Caught a bit of an interview on TV last night with actor Josh Hartnett, who apparently has a part in the upcoming "Black Hawk Down" which opens later this month IIRC. I wasn't concentrating fully while watching, but I believe the following to be accurate.

The interviewer asked if there were any times he felt in danger while filming on location in Morocco. Harnett replied that, yes, there was one instance. While sitting in the dirt between takes, he and another guy were relaxing. The other guy, who was carrying an unnamed weapon (I assume it was a rifle), sat across from him.

When the other guy sat down, the guy's weapon discharged, which surprised everyone in the area. Hartnett said the round landed in the dirt between his legs below his groin and he was glad it didn't hit a couple inches higher.

Excuse me, but I thought movie weapons were loaded with blanks. Granted, any AD, even with blanks, should be a wake-up call, but Hartnett made it sound like he was inches away from death--or at least loss of his precious male member.

If he did indeed escape a brush with death due to an AD with live ammo, that's one thing. What galls me is he made it sound almost like he took the same chances as the real soldiers he and his fellow actors portrayed. Forgive my rant. [pissed] (Again, if I didn't get the gist of the interview correctly, my apologies to Hartnett and his fans.)

Edited to add: Film slated for general release on 18 Jan 02; sorry I didn't remember correctly in my original post.

Second edit: Early release of 28 Dec 01 in L.A. and NYC according to TV commercial.

Anyone know the release date?

Definitely a pussy.  Definitely.

All studio weapons should be blocked and only firing blanks....but occasionally not......
brandon lee? or his dad.....

Both Jon-Eric Hexum and Brandon Lee were killed with prop weapons loaded "only with blanks."
I've seen what blank rounds can do at close range.  It probably wouldn't have killed him, but it would have badly hurt his family jewels, that's for sure.

Brandon Lee died when a .44 cal blank catridge ruptured and a piece of the case was shot into his abdomen. It was a freak accident. Granted they didnt follow a major rule of firearms handleing saftey: never point the firearm at anything you arent willing to destroy.

The little wad that keeps the powder in place can fire at great speed.  It won't go very far, but up close (within 10 feet) it can penetrate flesh.

He has the right to be mad about the AD, but he doesn't know why.  

Brandon Lee was killed during the filming of "The Crow".

There was a prop revolver that was to be used in the film.  The promotions guys wanted a photo of the gun, at times with front view shots and others with the cylinder open. The guys in charge of the prop gun took some spent casing and seated some lead bullets into the casings, without powder.  Unfortunately, one of the "spent casings" wasn't.  It had a live primer.

During the photo shoot, the actor "fired" all cylinders in the revolver.  When he got to the cylinder with the live primer, the primer detonated and pushed the bullet partway down the barrel.  The photographer and actor didn't know what they had done, and apparently didn't know what had occured.  Also, apparently when they gave the gun back to the persons in charge of the props, those individuals failed to recognize an EMPTY casing mixed in with 5 casings with spend primers but with seated bullets.

During the filming, the prop gun was brought back in for a scene.  It had been loaded with blanks.  When the actor pointed the weapon at Lee, and pulled the trigger, the pressure forced the previously logged bullet down the barrel, and came to rest in Lee's abdomen.  He subsequently died from his injuries.

Since the weapon used was a revolver, it did not require a blank adapter, or a obstructed barrel to generate necessary pressures to work a gas operated/assisted action.  

No one mentioned Bruce Lee.  The fact remains, Brandon Lee and Jon Eric Hexum were killed by guns loaded with blanks.  No, it wasn't as bad as nearly being shot with a live round, but I would have been a bit peeved myself if it had happened to me.

whee you boys are sharp.....yep I mentioned DAD and I was incorrect......

I don't care how they were loaded-- firearms are dangerous and should be treated as such.  Hartnett is rightfully pissed off.

Anyone else see the "Platoon" reference?

kato,

I saw the interview.  He did say that it was a blank, but apparently knew enough to be aware that a blank at close range could turn a testicle to mush.

That fact that he didn't immediately butt stroke the A-hole who almost neutered him proves the point.

Definitely a pussy.  Definitely.