Learn how your comment data is processed. The other range car was a Chevette for people that wanted to learn on a manual transmission. The dubbed version is awful. [40] Major portions of the audio background have been modified with different engine sounds or tire squeals from the original film. They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . "Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack" is formatted as a box set that in presented in full color in widescreen. Coors wasnt pasteurized. I think more of Smokey and the Bandit II and the awful part 3 were filmed largely in Florida, I dont know if I-75 construction was started by 1976-77, at least the section down to Miami part, when they filmed. The films are indeed classic and very funny to this day. In fact, after Smokey and the Bandit became a box office hit, Pontiac saw a marked increase in their stock prices. Did I mention how much I enjoy reading all the back stories and niggly details I can only get here ? Needham had great difficulty getting any studios or producers to take his project seriously, being better known in the film industry as a stuntman. So lets explore this car (and truck) heavy flick, all while giving those who have not seen it a glimpse into a movie whose complexity and intellect remains unparalleled within the history of cinema. "Smokey and the Bandit" stars Burt Reynolds, Sally . Reynolds replied: We went through 12. My family did all grocery shopping in Cape. Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, . Launched on the big screen in 1977, Smokey and the Bandit revolves around two bootleggers as they attempt to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. 5. The Bandit's car was a second-generation Trans Am and the prize for completing the run was a new truck rather than $80,000. A series of four made-for-TV spin-off films (Bandit Goes Country, Bandit Bandit, Beauty and the Bandit, and Bandit's Silver Angel) were produced in 1994 for Universal Television's Action Pack with actor Brian Bloom playing a younger version of the Bandit. In the movie . Future President Gerald Ford, after a trip to Colorado, hid it in his luggage to take it back to Washington, D.C. President Dwight D. Eisenhower had a steady supply airlifted by the Air Force to Washington. At the time, it was illegal to transport Coors east of the Mississippi River and a series of other truckers had been apprehended for trying to accomplish this feat for the Burdettes. The unrestored car reportedly showed up on eBay back in 2015, but no one wanted to buy it. The rub? how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2. The advertisements lampoon the film and feature a Pontiac Trans Am and a cover version of the song East Bound and Down. I really enjoyed this discussion. Producers of Smokey and the Bandit wrecked 26 cars while filming the movie in 1977. I had a 78 Trigger lookalike for a while in the mid 90s, until a wrist pin went out, ended up selling it to one of my brothers buddys uncles. Always a favorite. The 1977 model wasn't out yet when filming began, so General Motors provided 1976 cars with front clips from the soon-to-be-released 1977 update. I have always loved this movie, watched it dozens and dozens of times on TV, video, DVD, laserdisc, almost any form of media. This small modification was made to remind viewers of Trans Am models from 1969, which had in excess of 300 horsepower. Coors was legal in Missouri and illegal in Illinois. Starring Bob Hope, that comedic star of the screen, and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair! I never forgot that one. The film's editors, Walter Hannemann and Angelo Ross, were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/john-fedack-my-days-as-a-dekalb-county-police-officer/. He has no less than four movies listed as coming out, and they run the gamut from romantic drama to family comedy to horror mystery to action thriller. I think even the 2nd gen Camaro enjoyed some of the blast wave from Smokey and the Bandit, 1979 was the best year ever for Camaros as well, with over 280,000 Camaros being sold. Even today when I stumble across this cinematic masterpiece being rerun on cable tv, Ill watch the entire thing. Hal Needham did pass away as someone earlier said. Lets take a look. In a rare public appearance, Burt Reynolds revealed how many cars they wrecked making Smokey and Of course, we could argue that Needham could have used the engine note of a Pontiac GTO from the golden muscle car, but the 1955 Custom recordings were probably readily available, and he just didn't need the hassle. While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. In response, Needham told Reed that he liked the song so much that if Reed changed even a word or a note, Needham would "choke him". "Buford T. Justice" was the name of a real Florida Highway Patrolman known to Reynolds' father, who was once Police Chief of Riviera Beach, Florida. Sonny Shroyer (Enos) was the motorcycle cop who was given the 1-finger salute by Sally Field. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Everything You Should Know About The The Trans Am From Smokey And The Bandit, 10 Most Potentially Unreliable Electric Vehicles According To Consumer Reports, 10 Reasons Why It's Time You Should Buy A Bagger, Here's How Solid-State Batteries Will Change EVs Forever. I did help a friend rebuild a late 60s 400 to replace the anemic 301 in his 79, Trans Am. One time a friend and I drove back to Kentucky on leave rather than flying; no particular reason, we had plenty of time and wanted to see some of the country. When Im driving the Bandit Trans Am while playing one of my many Forza Motorsport games I always put that song on. Jackie Gleasons Buford T. Justice character is a supposedly an amalgamation of a few characters, including the real Buford T. Justicethere is obviously the Dodge safety sheriff from the 1970s ads, Burt Reynolds father was chief of police of Jupiter Florida, and a friend of his fathers, a Florida Highway Patrol officer was actually the REAL Buford T. Justice. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. In the original script, Carrie was called Kate while Big Enos and Little Enos were called Kyle and Dickey. Sally Field and Burt Reynolds began a relationship after meeting on set. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing semi-truck was shot on Georgia State Route 75, 3 miles (4.8km) north of Helen. Rockford Files also featured Firebird, and was on since 1974, and Fs sold well despite gas crunch I and inflation. When Smokey and the Bandit first aired on American network television in the early 1980s, censors were faced with the challenge of toning down the raw language of the original film. HotCars covers all things automotive: the latest auto news and informative reviews on the car, pickup truck and motorcycle industries. a custom mandrel bent dual exhaust, and the Mondello bottom end plate to stabilize the windowed mains. These Furys, as well as some of the LeMans units, have hood scoops. In 1978, Pontiac delivered 93,351 Trans Ams and 93,944 regular Firebirds for a grand total of 187,295 cars. Sales almost doubled in two years, which is a very big deal given that the Trans Ams 1978 facelift was rather minor save for the front fascia. I have to admit, thats a pretty fantastic story, and as a major movie star, Im sure Burt Reynolds was able to figure out another way to acquire a means of transportation. And then they made the biggest mistake of their lives and went to national distribution. I'm afraid I was responsible for a good few of those. There are an abundance of cars in this movie. But that doesnt make for an interesting movie premise. The Trans Am was already pretty popular in the mid-1970s, with sales hitting 68,745 units in 1977. I was to be paid a salary plus own 7% of the profits. We just watched this with the kids the other week, along with Cannonball Run. Film critic Leonard Maltin gave the film a good rating (3 stars out of a possible 4) and characterized it as "about as subtle as The Three Stooges, but a classic compared to the sequels and countless rip-offs which followed". In the 1977 movie Smokey and the Bandit, a high-speed chase ensues between the police and the Bandit (Burt Reynolds). I loved the fact that Jackie Gleasons brown Lemans had a blue vinyl interior and it even had the luxury cushion steering wheel! What were the police cars in Smokey and the Bandit? The original Blues Brothers movie from 1980 is a classic, and fans were excited when a sequel was announced in 1998. . On top of Burt Reynold's top-notch acting, Smokey and the Bandit is also famous for the Pontiac Trans Am that the actor drove throughout the film. I started cruising through EBay and the next thing I knew I won the auction for a clean 400/4 speed/T-Top 78 Trans Am. [31] Smokey and the Bandit was released in the United Kingdom on August 28 and was a success there, garnering positive reviews. . [original research?] The redesign was originally planned for 1980, but 1978 and 1979 became record years for GM's division, so the new model was pushed back. Just after re-entering Georgia, Snowman is rescued by Bandit after being stopped by a Georgia State Patrol motorcycle trooper, and state and local police intensely pursue Bandit with roadblocks and a helicopter to track his movement. Burt Reynolds recently revealed the ridiculous number of Pontiac Trans Ams they went through filming 1977s Smokey and the Bandit. According to an interview with Susie McIver Ewing on The RetroZest Podcast, she was picked to play the role of Hot Pants Hilliard after the dailies footage (shot in the Atlanta area) of the original actress playing the role was inadvertently destroyed on its way from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Nice article Jason I was a fan of this movie when it came out I look back now and think, wow, did I really think this was entertainment?????? This phrase achieved a level of popularity with children and the 2007 Hot Wheels release of the 1970s Firebird Trans Am has "scum bum" emblazoned on its tail. The little packy there had Coors and even though it was horribly expensive, we thought it was the elixer of the Gods. Actor Henry Corden, who voiced Fred Flintstone after original performer Alan Reed died the same year the film was released, was used to replace a considerable amount of Sheriff Justice's dialogue. The trip to Texarkana is uneventful; soon after leaving for the return trip to Georgia, The Bandit encounters Frog, played by Sally Field. Yet when I think of a 70s T/A, thats the one I and Im sure millions of other folks think of. Supposedly there was a stick car for the burnouts and an automatic car for other shots. A 1975 Pontiac Grand Ville, seen toward the end of the movie. It outsold its Chevrolet Camaro counterpart for the first time. Burt Reynolds may be 79, but he shows no signs of slowing down. So these kind of represented a rebellion attitude to the government mandated diesel econo hatches everyone thought we were going to be forced to drive in the 80sinterestingly 1979 was also the best year for the Corvette too. The next movie, Smokey and the Bandit II, featured the same cast and an updated version of the Trans Am.The second version of the Smokey and the Bandit car was a 1980 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that had a similar paint job, the updated front end, and gold "Turbine" style wheels.The 1980 models featured a turbocharged 4.9L Pontiac V8, but that still wasn't enough power for the stunt personnel. I own all three films on a dvd called the Smokey and The Bandit Pursuit Pack. The theme music "East Bound and Down" was sung and co-written by Reed (credited under his birth name, Jerry Hubbard) and Dick Feller. You want to questions bra sales, check out the youtube video of Hang on Sloopy by the Mccoys, the color version.wowza! Let me get the popcorn for this one. He claimed that the Bandit is never made aware of Frog's leaving Junior at the altar, which is why the Bandit continually asks why a Texas sheriff is chasing him. The Trans Am used for said jump was equipped with a booster rocket, the same type that was used by Evel Knievel during his failed Snake River Canyon jump. Smokey and the Bandit was one of the most iconic movies of the 1970s. It took four evenings to see almost all of the movie in bits and pieces. Your email address will not be published. Not that Id kick either front end style out of the garage for dripping oil, as long as they dont have the 403 in them anyway. If you notice there are several different angled skid marks on the road in the scene where the Bandit picks up Frog, you can see that they did a couple of takes of the T/A skidding to a stop and taking off again. A CC for a 1973 Grand Ville convertible can be found here. They destroyed all those cars in the films he said. That is an excellent question. So, for years one, two, and three, he got a shiny new Pontiac. He paid $550,000 for it, likely a record for any Pontiac Firebird. For this purpose, they overdubbed dialogue deemed offensive, which was common practice. Most reports of his death still didnt have that right! Tragically, every Trans Am used in filming was destroyed. The most noted change made for network broadcast was the replacing of Buford's often-spoken phrase "sumbitch" (a contraction of "son of a bitch"; usually in reference to the Bandit) with the phrase "scum bum". Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. Chevy brought back the Z28, and cant say S&B was reason. Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American road action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams and Mike Henry. The gag with the overpass being blown up was actually a bridge built for the movie on the unfinished highway, and AFAIK, the truck driver who jumps the void ended up breaking his back in the stunt. Burt Reynolds himself drove the car on stage to the song "East Bound and Down" and signed it. I also own a Etrl replica of the Pontiac Bonneville Buford T. Justice drove in Smokey and The Bandit II. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. In the U.K., the heavily dubbed version was shown for several years, particularly by the BBC. The third-generation Firebird was introduced in 1982, a full two years later than planned. I agree, despite people saying you sound cute, it seems like they think Ellie Mae Clapett or Jethro Bodean. It opened in other Northern states at the end of July. Anyone with insight is encouraged to share their knowledge on this. The worldwide gross is estimated at over $300 million. It airs on cable tv all the time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cODPt3T0cHE, We got a cage strong enough to hold you Nah, they survived by coming up with bras with very thin cups. (it did taste a lot better than Bud as I recall). He is hired by Big Enos Burdette and his son Little Enos to transport a truck load of Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas, back to Georgia in 28 hours. Always loved this movie growing up. We stopped in that same Safeway later on the way back home from southern Cal, and they had a huge display of cases of Coors out on the floor near the checkstands. I beg to differ Mr -Nate. Apparently the engine sounds were lifted from another movie, I think two lane blacktop? That came out in 1981. We also learn that every launched satellite will eventually fall back to Earth, such as this 1972 Plymouth Satellite (CC here). It became Reed's signature song and is on multiple albums, including Country Legends and his live album Jerry Reed "Live!" The roller coaster in the movie was the Greyhound. Gleason probably wanted too much money to provide the dubbing, which is a shame because it ruins the TV version. Jackie Gleason ad libbed a lot of his lines too. And theres beer in Texarkana.. A group of Trans Am owners and fans of the movie take part in an annual road trip from Texarkana to Jonesboro, recreating the route taken by the characters in the film. That said, an uncomplimentary accent does exist. The area around Helen, Georgia, was used for some locations. I remember reading somewhere that one of the cars was equipped with a 455 for some of the higher speed scenes. According to director Hal Needham in the DVD documentary, Pontiac gave them three Trans-Ams and two LeMans (Sheriff Justice's patrol car) for the film. Out of four Trans Ams used for the filming of Smokey And The Bandit, three were completely totaled in the process. Needham saw an advertisement for the soon-to-be-released 1977 Pontiac Trans Am and knew right away that would be the Bandit's car, or, as Needham referred to it, a character in the movie. Actually, there were 2 future Dukes stars in the movie: Ben Jones (Cooter) was in an early scene helping Big Enos find Bandit. Some of the more recent DVD releases of it redid all of the engine sounds and it sounds much more mellow than the original(not happy about that). The Burdettes' car is a 1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible painted in a "Candy Red" color scheme and is seen briefly at the beginning of the movie and in the final scene as the Bandit, the Snowman, Fred the dog, and Frog use it to make their escape. I only got one of them LOL. Since mentioning the Kenworth, it must be noted it was a redecorator of the highest fashion. It cornered amazingly well for such a large car, but the posi rear end emitted ominous sounds so I passed on it (I was in college and didnt have any place to do major repairs). The truck at the shell station is actually a 75 or 76 Toyota Hilux. When it is finally torn off along with the car's roof in the impact with the girder, the missing fender still reappears later on in the film. While Sheriff Justice doesnt deal well with the pressures of high speed pursuit, as seen above, his Pontiac LeMans (CC here) withstands the most abuse of any car in this entire movie. Haul my wife and four shelter adoptee mutts in it. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. One of our favorite movies. I ended up buying a 1969 Cadillac ambulance a year later!
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