Monte Hellman reinvents the Western genre with THE SHOOTING, a cryptic tale of revenge that has become an underground masterpiece of existentialism. The story follows Willett Gashade (Warren Oates), an ex-bounty hunter who returns home searching for his brother, only to discover that he has disappeared. He is met by Coley (Will Hutchins), a frazzled cowboy who is recovering from having witnessed the murder of his best friend. When a beautiful but tempestuous mystery woman (Millie Perkins) arrives, Gashade reluctantly agrees to escort her through the Utah desert. Along the way, Gashade begins to suspect that she is trailing someone, which is confirmed after Billy Spear (Jack Nicholson), a ruthless bounty hunter, joins the party. Unsure of their target, Gashade and Coley continue to inch forward, leery of Billy Spear's menacing presence. When Gashade finally discovers the hunted victim, he is left stunned and bewildered. Hellman's subversive, enigmatic tale, shot concurrently with RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND, assures the director a place in Western history. Nicholson and Oates, who appear in almost all of Hellman's early films, slip into their roles with the ease and smoothness that has turned them into acting legends, giving cinephiles yet another reason to call THE SHOOTING an unadulterated classic.

Shot on location in Utah.

Roger Corman contributed $150,000 towards the financing of the film, produced by two of his protégés, Jack Nicholson and Monte Hellman.

The film was shot in seven weeks, in conjunction with RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND.

This film was shot in seven weeks in conjunction with another western, RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND.

Roger Corman contributed $150,000 towards the financing of the film, produced by two of his protégés, Jack Nicholson and Monte Hellman.

Excerpt: "It's just a feeling I've got to see through." -- Gashade (WARREN OATES)

DVD Features:

Region 1
Keep Case
Widescreen
Audio:
Dolby Digital Mono - English
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Monte Hellman - Director
Text/Photo Galleries:
Photos/Stills - 1. Gallery
Biographies

Jack Nicholson: American actor, producer, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
Will Hutchins: American Actor
Warren Oates: American Character Actor
Millie Perkins: American Actress
Charles Eastman: Screenwriter/Director

Monte Hellman: Director/Editor/Producer

Monte Hellman: Director/Editor/Producer
Jack Nicholson: American actor, producer, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST

Adrien Joyce: 

Richard Markowitz: American Composer

Monte Hellman: Director/Editor/Producer

"...The first significant movie of Jack Nicholson's career....Haunting..."
"THE SHOOTING is as lean and spare a western as was ever made, yet conjures an overwhelming, almost hallucinatory atmosphere of dread and foreboding..."