Thursday, March 19, 2009

Muscle Cars in Movies

It happened again. We're watching "Race to Witch Mountain," and low and behold ... a 1968 Mustang Fastback, just like Steve McQueen drove in the famous car chase classic, "Bullitt." Early in the movie we get a little teaser, by way of a "Bullitt" poster on the hero's motel room wall. It's his dream to one day own one. He even carries a key fob with the running horse on it as a reminder. It's no surprise that at the end of the movie, he gets his wish - driving away in a dark green, 1968 Ford Mustang GT. I think it may have even had all the emblems removed, just like Frank Bullitt's did!


That got me thinking about just how often we've seen muscle cars in movies. Mustangs are popular, maybe because they're billed as "America's favorite pony car," or maybe it's just because they are so recogizable and there are still lots of them around. Most recently, I can think of "Knightrider" (the TV series), "I Am Legend" and "Death Race." I found this site which lists a number of movies both old and new, you may want to check it out: Mustangs in Movies

But it doesn't stop at Mustangs. Mopars show up all over the place as well. In "Death Race," for example, as well as a large assortment of titles over the years. The General Lee from "The Dukes of Hazzard," the 1968 Charger from "Bullitt" and Kowalski's 1970 Dodge Challenger in "Vanishing Point" being three of the most famous, and the list goes on. Here's a link to a list of a few of them: Mopars in Movies, but I'm sure there are lots more.


I haven't found a website about Chevys yet, but Corvettes, Camaros and Trans Ams are always making cameo appearances if not in lead roles. One of my favorites is Burt Reynold's Trans Am in "Smokey and the Bandit." I'll keep you posted.

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