Interesting trivia from the movie Bullitt

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Dan4510

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After putting Bullitt on my list, i found this and find it interesting.

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Two 1968 Mustangs and two 1968 Dodge Chargers were used for the chase scene. Both Mustangs were owned by Ford Motor Company and were part of a promotional loan agreement with Warner Bros. The Mustangs engines, brakes and suspensions were highly modified for the chase by veteran car racer Max Balchowsky. The Dodge Chargers were bought outright from Glendale Dodge in Glendale, California, and were left unmodified.
 
I never understood the obviously dubbed in soundtrack when McQueen was upshifting. It consisted of two double clutches on upshifts!
 
I always found the car chase in The Fench Connection, which was filmed in Brooklyn, NY, to be superior to the chase in Bullitt. And Popeye Doyle wore that cool porkpie! Of course, San Francsico is the more scenic location. Looks like much of the chase in Bullitt was shot in and around Potrero Hill?

PS: How many wheels does Bullitt''s Mustang have?
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I know he loses more than four hubcaps. Then again, his Mustang must have a 15-speed with overdrive.
cheers.gif
 
I really didn't like the undercranked camera effect that they used. In one scene, where a taxi is in the way, you can see hand over hand wheel action that's pretty lame.

We appeared to be much less of a sophisicated society back then. More orderly ..but more gullible too.
 
I love Bullit. Sure he upshifts a lot, sure they keep passing the same VW and Pontiac over and over. But its a fun movie and I never seem to get tired of watching it. Maybe its because I don't own a copy and feel like I have to watch it when its on TV.
 
The Bullit chase scene was an unexpected event in the movie, and at that time, not done yet.
The chase scene is now [YAWN] standard in an action movie.
People still talk about it!
 
I am 53. One of my clearest memories from growing up is that feeling in my stomach as Steve was going down the hills and hitting the level spots on the cross streets. Of course, it has a greater effect on the big screen. I never counted the lost hubcaps but even then noticed the changed exhaust system. I think I almost cried when the undercarriage was damaged at the end of the chase.

I test drove a Mustang this week. 5 speed, V-6, for some reason they think the big engines have to come with an auto trans. When I got home my wife's first question was "Was it a red convertable?" Actually, it was. In any case, my son's 2000 Camry handles better. The salesman told me they are coming out with a Shelby Special in a year or so.

Remember the Bill Cosby line? "Hey Steve, you don't have this one."
 
Mechtech, I remember going to see the film becuase one of my favorite actors, Robert Vaughn ("The Man from U.N.C.L.E") was in it. Like you, I got an unexpected surprise with the car chase.

You're right also in that car chases are pretty standard these days. However, the one in "Bullitt" remains the classic. It starts in a leisurely fashion, cat-and-mouse between Bullitt and the gunmen in the Charger, and winds up to a literally explosive climax.

-- Paul W.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Cicero17:


I test drove a Mustang this week. 5 speed, V-6, for some reason they think the big engines have to come with an auto trans. When I got home my wife's first question was "Was it a red convertable?" Actually, it was. In any case, my son's 2000 Camry handles better. The salesman told me they are coming out with a Shelby Special in a year or so.

Click to expand...
Either the V6 cars are much softer than the V8's, or you son has a heavily modded Camry...
 
Next time you see the movie, count the number of times they pass the same VW Bug. If you think that Mustang was fast, the Bug was faster and never slid around. We all know the smooth driver is the faster one.
 
My favorite driving is the original Italian Job. Mini's in a tunnel have to be good.(yes I know)

Mori- watch out for those Fench!

Were those Mustangs not 427's? Just built 390's? What were the mods?

The Chargers had which engine? Not a stock 383.

(I have actually seen/read the younger generation argue about Bullitt - with one guy saying the cars are Mustangs and the other saying Chargers....)
 
I remember reading 2 things about the chase back then -that S.M. did all his own driving and that he had the rear radious rods/traction bars on the Mustang REMOVED for effect
........maybe thats why the VW seemed faster......
 
Nothing sounds as good as the Super charged car that Mad Max drives in that final chase scene when he's running down the lead biker who killed his wife. My favorite part only lasts a few seconds, (when they focus on the side pipes and then the super charger). I've just about worn that part of the tape out on my VCR.
 
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