Movie props are eye candy that have their own stories. They stand out from the background (or sometimes complete it) to accentuate the scene. Countless variations as well as limited makes and models exist to bring that movie magic to life. Customized cars, monolithic statues, one-of-a-kind ephemera that return to the limelight only after years of viewing. These items have become so popular that they become characters and turn the characters into the accessories.
A ubiquitous movie prop that takes many forms is the gun. Conflict and collateral, revenge and mystery, confidence and cowardice, are embodied in weaponry. The mention or sight of a gun is enough to threaten and embolden. Guns have a pivotal role in character development, like in Joker on the train ride or in Indiana Jones when the archeologist brings a gun to a sword fight. Every movie has a weapon of choice that does not disappoint to stir the fight, flight, or freeze response in the person in its crosshair.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
11 Wizard of Oz (1939)
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
The only thing more threatening than an army of monkeys with the power of flight ruled by a wicked witch is a brainless scarecrow with a gun. Inexplicably gratuitous, the Scarecrow is packing heat with a sidearm revolver. Dorothy and company are on their way to confront the Wicked Witch of the West. The Tin Man has an axe, Cowardly Lion has a net and witch repellant (Batman’s inspiration for Bat-Shark Repellant), and the walking, talking, pile of hay gets a gun! A bit of a stretch for the Land of Oz, but a surreal addition to its fantastic dreamscape.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
10 The Green Hornet (2011)
Sony Pictures Releasing
A two-for-one goes to the jade-colored vigilante and his villain. The Green Hornet is sporting a Gas Gun that knocks out enemies for hours. The crime boss wields a Double-Barreled Handgun, fashioned from a Beretta 92FS, that aims for both eyes. Points for originality and presenting a fine line between mercy and ruthlessness.
9 Judge Dredd (1995)
Buena Vista Pictures
Sylvester Stallone plays policeman, judge, jury, and executioner, Dredd in a dystopian future where laws are forced upon a lawless world. The law enforcer carries the Lawgiver II. An energized, voice-activated pistol that has the power of a battering ram and more lethal force than a search warrant. You will beg for a life sentence after crossing Dredd’s aim.
8 Blade Runner (1982)
Warner Bros.
Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) carries his LAPD 2019 Blaster as a blade runner on the hunt for replicants in Ridley Scott’s neo-noir world. A bulky sidearm with an LED strip gives it that retro-futuristic feel that is both a product of its time and timeless.
7 Men in Black (1997)
The Noisy Cricket is so tiny you might mistake it for a baker’s icing nozzle or a doctor’s syringe from the 24th century. Despite it being less than the size of your hand, this silver-coated weapon is the most powerful from the Men in Black (MIB) secret organization for extraterrestrial life. Its energy can tear through concrete and propel its holder skyward if held incorrectly.
6 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
Produzioni Europee Associate
The Colt 1851 Navy is used by all three title characters of the famous spaghetti Western: the Good (Clint Eastwood); the Bad (Lee Van Cleef) and the Ugly (Eli Wallach). It is the quick draw weapon you recognize most in the Old West and a handy sidepiece.
5 Star Wars (1977)
20th Century Fox
Another gun that gets considerable screen time is the BlasTech E-11 Blaster Rifle. Made from the British-made Sterling L2A3, this laser-beam-firing rifle has been fired by both Stormtrooper and Rebel in Episode IV: A New Hope. Complete with that memorable pulse action sound, stark black body, and red flash of light, the blaster is a science fiction staple.
4 The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
United Artists
The Golden Gun belongs to the assassin, Francisco Scaramanga, who sends 007 a golden bullet, marking him as his target. He captures the greedy imagination of Bond villains as well as the eccentric flare of a Batman villain albeit with more subtlety. The makeshift gold-plated gun is a fan favorite, especially in the Nintendo 4 video game, GoldenEye 007.
3 Hellboy (2004)
The Samaritan is the personal sidearm of choice for the devilish private eye. Working for the United States Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, he has to take down the occasional occult monster and horror-inspired creatures. His gun was crafted from the iron of a church bell and rings true justice for the World’s Greatest Paranormal Investigator.
2 Aliens (1986)
Ripley knows how to use the M41A Pulse Rifle, the standard-issued weapon of the United States Colonial Marine Corps. The LED readout can countdown your doom as the alien horde takes over your spaceship.
1 Batman (1989)
Nothing screams “extension of your manhood” quite like this modified Smith & Wesson Model 15-3. The Joker was originally supposed to shoot down the Batwing with a tank disguised as his parade float. Budget and time, however, gave us a better stroke of comedy in the famous standoff between the Bat and Clown.
