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. S&TB was filmed primarily off Route 400 in Georgia. Well, they simply considered that the Trans Am didn't sound intimidating enough. [15] All four of the cars were badly damaged during production,[16] one of which was all but destroyed during the jump over the dismantled Mulberry bridge. Three actors from the main cast of The Dukes of Hazzard appear in small uncredited roles in Smokey and the Bandit: Ben Jones, John Schneider, and Sonny Shroyer (who played a police officer in both). 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 . Olds 88. Cape was far enough north that it was watered down and there was so much cross-pollination with the Illinois side you really didnt discern much difference. However, as our heroes were successful in delivering their truckload of Coors, the writers effectively poised themselves for a sequel. Somehow this store had a regular supply. In the Reynolds portion of the interview, he stated the movie prompted Trans Am sales to jump around 700%. While they did jump, from 46,700 in 1976 to 69,000 for 1977 with another 93,300 for 1978, it wasnt exactly 700%. It was destroyed in Smokey and the Bandit II and in a flashback scene in Part 3. If you watched the second clip above, this truck should look familiar. It was a powerful car, and I was glad to be issued it as my range car instead of one of the new but already disintegrating 1985 Oldsmobiles supplied by a local dealer that most people had. [35], The "diablo sandwich" ordered by Sheriff Justice in the Arkansas barbecue restaurant scene has entered popular culture as a minor reference to the film. I loved the fact that Jackie Gleasons brown Lemans had a blue vinyl interior and it even had the luxury cushion steering wheel! 3-Smokey and the Bandit 3-A crime against humanity, not even LSD can make it watchable since you spend the whole night fighting imaginary flying cobras with Jackie Gleasons head on them. The directorial debut of stuntman Hal Needham, the film follows Bo "Bandit" Darville (Reynolds) and Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Reed), two bootleggers attempting to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. Id like to hear from Mr. Needham why so many of those police cars had what look like shaker hood scoops. My family did all grocery shopping in Cape. The dubbed version is awful. 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. From living there for my first two decades, I noticed the accent didnt get going good until around Sikeston (not Saxton as it would seem) and it progressed as you went deeper into the Bootheel. Lets take a look. Will Walker: Independence Return For Season 2 Amid CW Shakeups? Except for Gleason, the original actors mostly redubbed their lines for the television version. Naturally, it fetched the highest price with a . The cop cars with the hood scoops were ex-DeKalb County (Georgia) cruisers. As a feature-length car chase, the car was as much of a star as Burt Reynolds, and the film gave birth to the cult of the Trans Am. Tragically, every Trans Am used in filming was destroyed. January 24, 2019 100 comments. 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. How many police cars were wrecked in Smokey and the Bandit? How many police cars were wrecked in Smokey and the Bandit? This movie trailer gives you an taste of this provocative film, but fails to effectively capture all the subtleties and nuances it contains. (first posted 2/28/2014) The fourth highest grossing film in the United States in 1977 was the Academy Award nominatedSmokey & The Bandit. S/E T/A with the round headlights. Great article! It wasnt distributed in Washington in those days either. The scene where Sheriff Justice's car has the door knocked off by a passing . One of our favorite movies. Haul my wife and four shelter adoptee mutts in it. A 1975 Pontiac Grand Ville, seen toward the end of the movie. 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. Reynolds was the top box office draw from 1975 to 1982, then his movies really started to go downhill. Because sales were so high, Pontiac decided to delay the third-generation model. There was a true concern (for some minuscule reason) about it going east of the Mississippi River. One time a friend and I drove back to Kentucky on leave rather than flying; no particular reason, we had plenty of time and wanted to see some of the country. The film was followed by two sequels: Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983). Oh, and a hooker girlfriend that looked like Annie Potts. And it was worth it for the brand, as the nameplate sales decided following the redesign. But the true standout of Smokey and the Bandit is the car driven by The Bandit, the iconic black and gold 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Ive always loved this movie. She is a runaway bride, sitting on the side of the road in her 1973 Chevrolet Impala coupe. 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. With this, the Sheriff begins his pursuit of the Mann Act-violating Banditall the way to Georgia. There was still a market for bras in the 1970s. According to an interview with Susie McIver Ewing on The RetroZest Podcast, she was picked to play the role of Hot Pants Hilliard after the dailies footage (shot in the Atlanta area) of the original actress playing the role was inadvertently destroyed on its way from Atlanta to Los Angeles. I also own a 1:18 scale version of the Bandit Trans Am. 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. 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. Set with his . 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! 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. Reynolds replied: We went through 12. He enlists the help of fellow truck driver Cletus The Snowman Snow, played by country music singer Jerry Reed. A dastardly scoundrel? radio to help him out. 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. 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. 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. So why did they go with sound effects instead of the Trans Am's actually exhaust noise? 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 you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. 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. Other sources in East Texas (from whence Sheriff Justice hails) are familiar with the popular regional delicacy known as the Diablo Sandwich. He's a proud member of the TopSpeed team since early 2014. News . 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. My drivers ed driving range car was an ex-patrol colonnade Pontiac LeMans Enforcer. 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. They retained the white steering wheels until 72 or so , just the thing to preveny burned fingers in the Desert sun . A segment of the CMT program Reel Eats used a sloppy joe-style recipe consisting of seasoned ground beef, corn, and sour cream. The Trans Am was a high-performance package for the Firebird, Pontiac's take on the Chevrolet Camaro. 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. Mines never gone away, especially now that I spend every thee month in Memphis. [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. Reed would eventually play the Bandit in Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, in which Reynolds only appeared in a cameo near the end. 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. [10], Principal photography of the film began on August 30, 1976. 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. 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. 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. 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. Back then if Ida wanted an ex Police Car its be a CHP salvage Dodge or Plymouth ~ BIG roomy and _comfy_ , handled well and went like stink . Its W.W. [37], The first run in 2007 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie, The Bandit Run was the brainchild of Dave Hall, owner of Restore A Muscle Car. 5. Not a bad deal, but on the fourth year, no new car. 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!!! High estimates for the car were up to $80,000, but the actual sale price was $450,000. [17], In 1977, Coors was unavailable for sale east of Oklahoma. 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. 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. In Smokey and the Bandit, there were eight 1977 Trans-Am cars and approximately the same number of police cars (but some said ten). Sales jumped even higher in 1979 when Pontiac moved 117,108 Trans Ams. 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. Im pretty sure that the car that barks second when he takes off with Frog had to be a stick. 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). But that doesnt make for an interesting movie premise. via iconic premier. Here in Canada they didnt censor it, so we always got the sumbitch version. But would the black and gold T/As be as desirable today without the movie? Smokey and the Bandit was the second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 in the United States. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cODPt3T0cHE, We got a cage strong enough to hold you S&B is one of my all-time favorite movies and Im not apologizing. I remember borrowing my brothers red 1976 T/A to take a girl to the theater to see Smokey and the Bandit. 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. Check out the entire video below. Whaddya expect outta a guy what drives a conversion van? 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. I will confess, however, that it was a fun movie to watch and I have caught it on TV a time or two in recent years with my kids. [34] In 2015 a Florida-based automobile customization company built 77 Trans Ams modeled after the car that Reynolds drove in the film. This is obvious, because there is no fuel tank on the underside of the trailer to power the refrigeration unit, and the unit is never heard running. I imagine that they borrowed some of the character from Sheriff JW Pepper from the 1973 and 1974 James Bond movies, Live and Let Die and The Man with the Golden Gun. I was 10 when this movie came out and I loved it then and I still do. Required fields are marked *. [4] Reynolds said in 2015 that he most enjoyed this film, and had the most fun making it, of his career.[26]. Bill Justis is the first name on the credits for the soundtrack, as he composed and arranged original music throughout the film. These questions all need to be answered. The $%&#* Germans got nuthin to do with it!, Such a great movie I grew up in the 80s, so it was comforting to watch this, Blues Brothers, or Animal House once a week on TBS/TNT. They return one minute after their time limit, but instead of taking the payoff, Carrie and Bandit accept a double-or-nothing offer from Little Enos: a challenge to run up to Boston and bring back clam chowder in 18 hours. Plus , I loved those late 1960s through mid 1970s Plymouths even though Im a Bowtie Guy by default . [6] It would become one of Reed's biggest hits and his signature song.[7]. 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. By the film's ending, the final surviving Trans Am and LeMans were both barely running and the other cars had become parts donors to keep them running. Smokey and the Bandit star Burt Reynolds passed away in 2018 . Lets take a look at some more cars found in the movie. But while the cars shown in the movie look like 1977-model-year Trans Ams, they were actually 1976 models. 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. Rockford Files also featured Firebird, and was on since 1974, and Fs sold well despite gas crunch I and inflation. 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. And back then what I wanted most of all was a highly customized Vette with exposed headlights. Now, having only three Trans Ams to wreck for a movie is minimalist, to say the least. [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. Jackie Gleason ad libbed a lot of his lines too. I had no idea that it was going to become a 70s classic. We stopped in that same Safeway later on the way back home from southern Cal, and they had a huge display of cases of Coors out on the floor near the checkstands. 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. Well, the Corvettes success is clearly due to Corvette Summer, @Jim I remember that movie! [21], Smokey and the Bandit was a sleeper hit. Burt Reynolds may be 79, but he shows no signs of slowing down. Starring Bob Hope, that comedic star of the screen, and the lovely Jane Russell boy what a pair! I never forgot that one. That's because the Trans Am in Smokey and the Bandit didn't sound like a Trans Am. 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! The original Blues Brothers movie from 1980 is a classic, and fans were excited when a sequel was announced in 1998. . Was it a heathen? And then they made the biggest mistake of their lives and went to national distribution. Jesus, did you just call Carmine a car novice? Coors is still brewed just outside Denver, Colorado. I have worked a long time to eradicate the one I had but it still crops up periodically from exposure, like you experienced. Smokey and the Bandit was all realistic and non fictional, and it still was a big hit that brought a lot of money to Hal Needham and the actors, to pay Pontiac back. The movie had an even bigger impact on the Trans Am. I certainly hope the guy hired to drive that 74 Ford Torino wagon was paid well for his work. Thank you for signing up to CinemaBlend. A paper on Cognitive psychology was published in the 1990 issue of Computers in Human Perception. Smokey and the Bandit was one of the most iconic movies of the 1970s. 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.. Banzai! Frederick Amon smuggled it from Colorado to North Carolina and sold it for four times the retail price.[19]. 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. What were the police cars in Smokey and the Bandit? I prefer Buford T. Justices 1980 Pontiac Bonneville and his 1983 Pontiac Bonneville in Smokey and The Bandit III. 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. In its place was the nonsensical "scum bum." . 1-Smokey and the Bandit-The classic, the original, and the best one by FAR. 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. It took four evenings to see almost all of the movie in bits and pieces. I agree, despite people saying you sound cute, it seems like they think Ellie Mae Clapett or Jethro Bodean. The cashier never batted an eye as she sold us the mass quantities of suds. 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. Needham and assistant director David Hamburger spent 30 hours revising the shooting schedule.[4]. It just seems wrong to see that car in any fashion without hearing that song. The three movie cars were destroyed during various stunts, so the promo car is the only surviving Trans Am connected to this film. 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. ARRGH! 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. The film features the custom clothing and costuming of Niver Western Wear of Fort Worth, Texas. If they werent burning candles to an image of a cowboy hatted Burt Reynolds at Pontiac headquarters. 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: . . Chevy brought back the Z28, and cant say S&B was reason. The man does get around. Just like the exaggeration sales went up 700%. Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. . Over many viewings I noticed some scenes the car would skate around and take off like an animal while in others there were one-tire-fires and it would struggle to get going. Mrs Jason wont let me sell the sumbitch. Two units were 1974 models, as evidenced by standard silver Kenworth emblems on the truck grille, and one unit was a 1973 model, as evidenced by the gold-painted Kenworth emblem on the truck's grille, signifying Kenworth's 50 years in business. Below is probably another DeKalb County cop car. 12 A Total Of 3 Trans Ams Were Destroyed During Filming. A black Trans Am is parked in my garage because of this movie. 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. Ironically I never really cared all that much for Coors, I dont think it has much flavor, but it was well received when we got to Kentucky. Revisit this scene featuring "East Bound and. 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. That is why there are not any left. Were they dummies? The soundtrack album was released in 1977 on vinyl, cassette, and 8-track through MCA Records. 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? 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 did taste a lot better than Bud as I recall). Smokey and the Bandit II is a 1980 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham, and starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, . Another one is, Theres no way youre from my loins.. 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. These two 1967 Ford Galaxies (CC here), soon to be redecorated by a Kenworth road tractor, do not. and used hard. Round and dumpy, just like the Colonnade LeMans! The secrets behind the cars and stunts in 'The Italian Job'. 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. Movies like Mad Max: Fury Road and Furious 7 may ruin a lot of cars, but they were far from the first.