matt-thornton.net

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You're reading a really old version of matt-thornton's website. For example, if you're looking at the movie reviews... you'll notice that none of them are of recent films. Indeed, I leave them here for posterity's sake, but I doubt very much that they'll get updated anytime soon. So have a giggle.

You might, if you're lucky, find something recent from Matt at his blog matt's debates. Kernow bys vyken.

Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)

the one line review:

the original car steal and chase movie

the overview

This film was very much a labour of love for H.B. Halicki. Written, produced, directed, acted, cut, sold, distributed and anything else involved with film production was done by Halicki. He had a dream of making a real car chase film before he died. Which he did in this.

the plot:

Vicinski steals cars for a living. When he receives a job for 48 cars, he goes about sourcing the cars, and a team of people to help him steal them. 47 are easy, but it's the evasive 48th, Eleanor, a Ford Mustang, that causes him the most problems.

the verdict:

This is the film that inspired the 2000 remake starring Nicolas Cage and Angelina "Blowjob lips" Jolie. The stories are different, where in this one they steal 48 cars (not 50) in a week (not one night). And a few other things are changed.

In fact, this film is pretty poor. It's over thirty years old, so it looks hammy as hell. The acting is shite, some of the special effects are laughable, and the storyline is flimsy at best. It's a cross between the original Grand Theft Auto film and Smokey and the Bandit. But not as stupid as GTA and not as good as Smokey and the Bandit.

But goshdarnit you should watch it. There's something about this that keeps your eyes tracked on it. The plot is really inconsequential compared to the main point of the film - the 45 minute car chase in Eleanor. Whereas in the remake it was all about the story and brotherly love and killing the bad guy and blah blah, in this, it's about the cars, and nothing else. Eleanor is ragged to pieces in some seemingly unescapable situations. Don't question it - just watch it. And enjoy.

You might as well fast forward to about 40 minutes into the film, unless you really want to try and follow the plot. Worth a look if you're a fan of the remake, or nice cars in general.