Tracing the Influence: Retraced Edition
Tag: Dirty Harry
Freedom Force cover (1988) 🔗
When I first saw this cover, I thought it was a reference to Natural Born Killers, until I checked and (re)discovered that it predates that movie by more than half a decade. Of all the game covers that borrow Clint Eastwood's iconic Dirty Harry pose, this is the only one where the gun is almost as big as the original. The head, on the other hand, comes from a different source this time. His features are a bit distorted, but it's still identifiable as Rutger Hauer on a publicity photo from the set of Blade Runner. (Thanks to downchasm and Disc B on Bluesky for the tip on Rutger Hauer.) His lady friend remains a mystery for now.
Big Challenge! Gun Fighter cover (1989) 🔗
The cover for this Famicon Disk System exclusive action game kinda makes you wonder if there weren't enough actual western movies around to imitate for the cover, but maybe the logic was that Clint Eastwood had been in a bunch of westerns as well, so him as Dirty Harry was close enough. This one's not an exact copy, but I think the gun hand and overall posture are enough to make this a confirmed hit.
Impossible Mission II cover (1988) 🔗
The sequel to Epyx' classic "not Mission: Impossible" action platformer was published with an astonishing number of different covers. In the UK, many versions sported this rogue cop on the case, whose sunglasses and modern attire do a poor job of hiding his origins. Makes me wonder if the guy reflected on his glasses is also lifted from somewhere else... At any rate, you gotta love how a video game cover artist looked at Clint Eastwood's gun and was like: "That's a bit much, innit mate?"
