This is one of my favorite movies. Love it. Watched it many times never tire of it. Haved turned many people to watching it and they have all enjoyed it. The way it is shot is incredible and the truck is a character itself ❤
A couple of quick FYI's ( i can say this because i use to own The Surviving Truck from this movie ).. The Hero Truck in this movie was a 1957 Peterbilt 281.. The back up truck .. Was a 1960 Peterbilt.. ( also a 281 ).. The Third truck .. Which was used in the extended parts of the movie was a 64 ( or later ) 351.. Other than it was shot in " 13 " days..... You really got it right... Nice overview...
one of the top 5 old fashion car chase movies with NO CGI just brute force and real stuntmen just Raw gasoline and diesel fuel FUMES driving the Peterhood 351 was not an easy task BTW they were 3 Peterbilt AKA Peter Hood truck used in the movie and one did survive in the movie and a private collector owns the truck
Though a few trivial bits and pieces are dated, the movie as a whole still stands up well. Also, the old couple in the car are the also the same actors from Close Encounters.
To answer the question in the thumbnail. It's iconic because it's a great looking truck. Those old Petes were beautiful. And they uglied it up to make it as scary as possible. The nasty old tanker that it's pulling adds a lot. Great production, perfect setting, unending suspense. The worst part about it was the casting and the car. How about Barbara Eden driving VW bug?
because we decent ppl have to face this fear every single day on the roadways....from the dangerous,demented, deranged, violent and feral savages who drive those road thug wagons.....pickup (road murderer) trucks.....may they all burn in hell.....