MovieChat Forums > Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) Discussion > Did they really shoot chickens in the op...

Did they really shoot chickens in the opening shot?!!

posted 18 years ago by yarrumlib
101 replies | jump to latest

In the opening shots of this movie there's a gruesome sequence that spoiled the whole story for me. It's the one where the cowboys at a ranch are shooting at chickens digged into ground. There are even close up shots of chicken heads exploding when hit by a bullit.

Animal cruelty for pure entertainment sake was never my cup of tea. Were those real, living chickens, or just puppets? If it wasn't a special effect or even if was, that sequence is still totally pointless, except for Peckinpah's perverted view of violence. Don't do to others what you wouldn't want others do to you, I always say.

[–] alexlusted 18 years ago

I ate chicken for dinner

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] pylgrym 18 years ago

In "The ballad of Cable Hogue" a Gila Monster gets shot; in "The Wild Bunch", ants and a scorpion are roasted alive... shucks, ma'am, in "Weekend" Godard sticks a live pig!
'
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YE must be born again

[–] Hancock_the_Superb 18 years ago

They weren't shot! They were squibbed!

And "others"? If you think chickens are equal to humans (like Three-Fingered Mary here), then you're beyond help.

The way you PETA morons post, I wish every movie featured their heads getting squibbed.

"You're takin' advantage of your cloth, Father!"
"That's what it's for."

[–] ThePeacemakerFJD 18 years ago

I don't see what the big deal is about the chicken shooting. The production crew gave the dead chickens for the Mexican villagers to eat anyway. Sounds to me like some finger-licken chicken!

Once Upon a Time in the West...there was a man called Sergio Leone

[–] Hancock_the_Superb 18 years ago

I don't either. This whole thread is a *beep* joke started by some lunatic PETA members.

"You're takin' advantage of your cloth, Father!"
"That's what it's for."

[–] ajcooke 18 years ago

Peckinpah's movies often have scenes that make me squirm, like the chickens being shot in Pat Garrett and the horses falling off of the bridge in the Wild Bunch. But if they chickens were eaten, and the scene was not pointless in the movie, I don't have a real problem with it. I eat meat, and lots of it, so I have nothing against someone shooting something if it gets eaten. (Killing for pure sport is another matter.) In this movie, it is the opening scene, and you see a bunch of grown men who are filthy, giggling, sadistic bastards using live chickens as targets for shooting practice. Instead of setting up nice, clean looking "Young Guns," you see authentic gunslingers - men who would switch loyalties and kill their own friends and not shed a tear in the process. This is a brutal, telling scene that sets a vivid tone for a harsh time. It was not a pointless scene - it was brilliant. That said, I would be saying something else if they were taking pot shots at a stray dog, which would have been scared out of its mind. But chickens really could not have understood what was going on, and looked quite calm in the scene. And remember, this was 1972. Fake chickens would not have looked very convincing. It's not an easy scene to watch - it's not supposed to be.

The poster who wishes death on those who disagree should really grow up. That's just grade-A crazy talk I expect from intollerant, closed-minded extremists. Like terrorists. Or the GOP. Or the liberal left. Open your head and listen to others, you freak.

[–] pjoliv411-1 18 years ago

One of the production people was quoted as saying that when the chickens were buried they kept falling asleep so to keep them alert they were doused with gasoline.

[–] ajcooke 18 years ago

OK, now that's screwed up.

[–] ThePeacemakerFJD 18 years ago

Just because one person said it doesn't make it true.

There's nothing wrong with killing animals as long as you use the animal for something. I think it's wrong to kill an animal for sport, but if you eat it is that wrong? No. That's nature.

What PETA forgets is that it's natural for animals to eat other animals, and humans are animals too! So why is it wrong to eat meat?

A bit off-topic, I know, but I just wanted to add my two cents.

Once Upon a Time in the West...there was a man called Sergio Leone

[–] amaconusa 18 years ago

Yes it's true they were shot. This was what started the ASPC move to stop animal abuse in films.
But I still liked it anyway.
I bet it still tasted like chicken...

[–] oaklandlubber 18 years ago

The chickens were NOT shot!!! Someone was correct when they said they were "squibbed." The chickens were buried neck deep with the explosive device also buried next to their heads. Now, the action of burying the chicken causes the chickens to fall asleep. In order to wake them up right before shooting the film and thus setting off the explosions, one of Peckinpaugh's assistants went up to the chickens and squirted lighter fluid in their faces in order to wake them up. Once they rose their heads and clucked, then BAM! - the squib was discharged as the cameras rolled. I can't recall the name of the assistant but it was a woman who said (in some Peckinpaugh documentary, I forget the name) she felt terrible about it and asked God for forgiveness. It's certainly cruel but keep in mind that Peckinpaugh said he never killed any animal that he wouldn't eat. In the context of the movie, the scene makes sense considering......SPOILER ALERT.......Pat's ultimate betrayal of Billy.....END SPOILER ALERT....It's not the most pleasant scene to sit through and I understand why people may be disgusted, but it's still a powerful scene.

I hope that ends that!

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ThePeacemakerFJD 18 years ago

And, once again, the crew gave the dead chickens to the locals for dinner.

Chicken is very tastey.

Once Upon a Time in the West...there was a man called Sergio Leone

[–] chrisschock 18 years ago

Chicken is damn delicious. As Brother Maddox says..."For every animal you don't eat, I'll eat three."

[–] ThePeacemakerFJD 18 years ago

I think this thread should be retitled to "Who loves to eat Chicken?"

That would really piss off the PETA people. =)

Once Upon a Time in the West...there was a man called Sergio Leone

[–] Jay-Jay-RD 18 years ago

Seriously.

Shutup.

RIP Judith Eva Barsi
RIP Heather O'Rourke
RIP Jonathan Brandis
RIP Michelle Thomas

[–] pylgrym 18 years ago

RIP all the other chickens.

YE must be born again

[–] wildbillharding 15 years ago

I repeat what I said in my earlier post that no-one has bothered to read. The chickens were NOT shot. Repeat - NOT SHOT. They were blown up with tiny squibs. Is that clear now? Tiny explosive charges were used to kill them. A member of the actual crew on the actual day of shooting on the actual set told me that.

[–] A_Fistful_of_Pennies 15 years ago

Peckinpah is no stranger to animal deaths on camera. He also had lizard killed in "The Ballad of Cable Hogue" and of course the scorpion and ants in "The Wild Bunch"

[–] jeffslater2 18 years ago

No! they didn't shoot chickens, that would be cruel wouldn't it?
All they did was bury the live chickens so just their head and necks were sticking out of the ground, then on command a squib that was wrapped around their necks was detonated, and their heads blew off, and later it was chicken for supper.

[–] wohara1 18 years ago

Peckinpah also actually shot Slim Pickens, Jack Elam, R.G. Armstrong, Matt Clark, Richard Bright, Jorge Russek, L.Q. Jones, and Kris Kristofferson during the making of this movie. They were not, however, fed to Mexican kids.

We deal in lead, friend.

[–] jeffslater2 18 years ago

Yes he did, but they got up and walked away.

Jeff

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[–] Conspirator_Slash 18 years ago

Oh my god! Let that *beep* chickens in peace! Who cares a chicken, if we're talking about one of the greatest openings of the world? That chicken shootin' is a SYMBOL, you SOB Greenpeace activists! Go and *beep* Coppola for doin' the same thing with the bull in Apocalypse Now. Idiots.

[–] rmouts1 15 years ago

I don't think it was live chickens that were killed. If you look at the opening scene, the chickens that were shot are all motionless, which leads me to believe they are dummy chickens. Meanwhile, the chicken/s that moves its head is not shot, and in fact the bullet hits the dirt a little short. But anyway, all this chicken talk has made me hungry. Tastes just like chicken!

[–] highway_demon_77 18 years ago

whoever thinks the chickies had a nice death:

"The scene was hellish to shoot. The chickens had wires and explosive squibs tied round their necks, but the sand made them torpid. As they fell asleep, their heads flailed. Peckinpah instructed an assistant to run along the line and squirt lighter fuel in the birds' eyes. This woke them. The moment they perked up, the special effects team blew their heads off.
.
.
The most painful thing was watching it during the dailies, when you had hours of slow motion of these headless chickens just writhing. I remember Bob Dylan looking over and saying: 'What have you got me into here?'" says Kristofferson."

[–] jeffslater2 17 years ago

Highway Demon.

Without giving your name out, it sounds like you were there working on the set, What job did you do?

Jeff Slater

[–] rhinocerosfive-1 17 years ago

This, based on a not very good Peckinpah biography: Apparently when you bury chickens they fall asleep. So they had to prop their heads up with sticks. But they still closed their eyes. So a PA had to swab their little chicken eyes with chili powder to make the birds thrash their heads about and look lively. (This assistant later said it was the worst thing he ever did to a man or animal.) Even so, you can see that many of the birds are completely asleep or dead when they are shot. And, according to the book I read, they were indeed shot with bullets. I'm sure the chickens didn't like it.

But I have to say, a few chickens is a small price to pay for an opening of such power and magnificence.

[–] fast_eddie_felson 17 years ago

"A chicken is a being which has successfully lived for years with no head at all..they 'feel' ANYthing at all"

"a few chickens is a small price to pay for an opening of such power and magnificence"

And people keep saying that the chickens are the stupid ones...

[–] Samoan Bob 13 years ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_the_headless_chicken

http://www.facebook.com/scarletworm

http://facebook.com/davidlambertart

[–] dantilla 17 years ago

I really love chickens, especially fighting chickens. They are brilliantly colorful and beautiful,.......but.....THEY WILL eat anything! If a human being has died, or anything else, they will peck their eyes out, whatever. ALso, when i had them, and I live in southeastern New Mexico, they kept the snakes and vermin down, good thing. No PETA people back in 1973, so what do U thinK?

[–] SnarkyYarbles 16 years ago

Weird, here in Arkansas chickens attract snakes and vermin.