Gone in 60 Seconds - the original

Three friends get together to watch this original 1974 movie - three opinions.  Now which is right?

Racerchick Cajo: When my brother Paul showed up at my house with some videos to loan me, I was initially pleased. Between "Fight Club" and my returned "Survivor" tapes, however, I found "Gone In 60 Seconds".

"Excuse me, you must have me confused with someone who gives a crap about Nicolas Cage", I sniffed. Paul patiently pointed out that what he offered up was the 25th anniversary edition of the 1974 original, not the inexplicable remake. "There's a 40 minute car chase that crashed over 90 cars", Paul intoned with reverence.

Okay, now even I had to perk up at stats like those, so I called Nika and told her that we had to watch this piece of art together. At her place, 'cause she's got the big TV.

Fast-forward to the three of us on Saturday night (Paul joined the chicks for the heck of it), and once they were finished mocking my lack of car savvy we settled into the flick.

If I didn't have contempt for the remake before, just 10 minutes of the original made me wonder who on earth thought this movie could be duplicated, let alone improved. H.B. Halicki's labour of love does not sport a brilliant script, high-tech special effects, or actors for that matter.

What is does have is dozens of talents drivers and a plot that makes sense: Maindrian Pace has to steal a lot of cars in a short period of time. The dialogue is mercifully minimal and the cars plentiful What more needs to be said?

Just this: get thee to a Blockbuster, posthaste.

Racerdude Paul:  I first heard of the original Gone in 60 Seconds from a friend of mine a couple of years ago. But he didn't sell it very well and I couldn't see myself enjoying a movie with a tow truck chase in it. When we heard of the remake we knew we had to see the original first. It took two days of phone calls and driving to several video stores to finally find the prize. Five of us gathered in front of the home theatre to behold what is surely one of the best car chases of all time. We all gave it two greasy thumbs up. How could we not like a movie with over 40 minutes of controlled (and uncontrolled) over steer and four-wheel drifts?

About a year ago I picked up the re-mastered 25th anniversary version with bonus scenes and recently watched it again with Nika and my sister Cajo. My sister may not know a tiger from a lion, but she knows good action and was thoroughly impressed. Our host, the gracious Nika, also seemed pleased with the action and a look back at Lyle Wagner.

The movie was a privately funded venture with the front man, H. B. (Toby) Halicki, getting all his friends in the act. It's pretty amusing because none of them could act. But this movie floats on the skill of the stunt drivers and the brutal, blatant and beautiful automotive destruction in the main chase. I'm not going to spend time bashing the remake (not too much anyway) but the original is far more basic and believable. No wood-loving arch villains, massive explosions or rival car theft gangs in this one. The characters were car thieves and the writer didn't make them out to be anything else.

This movie is one of the best kept secrets in the car-lovers archives. It easily ranks up there with Vanishing Point, Two Lane Black Top and Bullitt. The rental of this movie is well worth it just to see the funky 70's style. Enjoy!

RacerNika: Okay - I cheated - I went out and bought the DVD to watch again; this time without the wine, chatter and "hot yet too young" brother of Cajo, to distract me. Funny - but the movie was still the same. 

Once you put aside the bad suits and sideburns, and go beyond the BAD acting you have a movie that can't help but make you a part of the fun those car-loving actors...er.... I mean racers are having.  Unlike Nicolas Cage's  new remake the action is real and the mistakes are noticeable...well, maybe not to Cajo, but that's okay.  The famous Eleanor suffers wear and tear in this version - no Hollywood face lifts for that car. 

Now Eleanor is the real star of this film - the 1973 Mach 1 Ford Mustang with a Stock Ford 351 cubic inch Windsor Four-barrel carburetor, Cruisamatic  transmission H-D-7 in wheels Goodyear rally GT tries 24-volt electrical  system Fire extinguisher and first-aid kit Electrical kill switches Individual  locking rear brakes Fish plating of the undercarriage 3" x 3/8" steel  Removable bullet plating..........and a good body shop after the movie.

While of course the eye candy of the Ferrari 550, Lamborghini Diablos and high end SUV's were not around during this time - the car chases and action shots ooze realism - and darn no true car fan has never wished to be able to drive like a banshee at one time of their lives. The best part - the128-foot jump, over 30 feet in the air, with  Eleanor  surviving and able to drive away but sources say Halicki  received a compressed spine upon impact.

Now if you are not a true car nut I say this movie is better spent surrounded by friends, imbibing some spirits, munching on snacks and having a great laugh - just like everyone was having in the Polish Wedding scene! But if you are a car nut - think of this movie as prozac.

Now  any OLDER brothers Cajo???  Hmmmm?   <wink>