The first "Gone in 60 Seconds" movie?

[Big Bad Dad]

I had never saw the original 1974 version of "Gone in 60 Seconds". I found it and watched it on Youtube yesterday. Anyway, the plot was not the greatest. The car chase was exciting to watch, but totally unbelievable. That Mustang would have died long before that chase was over. And the amount of late model Mopar and Mercury cop cars that got wrecked was unreal! It made it look like the Cops could do nothing but run into each other or lose control and get stuck in ditches... The Challenger R/T getting crushed and the 71 Road Runner getting broadsided were particularly painful. For a movie produced by no namers, its must have had one hell of a budget. But the opening credits indicated it was produced by an auto wrecking yard? Anybody know more details about how this film came to be??


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[Lefty71]

For whatever reason, I was curious and watched on Youtube also, bout two years ago....

Seems to me there is an interesting story about the movie, on Wiki?? I thought the star of the movies family owned the junkyards??? Strictly from bad memory... I may have to go look that up again..

EDIT,, yep, check the article on Wikipedia. He was killed while filming the remake.

 

[tlt23]

From something I read a long time ago the ford chase seen was all done with one take. after that mustang sales went through the roof the next year.
Some of the scenes were not authorized by the city that is why they are kind of scratchy.

 

[Cncguy1]

Better than the new one!

 

[Pete Kaczmarski]

For another movie with great Mopar Police cars watch "Sugarland Express". It is the same era and based on a true story. Listen to the four barrels howling and the burble of the 440's at idle. For me this is the best car chase movie.

 

[WP29440SE]

the Challenger r/t was actually a 72 or 3 and not a real r/t. the 71 was a satellite. the green charger that hit the garbage truck was a 73. about 15 years ago we actually counted close to 100 70 Coronet 4 door cop cars that were destroyed. my father took me to see that movie in the theater when it first came out.

 

[JB400]

I believe the director earned the title The Car Crash King

 

[rumcustom]

I believe the director earned the title The Car Crash King

I agree, but nothing will top the crashes in The Blues Brothers.

 

[tiredmech]

You should really read up on H.B. "Toby" Halicki I've been a fan of his since the moment I watched the movie many many years ago. An interested fact was how he was seriously injured when the Mustang hit the power pole and they had to suspended filming for recovery. He was a real American badass is what he was. Read up on him it's quite interesting.

 

[SteveSS]

H.B Halicki reportedly killed more than 150 vehicles making Junkman.

 

[jimt1971rr]

One thing I found interesting about this movie. The "International Tower" is the actual name of that round building where the car chase starts. It is also the starting point of the chase in the Nicholas Cage version. It is located right next to the hair pin turn of the Long Beach grand prix. I have been there quite a few times. I did love seeing all those beautiful cars, but like others, cringed when they were wrecked. I also couldn't figure out why they couldn't catch a 73 Mustang.

 

[MFP]

There's the original film and a few years back the original was remastered with a new soundtrack - usually difficult to make something good any better but imho the remastered version polished the original very nicely .. I have the original U.S edition film posters and a very very rare complete mint set of the FOH cards used to promote the film when it was released ... Not "puffing my chest out " just saying as I love the film so much ... FYI it took me 8 years to get the cards and of All places I purchased them from a guy here in the UK ... Who'd have thought it !

 

[tak419]

I own this movie, Sugarland Express, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Corvette Summer, Two Lane Blacktop, Vanishing Point, American Graffiti, Gator, White Lighting, Mother Jugs and Speed, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Phantasm, Christine, The Seven-Ups and a host of other great 70's movies. A lot of great cars in all those.

 

[Budnicks]

employed a shitload of stunt people too

remember back in 1974 they were just a bunch of used cars

why they picked the 73 Mustang as a star car is beyond me

cult classic for damn sure

 

[Kern Dog]

The 73 Mustang was a new car when the movie was made. Time determines what cars will be desireable and what ones will not. In 1973, Dodge sold more Chargers than in any other year. Today, who would rather have a 73 Charger than a 68-70 ?

 

[64BEL]

I saw the original in the theater when it first came out in '74 when we lived in Omaha. We moved to WI in '78 and no one here had ever heard of the movie whenever I brought it up - until the remake came out. It must have just been regionally shown in '74. I just remember thinking it was about the wildest thing I'd ever seen to that point - all of the cars that were destroyed!

 

[Lefty71]

I own this movie, Sugarland Express, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Corvette Summer, Two Lane Blacktop, Vanishing Point, American Graffiti, Gator, White Lighting, Mother Jugs and Speed, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Phantasm, Christine, The Seven-Ups and a host of other great 70's movies. A lot of great cars in all those.

McQ would be a good one to add to the list. It was refreshing to see John Wayne outside of the 1850's anyway lol. If you were a Pontiac head, McQ is a must-see. The Satellite/Belvedere in it looks every bit a 318 car, but they thrashed it like a banshee.

 

[MFP]

I own this movie, Sugarland Express, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Corvette Summer, Two Lane Blacktop, Vanishing Point, American Graffiti, Gator, White Lighting, Mother Jugs and Speed, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Phantasm, Christine, The Seven-Ups and a host of other great 70's movies. A lot of great cars in all those.

 

[MFP]

Eastwood in Thunder bolt and light foot and Reynolds in white lighting .... Love them both

 

[tak419]

I have almost all steve McQueen. Bullet, Hunter, the Chase, all great ones.