As Pontiac passes into history, let us take this moment to celebrate the brand's contribution to cinema. Here are the ten most memorable Pontiacs in motion picture history.
1.The French Connection (1971)
1971 LeMans Sedan
Of all the Pontiacs ever made, it's hard to think of any more ordinary than the 1971 LeMans four-door sedan. But when "Popeye" Doyle commandeers one to chase a killer riding in an elevated train through Brooklyn, the '71 LeMans sedan becomes one of the great hero cars of all time. Director William Friedkin reportedly filmed much of in-car shots for this sequence without permits and without closing off the road. Legendary stunt driver Bill Hickman did much of the high-speed driving. Finally, this is the only movie on this list to win an Oscar for Best Picture of the year.
2. Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
1977 Firebird Trans Am
If it weren't for a dinky little space movie called Star Wars, Smokey and the Bandit would have been the top grossing film of 1977. As it is, Smokey has become one of the great icons of automotive cinematic mayhem. And it single-handedly turned the Trans Am into a massive sales success. This clip compiles all the Trans Ams best Smokey moments into three minute, 34 second high intensity nugget.
3. The Seven-Ups (1973)
1973 Ventura and Grand Ville
With both the hero (Roy Scheider) and villains (stunt driver Bill Hickman and Richard Lynch) in Pontiacs, this is the most Poncho-centric action film ever made. It also happens to be one of the best car chases ever shot. Roaring through New York City, Scheider's Ventura chases Hickman and Lynch's Grand Ville at mind-boggling speeds with numerous close calls and thrilling near disasters. But this chase will always be remembered for the suddenness and violence of its climax.
4. Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
1970 GTO 455 H.O. "The Judge"
If you can make sense of the existential nonsense that propels the "plot" of director Monte Hellman's on-the-road classic, congratulations you're the first. What it does have in it, however, is one incredibly nasty 1955 Chevrolet driven by James Taylor and Dennis Wilson and this 1970 GTO Judge driven by Warren Oates. In fact Oates' character is so identified with his vehicle that he's listed simply as "G.T.O." in the credits. While the '55 Chevy went on to co-star as Harrison Ford's ride in 1973's American Graffiti, the GTO's second career would be acting as a background car on TV shows produced by Universal Studios through the 1970's like Adam-12 and Ironside.
5. Hooper (1978)
1978 Trans Am
Following their astonishing success with Smokey and the Bandit, director Hal Needham and star Burt Reynolds collaborating again the next year on Hooper. The story of one of Hollywood's greatest stunt man (as Needham had once been) Hooper generally dispenses with plot and character development in favor of finding excuses to perform stunts. And the climactic stunt is a giant fiesta of destruction centered on one Trans Am making it through a town that's literally blowing up all around it. Yeah, okay, that's not a production Trans Am that makes the final leap across the blown out bridge, but do you really care?
6. Cannonball (1976)
1970 Trans Am
Of all the films made about (or at least strongly hinting about) Brock Yates' famed Cannonball Baker Memorial Sea-To-Shining-Sea Trophy Dash this one isn't the best. However since its release came a couple of weeks before The Gumball Rally it was the first into theaters. Maybe too gory for its own good, Cannonball was directed by Paul Bartel who earlier had made Death Race 2000. And like Death Race 2000, this movie stars David Carradine. This time Carradine is behind the wheel of a Trans Am racing such vehicles as a Pantera, '68 Dodge Charger and '69 Mustang Mach 1. A great movie? No way. Fun? Sure.
7. McQ (1974)
1973 Trans Am
This Dirty Harry ripoff has 67 year-old John Wayne playing a Seattle cop so tough, so no-nonsense that his last name doesn't even bother with vowels. And what does a tough, no-nonsense, senior citizen cop drive? Why it's a Trans Am of course. This clip features the green T/A chasing a truck through Seattle (the texting describing where in Seattle the chase goes was added by the YouTube poster). Later on in the film, the Brewster Green Trans Am is crushed. Pity.
8. The Hunter (1980)
1979 Trans Am and Grand Prix
In his last film before succumbing to cancer, Steve McQueen plays bounty hunter Ralph "Papa" Thornton. It's established early in the film that Thornton is happiest with archaic technology and well-worn cars. So he's never quite able to master the Trans Am he rents while pursuing some bail skippers.
9. XXX (2002)
1967 GTO
After their big success with 2001's original The Fast and the Furious, director Rob Cohen and star Vin Diesel collaborated again the next year with the spy thriller XXX. And what does an American like Triple X drive instead of an Aston Martin? Why a vintage '67 GTO of course - stuffed full of spy gear.
10.
Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974)
1973 Trans Am
The story of a car thief (Jeff Bridges) and a veteran bank robber (Clint Eastwood), Michael Cimino's Thunderbolt & Lightfoot opens with the swiping of a white Trans Am and moves quickly from there. A forgotten classic from the Seventies.
estreka says:
09:50 AM, 04/29/09
When Chrysler goes bankrupt, make sure you guys include Deathproof in your list.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1eI19GaXdw
altommaso says:
01:38 PM, 04/29/09
In THE HUNTER, watching that Pontiac running through the corn field, then getting blown to smithereens was probably the best use of a Pontiac I ever saw.....YEE HAA !!!!!!!!!!