R.I.P. the Bandit (1936-2018)

[CG2014]

Burt Reynolds has died from a heart attack.







After Smokey and the Bandit was released in 1977, every guy wanted to be him and have a Pontiac Trans Am and every girl wanted a guy that drove a Pontiac Trans Am.

I remember being in High School and only the Seniors were allowed to drive to school and any Seniors that drove a Pontiac Trans Am got all the girls.

Somewhere in Heaven the Bandit is again running blocker for the Snowman with Sheriff Buford T Justice in hot pursuit.

R.I.P. Burt.

Thanks for the great memories!!

[CG2014]

So Burt Reynold's most famous movie is Smokey and the Bandit where he is smuggling Coors Beers.

I looked it up and this is why.

Didn't know that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smokey..._of_Coors_beer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coors_...mpany#Products

[LargeBreastFan]

He could play someone serious and a good ol' boy.

[rexdutchman]

RIP " Bandit" ,,, I learned how to drive watching him (LOL)

[You&Me]

RIP Burt! He was one of my most favorite actors. Indeed, “Smokey And The Bandit” movie was a household name. It was clean, creative and hilarious!

We will miss you!

[CG2014]

I think before there was a word for it, Sally Field invented it.

[Brandee69]

Gawd he was such a sexy man back then....!! Rip!

[CG2014]

Easy now, Brandee69, Easy.

Take a deep breath.

Have a drink.

Originally Posted by rexdutchman

RIP " Bandit" ,,, I learned how to drive watching him (LOL)

I did too and also him in Cannonball Run and the 2 guys of The Dukes of Hazzard on TV.

I had 4 tickets and 2 accidents within 30 days of getting my hardship driver's license at 15 (yes, back then it was 15, not 16) including totaling both of Mom's and Dad's cars.

It's funny now that I think about it.

It sure wasn't funny back then.

Dad nearly killed me!

Now I haven't had a ticket or an accident in 20+ years.

[TexTushHog]

What a depressing career — the Best movie he ever did was Smokey and the Bandit. Ugh! Not even one of the best ten movies in the year it was released. Not even his best movie the year it was released.

[CG2014]

Smokey and the Bandit was the 2nd highest grossing movie of 1977.

Made for $4.3 million with an original budget of $5.3 million but the bean counters at the movie studio decided to take away $1 million of it the day before filming started, it earned over $300 million world wide.

#2 ahead of the 3rd highest grossing film of that year, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and only to be surpassed by Star Wars.

Furthermore they didn't have an entire script written out and most of the scenes were improvised and you can tell when you watch it.

Many of the scenes just felt out of place and the continuity was very disjointed.

[Precious_b]

Yup. One of, if not the most, highest paying films of the 70s with stiff competition as noted above.

PS - miss Jerry Reed also.

[TXHUNTER66]

!

[TexTushHog]

Originally Posted by CG2014

Smokey and the Bandit was the 2nd highest grossing movie of 1977.

Made for $4.3 million with an original budget of $5.3 million but the bean counters at the movie studio decided to take away $1 million of it the day before filming started, it earned over $300 million world wide.

#2 ahead of the 3rd highest grossing film of that year, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and only to be surpassed by Star Wars.

Furthermore they didn't have an entire script written out and most of the scenes were improvised and you can tell when you watch it.

Many of the scenes just felt out of place and the continuity was very disjointed.

Just because it made a lot of money doesn’t mean it was good. Here are a good dozen and a half movies from that year that were easily better.

Annie Hall
Close Encounters
Goodbye Girl
Julia
Cet Obscur Objet du Desir
L'Homme qui Aimait les Femmes
Wizards
Jaberwocky
A Bridge Too Far
New York New York
Looking for Mr. Goodbar
Allegro Non Troppo
Providence
Star Wars
High Anxiety
Cross of Iron
Saturday Night Fever
Slap Shot (which tells you just how bad Smokey and the Bandit relay was)


Semi-Tough (also with Reynolds) was better.

[CG2014]

I didn't say it was good.

My post meant to convey how surprising it was the #2 film of 1977.

I would think this would had be enough to convey my feelings that it wasn't good enough film worthy of a $300+ million box office take:

Furthermore they didn't have an entire script written out and most of the scenes were improvised and you can tell when you watch it.

Many of the scenes just felt out of place and the continuity was very disjointed.

[Super Sonic]

Originally Posted by TexTushHog

Just because it made a lot of money doesn’t mean it was good.

It was part of that CB Hillbilly-Go-Fast craze of the time. And BTW - "Slapshot" was hysterical and still is today.

"These guys are a fucking disgrace!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUbn5ss8j9c