I enjoyed the hell out of my 1976 Dart Pursuit. Both sequels used another Trans Am, not a Cadillac Eldorado, as seen below. Another one is, Theres no way youre from my loins.. He gave Needham a preview of the song and, getting no reaction, offered to rewrite it. 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. And he succeeded as far as the Pontiac Trans Am is concerned. Trio of Burt Reynolds movie cars fetch $330,000 at auction, including 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". The original film had correct sounds that were usually recorded live as the action took place. The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit is one of the most famous movie cars of all time. Reynolds is referenced by name in several early episodes of the series. Gas was a buck a gallon at the time so fuel economy wasnt a major issue. 12 A Total Of 3 Trans Ams Were Destroyed During Filming. Im pretty sure that the car that barks second when he takes off with Frog had to be a stick. The 79-year-old 70s and 80s heartthrob made a rare public appearance over the weekend at Wizard World Chicago. The truck at the shell station is actually a 75 or 76 Toyota Hilux. I loved the fact that Jackie Gleasons brown Lemans had a blue vinyl interior and it even had the luxury cushion steering wheel! 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. 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. With this, the Sheriff begins his pursuit of the Mann Act-violating Banditall the way to Georgia. One guy did a while ago a fan-made trailer of Smokey & the Bandit 4. I've heard . All I know is, at the time, if you lived in the east, Coors was some really special beer not unlike microbrews are now. After the movie came out, Firebird sales increased even more, but the Trans Am was now the most popular one. 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. When I was a kid, there was an old record from the 50s around the house that was a collection of radio and tv bloopers. One was a radio ad for a movie that went something like: . They find local legend Bo "Bandit" Darville at a roadeo at Lakewood Fairgrounds and offer him US$80,000 (equivalent to $357,738 in 2021) to haul 400 cases of Coors from Texarkana (the closest place it could be legally sold at that time) to Atlanta in 28 hours. As the 1969 classic 'The Italian Job' turns 50 years old, TG.com caught up with David Salamone, the man who piloted the red Mini in . In the 1977 movie Smokey and the Bandit, a high-speed chase ensues between the police and the Bandit (Burt Reynolds). Free shipping for many products! I agree, despite people saying you sound cute, it seems like they think Ellie Mae Clapett or Jethro Bodean. 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. [6] It would become one of Reed's biggest hits and his signature song.[7]. The cop cars with the hood scoops were ex-DeKalb County (Georgia) cruisers. That is why there are not any left. How many smokey and the bandit movies are there? . Not a bad deal, but on the fourth year, no new 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. Reynolds actively pushed for her casting after Universal initially resisted, claiming Field was not attractive enough. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. And it was worth it for the brand, as the nameplate sales decided following the redesign. There are an abundance of cars in this movie. For Smokey and the Bandit II (1980), Needham asked for and received 10 Trans Ams and 55 Bonnevilles with no trouble. Earlier DVD releases and the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray of the film have the original soundtrack intact. The Burdettes' car is a 1974 Cadillac Eldorado convertible painted in a "Candy Red" color scheme and is seen briefly at the beginning of the movie and in the final scene as the Bandit, the Snowman, Fred the dog, and Frog use it to make their escape. Musicians such as Beegie Adair and George Tidwell[20] played on the soundtrack. Free shipping for many products! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Smokey and the Bandit | 4K Ultra HD | The Bandit Takes a 28 Hour Trip Anyone with insight is encouraged to share their knowledge on this. I'm afraid I was responsible for a good few of those. 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. East bound and down, loaded up and truckin How many cars did they wreck in Smokey and the Bandit? The advertisements lampoon the film and feature a Pontiac Trans Am and a cover version of the song East Bound and Down. But would the black and gold T/As be as desirable today without the movie? The original Blues Brothers movie from 1980 is a classic, and fans were excited when a sequel was announced in 1998. . The production team wrecked three for the four cars it received from Pontiac. Burt Reynolds' 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Sold for $240,000. Needham originally planned the film as a low-budget B movie with a production cost of $1 million,[4] with Reed as the Bandit. Sheriff Justices son, Junior. My favorite would have been an ex-WSP 1970 Plymouth they were all Fury IIIs, white on blue with factory air and 440s under the hood; but none ever turned up when I was buying. It had amazing throttle response, with a hit that either scared people, or made them giggle. 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. I was a junior high school age kid when this film came out. Apparently the engine sounds were lifted from another movie, I think two lane blacktop? The Ridiculous Number Of Cars Burt Reynolds Burned - CINEMABLEND 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. [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. There was a true concern (for some minuscule reason) about it going east of the Mississippi River. A couple of years ago, I was sitting around on a lazy Saturday afternoon and it was on TV. Wouldnt the accent give you away? Today, Smokey and the Bandit remains one of the most popular car action films ever made, and the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am will forever be wed to the movie. The rub? Dont let his grumpiness fool you though; hes more than excited to provide the latest news and reviews on the most interesting cars in the industry. It made no sense to me as it was fifty miles north and fifty miles south. I was 10 when this movie came out and I loved it then and I still do. . [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. UNIVERSAL CUT THE BUDGET JUST AS PRODUCTION WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Rob's Car Movie Review: Smokey and the Bandit (1977) - Street Muscle With Reynolds agreement to do the movie, and his insistence upon casting Gleason as Sheriff Justice, the movie became a larger venture. Here's everything you should know about one of the most iconic movie cars ever. You can see in some shots in the movie that the Bandit Trans Am has 1976 style gold honeycomb wheels instead of the gold snowflake wheels from the 1977, I think at least one of the cars used in filming was a 1976 converted with a 1977 front clip. 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". Lets take a look. The owner restored it and sold it at the Scottsdale 2016 auction by Barrett-Jackson. 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. The sticker read "T/A 6.6," which was a reminder of the engine's 6.6-liter displacement. These were the cans with the two circular push buttons on top instead of pull tabs. The other range car was a Chevette for people that wanted to learn on a manual transmission. I dont know whose idea was to replace the wicked Two Lane Blacktop Chevy sourced engine sound effects with an authentic 200 horsepower muffled smogger 400, but that sumbitch is a scumbum!!! Unfortunately he passed away a few months ago or that would have been a great question to ask. 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. When it is finally torn off along with the car's roof in the impact with the girder, the missing fender still reappears later on in the film. There was a problem. via iconic premier. And Coors itself limited its distribution to west of the Mississippi. The Trans Am was a high-performance package for the Firebird, Pontiac's take on the Chevrolet Camaro. Reynolds was the top box office draw from 1975 to 1982, then his movies really started to go downhill. This movie was filmed in Georgia as well. Alan Reed was the original voice of Fred Flintstone; Henry Corden only took over after Reeds death in 1977. The dubbed version is awful. The 1978 Trans Am is an exact duplicate of the "Smokey and the Bandit" movie car, finished in black and gold with a screaming chicken on the hood. While I have read undocumented accounts of there being more than three Trans Ams, Needham stated three is all that were used. 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. 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. Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. [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. Gleason was a genius, but this was not one of his better outings I prefer the Hustler and Gigot. 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. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 78% rating based on 32 reviews. 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. a custom mandrel bent dual exhaust, and the Mondello bottom end plate to stabilize the windowed mains. Now then you mentionned Sheriff JW Pepper, I decided to post some Youtube clips of him. Im gonna barbecue your ass in molasses., Re: The picture with 4 ladies and the wagon and van. and used hard. 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. 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! And the 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds versions could be made to run well. 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. When Smokey and the Bandit first aired on American network television in the early 1980s, censors were faced with the challenge of toning down the raw language of the original film. Due to his financial difficulties in 2014, Reynolds put his vast collection of artwork and memorabilia up for auction, including the Trans Am. Additionally, he can give you several reasons why theres still no replacement for displacement. 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. And theres this nugget from the director of the coming new Shazam movie; I first watched Smokey on quiet swing shifts from the drivers seat of a 1977 Pontiac Le Mans patrol car, parked by thr back fence of the drive-in theater at the far end of town. The movie had an even bigger impact on the Trans Am. The original uncut sumbitch version. [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. Here are 20 facts about the Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit. As deals were made for the actors and producers, the studio wanted to renegotiate my deal. 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. Not everything was Pontiac, as evidenced by this 1973 Plymouth Satellite coupe (CC here). Duarte or maybe ir was Arcadia , it was white with a red & blue pinstripe , we dropped $400 (an ungodly sum back then) on a re paint and pin striping but could _not_ sell that wretched POC , it took us two years IIRC . [29] Alfred Hitchcock claimed that the film was one of his favorites. 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! 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. [4] Reynolds said in 2015 that he most enjoyed this film, and had the most fun making it, of his career.[26]. Anyone who enjoys Colonnade sedans will love Smokey & the Bandit. Of course, we could argue that Needham could have used the engine note of a Pontiac GTO from the golden muscle car, but the 1955 Custom recordings were probably readily available, and he just didn't need the hassle. (Still). 5. That song often pops into my head at the start of long drives. 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. Although he's into just about any type of vehicle, Ciprian is not your typical car enthusiast. Well, they simply considered that the Trans Am didn't sound intimidating enough. Nah, they survived by coming up with bras with very thin cups. 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. 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. 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. When it was over, I cried and cried and cried because I didnt want it to end. For this purpose, they overdubbed dialogue deemed offensive, which was common practice. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. 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. There's one black Trans Am left from 'Smokey and The Bandit.' It's This movie just showed how much an urban legend the supposed unobtainability had become. One of those things that will make my kids think Im crazy some day. Needing a fast set of wheels to distract law enforcement, Reynolds character purchases this 1977 Pontiac Trans-Am. 1975 Plymouth Fury Police Pursuit Arkansas State Police "Smokey and The That said, an uncomplimentary accent does exist. The second film was a modest box office success, earning $66.1 million against a $17 million budget. I drive a conversion van. In Smokey and the Bandit, there were eight 1977 Trans-Am cars and approximately the same number of police cars (but some said ten). Ask him to choose between a BMW M4 and an Audi RS5, and hell gladly trade both for a beat-up Cuda. However, in more recent years, the original version has been shown (on ITV, a commercial channel), usually with the stronger language edited out, often quite awkwardly. Oh, and a hooker girlfriend that looked like Annie Potts. While the Snowman drives the truck carrying the beer, the Bandit drives a Pontiac Trans Am to distract law enforcement (called blocking) and keep the attention off the Snowman. Buford, with Junior along, ignores his jurisdiction and doggedly chases Bandit all the way to Georgia to retrieve Carrie while various mishaps cause his cruiser to disintegrate on the way. 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. [10], Principal photography of the film began on August 30, 1976. According to director Hal Needham in the DVD documentary, Pontiac gave them three Trans-Ams and two LeMans (Sheriff Justice's patrol car) for the film. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing . Burt Reynolds is originally a Georgia boy. Smokey And The Bandit Tribute Jump Goes About As Well As You'd Expect Hal Needham did pass away as someone earlier said. Needham stated that by the end of production, there really wasnt much left of any of the three. I guess the Trans Am proved to have more staying power than the hot 71 Ford in the earlier movie. 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. In its place was the nonsensical "scum bum." . (it did taste a lot better than Bud as I recall). I have since moved on from them, mainly because in stock form, they were not particularly great cars (though good enough for the times). 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. Somehow this store had a regular supply. I beg to differ Mr -Nate. As such, it took a lot of sweet talking by former stuntman Needham for Pontiac to cough up three Trans Ams and three LeManses. Misconception by casual novice car fans is that the Trams Am didnt sell well until S&B. Please refresh the page and try again. The side vents give it away. I have at least 4 really good car buddies that will from time to time love popping this movie in to watch. You might think that seeing their cars routinely destroyed on movie screens across the country would give the manufacturer pause, but that is not the case at all. However, the scene and the obscured expletive were played for comedy value and written as such, with the passing truck being the gag of the scene more than a way to avoid the censors. If they werent burning candles to an image of a cowboy hatted Burt Reynolds at Pontiac headquarters. Jason, Using the words nuance, subtlety, complexity and intellect to describe this movie, is, as they say, trs amusant! J.J. & The Dixie Dance Kings was a milder one that had (I think) a 56 Buick Century . The unrestored car reportedly showed up on eBay back in 2015, but no one wanted to buy it. Probably the most interesting thing about this movie and Burt Reynolds is that he is not originally a Southern boy at all he was actually born in the Wolverine State Lansing, Michigan to be precise. He claimed that the Bandit is never made aware of Frog's leaving Junior at the altar, which is why the Bandit continually asks why a Texas sheriff is chasing him. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. Jackie Gleason ad libbed a lot of his lines too. Mr. Reynolds made a bunch of low budget films before this , all had wild chase scenes with cop cars crashing & going into swamps . February 27, 2023 . Its weird how it works. 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. Want proof? Check out the entire video below. 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 wasnt distributed in Washington in those days either. While made to take advantage of the ongoing 1970s CB radio fad, the film added to the craze. The Kenworth even achieves a trifecta of sorts, as it gave the first dent to Sheriff Justices LeMans. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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.