There are dozens of different types of actions scenes in films: the fist fight, the war zone, the car chase, the foot chase — the list goes on. Then, there’s the gunfight. It’s certainly one of the most classic staples of cinema, hailing mostly from the rich history of westerns, where shootouts like the one at the O.K. Corral populated movies for decades. But while they are inherently exciting, crafting a good shoot out is an art in and of itself.
READ MORE: Watch: Video Essay Explores The Marriage Of Action And Narrative In ‘The Terminator’
To help break down all the visual, technical, and musical wizardry that goes into crafting the perfect shootout, Rossatron has put together an 8-minute video essay jam-packed with some of the most legendary gun battles in cinematic history. “The Art Of The Gunfight” takes a look at a handful of shootouts, highlighting the direction, editing, cinematography, choreography, and score necessary to not only create a solid action set-piece, but an important scene to the narrative construct of the film as a whole. Utilizing clips from action greats like John Woo and Michael Mann, among many others, while also mixing in a handful of more recent films like “The Raid,” “John Wick,” and “Django Unchained,” the essay highlights exactly what it is about a shootout that gets our hearts racing without leaving us utterly confused among the chaos.
Check out the bloody and balletic video essay below and weigh in with your favorite gunfight in the comments.