used to be mine), and she'd never recognize the S&W logo, unless I pointed it out to her. I'd venture to say that most non-gun-enthusiasts that watch a movie would never go buy a gun because they saw it in a film. Only if there was specific mention of make and model, along with especially heroic use.

 

[jason10mm]

I think there are two types of "gun" movies. Ones where the gun is almost an individual character ("Quigley Down Under", "Aliens", "Dirty Harry") and ones where the guns are just dressing (gangsta flicks, war movies). In the former, a specific model, finish, or caliber can be identified and become popular with the gun crowd, while in the latter the guns are chosen to be period correct or just to be "flashy" by the director or props guy (otherwise why are all ganbangers armed with AKs and Uzis? They look cool and scream "bad guy" to audiences). In this case, popularity with the gun crowd is coincidental or a stroke of luck.

Tommy Lee Jones' line in "U.S. Marshalls" may not have been paid for by Glock, but I bet it sold a fair number of Glocks. I doubt it was intentional though, it was probably just to add a "tough guy" quality to TLJs character. Same with the talk of Riggs Beretta in "Lethal Weapon" and the Desert Eagles in "The Matrix". They were window dressing which just happened to get spotlighted.

I have heard that some gun companies would not allow their weapons to be used in a movie if there was a negative image. I'm assumiong this means that the weapon itself is demonized, not just in the hands of some gangbanger.

 

[Joe Demko]

I remember reading on a knife board a few years back that the owner of Spyderco was pretty upset at his product often turning up in the hands of movie badguys. Didn't seem to be much that he could do about it, though IIRC. Gun manufacturers are probably in a similar situation.
Watch a movie clear through to the end of the credits sometime, you will quite often see a "thank you" for all the various products placed in the movie. I've yet to see a gun manufacturer listed.

 

[zastros]

I know that Gil Hibben was very pleased to see some of his knives in "Stargate". And then they used them in the series too IIRC.

 

[Old NFO]

Yes there is...

Guns are placed just like any other product in movies and TV shows. There is usually negotiation to "only" have the gun visibly used by the "good" guys. Example is the movie SWAT- Some of the actors were actual LAPD and LASO SWAT officers, they wore their normal tac uniforms and equipment BUT were not allowed to carry the Kimbers, they were given the SW 1911's. The bad guys also carried them, but they were not as visible (e.g. good side shot with recognizable emblem). A good friend of mine was one of the guys who started the TMPSA group in LA back in the 80's. They were always dealing with both the manufacturers and the directors to place weapons. H&K, Glock, Smith and Ruger among others are constantly dickering with the "consultants" as they are now called to get their guns placed. What is funny is watching the continuity crew trying to make sure all the right weapons get back to the right actors after scene breaks... If you watch most action movies, you can see where they missed- e.g. first part of the scene an actor is carrying an M-16, last part an 870, or no grenades to start, then 2-4 grenades at the end of the scene. A little bit of trivia, in the old TV show Airwolf the SWAT team was actually LASO deputies and there were times when they actually had to stop filming to go on calls.

 

[Kenneth Lew]

I know LAPD SWAT uses Kimbers, but I'm almost certain they were using Springfields in the movie. I remember seeing the SA emblem clearly at least a few times.

http://www.longmountain.com/movieguns/SWAT