James Bond, Steve McQueen, and the Action Thriller
While Japanese cars were successful in penetrating the American market, they were far less successful in becoming a part of contemporary American culture. In film, high horsepower and elegant body lines, not unlike the actresses in the cast, were featured. The 1960s introduced a completely new film genre, the action thriller.48 These were mostly big-budget films that starred some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Sean Connery. These films employed a fast-paced sequence of action scenes, impossible stunts, and fiery explosions. It was also during this period that the automobile moved to center stage as a major part of film and the film industry. Cars, often unusual and expensive, became a requirement for any action film, as it was necessary for a “real” action film to contain at least one major chase scene that culminated in a major crash or explosion. The true pioneers of this sort of film were Harry Saltzman and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, the creators of the James Bond film series.
The James Bond films set the stage for all the films of the action genre that would follow. Bond is perhaps the most enduring character in the history of the screen, with a resumé spanning forty years and nineteen films. No less than five actors have assumed the role of the secret agent. James Bond films are famous for their exotic locations, beautiful and often-willing women, and stunning scenes. Over the forty-year film career of Bond, his films have contained some of the most memorable car chases and stunts that have ever been brought to the screen, as well as some unforgettable “modified” cars that have almost become icons of car culture. The impact of the James Bond series on the industry is unquestionable.
Perhaps the most memorable of all Bond films was the third installment in the series, Goldfinger. In the film, Bond (Sean Connery) is equipped with an Aston-Martin DB5 with modifications that included revolving license plates, a bulletproof front and rear windscreen, a homing device on the dashboard, left and right front fender machine guns, two battering rams, and a device under that tail lights that sprayed oil, nails and a smokescreen. A passenger ejector seat was the most unforgettable of the DB5’s accessories, and a feature that actually worked. As the plot unfolds, Bond trails Goldfinger to Switzerland, where he uses nearly all of these gadgets while trying to escape Goldfinger's henchmen. The silver Aston-Martin again made a brief appearance in the next Bond film, Thunderball, and Pierce Brosnan can be seen driving it briefly thirty years later in GoldenEye. This car is certainly the most memorable of any Bond car, and perhaps the most memorable car in any film.
Though among Bond fans Goldfinger is most revered, many of the other films in the series provided memorable chase scenes, stunts, and unforgettable cars. Featured cars included a Lotus Esprit that turned into a submarine after Bond (Roger Moore) dives into the sea to avoid an attacking helicopter in The Spy Who Loved Me, and a BMW 750iL that Bond (Pierce Brosnan) drives via a remote control (Tomorrow Never Dies). These cars were occasionally overshadowed by death-defying automobile stunts. One such stunt was performed by Bumps Willard in The Man with the Golden Gun, and has since become one of the most celebrated scenes in film history. While Bond (Moore) is chasing Scaramanga (Christopher Lee), the film's antagonist, from the opposite side of a river, he spots a fallen bridge with only the two ends remaining intact. Bond then does the unthinkable by jumping the river across the fallen bridge, while doing a 360-degree spiral jump in midair. Willard had previously performed this spectacular jump at a stunt show in the Houston Astrodome. It is the classic cars and stunts such as these that have made the James Bond series endure over the years.
Though Bond films are considered to be the true pioneers of the action film and chase scene, the film that truly set the stage for all future Hollywood chase sequences was the much celebrated scene from the film Bullitt. This chase featured all of the essential components that would become a necessity for all future chases: high speeds, fast turns, and of course, plenty of destruction. The cars involved in this classic were McQueen's 1967 Ford Mustang GT390 fastback (the Mustang was among the most popular of cars to be featured in films of this era, and this has probably contributed to the “icon” status that these original Mustangs carry) and a 1968 Dodge Charger 440. McQueen, playing the character of a San Francisco detective in a plot that is far from clear at times, senses that the Charger, carrying two bad guys, is following him. He quickly turns left while the Charger is caught in traffic, doubles back, and he closes in on the Charger from behind. Realizing this, the driver of the Charger tries to outrun Bullitt. What followed were two cars flying through the streets of San Francisco at speeds upwards of 110 mph, leaving hubcaps, wrecked cars, and an injured motorcyclist in their wake (the stuntman who drove the motorcycle in the scene was actually the same person who performed most of the driving of the Charger). The Mustang eventually caught the Charger, shotgun blasts follow, and finally McQueen rams the Charger off of the road, where it explodes spectacularly. McQueen, who had earlier received accolades for his motorcycle driving in The Great Escape, did his own driving in the chase, set the standard for all similar scenes that followed.
The cinematography in Bullitt was unique, since it was the first film to use a new Arriflex camera design exclusively during production.49 Specific camera placement resulted in unprecedented realism. A Chevrolet camera car, named the “Bullittmobile,” took close-up shots of the actors and stunt men at high speeds. Additionally, a camera mounted on the Mustang resulted in the perception of high speeds without having to break away to a speedometer shot. Cameras were also placed on the sides of the cars, as well on the street.
McQueen’s love affair with automobiles went back to his childhood.50 At age 13, along with a friend, he built a dragster using a Ford flathead V-8 and a Model A frame. Once he became established as a leading actor, his interest in automobiles turned to sports car racing, and between 1959 and 1970 he participated in at least twenty races in all classes and on all types of tracks, including Sebring. Invited by Sports Illustrated in 1966 to test eight exotic sports cars, McQueen said of himself that “I’m not sure whether I’m an actor who races or a racer who acts.”51 His car collection included a 1961 Austin Mini Cooper S, a 1963 Ferrari Lusso Berlina and a 512, a Jaguar D-Type XKSS, and three Porsches – a 356 Speedster, a 917, and a 908.
McQueen followed Bullitt with the Lemans in 1971, a remarkable film in its own right, but only popular with a small group of racing and Porsche devotees who appreciated the attention to detail that was taken in the film. Cast as Michael Delaney, an American driver who was severely injured in an accident at Lemans the year before, McQueen is drawn to Lisa Belgetti (played by Elga Andersen), widow of a Ferrari driver, who was killed in the same accident. Delaney’s chief racing rival is Erich Stahler (Siegfried Rauch), who is driving a Ferrari. With spectacular cinematography and a sensitive portrayal of the French countryside and fans, Lemans was undoubtedly the best film depiction of European racing of that era. For McQueen, it proved to be an obsession that never paid off, a docudrama that failed to resonate with American audiences since it had no dialogue during the first forty minutes of the film. In addition, character development was poor and the dialogue deadening. But for McQueen, it was the ultimate racing film that he always wanted to make.
John Frankenheimer’s Grand Prix (1966) was another European racing spectacular of this period, but was far more slow-moving than Lemans. What Frankenheimer contributed to the genre, however, was technical; his use of NASA-developed cameras and microwave systems, monster camera cars that were capable of 150 mph, and helicopters, were imitated in other films, and set a benchmark in terms of realism.52
While Japanese cars were successful in penetrating the American market, they were far less successful in becoming a part of contemporary American culture. In film, high horsepower and elegant body lines, not unlike the actresses in the cast, were featured. The 1960s introduced a completely new film genre, the action thriller.48 These were mostly big-budget films that starred some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Sean Connery. These films employed a fast-paced sequence of action scenes, impossible stunts, and fiery explosions. It was also during this period that the automobile moved to center stage as a major part of film and the film industry. Cars, often unusual and expensive, became a requirement for any action film, as it was necessary for a “real” action film to contain at least one major chase scene that culminated in a major crash or explosion. The true pioneers of this sort of film were Harry Saltzman and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli, the creators of the James Bond film series.
The James Bond films set the stage for all the films of the action genre that would follow. Bond is perhaps the most enduring character in the history of the screen, with a resumé spanning forty years and nineteen films. No less than five actors have assumed the role of the secret agent. James Bond films are famous for their exotic locations, beautiful and often-willing women, and stunning scenes. Over the forty-year film career of Bond, his films have contained some of the most memorable car chases and stunts that have ever been brought to the screen, as well as some unforgettable “modified” cars that have almost become icons of car culture. The impact of the James Bond series on the industry is unquestionable.
Perhaps the most memorable of all Bond films was the third installment in the series, Goldfinger. In the film, Bond (Sean Connery) is equipped with an Aston-Martin DB5 with modifications that included revolving license plates, a bulletproof front and rear windscreen, a homing device on the dashboard, left and right front fender machine guns, two battering rams, and a device under that tail lights that sprayed oil, nails and a smokescreen. A passenger ejector seat was the most unforgettable of the DB5’s accessories, and a feature that actually worked. As the plot unfolds, Bond trails Goldfinger to Switzerland, where he uses nearly all of these gadgets while trying to escape Goldfinger's henchmen. The silver Aston-Martin again made a brief appearance in the next Bond film, Thunderball, and Pierce Brosnan can be seen driving it briefly thirty years later in GoldenEye. This car is certainly the most memorable of any Bond car, and perhaps the most memorable car in any film.
Though among Bond fans Goldfinger is most revered, many of the other films in the series provided memorable chase scenes, stunts, and unforgettable cars. Featured cars included a Lotus Esprit that turned into a submarine after Bond (Roger Moore) dives into the sea to avoid an attacking helicopter in The Spy Who Loved Me, and a BMW 750iL that Bond (Pierce Brosnan) drives via a remote control (Tomorrow Never Dies). These cars were occasionally overshadowed by death-defying automobile stunts. One such stunt was performed by Bumps Willard in The Man with the Golden Gun, and has since become one of the most celebrated scenes in film history. While Bond (Moore) is chasing Scaramanga (Christopher Lee), the film's antagonist, from the opposite side of a river, he spots a fallen bridge with only the two ends remaining intact. Bond then does the unthinkable by jumping the river across the fallen bridge, while doing a 360-degree spiral jump in midair. Willard had previously performed this spectacular jump at a stunt show in the Houston Astrodome. It is the classic cars and stunts such as these that have made the James Bond series endure over the years.
Though Bond films are considered to be the true pioneers of the action film and chase scene, the film that truly set the stage for all future Hollywood chase sequences was the much celebrated scene from the film Bullitt. This chase featured all of the essential components that would become a necessity for all future chases: high speeds, fast turns, and of course, plenty of destruction. The cars involved in this classic were McQueen's 1967 Ford Mustang GT390 fastback (the Mustang was among the most popular of cars to be featured in films of this era, and this has probably contributed to the “icon” status that these original Mustangs carry) and a 1968 Dodge Charger 440. McQueen, playing the character of a San Francisco detective in a plot that is far from clear at times, senses that the Charger, carrying two bad guys, is following him. He quickly turns left while the Charger is caught in traffic, doubles back, and he closes in on the Charger from behind. Realizing this, the driver of the Charger tries to outrun Bullitt. What followed were two cars flying through the streets of San Francisco at speeds upwards of 110 mph, leaving hubcaps, wrecked cars, and an injured motorcyclist in their wake (the stuntman who drove the motorcycle in the scene was actually the same person who performed most of the driving of the Charger). The Mustang eventually caught the Charger, shotgun blasts follow, and finally McQueen rams the Charger off of the road, where it explodes spectacularly. McQueen, who had earlier received accolades for his motorcycle driving in The Great Escape, did his own driving in the chase, set the standard for all similar scenes that followed.
The cinematography in Bullitt was unique, since it was the first film to use a new Arriflex camera design exclusively during production.49 Specific camera placement resulted in unprecedented realism. A Chevrolet camera car, named the “Bullittmobile,” took close-up shots of the actors and stunt men at high speeds. Additionally, a camera mounted on the Mustang resulted in the perception of high speeds without having to break away to a speedometer shot. Cameras were also placed on the sides of the cars, as well on the street.
McQueen’s love affair with automobiles went back to his childhood.50 At age 13, along with a friend, he built a dragster using a Ford flathead V-8 and a Model A frame. Once he became established as a leading actor, his interest in automobiles turned to sports car racing, and between 1959 and 1970 he participated in at least twenty races in all classes and on all types of tracks, including Sebring. Invited by Sports Illustrated in 1966 to test eight exotic sports cars, McQueen said of himself that “I’m not sure whether I’m an actor who races or a racer who acts.”51 His car collection included a 1961 Austin Mini Cooper S, a 1963 Ferrari Lusso Berlina and a 512, a Jaguar D-Type XKSS, and three Porsches – a 356 Speedster, a 917, and a 908.
McQueen followed Bullitt with the Lemans in 1971, a remarkable film in its own right, but only popular with a small group of racing and Porsche devotees who appreciated the attention to detail that was taken in the film. Cast as Michael Delaney, an American driver who was severely injured in an accident at Lemans the year before, McQueen is drawn to Lisa Belgetti (played by Elga Andersen), widow of a Ferrari driver, who was killed in the same accident. Delaney’s chief racing rival is Erich Stahler (Siegfried Rauch), who is driving a Ferrari. With spectacular cinematography and a sensitive portrayal of the French countryside and fans, Lemans was undoubtedly the best film depiction of European racing of that era. For McQueen, it proved to be an obsession that never paid off, a docudrama that failed to resonate with American audiences since it had no dialogue during the first forty minutes of the film. In addition, character development was poor and the dialogue deadening. But for McQueen, it was the ultimate racing film that he always wanted to make.
John Frankenheimer’s Grand Prix (1966) was another European racing spectacular of this period, but was far more slow-moving than Lemans. What Frankenheimer contributed to the genre, however, was technical; his use of NASA-developed cameras and microwave systems, monster camera cars that were capable of 150 mph, and helicopters, were imitated in other films, and set a benchmark in terms of realism.52
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