Bullitt

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Summary: Bullitt-McQueen tidbits-Car Chase technical stuff.
Review: From what I have picked up over the years.-Steve McQueen did all his OWN driving including the JUMPS but when it came to the SPINOUT at the very end of the chase it went against his Grain-(as a Race car driver to but a car into a spin).So lower profile tires were installed on the Mustang and Carey Loftin did the final spinout.I have seen pictures of the Camera car used for the chase and from what I could see it was custom built for the movie-not a camaro as has been mentioned-Car was completely open with exposed engine -camera operator sitting at the very front another at the passsenger side(possibly the Director Yates) and another camera operator positioned at the rear of the car,making a TOTAL of three cameras-looked like a Trans am(Race car) or stock car with the body stripped off of it.The chase was filmed at speed-meaning it wasn't sped up in anyway- at the top end highway speeds were close to 120 mph.Was filmed in the very early morning-around 5 to 6am.Police blocked off about 15 or 20 city street blocks.All other cars on the road were driven by stunt drivers,one of the reasons you keep seeing that VW Beetle pop up now and then.That there were at least three mustangs used-One for the jumps only-as they would destroy suspensions.Eg.You will see one(Mustang) with a side (Drivers)Mirror and another without it#1 at car wash -then #2 later when he returns to his car before the chase.Have seen footage of McQueen practicing with the GT Mustang driving against the RT. 440 Charger at a local Oval Track(California)-to get a feel for the car.Mustang was souped up -as it was going up against a Stronger Big block(440).All that shifting mentioned is from a 4speed-McQueen liked to double clutch when he was shifting which is prominent on the soundtrack through the chase.You can see him chewing gum in the rear view mirror in one or two parts of the chase as as has been mentioned. THE CHASE was all McQueens idea-He had it Written into the script.The studio wanted to do it on a Studio Backlot-He said -No Way-he wanted a REALISTIC chase.So he got HIS chase-Too much credit is given to the Director Yates-The chase and the way it was filmed was all STEVE MCQUEEN.

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Summary: McQueen's "Bullitt," One Of His Best
Review: In all of his twenty-six movies, Steve McQueen only played a cop once, and when he did, it was a good one. In "Bullitt," directed by Peter Yates, McQueen is Detective Lieutenant Frank Bullitt of the San Francisco P.D. Politician Walter Chalmers (Robert Vaughn) is bringing in a witness from Chicago who is scheduled to testify in a trial that promises to have a devastating effect on the crime hierarchy of the Windy City. If all goes as planned, it promises to have a substantial effect of Chalmers' political career, as well. He hand-picks Bullitt and his partner, Delgetti (Don Gordon), to guard the witness, Johnny Ross (Pat Renella), whose testimony is to be the key element of the prosecution. Without Ross, they have no case. But Ross' co-operation turns out to be a set up. The "Ross" who shows up in San Francisco and is promptly sequestered away in a hotel by Bullitt, is really a man named Renick (Felice Orlandi), paid to stand in for Ross, and never intended to make it to the trial. Renick thinks he's to be sprung for a long vacation in Rome, but the whole scam quickly goes bad; Renick ends up dead, and the third man of Bullitt's team, Stanton (Carl Reindel) winds up in the hospital, lucky to be alive after being on the receiving end of a shotgun blast. McQueen gives one of his best performances as the stoic and uncompromising Bullitt, the cop who's seen it all and who has no delusions as to the state of the world in which he lives, nor of its seemingly endless capacity for evil. In one scene, he goes to a motel for what he believes will be a routine follow-up on a tip, a name and address that's surfaced during his investigation. It's a nice day and a long drive, so his girlfriend, Cathy (Jacqueline Bisset) accompanies him; a rare chance to spend some time together. What he finds at the motel, however, instead of information on a name, is a particularly gruesome homicide. And before he can stop her, Cathy walks in on it. Ultimately, she is just as appalled by Bullitt's jaded reaction to such a heinous sight, as by the murder itself. She asks him how he can stand it, spending so much of his time in the gutter. "That's where half of it is," he tells her. Written by Alan R. Trustman and Harry Kleiner (adapted from Robert L. Pike's novel, "Mute Witness"), the plot is fairly complex, and Yates keeps the tension high throughout. There's plenty of action, highlighted by a car chase through the city, that finally winds up in the countryside. McQueen did his own driving in this sequence, which is possibly the best ever filmed, and it set the standard for the entire industry ever since. McQueen in that Mustang, bouncing over the hills of San Francisco, is an indelible moment in cinematic history. The outstanding supporting cast includes Simon Oakland (Captain Bennett), Robert Duvall (Weissberg), Norman Fell (Captain Baker), Georg Stanford Brown (Doctor Willard), Justin Tarr (Eddy) and Vic Tayback (Pete Ross). Gordon is well cast as Delgetti, perfectly complementing McQueen's Bullitt; they make one of the most memorable detective teams ever. What really makes this movie, though, is McQueen himself. The cool, no-nonsense persona, and the way he could convey so much with merely an expression; he could speak volumes with a slight nod or a subtle lowering of the eyelids. Extremely well presented, with an intelligent script and a great cast, "Bullitt" is one of McQueen's best, and one you do not want to miss.

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Summary: Extemely stylized moviemaking at its best.
Review: An excellent example of late 60s early 70s highly stylized moviemaking. Includes an unmatched mixture of stark realism along with the type of departure from realism that can only surround a role filled by the legendary screen presence of Steve McQueen. This is illustrated by the use of real doctors and medical procedures through the hospital scenes contrasted with McQueen's ultra-cool "antihero" character with the unlikely name of "Lt. Bullitt". Beat Dirty Harry by a year with its theme. Additionally, no Hollywood composer caught the essence of late 60s early 70s style in films like Lalo Schifrin (who also did Dirty Harry), and this film is an excellent example of his work. Film also boasts one of the most stylized opening title sequences in film history. Great entertainment.

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Summary: Bullitt
Review: This has the greatest chase scene ever. I like the fact that it is a realistic movie.

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Summary: bullitt
Review: this is a great film it hase alot of car chasesinit and gunfights

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Summary: Terrific entertainment
Review: Steve McQueen is wonderful in this movie. It has drama, tremendous excitement, and the coolest anti-hero in movie history: Frank Bullitt. I will admit the plot is never clearly explained, but the story is so entertaining you forget about it. Too bad McQueen never made a sequel to "Bullitt".

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Summary: BULLITT- often copied, never equaled
Review: For me, watching Bullitt gives a feel of being in San Francisco for me rivaled only by the original Dirty Harry. Like or hate San Fran, it has one of the most distinct personalities of any city in the world I have visited (I'm a 17-year Navy sailor, 13 years "sea time"). I was stationed in the S. Francisco Bay Area for 9 years (Alameda/Oakland and Moffett/Santa Clara). Bullitt covers a great deal of San Francisco- airport, insanely steep streets, freeways, clubs, expressways, etc in a very short time. Modern movies often rely on special effects such as hidden-ramp launched cars twisting unrealistically in the air, supposedly airborne after touching the nose of another car. I get tired of effects which have no realistic cause. Bullitt has a gritty reality. McQueen's character has a fast car... you know it, you hear the growl of its healthy engine, you see high speed manuevers without a bunch of slow motion, you sense the intensity of McQueen as he muscles the car all over San Fran trying to catch an equally powerful Dodge. Yet this seemingly exciting life is also portrayed in a common circumstance. McQueen has problems in his lovelife: his girl is not impressed. Dealing routinely with death and destruction is part of a job professionalism to him. To her, it is cold, emotional numbness. When the movie ends, we don't know if they live happily ever after. This makes the movie a classic to me: it is a snapshot. The viewer must draw his/her own conclusions. This is why I like many of the independent movies these days: economical in delivery, and complex in concept: not elaborate, excessive stunts. Keep the effects within the story line, and move on. Run Lola Run: a snapshot of urban Germany? Don't know, haven't been there. But this movie gave me a feel for a town just like Bullitt did; like I had been there. A rare commodity these days. Thank you.

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Summary: Awesome
Review: Truly one the best movies of its generation. As always, Steve McQueen delivers and action packed performance as a San Francisco police detective investigating the death of a Chicago mobster who he was in charge of protecting.

But of course the car battle between Steve's GT Mustang and the mobs 1968 Dodge Charger R/T, 440 Magnum with a rare pistol grip 4 speed is the highlight of the movie.

Steve McQueen continues this speed tradition in later movies, including "24 hours at Le Mans" and "The Bounty Hunter".

It is shame that Steve McQueen passed away while still at a young age.

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Summary: Not really a review
Review: but a factoid- the Mustang GT they used was HEAVILY modified in the engine department, no great suprise, but the main reason being the Dodge Charger it was competing with easily blew it away speed-wise. McQueen did some of his own driving on the film, but a lot of the crazy stuff was handled by a full-time stunt driver. Don't believe me? Check out Motor Trend on the subject

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Summary: The beginning of an era.
Review: This is one of those movies that gets copied for ever, but never surpassed. Being one of the first modern crime/action movies it still stes the standard for the entire genre. It also shows the advantage of using top actors in this sort of movie: they give it just that little bit extra, that most action movies lack. Like Gibson and Russel in Tequila Sunrise, here Steve McQueen as a cynical cop lends his chatacter a depth that is quite astonaging considering the rather stereotyped sort of person it is. The plot was in its time quite original and it has been worked out with great talent. Also pleasant is the relatively short length. This sort of movie should not be too long. Now Bullit will keep your attention right to the end. Watch out for scenes, that have been stolen by nearly every crime movie ever after.