Ghost Rock is a 2003 western written by Dustin Rikert, directed by Michael Worth, and starring Gary Busey, Michael Worth, Jeff Fahey, Adrienne Barbeau, Craig Wesson and Jenya Lano.
A band of merciless outlaws led by the ruthless "Black" Jack Pickett blaze a trail of murder and destruction across the frontier towns of Arizona...settling in the town of Ghost rock.
In an attempt to bring justice to the lawless west Texas Ranger Moses Logan unites with a fearless rancher named John slaughter who is looking to avenge his father's death at the hands of Pickett. With the aid of a sexy and mysterious female gunslinger named Savannah Starr, a sultry brothel madam and a wise Chinese migrant worker, Moses and Slaughter unleash total war against Pickett on the streets of Ghost Rock.
Tropes:
- All Asians Know Martial Arts: The Chinese family who own the farm outside of Ghost Rock and are friends of Johnny's all are kickass martial artists. As is Hana, the Japanese whore in the saloon. When Billy grabs Jasmine, Ming and Hana when they are trying to escape the final gunfight, Ming and Hana use coordinated kicks and punches to knock him out:Jasmine: Damn! Am I the only person who doesn't know this stuff?!
- Alliterative Name: Savannah Starr
- Can't Bathe Without a Weapon: Savannah Starr does this in her bathtub with two pistols. She then gets out and walks all over the saloon naked, shooting all the intruders.
- The Cavalry: When Johnny and Savannah stand in the main street of Ghost Rock for the final showdown with Pickett's mooks, they are expecting about 10 men. There turns out to be a lot more than 10. As this is sinking in, Moses and the other Texas Rangers come galloping into town to tip the odds.
- Dead All Along: At the end of the film, it is revealed that Savannah has been dead all along when Johnny visits her grave before leaving town.
- Determined Homesteader: Weng and his family are the only local farmers to stand up to Pickett and his gang and refuse to be bought out or driven off their land.
- Died in Your Arms Tonight: After his Heel–Face Turn, Song saves Wu Chen from Pickett's men but is fatally wounded in the process. Wu Chen holds Song in his arm and silently forgives him as Song bleeds out.
- Doomed Hometown: The film opens with Pickett's gang attacking the Starr ranch and massacring everyone there except for Johnny Slaughter (who was visiting and hid in the barn) and Savannah Starr. Or so it seems. The ending reveals that Savannah has been Dead All Along.
- Dual Wielding: The outlaw known as the Barber wields twin cutthroat razors in combat.
- Full-Frontal Assault: Savannah emerges from under the water of her bathtub holding two pistols and guns down the man who had come to her room to kill her. She then gets out and walks all over the saloon naked, shooting all the intruders.
- Hand-or-Object Underwear: When John Slaughter is taking a bath in a waterhole, he suddenly notices that Savannah is watching him. He quickly stands up, then realizes his mistake, and pulls his hat off his head and clamps it over his groin.
- I Own This Town: Former bandit Jack Pickett has become the mayor of Ghost Rock and rules it with an iron fist.
- A Lady on Each Arm: During the final showdown, one of Pickett's men has each arm around a whore from the saloon, only to learn this a really bad position to be in during a gunfight.
- Lipstick-and-Load Montage: The first appearance of Mattie Baker, the aging Miss Kitty of Ghost Rock, is her putting on her face for the day. This is juxtaposed with the the town undertaker making up the face of a corpse in preparation for burial.
- Meek Townsman: Only the madam Mattie Baker, Sheriff Clay and Determined Homesteader Weng and his family put up any resistance to Jack Pickett taking over the town. Everyone else meekly capitulates and will not even meet the eye of Pickett or his enforcers when they pass them in the street.
- Miss Kitty: Mattie Baker runs the the saloon and whorehouse in Ghost Rock, is something of a mother hen to her girls, and is one of the few citizens willing to up Mayor Jack Pickett.
- Moe Greene Special: Deciding that Barber is taking too long in killing the last man in town, Killin' Jim Jackson shoots the man through the eye to speed things up.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Killin' Jim Jackson
- Neck Snap: After a prolonged martial arts fight, Slaughter eventually kills the Barber by snapping his neck.
- One-Hit Polykill: Mattie kills all three Thompson brothers with a single shot from a buffalo rifle. Truth in Television as a buffalo rifle will do that at close range.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: One of the outlaws in Pickett's gang is only known as 'The Barber': because he fights wielding a cutthroat razor in each hand.
- Outdoor Bath Peeping: Savannah rides up on Slaughter while he is bathing in a waterhole. She spends a few minutes enjoying the view before he notices and stands up.Savannah: (gives a knowing look below his waist) That water must be real cold.
- The Place
- Railing Kill: The first outlaw Moses kills in the opening shootout crashes through the rotting railing and topples into the street.
- Redemption Equals Death: During the final showdown, Song and Wu Chen have a fight through the saloon. Wu Chen finally has Song has pinned on the balcony railing with his hand round his throat. Despite having the opportunity to kill him, Wu Chen lets him go. This causes Song to rethink his life choices. As he is doing so, other members of the gang grab Wu Chen and start kicking him to death. Song turns against his former partners and jumps into the fight: saving Wu Chen, but dying in the process.
- Siblings in Crime: Pickett's gang of outlaws includes the three Thompson brothers.
- Side Bet: At the start of the film, two of Thompson brothers make a bet between themselves about whether the guy the Barber is fighting will even lay a fist on him before the Barber kills him.
- The Speechless: Wu Chen. He never makes a sound, even when receiving 50 lashes. Comments from other characters indicate that he is mute, but the reason for it is never mentioned.
- Still Wearing the Old Colors: Killin' Jim Jackson is wearing a US Cavalry tunic with sergeants' stripes, implying he may be a Dangerous Deserter.
- Stock Scream: The Wilhelm is emitted by the outlaw who suffers a Railing Kill in the first shootout.
- Taking Over the Town: The M.O. of the Pickett gang. They ride into a small town, kill all the occupants, loot the place and leave before anyone turns up.
- A Taste of the Lash: Pickett sentences Wu Chen to 50 lashes for daring to stand up to his thugs who were attempting to drive the Chinese settlers off their land.
- Two Shots from Behind the Bar: When Big Bad Picket starts roughing up Miss Kitty Mattie Baker, the bartender Cash pulls a double-barrelled shotgun from under the bar and levels it at Pickett, telling him to keep his hands off her.
- Unflinching Walk: Sheriff Clay performs one when he returns to town in time to aid the heroes in the final showdown after being run out of town earlier. He lights a stick of dynamite, tosses it into a building, and then continues his slow march into town as the building explodes behind him.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: The outlaw known as the Barber never wears more than a leather vest over his naked torso, and he strips it off when he gets into his final fight with John Slaughter.
- Weird West: Only revealed by the final twist at the end of the film.
