Official "Sugarland Express" Movie thread

[Wailer]

This thread is FTW! Love these still shots.

Now we just need one for Smokey and the Bandit and Blues Brothers.

The first Smokey and the Bandit movie has mostly CJ184s and Twin Sonics, although they do look neat in blue.

 

[cutiger]

That was a damn good movie.

 

[JohnMarcson]

The cannonball movies, including the "Speed Zone" have some good lights too.

 

[kitn1mcc]

what about ace ventura all the visibars

 

[SurfCityCar2]

The first Smokey and the Bandit movie has mostly CJ184s and Twin Sonics, although they do look neat in blue.

Sheriff Justice's car had the visibar with twin model 14 beacons. Still a kick ass movie though. Towards the end when the patrol cars begin to arrive at the center of the race track, you can see a CJ184 that seems to have mechanical problem as the rotator assembly pauses in the same spot each time.

 

[LRGJr72]

Towards the end when the patrol cars begin to arrive at the center of the race track, you can see a CJ184 that seems to have mechanical problem as the rotator assembly pauses in the same spot each time.

I noticed that even as a little kid. I think that same car/light is the one that does a screaching u-turn behind the Snowman's rig just before they arrive at the fairgrounds.

 

[I 26]

Just finished watching this movie again. What a visual treat. Favorite scene has to be either the two Louisiana troopers driving down the highway side-by-side or Capt Tanner smashing the lollipops off the roof of the wacker wagon with a shotgun.

 

[03crownvic]

I cringe when I see Hollywood movie errors referring to actual places. Those aren't Louisiana troopers in the green cars, they are supposed to be from the small (fake) town of Sabine River, LA. The advertising sign on the wall in their shop is also incorrect, as it refers to the ficticious agency of the Louisiana Highway Patrol. which is officially known as the Louisiana State Police.

 

[Wailer]

I cringe when I see Hollywood movie errors referring to actual places. Those aren't Louisiana troopers in the green cars, they are supposed to be from the small (fake) town of Sabine River, LA.

This also begs the question: were there any PDs in the US that used Mars Aurora Borealis light bars? If there were, I'd like to see some pictures.

 

[SurfCityCar2]

I noticed that even as a little kid. I think that same car/light is the one that does a screaching u-turn behind the Snowman's rig just before they arrive at the fairgrounds.

It possibly was. I will have to watch it later tonight or sometime tomorrow. S&B came out the year I was born, and I remember seeing it for the first time when I was like 5 or 6, or something like that.

 

[David]

Through the 70's and much of the 80's I remember only seeing DPS with visibars; red on the left, chrome CP speaker, blue on the right. A simple and elegant setup.

 

[fireball3]

I just finished watching this film, it is a delight for the eyes!


I think I've never seen so many lights and police cars in a movie, except at the end of the movie The Blue Brothers.


Pimp, thank you for the idea of ​​watching this film


Cyril

 

[Wigwam700]

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That was awesome I got to see it soon!!!!!!!!


Thanks Todd

 

[CrownVic97]

Funny that you brought it up again this morning, it was one year ago today that this thread got started by Burt :thumbsup:

 

[dg0223]

I have this movie on DVD. If anybody out there wants a backup of it, let me know and I may be able to accomodate your request. Aside of there being a lot of really nice vintage lights in it, the movie does have a plot to it.


I'm sure there is a "must watch" list out there for the vintage cop car/lightbar enthusiast. I offer my suggestions for your consideration:


-Vanishing Point - More for the vintage police cars than the lights, but still a good watch with a really depressing ending, though.


-The Blues Brothers - Do I really have to say anything to this one?


-Sugarland Express - Lots of vintage Mars, and lots of Federal Signal.


-Smokey and the Bandit II - Big copcar showdown at the end. Nice vintage cars.


-The Terminator - Nice '77-'78 Monacos, and he walks in to a nightclub that has Aerodynics mounted all over the place. Nice.


-Runaway - Is that Tom Selleck? Is that a JetSonic with a laser gun popping out? AWESOME!


-Ghostbusters - ECTO-1 is pretty loaded, but take a glance at those vintage NYPD Plymouth Furys.


-The Original Gone in 60 Seconds, and the other movies that Halicki made - Something for everyone.


-Blown Away - Nice shots of Boston PD Crown Vics with the Boston Code 3 XL's.

 

[Sarge619]

I have this movie on DVD. If anybody out there wants a backup of it, let me know and I may be able to accomodate your request. Aside of there being a lot of really nice vintage lights in it, the movie does have a plot to it.

I'm sure there is a "must watch" list out there for the vintage cop car/lightbar enthusiast. I offer my suggestions for your consideration:


-Vanishing Point - More for the vintage police cars than the lights, but still a good watch with a really depressing ending, though.


-The Blues Brothers - Do I really have to say anything to this one?


-Sugarland Express - Lots of vintage Mars, and lots of Federal Signal.


-Smokey and the Bandit II - Big copcar showdown at the end. Nice vintage cars.


-The Terminator - Nice '77-'78 Monacos, and he walks in to a nightclub that has Aerodynics mounted all over the place. Nice.


-Runaway - Is that Tom Selleck? Is that a JetSonic with a laser gun popping out? AWESOME!


-Ghostbusters - ECTO-1 is pretty loaded, but take a glance at those vintage NYPD Plymouth Furys.


-The Original Gone in 60 Seconds, and the other movies that Halicki made - Something for everyone.


-Blown Away - Nice shots of Boston PD Crown Vics with the Boston Code 3 XL's.

Just to add to the list:


- White Lightning - TONS of '71 Ford Customs/LTD's with Federal VisiBars and TwinSonics.


- Gator - Vintage Mopar iron and all types of lights.


- Fuzz - Shots of vintage Boston PD cruisers (mostly Chevys) with Federal CJ184's and a cameo of a BFD Maxim tiller truck.


- McQ - Tons of footage of late 60's and early 70's Seattle PD Plymouths and their light setups, WSP Fords, etc.


- Rambo: First Blood - Ford LTD II/dirtbike chase (were those Signal Stats beacons?), MoPars with various light setups, etc.


There's a ton more movies out there with great vintage cruisers and light equipment.....

 

[dg0223]

There's a ton more movies out there with great vintage cruisers and light equipment.....

Absolutely! That's why I love these threads because you read about movies you've never heard of.

 

[Sarge619]

"They broke my watch!!!"


Anybody else thinks Ryan sheds a tear when he sees this scene from The Blues Brothers??

 

[Sarge619]

OMG!! What a COLOSSAL waste of vintage MoPar iron and Mars lights!!

 

[CrownVic97]

Well, Sarge, if you think about it, back then those cars and lightbars were everywhere and could be replaced right away no problem. Those were the times and they were pretty commonplace. Today, it's easy to say


"Holy crap! Those Mars and Federal lightbars are now worthless!!! Jeez, a collector's nightmare!"


"Those vintage copcars are now junkyard ornaments!!!"


"If they only knew how much those things are worth now! Oh, that just sucks!"


In the 1970s...


"Eh, we'll just get some more lightbars from Mars and Federal. They still make tons of them everyday. Margie, go call them up and order some more for our warehouse stock."


"Let's haul these wrecked beasts outta here. They ain't driving anywhere no more. Frank, get your guys together and go wrangle up a few more Dodge and Chevy police cars, we might need 'em for potential re-shoots."


"Those lights and cars aren't going to be worth that much down the road. Dang things are all over the place."

 

[dg0223]

The movie was shot in 1979 and released in 1980. The 1974-1975 model year cars used in the film were rotting in a city boneyard, and close to the end of their lives as cars anyway. Many of them were only good for crashing. As for the Mars lights, they were still plentiful in the late 70's into the mid 80's. When the city of Chicago began changing over from the Mars Skybolt lightbars to the Whelen Edge in around 1987-1988, they took all of the Mars lights, cut the bars up and trashed everything at one of the large Chicago landfills. They kept a few parts bars around because the Mars Skybolt bars stayed on the police Squadrols, or Paddy Wagons, up until the mid 90's, when the Squadrols also began using Whelen lightbars.


It would be very similar to movies that are shot today. How many movies have CVPI's, MX7000's, and other modern-era lightbars completely trashed for the sake of filming a motion picture? Thirty years down the line, someone is going to be asking why we trashed all those vintage cars.

 

[CrownVic97]

Runaway - Is that Tom Selleck? Is that a JetSonic with a laser gun popping out? AWESOME!

I had to watch this movie just for that:haha:! Skip to 11:40 and watch the laser JetSonic in action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNc43DOmYiY&feature=related


A little off-topic, I know. But when I saw that scene, it was one of those, "Hahaha...YES!" moments :crazy:

 

[Wheels]

Ahh I remember that Runaway movie! That was the first movie that made me want a Jetsonic so bad. I've owned many lightbars but still no Jetsonic. :-(

 

[patrol530]

The lightweight model Kirstie is cool too.

 

[dg0223]

Oh yeah. New avatar. Laser JetSonic!

 

[CrownVic97]

Oh yeah. New avatar. Laser JetSonic!

<------- :dielaugh: :crazy: :2thumbs:


I love it! That's awesome.

 

[MARSMAN]

What kind of sick S.O.B. would harm a innocent Mars light? I think I am gonna be sick! :nono:

 

[CrownVic97]

What kind of sick S.O.B. would harm a innocent Mars light? I think I am gonna be sick! :nono:

One word: Hollywood....