As interesting as that all is, the behind the scenes of the movie is almost as compelling.
The screenwriter was a man named Kevin Jarre and going into Tombstone had been very successful.
He was only 39 and had already written Rambo: First Blood Part II, Glory and Navy Seals.
Rambo made $150 million domestically and Glory won three Oscars.
Because of this success, Jarre had been hired as director of Tombstone in addition as the screenwriter.
Things went wrong instantly.
SOURCE: “I knew from the third day Kevin couldn’t direct,” actor Sam Elliott said.
“He wasn’t getting the shots he needed.”
The studio was concerned Jarre was shooting it like an old Western from the 1950’s.
Not only that but the script was far too long.
Jarre was fired as director about four weeks into shooting.
If you watch the Charlton Heston scenes in the movie, those were directed by Jarre.
A new director was hired in George P. Cosmatos.
But even how much he actually did is under debate.
Jarre wound up never directing again.
He did write The Mummy but never worked again after 2004.
He would become a Hollywood cautionary tale of sorts.
He wound up with a DWI in 2009 and died two years later of heart failure at only 59.
He is now a notable example of someone who could write but not direct.
The movie itself is led by Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer.
There aren’t many supporting performances in the entire decade as iconic as Kilmer as Doc Holliday.
In a cast that’s filled with a lot of very good actors, Kilmer puts on a clinic.
Tombstone did beat it by six months.
I went to the actual Tombstone, AZ a couple years after the movie was released.
It was pretty incredible.
But I had no real idea about that area before seeing Tombstone years earlier.
The movie and rich characters made me care.
Wayne’s World
45.
Back To The Future Part III
47.
A Bronx Tale
48.
The People Vs. Larry Flynt
49.
Eyes Wide Shut
50.
The Green Mile
54.
Man On The Moon
55.
Boyz N The Hood
56.
Grosse Pointe Blank
57.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
63.
The Usual Suspects
65.
In The Line Of Fire
66.
My Cousin Vinny
67.
The River Wild
79.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
Stir Of Echoes
82.
Mission: Impossible
83.
For Love Of The Game
86.
Being John Malkovich
87.
Men In Black
88.
Glengarry Glen Ross
92.
Die Hard With A Vengeance
93.
The Blair Witch Project
94.
Any Given Sunday
99.
The Wedding Singer
100.
