It had been painted beige Here it is in 2002. This area has changed substantially since April as it looked in July 2002. Filming of the chase scene took three weeks, resulting in nine minutes and forty-two seconds of footage. Two Mustangs and two Dodge Chargers were used for the chase scene. Here is were it not for the green Volkswagen. Fraker remembers the entire cast and crew of "Bullitt" having a good time. Tires squeal and the chase quickly shifts back and forth between seemingly random locations in Potrero Hill and Russian Hill. Below are some photos The next scenes are in the Bernal and Potrero areas, with green hills to the southwest on the horizon and quick view of downtown San Francisco to the northwest in another. In 1968, San Francisco was the scene for what would become a ground-breaking motion picture. But a limited-slip diff balances the power between left and right wheels when traction is lost on one or both sides. 2002) and the bad guys stop at the corner of York and Peralta On assignment for the Wall Street Journal, I was in San Francisco to drive the original Bullitt chase scene in a new, 2011 Ford Mustang V6. Daly City/Brisbane The chase ends on Guadalupe Canyon Parkway. The Charger is just barely faster than the Mustang, with a 13.6-second quarter-mile compared to the Mustangs 13.8-second. We said, 'This is our town for 10 weeks, and we're going to use it.' With a slope of 31.5% in places, Filbert Street connects Lyon Street, next to the Presidio, and Telegraph Hill. The last trip through Russian Hill features the most famous part of the chase -- where the cars get airborne several times on a steep section of Taylor between Vallejo and Filbert streets. The car chase between 1960s muscle cars features a third American classic, as the . The ominous-looking pony car with the barking 390-cubic-inch V-8, which starred in one of the greatest chase . "I had at that time just bought a white Mustang, and it was like driving a slug," Brebner said. The end of the chase was Bill's own idea, a'homage' to the death of Jayne Mansfield, where one of the cars smashes into the back of an eighteen-wheel truck, peeling off its roof like a tin of sardines. But he had a feel for it. The twin towers of Sts. They continue north on Laguna, which turns into Marina Boulevard. Directed by Peter Yates, the film stars detective Frank Bullitt played by Steve McQueen who did most of his own stunt driving in the iconic car chase featuring a Ford Mustang 390 GT and . Here is that view in 2002. Twenty-three years after the actor's death, it's still hard to find anyone who will speak an unkind word about him. Bullitt meets his informant, Eddie, at Enrico's . There was a hole in the boot where a smoke machine was installed to help enhance the cloud made from the rear tires in particular where Bullitt missed the turn reversed and shot off again. Taylor above Green Street (where the Mustang oil pan bursts after a hard McQueen managed to slow down the Mustang by downshifting and maneuvering the vehicle on a street that inclined upward. They couldn't just willy-nilly pursue by going block after block after block in the same neighborhood.". Taylor Street headed north The actual location is the Clarion The owner refused to sell, and the car now sits in a barn. They were denied permission to film on the Golden Gate Bridge. . I never stop thinking of those memories. Car chases have been a staple of American film ever since the appearance of the Keystone Kops in the silent era. When the Charger does U-turn on Precita Avenue to follow the Mustang, a storage tank on Potrero Hill is visible in the distance. The next scenes are from different camera angles that capture the same sequence as the two cars head downhill and turn west off the same street. Steve McQueen stars as the eponymous Lt. Frank Bullitt, a TV dinner-eating, workaday Cowboy Cop (in fact, he's the Trope Maker) who goes after the Mafia hit men who killed a witness he was protecting.. Best known for a legendary, nearly ten-minute-long Chase Scene in which McQueen, largely eschewing stuntmen, famously drove a dark green . Note the white Pontiac Firebird. The intersection looks very different in 2002. Frank Bullitt (Steve McQeen) to guard a state's witness, one Johnny Ross. High Speed Chase: video shows dramatic police chase of car thieves in Johannesburg. John Aprea was originally cast as Johnny Ross but he was replaced by Pat Renella, who bore greater resemblance to Felice Orlandi. "The Rock" (1996) Nicolas Cage in "The Rock." Buena Vista Pictures. Here is the In September of 2002 the of 1968 and this is how it appears in 2002. McLaren Park. Notice the green Volkswagen Beetle in all of these shots. "We were driving around the airport and right at that time there was a Mustang GTO on display. Hickman was to do all his own driving; portraying one of two hit men, he drove an all black 1968 Dodge Charger 440 Magnum R/T through the streets of San Francisco, using the hills as jumps. AI-powered chatbots will only make us more efficient, according to the companies selling said AI-powered chatbots. He got into it and drove it and said, 'That's a terrible car.' According to the legend, McQueen and San Francisco were brought together by a patch of undeveloped ground in a Hunters Point youth park. 33. The mystery continues. 2002) and stops at the corner of Surprisingly, the scene wasnt originally in the script. Anyone familiar with the streets of San Francisco can tell that the true genius behind the chase scene took place in the editing room, where two weeks worth of disparate footage was spliced into what appeared to be one continuous chase across the city that's home to Wired.com. The dangers were real: in one shot Hickman accidentally loses control and clips the camera fixed to a parked car. Here is the view from the first camera angle in 2002. Chalmers confronts Frank Bullitt at the ambulance entrance of the Hall of Justice at Harriet Street and Ahern. In a professional driver's touch (before compulsory restraints were introduced in California), Hickman's character buckles his seat belt before flooring it at the beginning of the pursuit by the Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT, driven by Steve McQueen. movie from one camera angle 1:28. The assignment comes at the request of Sen. Walter Chalmers . They continue north The creators of "Bullitt" got more than their money's worth. the rearview mirror: It is still there). I pulled him out of the car, and he was in my arms when he died, his head fell over. High-speed chase: bales of pot hurled at Arizona cops by Mexican drug smugglers during car chase. The bad guys drive a 1968 Dodge Charger 440 Magnum. Anyone familiar with the streets of San Francisco can tell [], All the Settings You Should Change on Your New Samsung Phone, Give Your Back a Break With Our Favorite Office Chairs, The 12 Best Electric Bikes for Every Kind of Ride, Its Always Sunny Inside a Generative AI Conference. at Columbus and Chestnut, and again on Larkin Street at Francisco). on California Street. Heres everything you need to know, from Wi-Fi tips to security advice. condition and then over-corrects and crashes into a 1956 Ford parked at the corner. The next cut puts them 8 miles away, back in the Vistacion Valley district, turning right from University Street on to Mansell Street. The sequence starts under Highway 101 in the Mission District. Fraker said the "Bullitt" car chase was conceived during an Italian meal with Yates at a small Hollywood restaurant called Martoni's. The two cars then magically appear on 20th Street at Kansas Street But can XPeng challenge more established automakers in the West? I had been teaching him things like how to put a car in a four-wheel drift, but he had plenty of skill of his own. (The bottom of the stores name is seen as the Dodge veers onto Marina.). shows one of the hospital's original buildings. If he had lived he might have become a champion driver. . the chase, not surprising since the locations are spread out over a considerable part of the city. Many people came to the movie time and again just in order to see the chase scenes. The chase passes the famous Safeway After Hickman saw the suspect shoot police Officer Alphonso Begue in the chest, he used his stunt driver skills to chase him down on Laurel Canyon Road until law enforcement officers could catch up. Ford. The speed limit in this section is 5 mph (8 km/h). He didnt want any red vehicles because it would detract from the blood. 4. the chase scenes filmed around 20th Street, Kansas Street, and Rhode Island Street, while Russian Hill served as the base McQueen makes a U-turn on Army Street and heads uphill on York Street. Russian Hill The Mustang and Charger make their first appearance on Lombard Street, squealing their tires as they dog-leg at high speeds onto Larkin. "We said none of us would ever use our own vehicle in pursuits and stakeouts -- because of insurance purposes, for one thing. The Dodge Charger hits the wall where Larkin Street curves left The Bay Area native, a former Chronicle paperboy, has worked at The Chronicle since 2000. 10. section of the Bullitt DVD. In its place is the new "I remember talking to him one time. and it looked better in blue. The story begins with Bullitt assigned to a seemingly routine detail, protecting mafia informant Johnny Ross (Pat Renella), who is scheduled to testify against his Mob cronies before a Senate subcommittee in San Francisco. bridge but the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District refused permission since even in 1968 it would have created "Bullitt" premiered on Oct. 17, 1968, and audiences were blown away by the chase sequence. " The Rock " ( 1996) Key vehicles involved: 1992 Hummer HMC4; 1996 Ferrari F355 Spider; San Francisco cable car. Known for. We take a close look at Bullitt, the 1968 action thriller staring Steve McQueen, and its connection to San Francisco. But the strength of that driving sequence -- a nine minute, 42 second testosterone overload through the precipitous streets of San Francisco -- was still enough to ensure that "Bullitt" would become a classic. 23/02/2013. Bullitts reverse burnout during the chase scene actually wasnt in the script; McQueen had mistakenly missed the turn. Marina Boulevard (2002). It has not been driven until recently when it was used by Ford to promote the 2018 Bullitt Mustang, shown at the Detroit international auto show. This chase was performed in real traffic, as Hickman drove the brown 1971 Pontiac LeMans at speeds up to 90mph with Friedkin manning the camera right behind him, and at one point Hickman hits a car driven by a local man on his way to work who wandered into the scene. and as it appeared in August of 1999. The car chase took about three weeks to shoot, and was nearly as frantic behind the scenes as it appears on film. directly across the street from his house. This is clear due to the repeated presence of the same Cadillac, and a green Volkswagen Beetle seen three times. He wanted that car.". They then make a left on Leavenworth It became the gold standard for all car-chase films. The crooked part of Lombard Street was designed in 1922, after it was determined that the 27% grade of the hill was too steep for most vehicles, and even pedestrians. Best remembered for the car-chase, the progenitor of all subsequent movie car chases, Bullitt is an excellent film. Heres how to get a broader selection. The chase crosses Mason Street (you can see the cable car) (here is the "I said, 'What's going on here?' 1968 and again in 2002. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. "I couldn't believe what I was seeing," Bologna said last week, standing at the same street corner where he watched the filming. But Bologna still remembers the little things about May 1968, when "Bullitt" filmed a few blocks away from his Russian Hill home. The bad guys' Charger lost six hubcaps and couldn't hit the broad side of a gas station during the explosive finale. Car Chase, San Francisco. They pulled the engine, put another flywheel in and it was ready to go the next morning.". Highland Green Mustangs had 390 cubic inch engines, while the Chargers had 440 cubic inch engines. Taylor just above Union Street looking south just before Green Street, and a used car salesman from Detroit. The entire area is a grassy hill within Fort Mason now part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area. "I've probably seen that movie half a dozen times, and it doesn't make sense to me," said Bud Ekins, the only survivor of four stunt drivers in the film, including McQueen. We trace the evolution of the Hollywood chase sequence, from "Bullitt" to the "Fast & Furious" franchise. I vote Bullitt as best car chase if for no other reason than Steve McQueen defined cool. The marquee muscle cars of Chrysler, Ford, Chevrolet, and Pontiac are all represented. Shortly afterwards the chase ends when the Charger crashes in flames at a 1:03. In another shot filmed at Grace Cathedral you can see the Pacific Union Club 1968 (note the white Pontiac Firebird). Brebner recalls scores of memorable conversations with the star. Las mejores ofertas para FOTO MUSTANG FASTBACK GT FLIES THRU AIR BULLITT PELCULA 5x7 STEVE MCQUEEN ACROBACIA estn en eBay Compara precios y caractersticas de productos nuevos y usados Muchos artculos con envo gratis! (you can see the street sign and the distinctive building at Jones). The original typed letter on Steve McQueens Solar Production Companys letter head asking to buy back his car in 1977 was also on hand. Director Peter Yates called for speeds of about 75 to 80 miles (120 to 129 kilometers) per hour, but the cars (including those with the cameras) reached speeds of over 110 miles (177 kilometers) per hour. " Bologna recalls. At Chestnut and Columbus Hotel at the corner of California and Mason. Local car lots were searched and production started with two identical Mustangs and three sturdy Dodge Chargers. This is the same intersection in 2002. "He said, 'We're filming a movie called 'Bullitt,' starring Steve McQueen.' gas station "Then you know you're in for a ride.". frames). But will have to borrow or rent the perfect car for. Jones Street between Chestnut and Lombard, San Francisco, California. Its mascot was a tiger, who encouraged drivers to put a tiger in their (gas) tank. "The first time I saw (the car) and learned what its intentions were, to be in pursuit, I said 'Oh, gee whiz.' In the film, Bullitt lived at 1153 Taylor Street, at the corner of Clay Street (thanks to Brian Hollins It heads east on where McQueen appears in their rearview mirror (thanks to Brian Hollins for his sleuthing). In just under 10 minutes of no-dialogue driving, Steve McQueen's Ford Mustang and the bad guys' Dodge Charger jump around to 10 different locations, spanning five San Francisco districts and plus two other cities. played one of the hitmen in the film. and North Hill Drive (in Brisbane, San Mateo County) which is now an office building. "It's almost like foreplay when they start that little cat-and-mouse thing in the beginning. There are several basic locations from which the film crew operated house had been repainted gray. It is now called the Black Cat, a restaurant. The hotel, which was He covers Bay Area culture, co-hosts the Total SF podcast and writes the archive-based Our SF local history column. Paul Church visible in the center of the frame, at the corner of Taylor. The Charger veered wide right but the explosion went off anyway, making the shot too expensive to repeat. The Mustang and the unmanned Charger were bound together, and a stuntman in the Mustang pulled a switch, which should have sent the Charger in a straight line to a fake gas station built for the scene. The biggest lapse in reality comes next, when the Mustang and Charger, speeding west through the Marina district with the Golden Gate Bridge in the horizon, suddenly appear 7 miles south near Daly City. the bad guys make an illegal left turn (note the white Pontiac Firebird) and head west (uphill) on And I did.". Taylor Street. All rights reserved. By September of 2002 it looked very different. The Charger appears making a right Didnt sleep for five or six nights after that, just the sound of the air coming out of his lungs.". As a movie, "Bullitt" was confusing, and its centerpiece chase scene had some strange inconsistencies. The chase picks up again on Market Street in Daly City headed eastbound past John F. Kennedy Elementary school at Starts at Fairmont Hotel; south on Mason; west on California to Hyde. Here is that view in 2002. Directions to Lombard Street. as of August 1999. landing) looking south. No prizes for guessing the winner. . Bullitt makes a U-turn on Army at Precita (note the Pontiac and the lighting: here is the very next frame with a 1956 Dodge Coronet where the Pontiac was and different . Bill Hickman, the backup hit man and driver of the Charger, was experienced in driving stunts and in racing. Photos of present-day San Francisco are copyright Ray Smith. About 21 seconds later, and 5 miles away, Coit Tower appears in the Mustangs front window to the east. Strapped into a Highland Green-hued, four-speed 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback GT, and going at speeds of up to 110 miles per hour, Steve McQueen raced through the cinematic landscape (and the San . He staged the motorcycle chase in Electra Glide In Blue, starring Robert Blake, and also appeared as a driver in the 1969 Disney film The Love Bug and as the military driver for George C. Scott in the Academy Award-winning movie Patton. . Bullitt (1968) - San Francisco. At some point during the project Hickman was injured and was unable to continue. Lombard and a . Marc Meyers, writing on his blog Jazzwax had a chance to drive the original Bullitt chase-scene route with Loren James, the stuntman who drove 90% of the chase in the place of McQueen. 9. Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard visible in the background. He sustained a couple of significant injuries during this time, including breaking several ribs in a bad trick-fall in the film How to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965). Hotel at 401 East Millbrae Avenue just east of 101 in Millbrae (thanks to Mike Curtis for that information). "The chief, Tom Cahill, was very serious about that. were 4-speeds, as were the Mustangs. Here is the view west on Army Street (now Cesar Chavez Street) in 2002. (headed west). Its a good value with a premium feel and lots of space. to drive him to the Thunderbolt Motel The stars of the movie were Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset, a Mustang 390 GT (actually two) and a Dodge Charger 440 Magnum. The car chase eventually ended in a North Hollywood parking lot where Follette was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with the police.[1][2][3]. Hickman performed a high-risk car-chase scene by William Friedkin for his 1971 film The French Connection. Peter and Paul Church are visible to the right of Coit Tower. I have driven some of it in North Beach, but not the whole route. in the Potrero Hills district again. New. "Bullitt" enthusiast Dave Kunz reported the above conversation on his Web site, after questioning executive producer Robert Relyea at a recent "Bullitt" reunion. The house appeared very Thirteen years before this film, being a friend of actor and budding race driver James Dean, he was accompanying Dean to a race in Salinas, California. "BULLITT" is a trademark of Warner Bros./Chad & T. McQueen Testament Trust. There is also a shot looking south from the Cathedral showing the Masonic Temple They turn from Laguna Street, in front of Ft. Mason, onto Marina Boulevard, in front of a Safeway store. The chase then suddenly jumps to the Russian Hill/North Beach area. In the first draft, adapted from Robert L. Fishs novel Mute Witness, Detective Frank Bullitt was a Boston cop who ate a lot of ice cream and never solved a case. Bullitt's car is a 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback. Kunz said memories of the movie don't appear to be fading away. The Mustang and Charger get airborne on Taylor Street, appearing to pass the same green Volkswagen Bug several times each. "Bullitt" cinematographer William A. Fraker said the two-second seat belt scene was the only portion of the chase that was shot later at a studio in Los Angeles. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. The chase takes place over several non-contiguous streets in and south of San Francisco. through a road cut which looks remarkably the same in 2002. "That was fixed overnight. The locale now shifts to what is probably the most famous part of the chase. Anthony Bologna had no idea he had stumbled into the greatest movie car chase of all time. While shooting the scene where the giant airliner taxis just above McQueen, observers were shocked that no double was used. outside the hotel's west side, but it too is gone. It remains one of the longest chases in film history, lasting over ten minutes, covering Chinatown, the zig-zag of Lombard Street, San Francisco Bay, and Balboa & 23rd Avenue. 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The bad guys' car was supposed to be a different Ford model (the automotive company had a deal with the studio), but it couldn't handle the pounding. approaching Union Street, passing Union Street, and pass the Chinatown campus of San Francisco City College. McQueen died in 1980, and many others on the set didn't make it to this month's 35th anniversary of the film's premiere. The Bullitt Mustang color was officially called Highland green. Dean died in an accident on the way, and it was Bill Hickman who extricated Deans body from the wreck. Meanwhile Frank Bullitt enlists the aid of a Sunshine Cab driver named "Weissberg" (played by Robert Duvall) to retrace was driven by Pat Houstis. For example San Francisco General Hospital is close to Hickman moved on to more stunt coordination work in films as the 1970s wound down, notably The Hindenburg and Capricorn One. To prepare for the car chase, McQueen and other team members spent a day at Coati racetrack near San Francisco, hitting speeds of 140 mph. In the film the house is the If you're a car guy (or girl for that matter) it doesn't get any better than Steve McQueen going mad through the streets of San Francisco in his 390-powered Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback chasing after the sinister 1968 Dodge Charger in the movie "Bullitt" (1968).