History Main / PistolPose

* US editions of ''Literature/TheLostFleet'' invariably have someone who's presumably meant to be the protagonist dressed like a SpaceMarine and doing some kind of heroic pose on the cover. [[ContemptibleCover nothing remotely like this event ever happens in the book]], and later volumes in the series actually start LeaningOnTheFourthWall to complain about it.

* ''VideoGame/Doom2016'' also rather infamously had one of these covers, a static image of the Doom Slayer standing with a shotgun and not much else. [[ContemptibleCover This was widely slammed for being generic]], and was one of the factors that led to [[TaintedByThePreview initial skepticism]] that [[AndYouThoughtItWouldFail ironically accentuated the almost universal acclaim the game itself received]]. Even during the leadup to the release, Creator/IdSoftware provided an alternate reversible cover -- instead a much more ornate, mural-like shot of [[OneManArmy Doom Slayer in the middle of singlehandedly fighting through a horde of demons]] -- a style which was locked in for ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'''s cover art from the get-go.

* The poster for ''Film/TheUntouchables'' has the other three Untouchables holding rifles in the back as [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou Kevin Costner is about to shoot you]] and under a giant Creator/RobertDeNiro as EvilOverlooker.
* Posters for the [[Film/HarryPotter Harry Potter films]] have done with with wands instead of guns.

* Many, many video games, such as ''[[http://plusxp.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/metroid2_boxart.jpg Metroid,]]'' ''[[http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=halo%20box%20art&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enNO312NO312&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi Halo,]]'' ''[[http://media.teamxbox.com/games/ss/1719/1188424878.jpg Call of Duty,]]'' etc.

A very common pose for movie posters is to feature the main character posing with a firearm, usually a pistol. See also: SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou.

It is also common to spoof this by having something else being held.

* There are a number of accepted methods of holding a weapon that resemble this trope, albeit with little details like keeping ones finger off the trigger. The easiest ways to hold a weapon without pointing it at something unintentionally are to hold it pointing upwards or downwards. In the case of a longer weapon like a rifle or shotgun, the most practical method typically is to hold the weapon against your torso, with the weapon pointed across your chest and upwards ("Ready Arms") or downward ("Port Arms").

* Both ''Film/{{Nikita}}'' and the English-language remake ''Film/ThePointOfNoReturn'' both had movie posters that feature this trope.

* The poster art for the Wesley Snipes movie ''Film/TheArtOfWar''.

* On [[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-10/09/xin_2921004091354312413210.jpg the poster]] for ''Film/TheKiller'', Chow Yun Fat combines this with GoryDiscretionShot.

** The Jodie Foster film ''Film/TheBraveOne''.

* Us editions of ''Literature/TheLostFleet'' invariably have someone who's presumably meant to be the protagonist dressed like a SpaceMarine and doing some kind of heroic pose. [[ContemptibleCover nothing remotely like this event ever happens in the book]], and later volumes in the series actually start LeaningOnTheFourthWall to complain about it.

* Many, many video games, such as ''[[http://plusxp.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/metroid2_boxart.jpg Metroid]]'', ''[[http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=halo%20box%20art&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enNO312NO312&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi Halo]]'', ''[[http://media.teamxbox.com/games/ss/1719/1188424878.jpg Call of Duty]]'', etc.

* The remake of ''Film/ThreeTenToYuma'' featured a variant: the character depicted was holding on to a revolver, but by the chamber, not the handle.

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!!Examples

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* Banksy's famous ''Film/PulpFiction'' painting near London's Old Street. It depicted the characters of Jules and Vincent in their famous pistol pose, but [[http://www.banksy-wallpaper.com/banksy-wallpapers/pulp-fiction-wallpaper.php holding bananas instead of guns]]... until the council decided it was graffiti, not art, and had it painted over.
** A version was promptly produced with Jules and Vincent actually holding guns... [[http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/239298396_ecc0e07054.jpg While wearing banana suits]].
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[[quoteright:200:[[Film/UndercoverBrother http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ub_poster.JPG]]]]

* The poster and DVD art for the film version of ''Film/UndercoverBrother'', as shown above. Star Eddie Griffin complained about this, noting that the character never uses a gun.

* ''[[Film/TheMatrix The Matrix Reloaded]]'' had various characters doing so in their promo posters, including [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Matrix_Reloaded_Agent_Smith_9946.jpg this good example of the trope]] featuring Agent Smith with the title plastered across his crotch.

* Posters for the [[{{Film/HarryPotter}} Harry Potter films]] have done with with wands instead of guns.

* The poster art for the Wesley Snipes movie ''The Art of War''.

* ''MacrossFrontier'' has an in-story war propaganda commercial in which Sheryl Nome gives a pistol pose [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou after she shoots you]].

* CowboyBebop: Spike and Faye do this.

* Such a pose is part of the standard ''Series/CharliesAngels'' logo, although it's often just one of the three.

* Banksy's famous ''PulpFiction'' painting near London's Old Street. It depicted the characters of Jules and Vincent in their famous pistol pose, but [[http://www.banksy-wallpaper.com/banksy-wallpapers/pulp-fiction-wallpaper.php holding bananas instead of guns]]... until the council decided it was graffiti, not art, and had it painted over.

[[quoteright:200:[[Film/UndercoverBrother http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ub_poster.jpg]]]]

[[quoteright:200:[[UndercoverBrother http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ub_poster.jpg]]]]

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[[folder: Films ]]

* JamesBond. Actually, there are ''tons'' of such poses on promotional material. On the DVD covers, they even added arms with pistols. Sometimes it's pretty obvious.
* The remake of ''[=3:10 To Yuma=]'' featured a variant: the character depicted was holding on to a revolver, but by the chamber, not the handle.
* The poster and DVD art for the film version of ''UndercoverBrother'', as shown above. Star Eddie Griffin complained about this, noting that the character never uses a gun.
* Posters for ''You Don't Mess With The Zohan'' have the title character (an Israeli commando who wants to be a hair dresser) brandishing hair dryers. Interestingly, at least one poster shows him with a rifle strapped to his back.

* Not the standard "hand-on-the-elbow" pistol pose, but the posters for ''Wanted'' resulted in protests in the UK because of their [[http://io9.com/5044825/uk-authorities-dont-want-wanted glamorizing gun violence.]]
* On the poster for ''[[http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-10/09/xin_2921004091354312413210.jpg The Killer]]'', Chow Yun Fat combines this with GoryDiscretionShot.

* Both ''La Femme Nikita'' and the English-language remake ''The Point of No Return'' both had movie posters that feature this trope.
* ''TheMatrixReloaded'' had various characters doing so in their promo posters, including [[http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Matrix_Reloaded_Agent_Smith_9946.jpg this good example of the trope]] featuring Agent Smith with the title plastered across his crotch.

** The Jodie Foster film ''The Brave One''.

* JohnnyEnglish: the first film has Creator/RowanAtkinson [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou pointing a gun at the camera]].

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[[folder: Professional Wrestling ]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* One, the right arm pointing to the shoulder, is in fact the British Sign Language symbol for James Bond.
* There are a number of accepted methods of holding a weapon that resemble this trope, albeit with little details like keeping ones finger off the trigger. The easiest ways to hold a weapon without pointing it at something unintentionally are to hold it pointing upwards or downwards. In the case of a longer weapon like a rifle or shotgun, the most practical method typically is to hold the weapon against your torso, with the weapon pointed across your chest and upwards ("Ready Arms") or downward ("Port Arms").


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[[folder: Other ]]

* JohnnyEnglish: the first film has RowanAtkinson [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou pointing a gun at the camera]].

* JamesBond. Actually, there are a number of poses. On the DVD covers, they even added arms with pistols. Sometimes it's pretty obvious.

* CowboyBebop

* The poster for ''TheUntouchables'' has the other three Untouchables holding rifles in the back as [[SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou Kevin Costner is about to shoot you]] and under a giant RobertDeNiro as EvilOverlooker.

* Campaign posters in ''Left4Dead''.
** The posters in ''Left4Dead2'' mix it up with melee weapons instead of guns.

* In nearly all instances of this trope in fiction, the characters depicted always have their finger on the trigger. One of the four Very Important safety rules of firearm handling is "do not put your finger on the trigger until ready to shoot". In Real Life, holding a firearm this way is very unsafe, and is a sure indication of an untrained and dangerous novice. Because of this, it's quite funny to watch a purported BadassCrew or JamesBond type lumber around the movie being one slip of the finger from putting a round through the ceiling or their head. (Although before Jeff Cooper's Four Rules [1991], even professionals weren't always aware of gun safety.)
** That said, there are a number of accepted methods of holding a weapon that ''do'' resemble this trope, albeit with little details like keeping ones finger off the trigger. The easiest ways to hold a weapon without pointing it at something unintentionally are to hold it pointing upwards or downwards. In the case of a longer weapon like a rifle or shotgun, the most practical method typically is to hold the weapon against your torso, with the weapon pointed across your chest and upwards ("Ready Arms") or downward ("Port Arms").