Rediculous "Last of Mohicans" Scene

[Splais]

As anyone tried to reproduce the scene in Last of the Mohicans were the good indians and hawkeye are chasing the bad indians up the mountain. One of them is carry a flintlock in each hand by the trigger guard. raises both guns up cocks each and fires them. This trick is not possible, I've tried it - wonder just how they did it in that movie.

 

[jbg]

I think that is what might be called "dramatic license". Essentailly, Hollywoodese for BS.

 

[PGTMG]

Hi,

They were electic guns they create sparks and smoke but no noise. They are popular as they do not require fire marshalls OK.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

that ain't the only ridiculous scene in LOTM.

 

[Splais]

Yep, your right. I also forgot about when he reloads a flintlock while running full speed through a forest and over rocks, brush, etc. I'd like to see that one too. But it was a great movie with an awesome soundtrack as far as intertainment goes.

 

[trent/OH]

If you think that scene was goofy, read James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales. He must have listened to a lot of tall tales, and believed and embellished every one of them!

 

[LaBonte]

I also forgot about when he reloads a flintlock while running full speed through a forest and over rocks, brush, etc. I'd like to see that one too.

There is original documentation for such loading while on the run - frontiersman/Indian fighters such as Lewis Wetzel and others whose lives depended on such skill(s), practiced and used reloading on the run.
These days some very experienced modern day students of such skills have also learned and practice the how-to.
Loading on the run is not something for the neophyte to attempt though without proper supervision since that particular skill breaks many of our modern day "safety" rules (as do many other skills of the past), but when it was a matter of life and death the danger became less important and for some of the really serious student of the past who want to learn/understand as much as possible how our ancestors lived and survived then it can be important to them to learn despite the inherent dangers.

A bit more in depth study of the time period and the skills used just might be in order........

 

[redwing]

Those old rifles like Lewis used did not have vent liners. They had some what large holes or vents they were self priming. That is the main charge flowed out in to the pan. They would also carry balls in there mouth and spit them into the bores no patch.
As you said they broke all the modern rules.
I did see a fellow recreate this type of shooting some years ago at a Great Plains Shoot. It was very impressive. :thumbsup:

 

[Enfield1]

Have you been able to read any of the "A Pilgrim's Journey" series of books by Mark Baker? I thought the scene where the rifle is loaded while on the run was hogwash, also. The author of the books, Mark Baker was the actor, Daniel Day Lewis's personal consultant on the film. He (Baker) states in his first volume of "A Pilgrim's Journey" on page 200 that Lewis wanted to learn to load and shoot on the run and that he practiced it until he could actually do it. Come to think of it, there was a show a few years back on the History Channel called "Conquest". It was hosted by the Englishman who played Cornwallis's Aide on "The Patriot". On one of the episodes of the show, he also demonstrated that it could be done.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Type Mark Twain on Cooper into your browser window for Twain's opinion of Cooper's writing skill. It's a fun read...unless you are a serious Cooper fan. :v

 

[Splais]

I didn't mean to imply you can't load a FL on the run. It's just that in the movie the terrain was terrible and they cut it all out except for a couple of seconds showing DDL trying to hold the powder horn to the muzzle. If DDL practiced and could do this running loading trick, they didn't show it in the movie; he must have needed more practice even with 100 takes or so. :grin: And yes I did forget that the 'old' guns in the real world had many modifications like self-priming, no patches, and super easy loading absolutely necessary to survival. :bow:

 

[tg]

I have always wondered how their powder dried so fast from the time the jumped into the falls till the showed up at the Huron camp, maybe a few days travel was not accounted for in the editing room.

 

[dodgecity]

Since they were on familiar ground, maybe they had a cache.

 

[brubincam]

-----zip-loc baggies--DUUUUHHHH----- :v :v :v

 

[mikee51848]

Yep, your right. I also forgot about when he reloads a flintlock while running full speed through a forest and over rocks, brush, etc. I'd like to see that one too. But it was a great movie with an awesome soundtrack as far as intertainment goes.

Yes, I've read an account of a raid in which a young man was being chased by two Indians. He loaded his smoothbore on the run, turned and fired, killing the first one and scaring off the 2nd.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Simon Kenton was reported to be quite adept at this and with a rifle, too.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

the scene at the fort where DDL and Madelyn 'rubbed bellys' standing up while the fiddles were playing was just a bit out of place but added some tantalizing 'special effects' nonetheless. :wink:

 

[BEP]

Type Mark Twain on Cooper into your browser window for Twain's opinion of Cooper's writing skill. It's a fun read...unless you are a serious Cooper fan. :v

Russ is referring to a short story by Mark Twain called "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offenses" and yes, it's worth reading. :thumbsup:


sneezy

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

That's the one. If the film had faithfully followed the book it would have been a comedy--or a satire.

 

[wetpowder]

It wer one of them trapdoor flintlocks. :grin: