Stroker Ace is after S&B, 1983, and features the then new for 83 aero Fox Body Thunderbird. Why isnt Burt Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit 3? Here in Canada they didnt censor it, so we always got the sumbitch version. It was a quick, quick bodge, but thats the car that went over the cliff. Thats all well and good, and it worked smooth as silk for a good while. With Reynolds agreement to do the movie, and his insistence upon casting Gleason as Sheriff Justice, the movie became a larger venture. What Conditions Require You to Report a Boating Accident to the Alabama Marine Police? Soon after the trio start off for Dallas, they are accosted for the first of several times by Sheriff Justice, but Bandit outwits him and they escape. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. Copyright 2011 - 2021 Curbside Classics. 5 The Aston Martin Chase In Goldfinger. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. Buford's brothers were both portrayed by Gleason; "Reggie" was a Canadian version of "Reginald Van Gleason III", a popular character from Gleason's television show. AWESOME! East bound and down, loaded up and truckin 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. Additionally, he can give you several reasons why theres still no replacement for displacement. Coors was legal in Missouri and illegal in Illinois. But while the cars shown in the movie look like 1977-model-year Trans Ams, they were actually 1976 models. WildI watched this for the first time in years after watching the latest Archer.the whole thing is an homage to S&B. We were allowed to rent Fiat 500s at a very good price, I think they were 1,000 Lira per day, so instead of being sensible and renting a couple of them for the gang, we got 10 of them one each. Gotta love that guy! It just seems wrong to see that car in any fashion without hearing that song. Though she still has feelings for Bandit, when Carrie arrives, she initially intones she is only in it for the money, and she and Cledus work on getting Bandit off the booze and back into shape. That was the end of that. Got Greyhound cutout decals on the rear side windows. The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. Both the 1976 and '77 models had a similar body except for a few bumper and grille modifications. The movie is responsible for something, by 1979 Pontiac was selling 100,000 plus Trans Ams, not the whole Firebird line, JUST Trans Ams, Pontiac sold more T/As in 1979 than any of the cheaper Firebirds combined, Smokey and the Bandit had to have a hand in that. Blimey. Mr. Reynolds elevated the dreck that he appeared in to a higher level, that is, enjoyable. Always loved this movie growing up. In a rare public appearance, Burt Reynolds revealed how many cars they wrecked making Smokey and http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_301466-Ford-LTD-II-1977.html. Jana, another oddity was that I could go to Carbondale and be asked where down south I was from. Movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7 may ruin a lot of cars, but they were far from the first. Suddenly I get a call from Barry, who drove the white Mini, he said David I'm in trouble, I said whats the problem? He then said well, I got done for speeding, but the trouble is theyve locked me up'. The character Cletus Snow (Jerry Reed) mentions that Don Williams is his second favorite country singer. Pontiac should have made a radio that played that song automatically simply by pushing a button, or maybe made it the horn sound. . How many Trans Am cars were used in the original smokey and The Bandit movie? I think you may be confusing the movie Honky-Tonk Freeway with the filming done during I-75 construction near Sarasota. 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. I still couldnt resist lighting up the Pontiacs tires while executing my T-turns. The Pontiac Trans Am car belonging to the Bandit - Bo Darville was jokingly special billed by the production as "Son of Trigger". When Im driving the Bandit Trans Am while playing one of my many Forza Motorsport games I always put that song on. The differences between the two are major. How many Trans Ams were wrecked during the filming of Smokey and the Bandit? Cause theyre thirsty in Atlanta The boys swapped the headlamps over and sprayed bits with more silver paint. [7], Burt Reynolds later said that he did not enjoy working on the film at all, feeling that it was an unnecessary sequel put together by Universal purely for money-making reasons rather than to try making a good picture.[8]. 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. Was it a heathen? As if GM owes them something. 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. This movie just showed how much an urban legend the supposed unobtainability had become. How much did Coors pay for Smokey and the Bandit? Two of the trucks pull away, resulting in Gaylord and Reggie's cruisers crashing in the ensuing gap before they can cross, but Buford is still in pursuit, though his cruiser is barely functioning. A Phoenix car agency declined to deliver the vehicles when it was made aware that they did not include air conditioning. These Furys, as well as some of the LeMans units, have hood scoops. Moments later, an ambulance pulls in with an Italian gynecologist in the back; "Doc" is initially reluctant to help, but when his driver speeds off unknowingly leaving him stranded, he asks to hitch a ride with them, agreeing to watch Charlotte. BBC is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Not everything was Pontiac, as evidenced by this 1973 Plymouth Satellite coupe (CC here). 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 movie made everyone believe that the Trans Am was a 1977 model. He paid $550,000 for it, likely a record for any Pontiac Firebird. Every idiot with more money than brains wanted a Trans Am. 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. Amazing how a combination of desire and unobtainability can make an ordinary product special. Lets take a look. For the 1980 film's main chase, 60 police cars were bought for $400 a piece, and outfitted. These two 1967 Ford Galaxies (CC here), soon to be redecorated by a Kenworth road tractor, do not. 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. In every movie they made together, Field played Reynolds' girlfriend. The Kenworth even achieves a trifecta of sorts, as it gave the first dent to Sheriff Justices LeMans. Toward the end of the movie, Sheriff Justice makes a remark about retiring. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. Stuntman Gary Davis jumped a 1974 Dodge Monaco car for the roundup sequence in this movie. That's true of most sequels, but it's especially true of Smokey and the Bandit II, which is basically just the original movie done again, not as well how can I say it's lazy when it has 50 trucks doing stunts in it? How do you replace a spider gasket in a multiport valve? The movie had an even bigger impact on the Trans Am. Chevy almost did the same with its counterpart, the Camaro. I have only seen pieces of the second and none of the third; I plan to keep it that way. and used hard. Some weren't that lucky and were discontinued altogether. The films are indeed classic and very funny to this day. Required fields are marked *. The group arrive at the pier in Miami only to find out the manifest is quarantined for three weeks. I remember borrowing my brothers red 1976 T/A to take a girl to the theater to see Smokey and the Bandit. His automotive adventure started reporting on various motorsport events as a sports writer before moving onto a full-time auto career with various sites, including This Week In Motors and Autoevolution. It was a great car for the movie. The dubbed version isnt as bad as the Remastered Blu-ray. You know, the ones that are the gang and then us the drivers. 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. I just dont like car novices that assume the Pontiac T/A was soley a movie tie in car and the it started in 1977.. One of our favorite movies. Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, . The Pontiac Trans Am seems like a natural choice for Smokey and the Bandit, but the car was only a few inches close to not being used in the movie. The car was not used in the making of Smokey and the Bandit but was given to the actor as a thank you for his role in the film, the company said. 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. What was your favourite stunt to be involved in? Cledus chooses they all need a break and they go to a nearby nightclub where Don Williams is headlining. Mr. Reynolds made a bunch of low budget films before this , all had wild chase scenes with cop cars crashing & going into swamps . Gas was a buck a gallon at the time so fuel economy wasnt a major issue. 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. 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. Unfortunately, the special effects went off before it was thrown over the cliff and it blew up in front of us. Gator , Stroker Ace , lots of them . Yet when I think of a 70s T/A, thats the one I and Im sure millions of other folks think of. Two cars were reportedly badly damaged in early stunts in the film, while a third car was completely destroyed during the famous bridge jump scene.. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). The 1977 Firebird Trans Am, once owned by Burt Reynolds, sold for $495,000 at Saturdays auction by Barrett-Jackson. (it did taste a lot better than Bud as I recall). These included Mel Tillis as a Fairground Owner, Brenda Lee as a Nice Lady, Don Williams as himself, and the Statler Brothers, Phil Balsley, Lew DeWitt, Harold Reid and Don Reid also as themselves. We were at a crazy angle, in a Mini with a dodgy handbrake and we had to stay there and hide until the police car came up. We could go round roundabouts and not let anyone on, just by going round and round. Below is probably another DeKalb County cop car. 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. That's because Pontiac almost canceled the Firebird in the early 1970s. Did Jerry Reed drive the truck in Smokey and the Bandit 2? Its W.W. Did I mention how much I enjoy reading all the back stories and niggly details I can only get here ? RCMP constable Reginald Van Justice and the woman with whom he sings are supposed to lampoon Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. So let's explore this car (and truck) heavy flick, all while giving those who have not seen it a glimpse into a movie . Your information will be used in accordance with our privacy policy. We pick the brains of stunt driver-turned-actor David Salamone. Stunt driver Raymond Kohn has recreated one of the most famous car stunts from the movie Smokey and the Bandit. After critics panned the film and his work as Director, Hal Needham took out a full page ad in 'Variety' depicting himself sitting on a wheelbarrow full of cash. Many brand new Pontiac Le Mans sedan cars decked out as police cars were seen during the roundup sequence. So I bought the car, drove back up to the mountains and got there about 20 minutes before we were supposed to shoot. This movie trailer gives you an taste of this provocative film, but fails to effectively capture all the subtleties and nuances it contains. They destroyed all those cars in the films he said. How many cars did they wreck in the Blues Brothers movie? 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. You could get in and out of spaces. This past weekend, the city of Jonesboro, Georgia held a two-day festival to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Burt Reynolds classic, . Check out the entire video below. Logos 1996. According to early media reports, salary demands and scheduling conflicts led to cuts in the main cast. COAL Update: 1963 Buick Riviera A Journey Of A Thousand Miles, Etc. Your email address will not be published. So, it seems apt to end on this one, how was that final cliffhanger scene filmed? Banzai! We were given a living allowance. How do I change the anode rod in my Whirlpool water heater? I developed a pretty good bootheel accent during my time in New Madrid. Yet, the set used a 1976 model, as the 1977 vehicle was not ready. Another one is, Theres no way youre from my loins.. The muscle car market reached a peak in the late 1960s, as the car was becoming larger, more powerful, and more aggressive by looks. 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. Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. The movie made everyone believe that the Trans Am was a 1977 model. Nuts about any form of classic motorsport and muscle cars, Ciprian's currently working on a time machine that would take him back to the 1960s for a long vacation alongside Dan Gurney and Jim Hall. I have always loved this movie, watched it dozens and dozens of times on TV, video, DVD, laserdisc, almost any form of media. 46,000 in 1976, 68,000 in 1977, 93,000 in 1978, 117,000 in 1979. The uncut version is the best. Want proof? I recall a big smokey burnout right after they left Snowmans house that looked 455-worthy and also after Bandit picked up Fields he left two strips after nailing second (right before the tire thieves crossed the road), which makes me think there was also a 4 speed car used. I thought at the time that it was a newer version of White Lightning (also with Burt Reynolds) and that Smokey would be forgotten just as soon. I ended up buying a 1969 Cadillac ambulance a year later! The three movie cars were destroyed during various stunts, so the promo car is the only surviving Trans Am connected to this film. Her groom? That is why there are not any left. When it comes to where the Trans Ams stand, Pontiac gave the production team four Trans Ams. In the scene where "Frog" Sally Field meets back up with "The Bandit" Burt Reynolds, they meet at "Gator Motel". There was a case of real beer in the shot though, and gradually as the day went on everyone was getting drunk and falling about so that probably helped with the sense that we were on the edge of the cliff. Ive always wanted some sort of de-commission/ex unmarked cop car, something from the 70s preferably. I dont know if Ive ever seen the unedited version though, so I never realized the orignal phrase was sum bitch, I always assumed it was worse. He and Cora literally grew up together. I looked at a Bluesmobile worthy 1977 Plymouth Grand Fury, the big ones, it was an ex Florida Highway Patrol car, but it had a pretty good amount of rust and it was pretty beat. And all of us easterners suddenly discovered it was nothing more than another Budweiser/Miller/etc. And then we drove them all back again afterwards. View All Result. We drove everywhere in a train of these 10 cars. I didn't do the river crossing, which I was pleased about because I cant swim. 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. Then I had these huge magnesium sump guards made and we had roll bars inside the car. If you watched any of these clips, you heard a goodly number of phrases that still cannot be used on television in the United States. 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. Although the Bandit again sticks to a Pontiac Trans Am, this time a 1980 Turbo model with five color decals unlike 1981's single color decals, the Snowman switches to a 1980 GMC General, silver with blue trim with the same mural on the trailer as in the original film. 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. Carrie is overjoyed when she sees Charlotte's baby, and Bandit asks Charlotte's permission for him and Carrie to get hitched, to which Charlotte trumpets her approval; Doc, now riding in the cab with Cledus and Fred, also voices his approval, and they all drive away with Charlotte and her baby in tow in circus carts, with Buford still in pursuit, now driving a Greyhound bus. Gleason has a treasure trove of hilarious lines and it was this movie that started my love affair of cars back in the early 1980s. Burt Reynolds is originally a Georgia boy. In Smokey and the Bandit, there were eight 1977 Trans-Am cars and approximately the same number of police cars (but some said ten). As a publicity stunt, the Trans Ams used in the movie had different decals on the hood scoop. 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. To give the 1976 model the look of the upcoming vehicle, the automaker installed the bumper of the 1977 Pontiac. The . Sheriff Justice doesn't drive a Bonneville until the sequel, Smokey and the Bandit 2. http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress/john-fedack-my-days-as-a-dekalb-county-police-officer/. When Bandit removes a splinter from Charlotte's foot, she takes a liking to him. Go round roundabouts and not let anyone on, just by going round and round seen during the filming Smokey. Units, have hood scoops Kenworth even achieves a trifecta of sorts as! 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