Bullit film (original 1968) - is it worth watching?

[biggbn]

Cotty said:

C5_Steve said:

All that said I haven't seen Le Mans and the lack of plot doesn't put me off it at all. I think films like that (and the original Gone in 60 Seconds) are part of cinematic history and important to be seen so you can understand how they influenced films afterwards.

Important to be seen but as a member of pistonheads a motoring forum you haven't seen Le Mans

A dull, dull film to be avoided at all costs. A vanity project for McQueen, the stories about the film being made are much more entertaining than the film itself in my opinion. Others, thankfully, are avaliable...

[generationx]

Recent (not so serious) review here from Stam Fine:

https://youtu.be/kDqW9SvU1uM?si=NJVznkqsjI1IG1QH

[biggbn]

Janluke said:

I watch a lot of films from this era.
I like the relaxed pacing and that the plot is allowed to develop.
I enjoy the social history side the background street scenes, shops, cafes etc

They seem a little more honest than modern films set in that era

Agreed. Watched Dirty Harry for the first time in many years and was blown away by how vivid, sharp and colourful it looked. Great to see all the old American cars in their natural habitat, the fashions, the city. Great film, Bullit pulls off the same kinda vibe

[hidetheelephants]

Lotusgone said:

WPA said:

toasty said:

It's a dull film with a good scene.

^^This, dull film really

Seconded (or possibly thirded). You've got Steve McQueen and Robert Vaughn, really good actors but I think the money was spent hiring them and on the car chase. The rest of it is like an ordinary 40 minute police procedural (or 50 back then) padded out to more than 100.

You might be better to watch the chase on Youtube.

That's fair; by modern standards it's positively glacial, it could have been more tightly edited. The 1st Dirty Harry has better pacing. Both are good films of their era and I think they still bear watching although there's no point in pretending they belong in any top tens.

[Greg_B]

I think most films are rubbish, with today’s CGI-fests at the top of the bin. But I absolutely love Bullitt. The plot is elusive but there if you’re paying attention. The car chase is interesting and intense even if some poor editing and staging can be justifiably criticized, but it is just a small part of the entire experience. But I cannot resist the look at 1968 San Francisco, from the locations like the filthy flophouse hotel where the crime occurs to the shockingly prehistoric hospital ICU to the market where he buys his groceries to the avant-garde nightclub and the freeways. It is just an endlessly fascinating look back in time to me.

[C5_Steve]

biggbn said:

Cotty said:

C5_Steve said:

All that said I haven't seen Le Mans and the lack of plot doesn't put me off it at all. I think films like that (and the original Gone in 60 Seconds) are part of cinematic history and important to be seen so you can understand how they influenced films afterwards.

Important to be seen but as a member of pistonheads a motoring forum you haven't seen Le Mans

A dull, dull film to be avoided at all costs. A vanity project for McQueen, the stories about the film being made are much more entertaining than the film itself in my opinion. Others, thankfully, are avaliable...

I do own it, I've just not got around to watching it (same with the original Gone in 60 Seconds).

[Retro_Jim]

I liked it, the pacing seems slow from a modern film but that's a sign of the times I suppose. Mrs. Jim dislikes it as "Steve McQueen just stares at stuff"

[CT05 Nose Cone]

Greg_B said:

But I cannot resist the look at 1968 San Francisco, from the locations like the filthy flophouse hotel where the crime occurs to the shockingly prehistoric hospital ICU to the market where he buys his groceries to the avant-garde nightclub and the freeways. It is just an endlessly fascinating look back in time to me.

Similar thing with The French Connection, it really shows off the grime and sleaze of contemporary New York. It's before my time but I still find it a compelling viewing experience. It feels like a different world, not to mention how they didn't bother to properly close the streets for the car chase, so in several shots he's dodging actual traffic and pedestrians. Can't image they'd get away with that these days.

[Richard-390a0]

CT05 Nose Cone said:

Greg_B said:

But I cannot resist the look at 1968 San Francisco, from the locations like the filthy flophouse hotel where the crime occurs to the shockingly prehistoric hospital ICU to the market where he buys his groceries to the avant-garde nightclub and the freeways. It is just an endlessly fascinating look back in time to me.

Similar thing with The French Connection, it really shows off the grime and sleaze of contemporary New York. It's before my time but I still find it a compelling viewing experience. It feels like a different world, not to mention how they didn't bother to properly close the streets for the car chase, so in several shots he's dodging actual traffic and pedestrians. Can't image they'd get away with that these days.

& to tie us back in to Bullitt again Bill Hickman is the driver in the chase scene of both movies.

[BeastieBoy73]

It’s only 1hr and 53 minutes out of your life, so assuming you’ve got that to spare, go for it.

Be warned… it’s no Smokey and the Bandit.

[BeastieBoy73]

Truckosaurus said:

Panamax said:

Now check out Steve McQueen and the Le Mans movie. You'll need some powerful binoculars to find anything going on at all.

Indeed. It is somehow the worst film ever and also a cinematic masterpiece.

You're about 20 minutes into it before the first line of dialogue.

The behind the scenes story of the film is even more interesting.

Check out the recent graphic novels of you can. That artwork is amazing.

[biggbn]

Richard-390a0 said:

CT05 Nose Cone said:

Greg_B said:

But I cannot resist the look at 1968 San Francisco, from the locations like the filthy flophouse hotel where the crime occurs to the shockingly prehistoric hospital ICU to the market where he buys his groceries to the avant-garde nightclub and the freeways. It is just an endlessly fascinating look back in time to me.

Similar thing with The French Connection, it really shows off the grime and sleaze of contemporary New York. It's before my time but I still find it a compelling viewing experience. It feels like a different world, not to mention how they didn't bother to properly close the streets for the car chase, so in several shots he's dodging actual traffic and pedestrians. Can't image they'd get away with that these days.

& to tie us back in to Bullitt again Bill Hickman is the driver in the chase scene of both movies.

French Connection is a better chase scene for me, Popeye chasing the train from underneath, great idea for a different chase

[2fast748]

BeastieBoy73 said:

Truckosaurus said:

Panamax said:

Now check out Steve McQueen and the Le Mans movie. You'll need some powerful binoculars to find anything going on at all.

Indeed. It is somehow the worst film ever and also a cinematic masterpiece.

You're about 20 minutes into it before the first line of dialogue.

The behind the scenes story of the film is even more interesting.

Check out the recent graphic novels of you can. That artwork is amazing.

Le Mans is one of my favourite films precisely because there's no dialogue for the first half hour! It is dripping with atmosphere. The cars and the famous French tarmac are the stars of the show, even McQueen is secondary to it.

as for Bullit, I usually switch off after the chase!

[Retro_Jim]

biggbn said:

French Connection is a better chase scene for me, Popeye chasing the train from underneath, great idea for a different chase

I think it's because it was filmed on live roads with people going about their day

[Retro_Jim]

biggbn said:

French Connection is a better chase scene for me, Popeye chasing the train from underneath, great idea for a different chase

I think it's because it was filmed on live roads with people going about their day

[Fallingup]

I don't think it's a dull film but McQueen was a much better driver than he was an actor.

[Cotty]

Retro_Jim said:

I think it's because it was filmed on live roads with people going about their day

Similar to the first Gone in 60 Seconds film. No permits, set the cameras up took the shot and buggered off.

[5150]

It's very much a film of its era.

A personal choice, but I rate it. It's slow, so if you're just waiting for the car chase, you might find yourself fast-forwarding to that point, but all-in-all, it's a good story, well acted, great soundtrack and so much more than the car chase! I always thought Michael Mann used the ending of Bullitt as inspiration for the ending of HEAT. . . .

Incidentally, the film was chosen for preservation in the US for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

It's not for everyone, but certainly worth watching so you can be able to say you've seen it!

[CT05 Nose Cone]

Cotty said:

Retro_Jim said:

I think it's because it was filmed on live roads with people going about their day

Similar to the first Gone in 60 Seconds film. No permits, set the cameras up took the shot and buggered off.

They also left in the accident where he lost control and t-boned a street lamp.

[Cotty]

CT05 Nose Cone said:

They also left in the accident where he lost control and t-boned a street lamp.

I think it was the blue car that knocked him into the post