Shot (1973) Death Shot

Director: Mitch Brown
Stars: Richard C. Watt, Frank Himes, Chuck Russell

A low-key mixture of “New American Cinema”-influenced action-thriller and regional character drama, SHOT was produced for a scant $15,000 in the college town of Champaign, IL and is made all the more impressive by the fact that it was written, produced and directed by then-college students Mitch Brown and Nate Kohn using funds they’d raised doing campus film screenings.

Semi-urban detective duo Ross and Wilson are charged with taking down local drug kingpin Blasi. After busting a low-level pusher, his girlfriend Sheila works undercover for them in exchange for avoiding prison. As Ross becomes romantically interested in his new perpetually spaced-out informant, Blasi sets his sights on even loftier, deadlier ambitions.

With its well-choreographed FRENCH CONNECTION-inspired car chases, stunts and helicopter photography – punctuated by naturalistic performances from an amateur cast, along with extensive local color – SHOT remains a forgotten gem of early-’70s regional filmmaking. Barely screened theatrically and almost impossible to see since its brief VHS release, SHOT is now newly restored from its 16mm reversal original and fully uncut for the first time!

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