Some of Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Were Cars A merican muscle has been a fixture in popular culture for decades. From appearances on television and the silver screen to songs written specifically to glorify the raw, unadulterated power of the 409, for example, the muscle car became part of life for America in the 1960s and early 1970s. Movies such as “Bullitt” with Steve McQueen to the slapstick humor that showcased some of America’s hottest rides in “Hollywood Knights” have showcased raw American power and symbolized a time when American exceptionalism was at its height, and the nation was booming with jobs and ingenuity. Muscle cars allowed America to flex; these weren’t the sleek, futuristic European sports machines, or even the sports car design found in the Chevrolet Corvette. Muscle cars defined a generation that was caught between the change of the 1960s and the continuation of what until then had been traditional American values. Americans liked their cars big, they liked their cars fast, and they liked their cars loud. Hollywood took note and utilized the silver screen to showcase just how the muscle car had influenced culture.
According to the editors at In Good Taste, along with some of our own picks, here are five movies that popularized the American muscle cars on the big screen: “Bullitt,” 1968 – Senator Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) is aiming to take down mob boss Pete Ross (Vic Tayback) with the help of testimony from the criminal’s hothead brother Johnny (Pat Renella), who is in protective custody in San Francisco under the watch of police lieutenant Frank Bullitt (Steve McQueen). When a pair of mob hitmen enter the scene, Bullitt follows their trail through a maze of complications and double-crosses. This thriller includes one of the most famous car chases ever filmed. Frank Bullitt’s (Steve McQueen’s) car is a 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback. The bad guys drive a 1968 Dodge
Luke Duke, as they drove the “General Lee” – a 1969 Dodge Charger – in their fight against corruption in the fictional Hazzard County. Each episode contained at least one ravine jump, multiple burnouts and showcased a car that had the doors welded shut – hence, the Duke boys Charger 440 Magnum. “Smokey & The Bandit,” always had to vault into The Charger is just barely 1978 – This is one that the seats. faster than the Mustang, “Hollywood Knights,” should be on everybody’s with a 13.6-second quar1980 – This movie is delist. While Burt Reynolds’ ter-mile compared to the batable for such a list, but Pontiac Trans Am was Mustang’s 13.8-second. the fact remains that some a 1977 model, not the “John Wick,” 2014 – This oh-so-powerful 1973 mod- of the most iconic vehicles movie and its two sequels el, it still returned America, were showcased in this starring Keanu Reeves fea- at least for a short time, slapstick comedy. tures two of the baddest The cars featured in to an era where obnoxmuscle cars of all-time – a iously loud cars ruled and this film would make any 1969 Ford Mustang Mach authority (in this case, high-end collector drool: 1 and a 1970 Chevrolet a 1966 Shelby Cobra; a Sheriff Buford T. Justice, Chevelle SS. For much of 1961 Ford Galaxie Starlinplayed wonderfully by the younger generation, Jackie Gleason) was to be er; a 1957 Chevrolet 210; this marked their first a 1965 Chevrolet El Camisnubbed. exposure to muscle cars, “The Dukes of Hazzard,” no; 1965 Pontiac Le Mans; how they handled, their 1923 Ford Model T; 1940 1979-1985 – Who could speed and overall raw Ford coupe; and a 1953 ever forget these two power. Ford F-100. good ol’ boys, Bo and
6 - Supplement to THE INTELLIGENCER and NEWS-REGISTER - Wheeling, W.Va. - Thursday, May 21, 2020
