Death Wish
|
Theatrical Poster
|
Country
|
USA
|
Directed by
|
Michael Winner
|
Release Date
|
1974
|
Language
|
English
|
Studio
|
Dino De Laurentiis Corporation
|
Distributor
|
Paramount Pictures (North America) Columbia Pictures (International)
|
|
|
Death Wish is the 1974 cult classic thriller based on the novel of the same name written by Brian Garfield. Charles Bronson stars as Paul Kersey, a quiet architect who becomes a vigilante, when his wife is killed and his daughter is raped by three muggers (including one played by Jeff Goldblum in his film debut, crediting him only as "Creep #1"). Bronson would go on to star in four more "Death Wish" films. Death Wish author Brian Garfield would also write a sequel novel to Death Wish, which wasn't used for any of the later Bronson films, but served as the basis for the 2007 Kevin Bacon-starring film Death Sentence. A feature film remake directed by Eli Roth and starring Bruce Willis as Kersey would be released in March of 2018.
The following weapons were used in the film Death Wish (1974):
WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Revolvers
Colt Police Positive
Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson) uses a .32 caliber nickel Colt Police Positive revolver with a 4-inch barrel as his weapon of choice. This revolver was given to him as a present by Ames Jainchill (Stuart Margolin) and is used throughout his vigilante encounters. He kills ten street muggers with it.
Colt Police Positive Nickel - .32 S&W Long
Paul Kersey's revolver in special case.
Paul Kersey (
Charles Bronson) holding his Colt revolver. Note the trigger shape in this shot.
Paul Kersey aims his new revolver at the first time, just before his first vigilante encounter.
Paul Kersey shoots his revolver at mugger Thomas Leroy Martin. Note the hot gases escaping the barrel-cylinder gap.
Kersey shooting another mugger in his second vigilante encounter.
Kersey shooting down a subway mugger.
Kersey shooting an mugger in the subway station. Note very little (compared to other in this film) muzzle shots in this scene.
A surgeon holds two .32 caliber bullets removed from a mugger's liver. They appear to be solid lead round nose slugs, one of which mushroomed on contact.
A reverse angle shows Inspector Frank Ochoa (
Vincent Gardenia) holding Kersey's empty revolver on him.
1842 Percussion Revolver
During his business trip in Tucson, Paul is seen target shooting with a percussion revolver. Ames Jainchill (Stuart Margolin) describes the weapon as a 'Percussion pistol, 1842', but it is actually a reproduction of the Remington 1858 New Army.
Remington 1858 New Army - .44 caliber
Ames Jainchill (
Stuart Margolin) takes out the revolver and ammunition from a gun case.
Kersey holds the 1842 revolver.
Kersey aims 1842 revolver on the target. Note the iconic stance, used by Bronson in all Death Wish movies.
Kersey aims 1842 revolver on the target.
Kersey shoots 1842 revolver. Note big yellow muzzle flash. Some of the muzzle flashes in the film also yellow and some - white.
Single Action Army
Paul opts to try the Colt Single Action Army revolver, after impressing Jainchill by shooting the Percussion pistol dead center at the range. It's described by Jainchill as revolver used by bandit Candy Dan in 1890. They're also used by stuntmen performing in a Wild West live action show.
Colt Single Action Army w/ 7.5" barrel known as the "Cavalry" model - .45 Long Colt
Close-up of the revolver as Kersey cocks it.
Another close-up of the cocked SAA.
Kersey shoots the revolver on the target.
SAA revolvers seen in actors hands and holsters.
An actor playing a deputy sheriff points his revolver at bandits.
An actor playing a deputy sheriff shoots his revolver at bandits. There was no muzzle flash in the first shot.
But there was muzzle flash when he fires another one.
An actor playing a bandit fires his revolver.
SAA revolvers on Jainchill's Gun Club's Shooting range wall.
Smith & Wesson Model 36
During his first night of vigilantism, Paul encounters drug addict and mugger Thomas Leroy Martin who points a nickel-plated Smith & Wesson Model 36 behind him with a warning to give him the money or 'I'll bust you up'.
Nickel Smith & Wesson Model 36 - .38 Special
Martin with his Model 36 on Kersey. Another angle of the same situation.
Martin with his S&W Model 36 on Kersey.
Martin is shot by Kersey while holding his Model 36.
Smith & Wesson Model 10
A Smith & Wesson Model 10 is seen wielded by a police officer.
Smith & Wesson Model 10 - .38 Special
Cop with his revolver. Kersey is seen in the first window, sitting.
Pistols
1911
A mugger is seen wielding a 1911 platform pistol upon Paul's vigilante mission. The exact model cannot be identified.
The mugger shoots his 1911. He misses this shot, but wounded Kersey's leg by another shot.
Shotguns
12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun
A short-barreled 12 Gauge Double Barreled Shotgun is used by an actor playing a deputy in the wild west show.
Short-barrel Double Barreled 'Coach' Shotgun - 12 Gauge
An actor playing a deputy sheriff with his double-barreled shotgun.
An actor playing a deputy sheriff shooting his double-barreled shotgun. Note again yellow muzzle flash.
Other
Depicted revolvers
We can also see generic pictures of revolvers, first on a Newsweek cover in the street commercial and again, a drawn image on a TV news broadcast.
Revolver seen on the cover of Newsweek.
Drawn revolver seen in the TV news.
Weapons Case
Ames Jainchill (Stuart Margolin) is seen taking Kersey to a private gun range where gun cases displaying several weapons are visible.
Ames Jainchill (
Stuart Margolin) takes out a revolver and ammunition from a gun case.
Several rifles and shotguns seen at the left.