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. This reminds me of the classic introduction (actually written by Dick Cavett) said by Jack Paar on The Tonight Show: I was 3 years old when the original came out, and do not remember any of these details but, supposedly this was the first movie my parents ever took me to. Reynolds was the top box office draw from 1975 to 1982, then his movies really started to go downhill. Movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7 may ruin a lot of cars, but they were far from the first. I had no idea that it was going to become a 70s classic. Coors wasnt pasteurized. [22] It premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, where it performed badly. Haul my wife and four shelter adoptee mutts in it. Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. IMCDb.org: 1977 Pontiac LeMans in "Smokey and the Bandit, 1977" [5] Reynolds revealed in his autobiography that Needham had written the first draft script on legal pads. All pictures from the movie were acquired from www.imcdb.org, Fred Lives!!! "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. 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". Now, having only three Trans Ams to wreck for a movie is minimalist, to say the least. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. 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. It was his idea to have Junior alongside him throughout the film. Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Jerry Reed) drives the truck while his good buddy Bo "Bandit" Darville (Reynolds) serves as the "blocker," a fast car used to divert police attention away from payload. [32], After the debut of the film, the Pontiac Trans Am became wildly popular, with sales almost doubling within two years of the film's release. Some people have ripped this film as being thin on plot; others have called it a documentary about life south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1975 Plymouth Fury Police Pursuit Arkansas State Police "Smokey and The Bandit" at the best online prices at eBay! 1975 PLYMOUTH FURY HIGHWAY PATROL "SMOKEY & THE BANDIT" 1/18 BY . Of course, it's difficult to asses whether these small decals did something to change buyer perception about the Trans Am, but it's an interesting part of the Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am's history. Neither Buford nor any other lawmen know of Snowman's illegal manifest, while Bandit is likewise unaware that Buford is chasing him because of Carrie, whose jumpiness inspires Bandit to give her the CB handle "Frog". What Sports Cars Are In Smokey And The Bandit - OsVehicle The decals were changed to 1977-style units, as evidenced by the engine size callouts on the hood scoop being in liters rather than cubic inches, as had been the case in 1976. The checker, not batting an eye, Do you want that chilled?. The movies are rated PG with a run time of 282 minutes and released to video by Universal Studios. The film's editors, Walter Hannemann and Angelo Ross, were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. Gotta love that guy! "Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack" is formatted as a box set that in presented in full color in widescreen. From living there for my first two decades, I noticed the accent didnt get going good until around Sikeston (not Saxton as it would seem) and it progressed as you went deeper into the Bootheel. It consists of any of the various Louisiana-style hot sauces on Texas toast-style bread alongside the fourth most famous product of Pittsburg, Texas (behind Pilgrim's Pride, Cavender's, and Carroll Shelby)Pittsburg Hot Links. 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. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. CC Cinema: The Cars of "Smokey & The Bandit - Curbside Classic Director Hal Needham convinced Pontiac to feature the Pontiac Trans Am in the movie. 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). [35], The "diablo sandwich" ordered by Sheriff Justice in the Arkansas barbecue restaurant scene has entered popular culture as a minor reference to the film. 5. Back in 1984, I went to look at a late 1970s Plymouth cop car as well. The little packy there had Coors and even though it was horribly expensive, we thought it was the elixer of the Gods. And it was worth it for the brand, as the nameplate sales decided following the redesign. The secrets behind the cars and stunts in 'The Italian Job' - Top Gear Most of the shots that show Reynolds and Field in the car talking were filmed with the T/A being towed along on a lowboy trailer. Was it a heathen? Let us dissect this flick to better examine it. Get ready to tear up the highway with the Bandit (Burt Reynolds), a fun-loving, fast-talking trucker who takes on his craziest haul yet - delivering 400 case. Three Kenworth W900A short-frame semi trucks, driven by Reed, were each equipped with 38-inch sleepers. Id been driving for years by the time I was 15, so I just wanted to complete the course with as little static as possible. Despite growing up next to Cape, most of relatives are from the Mid-South. I have at least 4 really good car buddies that will from time to time love popping this movie in to watch. 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). 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. But that doesnt make for an interesting movie premise. Put one on and the lady looks like shes not wearing a bra. Im pretty sure that the car that barks second when he takes off with Frog had to be a stick. Hes fodder enough for his own article at some point. The third-generation Firebird was introduced in 1982, a full two years later than planned. Of course, it wasnt hard to wake them up. The advertisements lampoon the film and feature a Pontiac Trans Am and a cover version of the song East Bound and Down. Reed would eventually play the Bandit in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, in which Reynolds only appeared in a cameo near the end. This movie trailer gives you an taste of this provocative film, but fails to effectively capture all the subtleties and nuances it contains. I dunno about the Foley sounds, I have a T/A with a 400 and an open/no catalytic true dual exhaust, and it sounds really close to how the Bandit car sounds at idle during some scenes from the movie. The value of their stock rose a startling 70 percent after the films release, and to show their appreciation to Reynolds, the president said they would give the actor a new car each and every year. On the DVD, there is a brief interview with both Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham, who directed this film. The theatrical release has a few lines deleted, including an edit in which Sheriff Justice tells a state trooper to "fuck off" after the sheriff called his vehicle "a piece of crap". As I am finishing this article while Big Truck Week is winding down, here is a Kenworth with a 1973 Dodge Polara patrol car. Were they dummies? It had the Modello cam kit, ported 69(I think) heads with upsized valves, headers, aftermarket intake, 3.21 gears (Up from 2.41 stock!) If they werent burning candles to an image of a cowboy hatted Burt Reynolds at Pontiac headquarters. Needham had great difficulty getting any studios or producers to take his project seriously, being better known in the film industry as a stuntman. AWESOME! Needham and assistant director David Hamburger spent 30 hours revising the shooting schedule.[4]. Many of the film's original sounds were replaced. The theme music "East Bound and Down" was sung and co-written by Reed (credited under his birth name, Jerry Hubbard) and Dick Feller. When Smokey & The Bandit first aired on television in the early 1980s, the Gleason phrase "sum bitch"-a regional butchering of "son of a bitch"-had to be dubbed out. Ive always wanted some sort of de-commission/ex unmarked cop car, something from the 70s preferably. 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. 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. 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. How many cars destroyed Blues Brothers 2000? As I did Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. Lets take a look. Dodge pitchman Sheriff Joe Higgins. 3-Smokey and the Bandit 3-A crime against humanity, not even LSD can make it watchable since you spend the whole night fighting imaginary flying cobras with Jackie Gleasons head on them. In its place was the nonsensical "scum bum." . Back then if Ida wanted an ex Police Car its be a CHP salvage Dodge or Plymouth ~ BIG roomy and _comfy_ , handled well and went like stink . 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. And all of us easterners suddenly discovered it was nothing more than another Budweiser/Miller/etc. With Reynolds agreement to do the movie, and his insistence upon casting Gleason as Sheriff Justice, the movie became a larger venture. Well, at least that's what you saw in the movie. I will confess that by the time this movie was out, I was a Mopar guy. As a kid that T/A, the General Lee, and KITT were largely responsible for defining my taste in cars and that carries through to today. Let me get the popcorn for this one. If it wasnt for Smokey & the Bandit, the Dukes of Hazzard TV series would not exist. The Ridiculous Number Of Cars Burt Reynolds Burned - CINEMABLEND Reynolds is referenced by name in several early episodes of the series. 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. The dubbed version is awful. Stroker Ace is after S&B, 1983, and features the then new for 83 aero Fox Body Thunderbird. Wealthy Texan Big Enos Burdette and his son Little Enos have sponsored a racer in Atlanta's Southern Classic and want to celebrate in style when he wins, so they are seeking a trucker willing to bootleg Coors Beer to Atlanta for their refreshment. He had quite a few orders for Coors beer, and when he stopped in Weed, CA, on the way home, he went into the Safeway and asked for twenty-four cases of Coors. Many nameplates lost their performance credentials, and some of them, like the Ford Mustang, were redesigned without a V-8 engine. So why did they go with sound effects instead of the Trans Am's actually exhaust noise? These two 1967 Ford Galaxies (CC here), soon to be redecorated by a Kenworth road tractor, do not. Anyone with insight is encouraged to share their knowledge on this. The LeMans police car did nothing for me because there was a colonnade LeMans sedan in the garage at home. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. The comedy has been remastered to DVD standards. Other than Jackie Gleason upstaging every other cast member, the perceived star of the show is this 1977 Pontiac Trans Am. how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 - onlytows.com.au Im probably in the minority as usual, but I prefer the Black and Gold 50th Anne. 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. Sheriff Justices son, Junior. As a former Club Wagon pilot, I happen to like his Econoline. For instance, the diesel engine start and run-up sequence in the opening sequence of the film were completely dubbed over with a new sound. Probably the most famous TV edit of all time is I have had it with these monkey-fightin snakes on this Monday-to-Friday plane!. I still couldnt resist lighting up the Pontiacs tires while executing my T-turns. This movie just showed how much an urban legend the supposed unobtainability had become. Needham originally planned the film as a low-budget B movie with a production cost of $1 million,[4] with Reed as the Bandit. And lets not forget the Trans Am rental car Steve McQueen drove in his very last movie, The Hunter from 1980. Gleasons Justice is the stereotypical Southern sheriff, as seen in this clip. Needing a fast set of wheels to distract law enforcement, Reynolds character purchases this 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am. Burt Reynolds recently revealed the ridiculous number of Pontiac Trans Ams they went through filming 1977s Smokey and the Bandit. Many hardcore fans of Burt Reynolds' most iconic movie, 1977's "Smokey and The Bandit," know that none of those cool black Pontiac Trans Ams with gold trim survived the stunts in the film. In the movie . East bound and down, loaded up and truckin Gas was a buck a gallon at the time so fuel economy wasnt a major issue. In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. I beg to differ Mr -Nate. [4] Reynolds said in 2015 that he most enjoyed this film, and had the most fun making it, of his career.[26]. I never understood why dragging a truckload of beer from Colorado to Georgia was such a big deal. 2-Smokey and the Bandit II-Pretty bad, still has some funny campy crap, the Dom DeLuise Italian Dr. bit is ok, Gleason is still pretty funny, the Turbo T/A is pretty weak, but still cool to see. 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. [5] Sally Field only accepted the part after her agent advised her that she needed a big movie role on her rsum. After the movie came out, Firebird sales increased even more, but the Trans Am was now the most popular one. I imagine that they borrowed some of the character from Sheriff JW Pepper from the 1973 and 1974 James Bond movies, Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun. and the Dixie Dance Kings, and Burts car was a 57 [56?] The tow truck driver was a local garage owner, Berlin Wike. I guess the Trans Am proved to have more staying power than the hot 71 Ford in the earlier movie. The change was somewhat strange as most automakers were using cubic-inch numerals to advertise engines. 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. Always loved this movie growing up. Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack 1 2 3 DVD Burt Reynolds Cult Car A strike at General Motors in 1972 limited the production of the Trans Am to less than 1,300 units that year, and Pontiac almost canceled the nameplate. WildI watched this for the first time in years after watching the latest Archer.the whole thing is an homage to S&B. Two of the most high-octane films of 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7, each burned through hundreds (Furious 7 alone destroyed a reported 230 cars), but theyre far from the first to do so. Three actors from the main cast of The Dukes of Hazzard appear in small uncredited roles in Smokey and the Bandit: Ben Jones, John Schneider, and Sonny Shroyer (who played a police officer in both). With Reynolds' salary at $1 million, Needham was left with only $3.3 million to make the film. After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. Have the movie, cheesy as hell, but does have appearances by several NASCAR drivers of the day, including Dale Earnhardt (Senior, not Jr) Kyle Petty, Harry Gant, and one of my favorites of the era, Tim Richmond. In October 2020, a Smokey and the Bandit TV series was revealed to be in development, with a pilot written by David Gordon Green and Brian Sides and also executive produced with his Rough House confederates Jody Hill, Danny McBride and Brandon James, as well as Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins of Fuzzy Door.[44]. Yet when I think of a 70s T/A, thats the one I and Im sure millions of other folks think of. The trip to Texarkana is uneventful; soon after leaving for the return trip to Georgia, The Bandit encounters Frog, played by Sally Field. Watching TV and Movies you would think that sales dropped to nil. At one point in the movie, the Bandit wrecks a police car. Sales of the coupe exploded after the film hit the silver screen and set unprecedented records for both Pontiac and the Firebird nameplate. Here is the LeMans; Gleason literally drives the wheels off: As an aside, heres a curious bit of trivia. MN12 Thunderbirds had the same appeal to me, for similar reasons. With the Smokey and the Bandit actor gone, and the impact the actor had on the Trans Am community, having one of the few connections to him destroyed is too much. Smokey and the Bandit II - Wikipedia Two units were 1974 models, as evidenced by standard silver Kenworth emblems on the truck grille, and one unit was a 1973 model, as evidenced by the gold-painted Kenworth emblem on the truck's grille, signifying Kenworth's 50 years in business. Needham stated that by the end of production, there really wasnt much left of any of the three. Except for Gleason, the original actors mostly redubbed their lines for the television version. Most reports of his death still didnt have that right! Tragically, every Trans Am used in filming was destroyed. February 27, 2023 . The muscle car market reached a peak in the late 1960s, as the car was becoming larger, more powerful, and more aggressive by looks. Please to note I didnt say _I_ didnt like them as I was in my 20s then (early 1970s) so I hustled my self and my Russian girlfriend right on down to the cinema every time Burt Reynolds had a new flick , I personally loved his movies even the chick flicks like The Man Who Loved Women , I just had to hear earfuls from everyone else about how awful he / those movies were.. We even bought one of those Pontiac Police Specials on auction from. [9] Though the film Moonrunners (1975) is the precursor to the television series The Dukes of Hazzard (19791985), from the same creator and with many identical settings and concepts, the popularity of Smokey and the Bandit and similar films helped get the Dukes series on the air. Producer Hal Needham intended Smokey and the Bandit to be one of the best product placement films of all time. The dubbed version isnt as bad as the Remastered Blu-ray. Called Smoke is the Bandit and playing on Stewart's nickname, the commercials featured him as the Bandit opposite commentators Darrell Waltrip as the Snowman and Jeff Hammond as Buford T. Justice. 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. Mines never gone away, especially now that I spend every thee month in Memphis. Gleason was given free rein to ad-lib dialogue and make suggestions. Your email address will not be published. I have always loved this movie, watched it dozens and dozens of times on TV, video, DVD, laserdisc, almost any form of media. I prefer Buford T. Justices 1980 Pontiac Bonneville and his 1983 Pontiac Bonneville in Smokey and The Bandit III. It had an AM transmitter and you would tune in the sound on your AM car radio, or on my case, on a transistor radio. . It just seems wrong to see that car in any fashion without hearing that song. Not a bad deal, but on the fourth year, no new car. 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. We also learn that every launched satellite will eventually fall back to Earth, such as this 1972 Plymouth Satellite (CC here). Its W.W. I dont know if I ever saw one in real life at the time, although I was pretty young then. I am indeed a fan. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. The area around Helen, Georgia, was used for some locations. About two seconds after this picture was taken, these motorcycles were doing their best imitation of a stack of pancakes. Smokey & The Bandit was the first of three movies in that franchise. Television censorship and alternative versions, second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977, AFI's 100 Years100 Heroes and Villains, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Smokey and the Bandit at 35: A Case for the Genius of Hal Needham", "Greyhound Lakewood Park (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)", "Burt Reynolds' old Pontiac Trans Am replica sold for $317,500", "An Interview With Jim Wangers: Pontiac and the 1970's", "How the Bandit, Coors and a bunch of Makers changed the course of booze history", "Various Smokey And The Bandit (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)", "Smokey and the Bandit, Box Office Information", "Burt Reynolds at the 2015 Macon Film Festival", "Seven Quirky Lowbrow Favorite Films of Highbrow Directors", "Remembering Hal Needham and the Birth of Redneck Cinema", "Smokey and the Bandit Film from RadioTimes", "Burt Reynolds' Bandit Trans Am sells for $450,000", "See a "New" Vintage Bandit Trans Am Approved by Burt Reynolds Himself", "Diablo Sandwich Recipe from CMT's Reel Eats", "Diablo Sandwich / "Diablo & Doc" From Smokey & the Bandit, Identified! 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. [34] In 2015 a Florida-based automobile customization company built 77 Trans Ams modeled after the car that Reynolds drove in the film. I have only seen pieces of the second and none of the third; I plan to keep it that way. Further, as Pontiac has deliciously obvious product placement, anyone who delights in 70s era Pontiac iron will experience visual ecstasy. It is now sold in all states as Coors ships it in refrigerated train cars and bottled locally and sold in different parts of the country including the eastern US states. It was the second highest-grossing film of the year, trailing only Star Wars: A New Hope, and it made Burt Reynolds into a certifiable superstar. I think Stroker Ace is after Smokey and the Bandit, though there was Hooper, which was about a stuntman, it also had Sally Field, it was from 1978 or so. In 1976-78, while a high school student in Norwalk, CT, me and a few buddies would routinely drive up to Vista, NY, which was just over the state line. Comments He's a proud member of the TopSpeed team since early 2014. That's because the Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit didn't sound like a Trans Am. Its weird how it works. [4] Just two days before production was to begin, Universal sent a "hatchet man" to Atlanta to inform Needham that the budget was being trimmed by $1 million. Burt Reynolds plays truck driver Bo Bandit Darville. [33] Reynolds was given the 1977 vehicle used during promotion of the film as a gift, though the car itself never actually appeared in the film. Arguably the most iconic Pontiac Firebird in history. The T/A is just as quick as my present Challenger is, but the Challenger doesnt have anything close to the throttle response it had, and I miss it. Jackie Gleason ad libbed a lot of his lines too. The production team wrecked three for the four cars it received from Pontiac. All I know is, at the time, if you lived in the east, Coors was some really special beer not unlike microbrews are now. These Furys, as well as some of the LeMans units, have hood scoops. (it did taste a lot better than Bud as I recall). The 403 Olds T/A was a dog, stock, but with some easily obtained parts, could be turned into a very nice low 13 second tire melter. $30.00 + $11.45 shipping. UNIVERSAL CUT THE BUDGET JUST AS PRODUCTION WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. Coors is still brewed just outside Denver, Colorado. Ask him to choose between a BMW M4 and an Audi RS5, and hell gladly trade both for a beat-up Cuda. Great article! I also own a Etrl replica of the Pontiac Bonneville Buford T. Justice drove in Smokey and The Bandit II. How many police cars were wrecked in Smokey and the Bandit? No more needs to be said. High estimates for the car were up to $80,000, but the actual sale price was $450,000. The hood scoop on these cars says "6.6 LITRE", which, in 1977, would have denoted an Oldsmobile 403-equipped car or a non-W-72, 180 hp version of the 400 Pontiac engine. The 1977 features rectangular quad headlamps instead of only two round lights, a unique slanted and V-shaped nose, and a center-mounted hood scoop. I was just tweaking Jason. It seems Plymouth was in a distant second for product placement. While made to take advantage of the ongoing 1970s CB radio fad, the film added to the craze. Its lack of additives and preservatives meant that Coors could spoil in one week without refrigeration, explaining the film's 28-hour deadline. There definitely was a halo cast around the 2nd gen F-body from its appearance in the movie, which I believe even did extend to the Camaro, which was probably the cheapest way to at least get some of the Bandit vibe, where there other factors too, probably, the 70s, disco, cocaine, mustaches and probably a bunch others.many thought that these car would be the last hurrah for anything performance oriented. The owner restored it and sold it at the Scottsdale 2016 auction by Barrett-Jackson. He enlists the help of fellow truck driver Cletus The Snowman Snow, played by country music singer Jerry Reed. Here in Canada they didnt censor it, so we always got the sumbitch version. [8] Niver provided much of the western attire worn in the film, as well as the custom-made sheriff's uniforms (waist size 64") that Gleason wore throughout the film. Ive also looked at a Fox based LTD cop car and an early 1991 whale Caprice 9C1 detective model, burgundy on burgundy cloth. During a Q&A session on Saturday, filmed by ComicBook.com, a fan asked how many Trans Ams they burned through during production.
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