If you're a car guy (or girl for that matter) it doesn't get any better than Steve McQueen going mad through the streets of San Francisco in his 390-powered Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback chasing after the sinister 1968 Dodge Charger in the movie "Bullitt" (1968). Loren let Meyers in on a lot of interesting little . The chase route looks as if it were designed by Siegfried and Roy, with cars disappearing and reappearing at random points in the city. Hotel at the corner of California and Mason. The car chase eventually ended in a North Hollywood parking lot where Follette was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with the police.[1][2][3]. Bill Hickman, the backup hit man and driver of the Charger, was experienced in driving stunts and in racing. Locations were painstakingly documented almost ten years ago by Ray Smith on a website that's required reading in Bullittology 101. The cinematographer said he almost bought a home in San Francisco after "Bullitt" wrapped up. . Every modern movie car chase owes a debt to Bullitt. In the next clip, they pass in front of the Safeway again. for identifying the address). 2. cars passing the Fort Mason area Arguably, the best gig in show biz is being a stuntman, and being McQueens stuntman came with its own perks. This indicates that the Mustang was not equipped with limited-slip differential (the gears that transfer power from the driveshaft to the rear axle half-shafts). Hickman moved on to more stunt coordination work in films as the 1970s wound down, notably The Hindenburg and Capricorn One. Bullitt set the standard for all movie car chases to follow, making it the most iconic and influential chase scene of all time. It featured a tremendous amount of on-location filming. In the first draft, adapted from Robert L. Fishs novel Mute Witness, Detective Frank Bullitt was a Boston cop who ate a lot of ice cream and never solved a case. 2002) and stops at the corner of Here are the 5 best San Francisco car chases from the movies that have helped put the city on the map: 5. Directed by Peter Yates, the film stars detective Frank Bullitt played by Steve McQueen who did most of his own stunt driving in the iconic car chase featuring a Ford Mustang 390 GT and . The Chargers 1:03. gas station still in operation but no longer a Phillips 66. It became the gold standard for all car-chase films. Lombard Street is best known for the one-way section on Russian Hill between Hyde and Leavenworth Streets, in which the roadway has eight sharp turns (or switchbacks) that have earned the street the distinction of being the crookedest [most winding] street in the world (though this title is contested). The direction changes and the cars are shown heading westbound, passing through the same road cut they passed through headed east. 1968 and again in 2002. While shooting the scene where the giant airliner taxis just above McQueen, observers were shocked that no double was used. as of August 1999. and look west trying to find him. (along with the fire alarm box), although the name has changed. Bullitt was released October 17, 1968, shot almost entirely on location in San Francisco. It took two weeks to film Mystery surrounds $3.74M sale of 1968 Mustang Bullitt: 'Only one person knows' buyer. 785 Price Street and Guadalupe Canyon Parkway. Hope that helps! gas station Free shipping for many products! a traffic nightmare, so the chase picks up again on William Hickman (January 25, 1921 - February 24, 1986) was an American professional stunt driver, stunt coordinator and actor in the U.S. film industry. Both open and limited-slip diffs allow the wheels to rotate at different speeds in corners for efficiency and comfort. crossing Vallejo in 2002 (that's Alcatraz Island in the background) The building The house appeared very east on Lombard. The creators of "Bullitt" got more than their money's worth. We had a running joke, I'd call him Little Bastard and he'd call me Big Bastard. 7. No prizes for guessing the winner. To extend the chases length, the cars are shown driving east then west and back and forth, while supposedly heading only one way, before the Charger crashes at the Parkways eastern exit in Brisbane. San Francisco moviegoers were probably a little more cynical about Frank Bullitt's high-speed pursuit. of Olmstead Street passing the intersection of Mansell and University. and the Fairmount Hotel behind Chalmers. "Then you know you're in for a ride.". In the accompanying behind-the-scenes featurette of the 2006 DVD, Hickman can be seen co-ordinating the chase from the street, where it can be seen how dangerous these sequences were: on cue, a stuntman in a parked car opens his door, only to have Hickman's vehicle take it completely off its hinges, where (from the behind-the-scenes footage) we see the door fly off at force, missing only by chance the close-quarter camera team set-up only yards away. "I've probably seen that movie half a dozen times, and it doesn't make sense to me," said Bud Ekins, the only survivor of four stunt drivers in the film, including McQueen. In 1968, Life magazine called the eye-popping 10 minute and 53 second car chase scene in the movie "Bullitt" a "terrifying, deafening shocker." . Theyre affordable, but the app store is extremely limited. He told me what was wrong with it, but I don't remember now. Whether or not San Francisco's most feted hairpins take a similar approach in the near future, they leave Lombard Street as one of America's most idiosyncratic roads . We said, 'This is our town for 10 weeks, and we're going to use it.' The last trip through Russian Hill features the most famous part of the chase -- where the cars get airborne several times on a steep section of Taylor between Vallejo and Filbert streets. There are also two They didn't need to be, because those cars really were gunning through the streets of San Francisco at over 110 mph. were 4-speeds, as were the Mustangs. (here it is in (2002). Interestingly, you can see a Notice the green Volkswagen Beetle in all of these shots. Here is the curve as it appeared in 1999. The speed limit in this section is 5 mph (8 km/h). Bill Hickman died of cancer in 1986 at the age of 65 in Indio, California. Vallejo and Divisadero in the Pacific Heights section of the city. He sustained a couple of significant injuries during this time, including breaking several ribs in a bad trick-fall in the film How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965). Surprisingly, the scene wasnt originally in the script. Bullitts car is a 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback. They then make a left on Leavenworth turn onto Larkin Street (heading north) from Lombard They continue north (downhill) on Taylor, passing Green Street, "Mr. Mayor, you've got yourself a swimming pool.". the Mustang) several times. Fraker said another great invention was the suction cup vehicle mount, which allowed "Bullitt" filmmakers to attach the Aeroflex to a bar across the back seat and give moviegoers the driver's perspective. Starts on Filbert at Larkin; east toward Coit Tower; south on Jones. and arriving at Filbert Street. Dean died in an accident on the way, and it was Bill Hickman who extricated Deans body from the wreck. 2002) and the bad guys stop at the corner of York and Peralta above and behind the Charger in this frame. "He said, 'We're filming a movie called 'Bullitt,' starring Steve McQueen.' Marina Boulevard (2002). North Beach Playground (now named after Joe Dimaggio) through North Beach. At various points during the eastbound portion San Francisco Bay "But I'm guessing 'Bullitt' would be on almost every list. The car chase between 1960s muscle cars features a third American classic, as the chase proper begins with the 1968 Dodge Charger breaking left and burning rubber. Relyea said the deal was cut with San Francisco Mayor Joseph L. Alioto, who wanted the moviemakers to pay for a public pool near the Bayview district. Here is that view in 2002. All rights reserved. It then proceeds west on Army Street for a few blocks. It was absolutely amazing. It wasn't until the young Bologna was watching the movie on the big screen that he realized he had been talking that day to the actor. Anthony Bologna had no idea he had stumbled into the greatest movie car chase of all time. Senator Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) is aiming to take down mob boss Pete Ross (Vic Tayback) with the help of testimony from the criminal's hothead brother Johnny (Pat Renella), who is in . The chase passes the famous Safeway Frank Bullitt shopped at a market at 1199 Clay Street, Both Mustangs were owned by the Ford Motor Company and part of a promotional loan agreement with Warner Bros. Another view from the DVD The Mustang would have done a two-wheel burnout if it were equipped with a limited-slip differential. Russian Hill The cars stay in the same neighborhood, but appear a few blocks away from the last sequence, now heading west on Chestnut. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our livesfrom culture to business, science to design. 2002 the view had changed little. (The bottom of the stores name is seen as the Dodge veers onto Marina.). Hickman performed a high-risk car-chase scene by William Friedkin for his 1971 film The French Connection. Note the white Pontiac Firebird. 10. Ad Choices, While playing around with Google Maps, we discovered that a user posted a map detailing the exact route of the legendary Bullitt chase scene. McLaren Park. The brick center-section Fraker said the chase was mapped out carefully, never using more than eight square blocks at one time. Because Dodge had also brought back the Charger. Here is the Fort Mason. On assignment for the Wall Street Journal, I was in San Francisco to drive the original Bullitt chase scene in a new, 2011 Ford Mustang V6. 2. April 1968, July 2002. Chalmers serves Captain Sam Bennett with a writ of habeas corpus and has his minions witness the service from their position on Didnt sleep for five or six nights after that, just the sound of the air coming out of his lungs.". The Dodge Charger hits the wall where Larkin Street curves left Chestnut. The Charger appears making a right The cars were modified for the high-speed chase by vet auto racer Max Balchowsky. It had been painted beige Subsequently Bullitt and Cathy stop along US 101 North to talk, with Street after the impact, seemingly unaffected. was driven by Pat Houstis. gas station at the corner of Guadalupe Canyon Parkway . the entrance to the Mark Hopkins was undergoing renovation. progenitor of all subsequent movie car chases, Bullitt is an excellent film. ", In another interview with James Dean expert Warren Beath, Hickman is quoted as saying, "We were about two or three minutes behind him. The cab rolls past Columbus and Kearny (1968 and Phoebe Wall Howard. In the next cut, Ft. Mason is visible in the background as they turn once more onto Marina Boulevard. Bill Hickman (Phil), who drives the Dodge Charger, actually did drive the Charger in the movie. Russian Hill/Marina The cars are back on Larkin Street, where the Charger took out a camera (the scene was left in the movie). The chase segment starts off, with the Charger trailing the Mustang, near the intersection of CUT TO THE CHASE / Classic scene in McQueen's 'Bullitt' unreal as ever, Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, No seriously, dont drive up to Tahoe this weekend, Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, Horoscope for Saturday, 3/04/23 by Christopher Renstrom, The Warriors broke Russell Westbrook, just like old times, Scream publicity stunt floods Bay Area dispatch with 911 calls, Oakland ransomware attackers leak 'confidential' data, Mochi muffin bakery closes SF cafe after just 4 months, Rain reenters Bay Area forecast: Have an umbrella near you, The best fried chicken is at a San Francisco strip club, You can see Maggie Rogers in SF for under $100 this weekend, You can still overpack the smaller Monos check-in suitcase, How to get tickets for Depeche Mode's new tour dates, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Bullitt Locations in San Francisco The Charger veered wide right but the explosion went off anyway, making the shot too expensive to repeat. view looking east on Filbert Street in 2002. Directions to Lombard Street. Robert and son Sean began putting it back together in early 2000s, before life took over and the restoration stalled. 2. The intersection looks very different in 2002. He had been embarrassed to admit that it was not him performing the celebrated motorbike stunt in. The chase in "Bullitt" is long and thrilling, but more than a little confusing. They pulled the engine, put another flywheel in and it was ready to go the next morning.". They then leap 3 miles to the entrance of the Guadelupe Canyon Parkway on San Bruno Mountain in Daly City, heading east. "I had at that time just bought a white Mustang, and it was like driving a slug," Brebner said. 3. Filming occurred in at least nine city districts -- with a finale on the tarmac at San Francisco International Airport. Use your voice to control the lights! The film is also known for its iconic car-chase sequence. McQueen died in 1980, and many others on the set didn't make it to this month's 35th anniversary of the film's premiere. Bill Hickman was already an established stuntman by the time The Wild One was being filmed and his expertise on motorcycles landed him work on the Stanley Kramer production. Popular with locals and tourists alike for many years, the city's steep streets gained international fame thanks to Bullitt. Here is the view from the first camera angle in 2002. In this view looking east on Chestnut the San Francisco Art College William Hickman (January 25, 1921 February 24, 1986) was an American professional stunt driver, stunt coordinator and actor in the U.S. film industry. "There's a 'click,' and then you know something big is about to happen," Fraker said. "He was very relaxed and very nice to talk to when he was around.". He contacted Ford around that time and the mystery of the original movie car was solved. Both were victims of the 1989 earthquake. "If you ask five different guys what their favorite car chases are, they'll give you five different lists," Kunz said. Fort Mason's piers with the Presidio of San Francisco, are gone. Car Chase, San Francisco. There are several basic locations from which the film crew operated The Charger follows and this view of Army eastbound is visble We trace the evolution of the Hollywood chase sequence, from "Bullitt" to the "Fast & Furious" franchise. The chase continues into
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