Director John Carpenter revealed in an interview in the late-1990s that he had an interest in directing the movie. Carpenter has often noted his affinity to Westerns and his hope to make one. During the interview, he says that he almost directed “Tombstone”.
It’s not surprising that the collaboration was a possibility. Carpenter’s friendship with Kurt Russell goes back a long time. Since Russell starred in the film, it’s easy to imagine Carpenter manning the director’s seat.
One-Liners From Wyatt Earp
For a gun-slinging hero who kept players and sporting men as his constant companions, Wyatt Earp’s character had a sharp tongue. Referring to silver miners in "Tombstone" who had gotten very rich mining the area, Earp says, “They’ll all be richer than Croesus.”
It’s an idiom of the time, but it refers to a legendarily wealthy king who reigned over Lydia in Western Asia Minor from 560 to 546 B.C. His reserves overflowed with gold pouring from the mines. He was the first king to use gold to make coins. Silver coins were made out of Tombstone’s silver mines.
An Ill-Fated Love Scene
The love scene between Wyatt Earp and Josephine ended up on the cutting room floor. It’s the part when Earp and Josephine happen to meet each other while horseback riding.
Director Cosmatos didn’t want to rush into a steamy scene with the couple so early into the film, so he cut it. This, despite the fact that a clip of it is featured in the movie trailer.
Finding a Composer for Tombstone
Originally, the musical score for the film went to Jerry Goldsmith. He’s an Academy Award-winning composer who won an Oscar for his work in "The Omen" in 1976. He was actually contracted for the job and working on it, but the arrangement fell apart. Because of a scheduling conflict, Goldsmith had to turn down the "Tombstone" music score.
He recommended composer Bruce Broughton to score the film. It was such a last-minute deal that Goldsmith’s name still appears in the credits. Broughton, who admitted it was a rushed composition, noted that he had less than four weeks to finish it.
Stephen Lang’s Portrayal of Wild Outlaw Ike Clanton
Director Cosmatos divulged the fact that Stephen Lang occasionally had a little too much to drink during the filming of "Tombstone". In the book "The Making of Tombstone" the author recalls such a moment. Actor Charles Schneider, who played Professor Gillman, told the story. He said Lang was still in costume and appeared to be yet in character, though his shoot was wrapped up.
“So there he was looking like he was red-faced, slightly out of his mind and he was acting like he was a fancy man directing an orchestra.” Schneider detailed Lang’s off-script “conductor performance,” which, he said, was perfectly suited for his crazy character, exactly what Ike Clanton might do. Schneider sums up the story, “Wow, I’m watching Stephen Lang being that guy totally at the moment having fun.”