That song often pops into my head at the start of long drives. [28] However, this is inaccurate; within seconds of Bandit picking her up, Frog tells him "there is a wedding in search of a bride" and goes on to explain her ill-advised romance with Junior, as the Bandit holds up the CB mic for the Snowman to hear. I also own a 1:18 scale version of the Bandit Trans Am. The trip to Texarkana is uneventful; soon after leaving for the return trip to Georgia, The Bandit encounters Frog, played by Sally Field. Lets take a look. I think thats another line theyve edited out for the television version. 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. While made to take advantage of the ongoing 1970s CB radio fad, the film added to the craze. When I was a kid I thought they were the same person. [21], Smokey and the Bandit was a sleeper hit. Coors was legal in Missouri and illegal in Illinois. When Smokey & The Banditfirst aired on television in the early 1980s, the Gleason phrase sum bitcha regional butchering of son of a bitchhad to be dubbed out. The uncut version is the best. While it is doubtful Pontiac sold very many LeMans police packages, if one views this show as realistic, it would seem nearly every county and highway patrol in five states purchased one of Pontiacs heavy duty offerings. Burt Reynolds' 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Sold for $240,000. Burt Reynolds plays truck driver Bo Bandit Darville. Will Walker: Independence Return For Season 2 Amid CW Shakeups? Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The change was somewhat strange as most automakers were using cubic-inch numerals to advertise engines. 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. But that doesnt make for an interesting movie premise. Even today when I stumble across this cinematic masterpiece being rerun on cable tv, Ill watch the entire thing. [4] Reynolds said in 2015 that he most enjoyed this film, and had the most fun making it, of his career.[26]. [5], Universal Studios bankrolled Smokey and the Bandit for $5.3 million, figuring it was a good risk. Burt Reynolds recently revealed the ridiculous number of Pontiac Trans Ams they went through filming 1977s Smokey and the Bandit. Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. (it did taste a lot better than Bud as I recall). The man does get around. . I know, Ive owned a 75 for 23 years. As such, it took a lot of sweet talking by former stuntman Needham for Pontiac to cough up three Trans Ams and three LeManses. The film's editors, Walter Hannemann and Angelo Ross, were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing. The film was a sleeper hit, and following a poor initial performance, it went on to gross $126.7 million in North America, versus a budget of only $4.3 million. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. 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. I remember reading somewhere that one of the cars was equipped with a 455 for some of the higher speed scenes. 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. That is why there are not any left. The movie had an even bigger impact on the Trans Am. Thats all true.
IMCDb.org: 1977 Pontiac LeMans in "Smokey and the Bandit, 1977" [29] Alfred Hitchcock claimed that the film was one of his favorites. That came out in 1981. So why did they go with sound effects instead of the Trans Am's actually exhaust noise? That said, an uncomplimentary accent does exist. This movie trailer gives you an taste of this provocative film, but fails to effectively capture all the subtleties and nuances it contains. The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. [40] Major portions of the audio background have been modified with different engine sounds or tire squeals from the original film. [6] It would become one of Reed's biggest hits and his signature song.[7]. On the DVD, there is a brief interview with both Burt Reynolds and Hal Needham, who directed this film. The roundup sequence in the desert shows many new Pontiac Le Mans sedans decorated as police cars being destroyed. Filmmakers destroyed 230 cars in the filming of 'Furious 7.' Smokey And The Bandit: A Car-chase Classic. . It wasnt distributed in Washington in those days either. I always think scumbum because when I watched it as a kid in the early 90s, it was usually on TBS. Its weird how it works. 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! Alan Reed was the original voice of Fred Flintstone; Henry Corden only took over after Reeds death in 1977. 5. Olds 88. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 78% rating based on 32 reviews. As Fred Flintstone was modeled off Ralph Kramden, the Jackie Gleason character from the 1950s television showThe Honeymooners, the tone and intonation of the dubbing was highly convincing. And then they made the biggest mistake of their lives and went to national distribution. Now then you mentionned Sheriff JW Pepper, I decided to post some Youtube clips of him. As if GM owes them something. Smokey & The Bandit was the first of three movies in that franchise. I am still drawn to the shape of these cars, and others that have that long and low look about them. 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. His expletive is obscured when a passing big rig sounds its horn. radio to help him out. These new models were built off the same Camaro platform, came with the Pontiac arrowhead, flaming bird, and Bandit logos, and the instrument panels, center consoles, and hood scoops emulating their 1977 counterparts, and were signed by Reynolds.
Rob's Car Movie Review: Smokey and the Bandit (1977) - Street Muscle He paid $550,000 for it, likely a record for any Pontiac Firebird. 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.
How Many Cars Did Blues Brothers Wreck | Car Geek 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. 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. All I know is, at the time, if you lived in the east, Coors was some really special beer not unlike microbrews are now. Want proof? The site's consensus states: "Not much in the head but plenty beneath the hood, Smokey and the Bandit is infectious fun with plenty of car wrecks to keep your eyes glued". Stroker Ace is after S&B, 1983, and features the then new for 83 aero Fox Body Thunderbird. News . With Reynolds' salary at $1 million, Needham was left with only $3.3 million to make the film. Car movies are notorious for being tough on the very vehicles that give them their allure. The Kenworth even achieves a trifecta of sorts, as it gave the first dent to Sheriff Justices LeMans. Ask him to choose between a BMW M4 and an Audi RS5, and hell gladly trade both for a beat-up Cuda. 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?????? The movie, in fact, caused sales of the . 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. In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. [14] The Trans Ams were actually 1976-model cars with 1977 front ends (from 1970 to 1976, both the Firebird/Trans Am and Chevrolet Camaro have two round headlights and in 1977, the Firebird/Trans Am was changed to four rectangular headlights, and the Camaro remained unchanged). 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. We just watched this with the kids the other week, along with Cannonball Run. It opened in other Northern states at the end of July. The commercials were produced after Stewart mentioned that the movie was one of his favorites.[39]. The soundtrack album was released in 1977 on vinyl, cassette, and 8-track through MCA Records. Well, the Corvettes success is clearly due to Corvette Summer, @Jim I remember that movie! Rockford Files also featured Firebird, and was on since 1974, and Fs sold well despite gas crunch I and inflation.
How many cars did they wreck in Smokey and the Bandit? It seems Plymouth was in a distant second for product placement. Free shipping for many products! That's because Pontiac almost canceled the Firebird in the early 1970s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cODPt3T0cHE, We got a cage strong enough to hold you 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. and the Dixie Dance Kings, and Burts car was a 57 [56?]
how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 - onlytows.com.au "Smokey and the Bandit" stars Burt Reynolds, Sally . While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. These were the cans with the two circular push buttons on top instead of pull tabs. 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. Due to his financial difficulties in 2014, Reynolds put his vast collection of artwork and memorabilia up for auction, including the Trans Am. I had no idea that it was going to become a 70s classic. Required fields are marked *. Upon showing it to his friend, Reynolds told Needham that it was the worst script he had ever read, but that he would still make the movie. Its W.W. 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. The third film which had no involvement from either Hal Needham or Sally Field and contained only a short cameo appearance by Burt Reynolds revolved entirely around Jackie Gleason's character, was panned by critics, and was a box office bomb, earning only $7 million against a $9 million budget.[41][42][43]. Some of the original sound effects (such as Cledus's dog Fred barking) and music (such as the final chase to the Southern Classic) were removed and not replaced. Apparently the engine sounds were lifted from another movie, I think two lane blacktop? While the initial concern was it having a regional appeal, it would ultimately play as well in New York City and Chicago as it did Atlanta, Georgia, or Biloxi, Mississippi. 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. 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. J.J. & The Dixie Dance Kings was a milder one that had (I think) a 56 Buick Century . Gleasons Justice is the stereotypical Southern sheriff, as seen in this clip. Earlier DVD releases and the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray of the film have the original soundtrack intact. [23] It then opened in just the South of the United States over the Memorial Day weekend and grossed $2,689,851 in 386 theaters. Frederick Amon smuggled it from Colorado to North Carolina and sold it for four times the retail price.[19]. (first posted 2/28/2014) The fourth highest grossing film in the United States in 1977 was the Academy Award nominatedSmokey & The Bandit.
The Smokey and the Bandit Car - Carsforsale.com Burt Reynolds may be 79, but he shows no signs of slowing down. Bandit attracts more police attention across Dixie as Snowman barrels on toward Atlanta with the contraband beer, but they are helped en route by many colorful characters via CB radio. 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. 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. Producer Hal Needham intended Smokey and the Bandit to be one of the best product placement films of all time. As I did Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. 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 differences between the two are major. WildI watched this for the first time in years after watching the latest Archer.the whole thing is an homage to S&B. According to Wikipedia, the second movie was able to get away with destroying an INSANE number of brand-new Pontiac LeMans police cars because Pontiac had them sitting around in the southwest region, having been sent to a rental fleet in Phoenix without a/c. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. As deals were made for the actors and producers, the studio wanted to renegotiate my deal. I think you may be confusing the movie Honky-Tonk Freeway with the filming done during I-75 construction near Sarasota.
1980 ERTL SMOKEY & THE BANDIT PONTIAC FIREBIRD DIECAST CAR police car Of course, it wasnt hard to wake them up. The unrestored car reportedly showed up on eBay back in 2015, but no one wanted to buy it. The 1977 Firebird Trans Am once owned by Burt Reynolds was sold at auction Saturday for $495,000 at a sale held by Barrett-Jackson. Musicians such as Beegie Adair and George Tidwell[20] played on the soundtrack. A few other examples of sound effect replacement occur when the Bandit takes off after getting the reluctant Cledus involved in the bet, the Bandit comes to a screeching halt on a roadway moments before picking up Carrie, and when Buford's car top comes off. The advertisements lampoon the film and feature a Pontiac Trans Am and a cover version of the song East Bound and Down.
A movie for the people, "Smokey and the Bandit" is more - Hagerty Out of four Trans Ams used for the filming of Smokey And The Bandit, three were completely totaled in the process. [12] The area around Helen, Georgia, was used for some locations. He contacted Pontiac and an agreement was made that four 1977 Trans Ams and two Pontiac LeMans four-door sedans would be provided for the movie. The cars were 1976 models, the engines fitted to them were 455ci powerplants, the last year these engines were offered for sale before withdrawal. and used hard. I recall reading somewhere that the Trans Am that did the bridge jump had a tweaked Chevy 350 in it with a stick, and of course that it was WO after the jump. That's because the Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit didn't sound like a Trans Am. And lets not forget the Trans Am rental car Steve McQueen drove in his very last movie, The Hunter from 1980. Revisit this scene featuring "East Bound and. I actually remember the construction of that segment of I-75, as it stopped around Tampa prior to that time. Movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7 may ruin a lot of cars, but they were far from the first. Needham had great difficulty getting any studios or producers to take his project seriously, being better known in the film industry as a stuntman. 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. It outsold its Chevrolet Camaro counterpart for the first time. Because of the popularity of the film and the sales success of the Trans Am, the president of Pontiac Alex Mair promised to supply Reynolds with a Trans Am each year. So, for years one, two, and three, he got a shiny new Pontiac. If you somehow managed to miss Smokey and the Bandit in the years between the films 1977 release and now, you should rectify that situation immediately (to be fair, it was released two days after Star Wars, so its understandable if it slipped through the cracks).