I think there should be a disclaimer about how more than half the films mentioned are barely watchable for any reason other than to stare at cars.
Especially any Halicki film after the original Gone in 60 seconds. Junkman is just ridiculous, Deadline-Auto Theft was a lame attempt to make a better film using a few new scenes thrown inside of the original Gone in 60 seconds (seriously, more than 60% of the movie IS footage from the original Gone in 60 seconds, you're watching the same damn movie), and what little actually exists of Gone in 60 Seconds 2 from before Halicki's death on the set is just pointlessly comical.
And for that matter- If you watch the original Gone In 60 Seconds, make an effort to find a VHS copy. The new DVD version is missing the original soundtrack, and in the extras you hear some goof off explaining that the audio was "terrible" and the original songs from the original movie "won't be missed", but, IMHO, the corny songs were 50% of the appeal for the original movie, and I'd have rather heard them with poor audio than be without them entirely and stuck listening to crappy copyright free instrumental music that's clearly several decades newer than the movie. It's bad enough that I still remember the songs from the original and haven't seen that version in an eternity, and I find it offensive that someone "restoring" a film would alter it in such a way that it changes the viewing experience for future generations. And if that doesn't bother you, this should- since the audio was replaced, the car sounds in the DVD version aren't the real ones either, but rather new sounds made to match the film since the original sounds were intertwined with the original music score. So find the VHS copy and hear what the cars, smashes, and music really sounded like.
And that Traffic clip... what the hell happened there?
I can't contribute much that hasn't been mentioned already-
Moonrunners- Forewarning you, it's bad, but consider it the rough outline for what became The Dukes Of Hazzard. It's excessively difficult to find a copy of, or at least was for decades. I have it on a bad film to DVD transfer.
Thunder Road- 50s film about running moonshine. Kinda cool, but it's been an eternity since I've seen it.
White Lightning- Burt Reynolds as a shine runner set free from prison to bring in some crooked people, has some interesting chases but fairly forgettable.
Gator- Sequel to White Lightning. Also fairly forgettable, but there's an epic fight between Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed on a beach, which is hysterical.
Thunder and Lightning- This was kind of neat, although also a meh movie. I can't remember the plot, but David Carradine drives a '57 Chevy 4-door around with Kate Jackson, who looks frigging spectacular in the whole film. Just watch it for Kate Jackson. There's a LOT of chases, the '57 gets jumped a few times IIRC, maybe it had something to do with moonshine as well, goddamnkatejacksonhasaniceset, yeah, watch it.
If I had to name my favorite car movies, and ones I would suggest anyone should watch-
The Driver- Kind of out there, but really a fantastic film. Video game of the same name based very loosely around it.
Vanishing Point- a MUCH deeper movie than it might look upon first glance, there's much more going on here than a Challenger blasting across the desert
The Blues Brothers- If you don't like this film, you're probably an Illinois Nazi yourself.
And yes, Repo Man as mentioned above. AWESOME movie. Definitely worth watching. Remember, you don't want to look in the trunk.
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Camshaft wrote:
It scares the bejesus out of me that someone, somewhere ordered the Lusitania with front drum brakes.
