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Automotive Lifestyle
AUTOS: Hollywoods Hottest Car Chases; The French Connection (1971)
The movie starred an Oscar-winning performance by Gene Hackman
Timing miscues by the show’s stunt drivers caused accidents that were left in the movie. (Photo: Copyright © ©20thCentFox/courtesy Everett / Everett Collection)
William Friedkin loved reality and authenticity. In his 1971 police thriller, The French Connection, he took guerilla shooting to a new level. The movie starred an Oscar-winning performance by Gene Hackman (who played New York City police detective, Jimmie ‘Popeye’ Doyle) and his furious, 26-block, high-speed chase of an elevated train in and around the streets of Brooklyn in pursuit of an escaping hit man.
Doyle, who commandeered that now famous 1971 Pontiac Le Mans from an unlucky motorist, was supplanted by famous stunt driver Bill Hickman (Bullitt & The Seven-Ups) for many of the point-of-view driving scenes. Friedkin, so intent on capturing the action, barricaded himself in the back of the car with a camera and mattress to grab many of the most famous shots.
With increased risk, production had not received prior permission from the city to perform the driving stunts the way they did. Speeds were swift and dangerous, yet a front- bumper cam was still requested to increase on-screen motion and intensity. It was later written by Owen Roizman (the film’s director of photography), in an issue of American Cinematographer, that the front-mounted camera was under cranked at 18 frames per second to heighten the effect. In addition, timing miscues by the show’s stunt drivers caused accidents that were left in the movie.
Be sure to tune into SPEED on Thanksgiving Night at 8 p.m. ET for the premiere of Hollywood’s Hottest Car Chases.
What to look for… This scene was shot in Bensonhurst, running roughly under the BMT West End Line (current day D Trains) and above 86th Street & New Utrecht Avenue in Brooklyn. And if you’re really venturous, play Carlos Santana’s hit song ‘Black Magic Woman’ while watching this chase sequence. It was the inspiration Friedkin used when editing together the piece (despite not appearing in the film).
Watch the Chase
New York Times Goes Inside the car chase
Everyone has their favorite car chase scene… and many have multiple ones. On Thanksgiving Night (Nov. 25), SPEED enters the conversation with a two-hour special called, Hollywood’s Hottest Car Chases, premiering at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
New York City’s Pangolin Pictures looks at the last 40 years of cinematic car chases, re-living many great scenes through the eyes of those who created, shot and played out what has become one of Hollywood’s greatest creative contributions. Broken out in themes, this feature presentation is produced to be the most comprehensive look at how this genre has evolved from Steve McQueen’s Bullitt to Matt Damon’s Bourne Identity.
Through Thanksgiving, SPEED will roll out some of our favorites from around the studio here in Charlotte. This not a countdown per se, and we want to hear from you, as we’ll introduce a new car chase scene every Monday through Thursday. Let the Chase Begin…
Here’s What They Are Saying over at Autoblog.com…
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/11/speed-announces-hollywoods-hottest-car-chases-with-mega/
Doyle, who commandeered that now famous 1971 Pontiac Le Mans from an unlucky motorist, was supplanted by famous stunt driver Bill Hickman (Bullitt & The Seven-Ups) for many of the point-of-view driving scenes. Friedkin, so intent on capturing the action, barricaded himself in the back of the car with a camera and mattress to grab many of the most famous shots.
With increased risk, production had not received prior permission from the city to perform the driving stunts the way they did. Speeds were swift and dangerous, yet a front- bumper cam was still requested to increase on-screen motion and intensity. It was later written by Owen Roizman (the film’s director of photography), in an issue of American Cinematographer, that the front-mounted camera was under cranked at 18 frames per second to heighten the effect. In addition, timing miscues by the show’s stunt drivers caused accidents that were left in the movie.
Be sure to tune into SPEED on Thanksgiving Night at 8 p.m. ET for the premiere of Hollywood’s Hottest Car Chases.
What to look for… This scene was shot in Bensonhurst, running roughly under the BMT West End Line (current day D Trains) and above 86th Street & New Utrecht Avenue in Brooklyn. And if you’re really venturous, play Carlos Santana’s hit song ‘Black Magic Woman’ while watching this chase sequence. It was the inspiration Friedkin used when editing together the piece (despite not appearing in the film).
Watch the Chase
New York Times Goes Inside the car chase
Everyone has their favorite car chase scene… and many have multiple ones. On Thanksgiving Night (Nov. 25), SPEED enters the conversation with a two-hour special called, Hollywood’s Hottest Car Chases, premiering at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
New York City’s Pangolin Pictures looks at the last 40 years of cinematic car chases, re-living many great scenes through the eyes of those who created, shot and played out what has become one of Hollywood’s greatest creative contributions. Broken out in themes, this feature presentation is produced to be the most comprehensive look at how this genre has evolved from Steve McQueen’s Bullitt to Matt Damon’s Bourne Identity.
Through Thanksgiving, SPEED will roll out some of our favorites from around the studio here in Charlotte. This not a countdown per se, and we want to hear from you, as we’ll introduce a new car chase scene every Monday through Thursday. Let the Chase Begin…
Here’s What They Are Saying over at Autoblog.com…
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/11/speed-announces-hollywoods-hottest-car-chases-with-mega/
Goodwood Festival Of Speed
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