Revolvers are making a comback on screen.

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Cosmoline

Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2002
Messages
23,646
Location
Los Anchorage
During most of the '90's, judging from action flicks and TV shows, the revolvers had been relegated to the ash heap. But I've noticed what may or may not be a trend on the big and small screen of late. Wheelguns appear to be making a comeback. Here are some sightings:

--In the trailers to "Sin City," I spy one of the main characters fingering what appears to be a Single Action Army while saying "This will do" or something to that effect.

--The new "Kojack" character packs a Ruger SP-101 variant

--In the final "Matrix" flick, even the auto-obsessed creators of that series put a Smith & Wesson in the hands of one of the bad guys, the Conductor IIRC.

--In "Hellboy" the main character's weapon is an oversized break-top revolver.

Is it a trend or a flash in the pan?
 
Trend I would think.

The revolver is being used as a statement about the character. For some, like Hellboy, that statement is "I can handle anything with this." With the human characters the statement is, "This is all I need to put you down." It's the same message that was present in the Dirty Harry flicks, just now this message is somehow radical in the age of the high capacity auto pistol.

The "new school" view of the revolver carrier as a person not to be messed with was on display in that recent NYT article about the old salts of the NYPD who were still carrying wheelguns. Of course, the old breed could also be seen to be hanging onto the revolver as a colorful touch to their own roles as veteran cops.

The message is still one of "I am confident I can get it done in six or less."
 
Just wrapped work on an Indie movie here in Seattle... the last two movies I've worked on now have requested a pair of revolvers as the hero's weapon of choice.

There definitely is a stylistic element to it, but another note- revolvers are much easier to do for films. The purpose-built blank guns (like you can buy on ebay) jam all the time, but with a revolver that's less an issue... plus you can put blanks in a real revolver (if you observe the appropriate safety on set) without it jamming, and without having to fiddle with restrictors or other gunsmithing.
 
In the director's commentary for the remake of Dawn of the Dead, they mentioned that they wanted to use guns people whould be likely to have. The movie's gun guy showed up the first day with things like DEagles and MP5s, (Typical "Hollywood" guns,) and they made him come back with other stuff. Hence, the 12ga, .357, model92, etc that showed up in the film.
 
With Hellboy and (I’d assume) Sin City, the characters used revolvers in the comics. I imagine Kojak used a revolver back in the original. But there is probably something to them working more reliably with blanks. I’d definitely rather see a bunch of blank-firing revolvers on screen than a slew of autos with CG fire effects.
 
Besides, nobody has to reload except at important plot points anyway, so what's the point in having a large magazine capacity? :rolleyes:
 
Revolvers vs Autos...

[tin foil mode]

Revolvers = better times when men were men and heroes were heroes. The good guys wore white hats and rode white horses. The good guy always won and always got the girl.

Semi-Autos = evil black weapons used by gangstas, spies and the anti-heroes of contemporary movies. Men are either cry-baby wimps or evil thugs. Women are tough broads perfectly capable of using a bullet hose to wipe out any man with the audacity to question their equality.

It's all a Hollywierd conspiracy to make the sheep equate autos with evil. Get those bullet hoses off the street, etc. etc.

[/tin foil mode]

Seriously - revolvers do harken back to a simpler and, many believe, kinder, gentler time in America.

OR!

It could just be that the current crop of Hollywierd writers just think that revolvers are COOOOL!
 
I’ve never noticed a lack of revolvers in the movies, though I have often noticed a lack of any firearms where they were obviously sorely needed. :D

~G. Fink
 
Dirty Harry WAS an Anti Hero.He used Revolvers.

I personally think Revolvers signify a tougher more confident approach. Not so fast, more paced and more accurate sort of. You never see anyone trigger mash with a revolver on film, they seem to take thier time. While when theyre using non-revolvers they seems to spray and pray more than take thier time with each shot.
 
Was written in the script that way all along, but I think it worked out well- the last film I worked on, the (anti-)hero starts out pulling a heist with two DEagles (and he's actually a big enough guy he could pull that off). Being the crappy little props they were (8mm blank fire) they jammed repeatedly in the street exit shootout scene, so it kinda makes sense that he uses a pair of Colt Pythons and various shotguns for the rest of the movie.
 
hehehe, in Dawn of the Dead's remake I couldn't help but notice that the revolvers the security guys were carrying had the firing pin on the hammer...

Couldn't ID though. Lack of knowledge on my part :rolleyes:
 
Vin Diesel also used a tricked out revolver in XXX. i don't know remember what it was, but it had a c-more on it and laser grips.
 
In Kill Bill Vol 2, David Carradine had a single action with a birds head grip. I like seeing single actions in things other than Westerns. I can't wait for them to make a Metal Gear Solid movie so I can see Revolver Ocelot do his thing.
 
I agree DOTD (remake) is another good example. IIRC, the security guards had a S&W Model 13 (maybe 10) and possibly a Ruger Security Six, though my eyes and memory may be off on that. I did like their choice of realistic firearms, and the comment on the utility of .357 vs. 9mm :D
 
Bruce Willis' character carries a revolver in Sin City.
And I would encourage all gun lovers to check out the series Firefly on dvd. It had a short run on FOX, was cancelled, but has a movie called Serenity coming out next fall.
It's classified as scifi, but in reality it's more a series about humans in space in the future. Kind of like the old west in space. Lots of cool firearms, no aliens, or anything hokey. Lots of cool western-style firearms also.
 
Revolvers speak of power and stability. Plus they have a neat "retro" look. Occassionally I'll wear my Colt DS and leave my Sig at home,which I can do becasue I'm an investigator. The younger officers will always home in on the Colt when I wear it. "Hey you're wearing a wheelgun. Wow. " Revolvers will probably never return to where they used to be, but they seem to be enjoying a modest comeback. I think it's because all the younger shooters from the 80's and 90's are getting older (like me) and have come to realize that the wheelgun has it's virtues.
 
Checkman said:
I think it's because all the younger shooters from the 80's and 90's are getting older (like me) and have come to realize that the wheelgun has it's virtues.
Click to expand...


you might be on to something there. growing up as a kid, i never even looked twice at any of my fathers wheel guns. i always wanted to shoot the semi autos. just within the last couple of years, i have become a big fan of western films and old west history. i went to the gun store a week ago and handled a new Beretta Stampede. Now i have a HARD ON for a SAA clone! :D
 
My main carry gun is a Taurus 450. It only holds 5 rounds but I have a great deal of confidence in the .45 LC. I can't say why, but somehow I feel more 'American' when I carry a revolver. Plus, the way it's built, it'd make one helluva pistol-whipper.:evil:
Biker
 
Revolver Ocelot is the epitome of badazz :cool:

mgs2_ocelot_photo_04_dp.jpg
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top