Gone in 60 Seconds
| Year: | 1974 |
| Production Co: | H B Halicki Mercantile Co |
| Director: | H B Halicki |
| Producer: | H B Halicki |
| Writer: | H B Halicki |
| Cast: | H B Halicki |
Spoiler!
Yes, there's only one reason to watch this film; while the first half depicts the sting to acquire a rare Mustang for a midnight spares operation, virtually the entire second half is the chase that ensues.
The styling and aesthetic are straight out of a garish porn film from the 1970s as the hero – an insurance investigator by day – tries to outrun armies of cops, finally doing so by way of the iconic 120 foot long, 30 foot high final leap.
Besides the hilarious and audacious car wash swap, the standout scene is the power pole collision.
You'll be amazed more than once while watching this movie that nobody got killed, and the fates were amazed too. Not only did director and stunt driver H B Halicki compact ten vertebrae during the climatic jump, the power pole smash was an unplanned accident and the production was held up after he was badly hurt. But even that wasn't enough to warn him, and his luck ran out filming the sequel. After several more stunts gone wrong – including one where he crashed into a taxiing plane – the water tower stunt from 60 Seconds sequel Junkman killed him aged 48.
Halicki had nothing if not an eye for authenticity however; several other unplanned crashes, rolls or impacts were all left in the final cut.
Another undisputed classic, and depending on whether you were a fan of the original or you work for Disney, it was given new life in the 2000 'reimagining' by Bruckheimer lap dog Dominic Sena, or spat on by slavering executives and their evil CGI henchmen.
The styling and aesthetic are straight out of a garish porn film from the 1970s as the hero – an insurance investigator by day – tries to outrun armies of cops, finally doing so by way of the iconic 120 foot long, 30 foot high final leap.
Besides the hilarious and audacious car wash swap, the standout scene is the power pole collision.
You'll be amazed more than once while watching this movie that nobody got killed, and the fates were amazed too. Not only did director and stunt driver H B Halicki compact ten vertebrae during the climatic jump, the power pole smash was an unplanned accident and the production was held up after he was badly hurt. But even that wasn't enough to warn him, and his luck ran out filming the sequel. After several more stunts gone wrong – including one where he crashed into a taxiing plane – the water tower stunt from 60 Seconds sequel Junkman killed him aged 48.
Halicki had nothing if not an eye for authenticity however; several other unplanned crashes, rolls or impacts were all left in the final cut.
Another undisputed classic, and depending on whether you were a fan of the original or you work for Disney, it was given new life in the 2000 'reimagining' by Bruckheimer lap dog Dominic Sena, or spat on by slavering executives and their evil CGI henchmen.