For this purpose, they overdubbed dialogue deemed offensive, which was common practice. Another one is, Theres no way youre from my loins.. 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. Plus , I loved those late 1960s through mid 1970s Plymouths even though Im a Bowtie Guy by default . 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. Burt Reynolds is originally a Georgia boy. Your email address will not be published. The differences between the two are major. 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). 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. As I did Steve McQueen and Paul Newman. Reynolds was the top box office draw from 1975 to 1982, then his movies really started to go downhill. The Bandit Run quickly became a fixture, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the movie with a special 2017 screening of the film attended by Reynolds and a recreation of the jump undertaken by the Bandit and Frog across a river. No, the T/A was selling fine before the movie, and the black/gold package dates to 1976, a full year before the movie was out in summer 77. [11] The movie was primarily filmed in Georgia, in the cities of McDonough, Jonesboro, and Lithonia. I know that Trans Am that jumped that bridge broke the axle when it landed. Reynolds replied: We went through 12. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, 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. After the movie did well, Pontiac gave Burt a free Trans Am to drive for a few years. In fact, after Smokey and the Bandit became a box office hit, Pontiac saw a marked increase in their stock prices. 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. My family did all grocery shopping in Cape. My drivers ed driving range car was an ex-patrol colonnade Pontiac LeMans Enforcer. I enjoyed the hell out of my 1976 Dart Pursuit. I dont know if I ever saw one in real life at the time, although I was pretty young then. 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. A Pontiac wagon from earlier in the decade. Director Hal Needham convinced Pontiac to feature the Pontiac Trans Am in the movie. [40] Major portions of the audio background have been modified with different engine sounds or tire squeals from the original film. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Wanting to promote the aesthetically modified 1977 model, but lacking cars owing to delays in production start-up, GM modified four 1976 Trans Ams with '77 spec bodywork and decals for the film. Jane Russell hawked bras on television for full-figured gals like her, a line that evoked snickers among my high-school classmates. Somewhere along the line, the company acquired a new president who told Reynolds: Im the new president, and I dont like your movies. I have always loved this movie, watched it dozens and dozens of times on TV, video, DVD, laserdisc, almost any form of media. Originally, the film was going to be a B-movie played only in the Southern United States. News . There are an abundance of cars in this movie. This movie just showed how much an urban legend the supposed unobtainability had become. The third-generation Firebird was introduced in 1982, a full two years later than planned. He obtained the attention of studios and aimed the film at a more mainstream release after his friend Reynolds read the script and agreed to portray the Bandit, with Reed now portraying the Bandit's friend the Snowman. 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. Burt Reynolds as the Bandit can always count on the truckers on the other end of his C.B. Its W.W. Nice job, I know its cheesy as heck but I love this movie and still tend to watch it when I see its on TV. All I know is, at the time, if you lived in the east, Coors was some really special beer not unlike microbrews are now. With four miles left, Bandit, discouraged by the unexpected mounting attention, is ready to give up, but Snowman, who initially thought they would fail, takes the lead and smashes through the roadblock at the fairgrounds' main entrance. Luckily, both cars survived, and the Trans Am became famous only five years later. [original research?] It just seems wrong to see that car in any fashion without hearing that song. Here are 20 facts about the Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit. how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 how many cars were destroyed in smokey and the bandit 2 (No Ratings Yet) . Some weren't that lucky and were discontinued altogether. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. Mr. Reynolds made a bunch of low budget films before this , all had wild chase scenes with cop cars crashing & going into swamps . Its weird how it works. That is why there are not any left. Now, having only three Trans Ams to wreck for a movie is minimalist, to say the least. Put one on and the lady looks like shes not wearing a bra. While watching the movie (yes, I did have to diligently research this article), one shot seemed to indicate this may be a dummy scoop. This movie trailer gives you an taste of this provocative film, but fails to effectively capture all the subtleties and nuances it contains. Supposedly there was a stick car for the burnouts and an automatic car for other shots. 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. As I am finishing this article while Big Truck Week is winding down, here is a Kenworth with a 1973 Dodge Polara patrol car. . Some fellow classmates were extras on the film set, and it was a big deal around here at the time. All pictures from the movie were acquired from www.imcdb.org, Fred Lives!!! The Bandit takes the bet on the risky and unprecedented task, and recruits his partner Cledus "Snowman" Snow to drive the truck, while Bandit drives a black Pontiac Trans Am bought in advance from the Burdettes as a "blocker" to divert attention away from the truck and its illegal cargo. In the U.K., the heavily dubbed version was shown for several years, particularly by the BBC. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing . Reed also penned and performed the song for the opening credits, entitled "The Legend", which tells of some of the Bandit's escapades before the events of the film, and the ballad "The Bandit", which is in several versions in the movie and on the soundtrack. 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. [21], Smokey and the Bandit was a sleeper hit. Some differences included the use of a supercharged 454-CID (7.4-liter) Chevrolet-sourced engine that put out 840 HP, and four round headlights, which appeared on the 196769 Firebirds/Trans Ams only; the actual 197781 models had rectangular headlights. For Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), Needham asked for and received 10 Trans Ams and 55 Bonnevilles with no trouble. radio to help him out. If you watched the second clip above, this truck should look familiar. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1980 ERTL SMOKEY & THE BANDIT PONTIAC FIREBIRD DIECAST CAR police car set at the best online prices at eBay! MN12 Thunderbirds had the same appeal to me, for similar reasons. As a former Club Wagon pilot, I happen to like his Econoline. Free shipping for many products! This small modification was made to remind viewers of Trans Am models from 1969, which had in excess of 300 horsepower. You want to questions bra sales, check out the youtube video of Hang on Sloopy by the Mccoys, the color version.wowza! Great fun! As deals were made for the actors and producers, the studio wanted to renegotiate my deal. The film features the custom clothing and costuming of Niver Western Wear of Fort Worth, Texas. [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. A 1977 special-edition model once owned by the late actor Burt Reynolds recently wound up on the car auction website Bring a Trailer. Hes fodder enough for his own article at some point. The story replaced the Coors beer with Mobil 1 products. So, for years one, two, and three, he got a shiny new Pontiac. . 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 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. 46,000 in 1976, 68,000 in 1977, 93,000 in 1978, 117,000 in 1979. As luck and script writing would have it, Frog has left her groom at the altar. When I was a kid I thought they were the same person. ", "The Bandit Run Brought to you by Restore A Muscle Car", "Stewart plays off 'Smokey and the Bandit in Mobil 1 ad", "Smokey and the Bandit: 40th Anniversary Edition", "Smokey and the Bandit II, Box Office Information", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smokey_and_the_Bandit&oldid=1142751918, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from April 2022, Articles needing additional references from September 2018, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] , "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] Burt Reynolds, Voice ["Smokey"] , "Incidental CB Dialogue" (Voice ["Bandit"] Burt Reynolds, Voice ["Smokey"] Jackie Gleason), George Reynolds as Sheriff George Branford, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 04:45. These questions all need to be answered. Sally Field and Burt Reynolds began a relationship after meeting on set. The Kenworth even achieves a trifecta of sorts, as it gave the first dent to Sheriff Justices LeMans. 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. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. A guy we knew drove his half-ton pickup from western WA to his reserve 2-week stint in his home state in California. 1975 PLYMOUTH FURY HIGHWAY PATROL "SMOKEY & THE BANDIT" 1/18 BY . Here's What We Know So Far, Jonathan Majors On Getting Jacked To Play Kang The Conqueror: Hes In The Avenger (Weight) Class, How 90 Day Fianc: The Other Way's Kris And Jeymi Might Have Already Spoiled Their Storyline, Why Creed IIIs Michael B. Jordan Avoided Saying Action Or Cut On The Set, Young Sheldon's Iain Armitage Reacting To Surprise Video From Survivor's Jeff Probst Is Like Sheldon Cooper Meeting Leonard Nimoy. Ive also looked at a Fox based LTD cop car and an early 1991 whale Caprice 9C1 detective model, burgundy on burgundy cloth. I know, Ive owned a 75 for 23 years. That is an excellent question. He's a proud member of the TopSpeed team since early 2014. The secrets behind the cars and stunts in 'The Italian Job'. 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! Always a favorite. 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. It outsold its Chevrolet Camaro counterpart for the first time. (Still). Arguably the most iconic Pontiac Firebird in history. Gleasons Justice is the stereotypical Southern sheriff, as seen in this clip. Anyway, on the trip east, we stopped at a grocery in Topeka, Kansas and bought 16-18 cases of Coors, all that we had room for in the car. A couple of years ago, I was sitting around on a lazy Saturday afternoon and it was on TV. 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. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cODPt3T0cHE, We got a cage strong enough to hold you [36] Another proposal, based more closely on images from the film and the shooting location of the scene (at an Old Hickory House restaurant in Georgia), is pulled pork and hot sauce on a hamburger bun. The updated version of the film features sound inaccurate for what would be produced by the Trans Am or the numerous other Pontiac vehicles in the film. ARRGH! Seven: (Three with Burt Reynolds and Crew, and Four without) Smokey and the Bandit - 1977 Smokey and the Bandit II - 1980 Smokey and the Bandit III . That parking lot was full of Trans Ams! I did help a friend rebuild a late 60s 400 to replace the anemic 301 in his 79, Trans Am. Was it a heathen? Smokey & The Bandit is the greatest movie of the 20th Century! If it wasnt for Smokey & the Bandit, the Dukes of Hazzard TV series would not exist. Despite growing up next to Cape, most of relatives are from the Mid-South. . I own all three films on a dvd called the Smokey and The Bandit Pursuit Pack. The 79-year-old 70s and 80s heartthrob made a rare public appearance over the weekend at Wizard World Chicago. I agree, despite people saying you sound cute, it seems like they think Ellie Mae Clapett or Jethro Bodean. The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit is one of the most famous movie cars of all time. The movies are rated PG with a run time of 282 minutes and released to video by Universal Studios. By the end of June, it had played in major Southern markets, including Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, and Oklahoma City, grossing $11.9 million. Coors is still brewed just outside Denver, Colorado. 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. It made no sense to me as it was fifty miles north and fifty miles south. Apparently the engine sounds were lifted from another movie, I think two lane blacktop? Likely this isnt any rare engine venting package, but I could be wrong. Now then you mentionned Sheriff JW Pepper, I decided to post some Youtube clips of him. Stroker Ace is after S&B, 1983, and features the then new for 83 aero Fox Body Thunderbird. Smokey and the Bandit star Burt Reynolds passed away in 2018 . 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". I ended up buying a 1969 Cadillac ambulance a year later! 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! In addition to the four Trans Ams, Needham also received two Pontiac LeMans models to serve as patrol cars in the movie. Well, the Corvettes success is clearly due to Corvette Summer, @Jim I remember that movie! you can find it on amazon.com . Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. a custom mandrel bent dual exhaust, and the Mondello bottom end plate to stabilize the windowed mains. In particular, the scene where Sheriff Justice unknowingly encounters the Bandit in the "choke and puke" (a roadside diner) was not in the original story but was rather Gleason's idea. UNIVERSAL CUT THE BUDGET JUST AS PRODUCTION WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. Field enjoyed making the film, but remembers that virtually the entire project was improvised. Not all the police cars had hood scoops. I've heard . It was his idea to have Junior alongside him throughout the film. When Im driving the Bandit Trans Am while playing one of my many Forza Motorsport games I always put that song on. Out of four Trans Ams used for the filming of Smokey And The Bandit, three were completely totaled in the process. The Trans Am was already pretty popular in the mid-1970s, with sales hitting 68,745 units in 1977. The little packy there had Coors and even though it was horribly expensive, we thought it was the elixer of the Gods. . I fondly remember lots and lots of terrible B grade movies @ the drive in in the early to mid 1970s all featuring cars racing , smashing and so on . You will receive a verification email shortly. 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 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. Even when the 2nd gen was already coasting on fumes, and defanged, and after the reasonably shitty Smokey and the Bandit sequel, Pontiac managed to pump out 107,000 Trans Ams in 1980 and 70,000 for the 2nd gen Trans Ams swan song in 1981. Jackie Gleason ad libbed a lot of his lines too. I only got one of them LOL. In the movie . Also up for auction was a go-kart replica of the car, which sold for nearly $14,000. Needham served as the driver for the stunt (in place of Reynolds), while Lada St. Edmund was in the same car (in place of Field). This same restaurant was used for a scene in the 1983 Stephen King Movie Christine, which was ultimately cut in the final film (it can be viewed as a deleted scene on the DVD release of the film). Cause theyre thirsty in Atlanta 5. I was to be paid a salary plus own 7% of the profits. 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. "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. For a little visual variety of sorts, and possibly an indicator of what car was about to be wrecked, the producers did branch out to use the 1975-era Plymouth Fury as another police car. 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. Alan Reed was the original voice of Fred Flintstone; Henry Corden only took over after Reeds death in 1977. 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. How did any bra manufacturers survive the 70s? Well, they simply considered that the Trans Am didn't sound intimidating enough. At one point in the movie, the Bandit wrecks a police car. [6] It would become one of Reed's biggest hits and his signature song.[7]. I drive a conversion van. Regular film-goers might not pay much attention to the car's engine sound, but gearheads will quickly notice that something is off. Wouldnt the accent give you away? They quickly escape in one of Big Enos's 13 Cadillacs as police flood the racetrack. They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . At the time, using "fuck" would immediately require an R rating and this self-censorship allowed the film to avoid this rating and reach a much larger audience. The cashier never batted an eye as she sold us the mass quantities of suds. I really enjoyed this discussion. The DVD set meets NTSC standards. 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. 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. Sheriff Justices son, Junior. The rub? The original film had correct sounds that were usually recorded live as the action took place. 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". After passing Buford's badly damaged cruiser on the roadside, Bandit gets on the CB and initially directs him to the Burdettes, but then respectfully gives his real locationright behind Buford, who continues his chase leaving Junior behind, and with more parts falling off his cruiser as he limps off after Bandit. 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. Smokey and the Bandit was the second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 in the United States. Frog not included. I also own a 1:18 scale version of the Bandit Trans Am. Except that shes not sagging. The man does get around. We just watched this with the kids the other week, along with Cannonball Run. Somehow this store had a regular supply. Smokey & The Bandit Police Cars. Most reports of his death still didnt have that right! We gonna do what they say cant be done This movie was filmed in Georgia as well. 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]. During a Q&A session on Saturday, filmed by ComicBook.com, a fan asked how many Trans Ams they burned through during production. Producer Hal Needham intended Smokey and the Bandit to be one of the best product placement films of all time. Carl Yastrzemski of the Boston Red Sox would bring several cases after playing on the West Coast, by stashing them in the equipment trunks on the team's plane.