There is something rather captivating about seeing a vintage car on the big screen. The nostalgia a classic Mustang creates is enough to make any car lover instantly jealous. Here are some of the most well-known classics that have graced the movies; often teasing the viewer with their horses.
Gone in 60 Seconds
The beloved 1967 Shelby Mustang in the 2000 version of ‘Gone in 60 Seconds’ was one of those cars that completely mesmerized the viewer. In the movie, Memphis (played by Nicholas Cage) softly touches the car, in a certain way of admiration, much like anyone would do in real life. That scene and those that follow were taken straight from a Mustang Lover’s dream. This beauty will actually be up for auction this month.
Some prefer the raw, unscripted but more realistic feel of the original 1974 version of Gone In 60 Seconds, featuring a 1973 Mach 1. It’s almost one endless chase scene (got an hour to spare?). Of course, it’s a bit hard watching so many curbside classics give up their lives as a consequence.
War of the Worlds
It’s kind of odd to envy such an awesome car when it’s in a movie that has nothing to do with cars. Ray Ferrier (played by Tom Cruise) drives a 1966 Shelby Mustang GT- 350H that is just gorgeous. It’s the kind of car that a man like Ray would cherish when he lives a life like his character.
Charlie’s Angels
Jill (played by the late Farrah Fawcett) drove a badass 1976 Mustang Cobra II– white with blue stripes- that surprisingly distracted the audience away from her. This car made the car chases all the more intense, and Jill all the more attractive.
Diamonds are Forever
James Bond (played by Sean Connery) is inherently supposed to have an awesome ride, but the 1971 Mach I is just crazy good. Speeding through the desert and Las Vegas in this classic action flick truly highlighted this car’s capabilities, like driving on two wheels. Nothing was as fast or smooth as the Mach I.
Goldfinger
The 1964 Mustang featured in Goldfinger was a condition from Ford. The motor company happily supplied the Lincoln Continental, which was crushed, as long as the newest model of the Mustang had a spot in the movie, too. Regardless of the reasoning, the Stang is still a beauty in the mountain scene.
Whatever the movie, one thing should be noted about all Mustangs: they are pushed to the limits. Driven faster, harder and more recklessly than anyone would dare do in real life, the Mustangs used in Hollywood shine, in style and performance.
No need to worry if you’ve never seen any of these movies, as they are regularly on TV networks, like those available at getdirecttv.org, and even on some On Demand channels. Check out your channel guide to find out when you can next see these beauties on the tube.
What, no Bullitt?
Hands down the best GO60S was the original, especially with the original soundtrack. 1 car for the entire chase scene, no CGI jumps, no close ups and most importantly? No cliche love story/arch nemesis storyline! I could do without the riced out mods done to the GT500 (and it’s MANY clones) from the new as well.
Yeah we all laughed at gone in 60 secs the first time and the fast driving was even more obviously faked in the second version only in holly wood would you pick cars less likely to be thought fast if you speed the film up its like drifting it looks good unless your a driver then you see the fakery, dont believe me watch as the Rustang passes the semitrailer at high speed in the breakdown lane then watch to the left and see the worlds fastest Volkswagen Beetle, blow its doors off. A Ford LTD must be nearly the slowest way of getting about since the unicycle especially in town with all those corners the MK1 Cortina they all missed at the traffic light wouldve been faster,All those old dungers getting wiped out have made the survivors worth having and reading about and talking about,
. I pulled up outside a cafe with tables on the footpath recently and heard “OMG thats a hillman Minx, i was googling those this morning” as I wandered off to photograph a Tom Joad Hudson truck parked nearby. Id stop to shoot an old LTD but youd never get me in one.
It’s odd, I haven’t seen any of these movies, though I certainly watched the original Charlie’s Angels TV show but had no recollection of the Mustang (ahh, Mustang II, that’s why). If you asked me about Mustangs in movies, my first responses would be “Bullitt”, then “A Man and a Woman”.
Dude,
You are so right! Bullitt is the ultimate Mustang (or any other) chase scene movie, and “A Man and a Woman” is a great film with a French touch. I lent my DVD to a friend who now claims that I never lent it to him. No biggie, right? Check Amazon for replacement cost.
The interesting thing is that from what I recall, the Mustang had not been officially shown yet when Goldfinger debuted in theaters, so it was some early advertising before the car came out, the Lincoln was an engineless car, it was crushed in Miami at Atlantic Scrap and Salvage, believe it or not, in fact the whole scene were Felix Leiter follows Bonds “homer” in his white Thunderbird, was also shot in Miami, the film crew says you could have heard a pin drop when they crushed that Lincoln, everyone just watched it in stunned silence.
Nope, Goldfinger’s first premiere (in the UK) wasn’t until September 17, 1964…five months after the Mustang’s debut. The USA premier of Goldfinger was even later…December 22, 1964.
It doesn’t have a Mustang in it, but if you’ve never seen ‘Duel’, do. Plenty of CCs and the car chase ‘scene’ is literally the entire film. It’s pretty high quality too, Spielberg directed it in his early days as a direct-to-TV special.
Best Mustang scene ever: Thunderball, the Bahamas, Bond’s 100+MPH ride:
“You look pale, Mr Bond, I hope I didn’t frighten you.”
“Well you see, I’ve always been a very nervous passenger.”
“Some men just don’t like being driven.”
“No, Some men just don’t like being taken for a ride.”
I remember that scene, with the speedometer just pegging 100 on the stripe speedo.
“Do you fly here often?”-Bond
Most of early Bond movies are Ford-tastic, with Fords filling many automotive roles, Thunderball also has Bond driving a convertible Continental sedan, the Mustangs 2nd cousin, the Cougar, has a pretty big role in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
OHMSS…. Mmmmmmmmmm,i wish i could be the front seat of that Cougar.
Here another Mustang chase, from the French movie “Le Marginal” where Jean-Paul Belmondo drive a 1967 Mustang in the streets of Paris as a tribute to “Bullitt”.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdmov0_belmondo-course-poursuite-le-margin_shortfilms
That’s a great find. A much more recent Bullitt chase remake was in the 2012 season finale of Alcatraz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmdZkXWe1bQ
A 2013 Mustang GT and Charger are used, and the chick behind the wheel of the Mustang (Sarah Jones) is hot, like a female Steve McQueen, including wearing his iconic turtleneck sweater.
It even had the green Beetle appear twice! Wonder what the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s buff book editors would say, after lamenting that MPG regs, safety regs, etc meant we’d never see those cars’ like again.
Hey those buff book editors were right!
…about the Beetle
Whether in a Mustang or a Fiat 124, “That Man Belmondo” was quite the wheelman, n’est-ce pas? From The Burglars (1971), here’s the funnest car chase you’ve never seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad7fFZCZarg
From what my Greek friends tell me, the main difference between this sequence and actually driving in downtown Athens, is that in real life Athenian motorists honk their horns more than they do in this movie. Other than that, I’m told, the film’s pretty much a documentary.
It doesn’t bother me to see the cars get smashed up in a film made in their time, well maybe a little but can we please get Hollywood to stop smashing up a classic in every car chase film these days?
What about “A Man and a Woman”, 1966 directed by Lelouch, great soundtrack and a Mustang running at the Monte Carlo Rally and racing along French roads in the rain. A beautiful movie and great Mustang footage.
You forgot the orange 77 cobra in star an lol