Some might consider my great enthusiasm upon the arrival of "Smokey and the Bandit" on HD-DVD as a pure sign of insanity. The sudden desire to throw on a light colored cowboy hat, my red button down shirt and take off in my T-Top equipped F-body with "East Bound and Down" forever looping could be further evidence that I´ve lost what marbles I still retain. The possibility does exist that I am not insane and that my deep seated love of Hal Needham´s 1977 Burt Reynolds film is built from genuine affection for the film and it is purely normal for somebody to enjoy a little action film where one of the main stars was a black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Maybe I am a little touched, or maybe this film that I´ve known for nearly all my life is one of those odd pictures that I can watch time and time again and always enjoy it. Whether it is the sight of Burt Reynolds behind the wheel of the iconic American muscle car or the vocals of Jerry Reed´s memorable theme song, I never turn down a reason to watch this thirty year old movie.
Burt Reynolds is Bo Danville; the Bandit. He is a man known for his legendary skill in truck driving and never backing down from a challenge. One day he is approached by Big Enos Burdette (Pat McCormick) and his son Little Enos (Paul Williams) and asked to illegally deliver Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta at a time when it was not allowable to transport Coors outside of its geographical limits. The catch is that the Bandit is asked to do so in only twenty eight hours. He aggress to do so, but only if they provide him with a fast car, the infamous 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and the aid of a friend and partner, Cledus Snow (Jerry Reed). With the Snowman and his Basset hound Fred behind the wheel of the hulking truck carrying the beer and the Bandit driving interference against the police in the Firebird, their chances of meeting the Burdette´s challenge is cutting it close, but also very risky.
The law is not the only obstacle that the Bandit and the Snowman run into during their high speed trek across the Southern United States. Along the way, the Bandit picks up a runaway bride named Carrie (Sally Field) that is running away from her fiancé Junior (Mike Henry). To make matters worse, the Bandit catches the ire of a local sheriff, Junior´s father Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). Sheriff Justice doesn´t stop his torrid and hot pursuit of the Bandit after county lines are crossed. Capturing the infamous driver becomes quite personal and the chase lasts all the way to Atlanta with Buford vowing the capture that sum-bitch, the Bandit. The Bandit and the Snowman are a potent team in their own right, but also on the Bandit´s side are legions of truck drivers who are familiar with his legend and his exploits and they are always willing to aid their hero out of a bind with the Sheriff and his beat up car narrowly missing capture of the wily Bandit.
"Smokey and the Bandit" is an action film and it is a comedy. It is a road film with a tremendous amount of entertainment value. Jackie Gleason is a timeless comedian and his attachment to the "Smokey and the Bandit" franchise of films was a testament to his ability at sidesplitting physical comedy. Burt Reynolds was one of Hollywood´s biggest names during the late Seventies and his role as the "Bandit" became his trademark performance. The romantic elements between Fields and Reynolds work nicely and Reeds and Reynolds made for a believable pair of close friends. Whereas Gleason and Reynolds commanded the screen with their performances, the supporting cast held the road nicely. Not to be overlooked is the V8 powered F-Body. I am on my third Chevrolet Camaro and I´m not sure that the decision to buy my ´99 Z/28 wasn´t rooted in my original enjoyment of this film as a child. It isn´t black and it isn´t the sister F-Body Firebird, but it is as close as you can get. I don´t know what I´d do without my big rear-wheel drive V8 powered muscle car. After owning them for sixteen years, it wouldn´t feel right. I´m pretty sure my first love of the F-Body family of cars came from watching this film.
I can watch this film without hesitation and I´ve seen it over a dozen times in my life. The car chases are spectacular and credit needs to go to veteran stunt man / writer and director Hal Needham for creating "Smokey and the Bandit" and making its exciting car chases as memorable as they are. Fused with Jerry Reed´s all-too-familiar song, the third and final chase sequence is one of the best car scenes in Hollywood history. It was the second highest grossing film of 1977 after a little space epic. This film still finds itself as an object of pop culture nearly thirty years later for good reason. There is Burt Reynolds and "Smokey and the Bandit" references in the currently popular "My Name is Earl," with the Trans Am making an appearance on the show. This is one of those movies that strikes a chord and combines a fun story with a lot of worthwhile on screen moments. Reynolds and Gleason were great in this one and I´m still quite happy to have an updated copy of the film on HD-DVD. And yes, I have driven with the T-Tops off and "East Bound and Down" blaring through the car speakers on at least one occasion.
Burt Reynolds is Bo Danville; the Bandit. He is a man known for his legendary skill in truck driving and never backing down from a challenge. One day he is approached by Big Enos Burdette (Pat McCormick) and his son Little Enos (Paul Williams) and asked to illegally deliver Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta at a time when it was not allowable to transport Coors outside of its geographical limits. The catch is that the Bandit is asked to do so in only twenty eight hours. He aggress to do so, but only if they provide him with a fast car, the infamous 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and the aid of a friend and partner, Cledus Snow (Jerry Reed). With the Snowman and his Basset hound Fred behind the wheel of the hulking truck carrying the beer and the Bandit driving interference against the police in the Firebird, their chances of meeting the Burdette´s challenge is cutting it close, but also very risky.
The law is not the only obstacle that the Bandit and the Snowman run into during their high speed trek across the Southern United States. Along the way, the Bandit picks up a runaway bride named Carrie (Sally Field) that is running away from her fiancé Junior (Mike Henry). To make matters worse, the Bandit catches the ire of a local sheriff, Junior´s father Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). Sheriff Justice doesn´t stop his torrid and hot pursuit of the Bandit after county lines are crossed. Capturing the infamous driver becomes quite personal and the chase lasts all the way to Atlanta with Buford vowing the capture that sum-bitch, the Bandit. The Bandit and the Snowman are a potent team in their own right, but also on the Bandit´s side are legions of truck drivers who are familiar with his legend and his exploits and they are always willing to aid their hero out of a bind with the Sheriff and his beat up car narrowly missing capture of the wily Bandit.
"Smokey and the Bandit" is an action film and it is a comedy. It is a road film with a tremendous amount of entertainment value. Jackie Gleason is a timeless comedian and his attachment to the "Smokey and the Bandit" franchise of films was a testament to his ability at sidesplitting physical comedy. Burt Reynolds was one of Hollywood´s biggest names during the late Seventies and his role as the "Bandit" became his trademark performance. The romantic elements between Fields and Reynolds work nicely and Reeds and Reynolds made for a believable pair of close friends. Whereas Gleason and Reynolds commanded the screen with their performances, the supporting cast held the road nicely. Not to be overlooked is the V8 powered F-Body. I am on my third Chevrolet Camaro and I´m not sure that the decision to buy my ´99 Z/28 wasn´t rooted in my original enjoyment of this film as a child. It isn´t black and it isn´t the sister F-Body Firebird, but it is as close as you can get. I don´t know what I´d do without my big rear-wheel drive V8 powered muscle car. After owning them for sixteen years, it wouldn´t feel right. I´m pretty sure my first love of the F-Body family of cars came from watching this film.
I can watch this film without hesitation and I´ve seen it over a dozen times in my life. The car chases are spectacular and credit needs to go to veteran stunt man / writer and director Hal Needham for creating "Smokey and the Bandit" and making its exciting car chases as memorable as they are. Fused with Jerry Reed´s all-too-familiar song, the third and final chase sequence is one of the best car scenes in Hollywood history. It was the second highest grossing film of 1977 after a little space epic. This film still finds itself as an object of pop culture nearly thirty years later for good reason. There is Burt Reynolds and "Smokey and the Bandit" references in the currently popular "My Name is Earl," with the Trans Am making an appearance on the show. This is one of those movies that strikes a chord and combines a fun story with a lot of worthwhile on screen moments. Reynolds and Gleason were great in this one and I´m still quite happy to have an updated copy of the film on HD-DVD. And yes, I have driven with the T-Tops off and "East Bound and Down" blaring through the car speakers on at least one occasion.
Some might consider my great enthusiasm upon the arrival of "Smokey and the Bandit" on HD-DVD as a pure sign of insanity. The sudden desire to throw on a light colored cowboy hat, my red button down shirt and take off in my T-Top equipped F-body with "East Bound and Down" forever looping could be further evidence that I´ve lost what marbles I still retain. The possibility does exist that I am not insane and that my deep seated love of Hal Needham´s 1977 Burt Reynolds film is built from genuine affection for the film and it is purely normal for somebody to enjoy a little action film where one of the main stars was a black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Maybe I am a little touched, or maybe this film that I´ve known for nearly all my life is one of those odd pictures that I can watch time and time again and always enjoy it. Whether it is the sight of Burt Reynolds behind the wheel of the iconic American muscle car or the vocals of Jerry Reed´s memorable theme song, I never turn down a reason to watch this thirty year old movie.
Burt Reynolds is Bo Danville; the Bandit. He is a man known for his legendary skill in truck driving and never backing down from a challenge. One day he is approached by Big Enos Burdette (Pat McCormick) and his son Little Enos (Paul Williams) and asked to illegally deliver Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta at a time when it was not allowable to transport Coors outside of its geographical limits. The catch is that the Bandit is asked to do so in only twenty eight hours. He aggress to do so, but only if they provide him with a fast car, the infamous 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and the aid of a friend and partner, Cledus Snow (Jerry Reed). With the Snowman and his Basset hound Fred behind the wheel of the hulking truck carrying the beer and the Bandit driving interference against the police in the Firebird, their chances of meeting the Burdette´s challenge is cutting it close, but also very risky.
The law is not the only obstacle that the Bandit and the Snowman run into during their high speed trek across the Southern United States. Along the way, the Bandit picks up a runaway bride named Carrie (Sally Field) that is running away from her fiancé Junior (Mike Henry). To make matters worse, the Bandit catches the ire of a local sheriff, Junior´s father Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). Sheriff Justice doesn´t stop his torrid and hot pursuit of the Bandit after county lines are crossed. Capturing the infamous driver becomes quite personal and the chase lasts all the way to Atlanta with Buford vowing the capture that sum-bitch, the Bandit. The Bandit and the Snowman are a potent team in their own right, but also on the Bandit´s side are legions of truck drivers who are familiar with his legend and his exploits and they are always willing to aid their hero out of a bind with the Sheriff and his beat up car narrowly missing capture of the wily Bandit.
"Smokey and the Bandit" is an action film and it is a comedy. It is a road film with a tremendous amount of entertainment value. Jackie Gleason is a timeless comedian and his attachment to the "Smokey and the Bandit" franchise of films was a testament to his ability at sidesplitting physical comedy. Burt Reynolds was one of Hollywood´s biggest names during the late Seventies and his role as the "Bandit" became his trademark performance. The romantic elements between Fields and Reynolds work nicely and Reeds and Reynolds made for a believable pair of close friends. Whereas Gleason and Reynolds commanded the screen with their performances, the supporting cast held the road nicely. Not to be overlooked is the V8 powered F-Body. I am on my third Chevrolet Camaro and I´m not sure that the decision to buy my ´99 Z/28 wasn´t rooted in my original enjoyment of this film as a child. It isn´t black and it isn´t the sister F-Body Firebird, but it is as close as you can get. I don´t know what I´d do without my big rear-wheel drive V8 powered muscle car. After owning them for sixteen years, it wouldn´t feel right. I´m pretty sure my first love of the F-Body family of cars came from watching this film.
I can watch this film without hesitation and I´ve seen it over a dozen times in my life. The car chases are spectacular and credit needs to go to veteran stunt man / writer and director Hal Needham for creating "Smokey and the Bandit" and making its exciting car chases as memorable as they are. Fused with Jerry Reed´s all-too-familiar song, the third and final chase sequence is one of the best car scenes in Hollywood history. It was the second highest grossing film of 1977 after a little space epic. This film still finds itself as an object of pop culture nearly thirty years later for good reason. There is Burt Reynolds and "Smokey and the Bandit" references in the currently popular "My Name is Earl," with the Trans Am making an appearance on the show. This is one of those movies that strikes a chord and combines a fun story with a lot of worthwhile on screen moments. Reynolds and Gleason were great in this one and I´m still quite happy to have an updated copy of the film on HD-DVD. And yes, I have driven with the T-Tops off and "East Bound and Down" blaring through the car speakers on at least one occasion.
Burt Reynolds is Bo Danville; the Bandit. He is a man known for his legendary skill in truck driving and never backing down from a challenge. One day he is approached by Big Enos Burdette (Pat McCormick) and his son Little Enos (Paul Williams) and asked to illegally deliver Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta at a time when it was not allowable to transport Coors outside of its geographical limits. The catch is that the Bandit is asked to do so in only twenty eight hours. He aggress to do so, but only if they provide him with a fast car, the infamous 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and the aid of a friend and partner, Cledus Snow (Jerry Reed). With the Snowman and his Basset hound Fred behind the wheel of the hulking truck carrying the beer and the Bandit driving interference against the police in the Firebird, their chances of meeting the Burdette´s challenge is cutting it close, but also very risky.
The law is not the only obstacle that the Bandit and the Snowman run into during their high speed trek across the Southern United States. Along the way, the Bandit picks up a runaway bride named Carrie (Sally Field) that is running away from her fiancé Junior (Mike Henry). To make matters worse, the Bandit catches the ire of a local sheriff, Junior´s father Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). Sheriff Justice doesn´t stop his torrid and hot pursuit of the Bandit after county lines are crossed. Capturing the infamous driver becomes quite personal and the chase lasts all the way to Atlanta with Buford vowing the capture that sum-bitch, the Bandit. The Bandit and the Snowman are a potent team in their own right, but also on the Bandit´s side are legions of truck drivers who are familiar with his legend and his exploits and they are always willing to aid their hero out of a bind with the Sheriff and his beat up car narrowly missing capture of the wily Bandit.
"Smokey and the Bandit" is an action film and it is a comedy. It is a road film with a tremendous amount of entertainment value. Jackie Gleason is a timeless comedian and his attachment to the "Smokey and the Bandit" franchise of films was a testament to his ability at sidesplitting physical comedy. Burt Reynolds was one of Hollywood´s biggest names during the late Seventies and his role as the "Bandit" became his trademark performance. The romantic elements between Fields and Reynolds work nicely and Reeds and Reynolds made for a believable pair of close friends. Whereas Gleason and Reynolds commanded the screen with their performances, the supporting cast held the road nicely. Not to be overlooked is the V8 powered F-Body. I am on my third Chevrolet Camaro and I´m not sure that the decision to buy my ´99 Z/28 wasn´t rooted in my original enjoyment of this film as a child. It isn´t black and it isn´t the sister F-Body Firebird, but it is as close as you can get. I don´t know what I´d do without my big rear-wheel drive V8 powered muscle car. After owning them for sixteen years, it wouldn´t feel right. I´m pretty sure my first love of the F-Body family of cars came from watching this film.
I can watch this film without hesitation and I´ve seen it over a dozen times in my life. The car chases are spectacular and credit needs to go to veteran stunt man / writer and director Hal Needham for creating "Smokey and the Bandit" and making its exciting car chases as memorable as they are. Fused with Jerry Reed´s all-too-familiar song, the third and final chase sequence is one of the best car scenes in Hollywood history. It was the second highest grossing film of 1977 after a little space epic. This film still finds itself as an object of pop culture nearly thirty years later for good reason. There is Burt Reynolds and "Smokey and the Bandit" references in the currently popular "My Name is Earl," with the Trans Am making an appearance on the show. This is one of those movies that strikes a chord and combines a fun story with a lot of worthwhile on screen moments. Reynolds and Gleason were great in this one and I´m still quite happy to have an updated copy of the film on HD-DVD. And yes, I have driven with the T-Tops off and "East Bound and Down" blaring through the car speakers on at least one occasion.
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