I remember HBO and Cinemax playing "The Cannonball Run" so much, it was almost like "A Christmas Story" marathon. Even after all these years, I can still recite practically all the lines.
The spirit of the Cannonball still lives on. In 1984, after prodding from former Cannonballers, Brock Yates began One Lap of America, which has morphed into a 8 day rally where the only racing is on one of the 7 to 8 racetracks you visit during the event. The 40th One Lap of America was just run the first week of May. Competitors have likened One Lap as to a full season of motor racing in one week. The rules are simple. One car, one set of tires, no support vehicles. Competitors range from your next door neighbor to professional drivers such as Le Mans champion Hurley Haywood to the Late Ken Block and Nitro Circus leader Travis Pastrana.
Great review of the genre Barkey. Loved the large ensemble star studded casts in these movies when I was a kid. Later I got older and jaded and saw a bunch of washed up stars getting a last big pay cheque. Still fun to watch at the time.
Yeah, I know. Love seeing all of these stars, but some were definitely fading away. Reminds me of "The Love Boat" in a way, when actors like Joseph Cotten would turn up on it.
Fun Fact: even though Jackie Chan hated being in the Cannonball Run movies (mainly because he was typecast as Japanese) he did like the fact that Burt Reynolds always ran blooper reels during the closing credits. That’s why Jackie Chan films also run blooper reels during the closing credits in his films.
Cannonball Run was originally going to be a serious film starring, Steve McQueen. But he passed away and it evolved into a comedy starring Burt Reynolds.
Great review dude! Yeah, I must agree that Gumball Rally is the best of the bunch. It was a definite product of the 70's Car Film genre (Gone in 60 seconds is the ultimate poster child for that). I quote this movie often -- especially Raul Julia's quip "First Rule of Italian Driving..(rips off rearview mirror)- what is behind me, is unimportant." Or J Pat Omally quipping that after his wife told him to get rid of his car for so many years, the car outlasted her! I consider the rivalry between the main character and the cop chasing him as a template copied by Smoky and the Bandit. And again it just tickles me that the director of THIS movie was a Stunt Man too - just not as famous as Hal Neeham became. But Chuck Bail did play the stunt director in my favorite film The Stunt Man. Also this is the first film I can recall where the racing action jumped down into the Los Angeles river system--(See Terminator 2). Thanks for doing this-- definitely worth the price of a blu ray. (Everybody listening? Check Barkey's Wish List! If you send him a film you may see it get reviewed! Or maybe you'll just give him a good time the way he gives US one every time he makes a video! A win either way! )
Considering how famous Cannonball Run is, I was disappointed how disjointed it was. Roger Moore spoofing himself was my favorite part (or was he playing it straight? He was hard to figure out.) So, Gumball Rally is the better movie. You floored me with your choice for the greatest movie of all time. Can we get a review?
