Hollywood car destruction

[Buzzard]

I watched a fairly recent movie the other night starring Ben Affleck called "Live by Night". It is set in the 1920's so all the vehicles appeared to be period correct. What I have a hard time with is the apparent destruction of numerous makes and models (I'm not very good at discerning Fords, Chevrolets, Dodges and Studebakers of that era) which I'm sure they have dummies and stunt cars etc. but still they are dwindling down the survivors from one hundred years ago. It just doesn't seem right to make a movie which will be long forgotten in a very few years and consuming a diminishing supply of historical automobiles. It's not like all the cop cars used up in the "Blues Brothers" which had virtually little historical or emotional value. Just my take, but what's next, wrecking '53-55 Lowboys?.
Bill

[Gunslinger]

I wouldn't be surprised if the cars being destroyed were simply replicas. There are so many reproduction parts being made of popular early cars it seems one can build an entire example of repop parts with a chassis made for the stunts. There was an episode of "Home Improvement" where Tim "The Toolman" Taylor (Tim Allen) had a crane drop a steel beam on a Chevy Nomad and destroy it. At the end of the show he said it was a replica car they dropped the beam on.

There's probably a cottage industry in Hollywood in making and maintaining such stunt cars that get used and rebuilt as needed.

[skyway]

"It's not like all the cop cars used up in the "Blues Brothers" which had virtually little historical or emotional value."

Disclaimer: I'm very fond of them, but...

I disagree; they were great cars and rust issues aside, when did you last see a big bodied run of the mill MoPar product anywhere?
Here in the Midwest, they aren't even in the junkyards anymore.

[Jeff_H]

Not having seen the movie I wonder if they are using computer graphics to do it now? No reason all CGI has to be space movies or dinosaurs.

[rockne10]

... but what's next, wrecking '53-55 Lowboys?.
Bill

Those are really hard to roll over; especially if they're transporting a front loader or bulldozer.
But seriously; we DO know a Studebaker was destroyed to produce the movie "Tucker."

[Studedude]

Remember IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD MAD WORLD?

[Dick LeRoux]

Remember IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD MAD WORLD?

Remember? we're living it.

[Jerry Forrester]

I watched a fairly recent movie the other night starring Ben Affleck called "Live by Night". It is set in the 1920's so all the vehicles appeared to be period correct. What I have a hard time with is the apparent destruction of numerous makes and models (I'm not very good at discerning Fords, Chevrolets, Dodges and Studebakers of that era) which I'm sure they have dummies and stunt cars etc. but still they are dwindling down the survivors from one hundred years ago. It just doesn't seem right to make a movie which will be long forgotten in a very few years and consuming a diminishing supply of historical automobiles. It's not like all the cop cars used up in the "Blues Brothers" which had virtually little historical or emotional value. Just my take, but what's next, wrecking '53-55 Lowboys?.
Bill

What's a lowboy?
Oh yeah, it's a trailer that hauls heavy equipment.

[Wowabunga]

I have a huge "speaker" for the roof... just waiting to find the Mopar to install it on. One day I will have my Blues Brother's replica...! And people will stop and take photos...

[Dick Steinkamp]

[6hk71400]

On a tour of Universal Studios years ago, they had a replica of the 1947 Ford Convertible used in Back to the Future on the tour and other cars. Up close you could see it was not the real deal but with the camera, it could appear to be. I mean who wants to clean all the manure out of the car not once but twice.

Bob Miles
Pacific Southwest Zone Coordinator

[bumpkinvilledano]

Out here where I live, they filmed a lot of "location" scenes for The Dukes of Hazzard.

'Nuff said.

[JLB]

I wouldn't be surprised if the cars being destroyed were simply replicas. There are so many reproduction parts being made of popular early cars it seems one can build an entire example of repop parts with a chassis made for the stunts. There was an episode of "Home Improvement" where Tim "The Toolman" Taylor (Tim Allen) had a crane drop a steel beam on a Chevy Nomad and destroy it. At the end of the show he said it was a replica car they dropped the beam on.

There's probably a cottage industry in Hollywood in making and maintaining such stunt cars that get used and rebuilt as needed.

I watched that episode, and having once owned a '55 Nomad, I watched with great interest.The car that the beam was dropped on,was a '55 Chevy 2 door wagon with a straight up and down "B" pillar,unlike the slanted Nomad "B" pillar. Wish I had my Nomad back, and all the other cars of my youth. Wish I had my youth back as well!

[Gunslinger]

Out here where I live, they filmed a lot of "location" scenes for The Dukes of Hazzard.

'Nuff said.

I've read they destroyed over two hundred 1968-1970 Dodge Chargers during that series.

[bumpkinvilledano]

I've read they destroyed over two hundred 1968-1970 Dodge Chargers during that series.

I've heard similar numbers on the Chargers. Also an untold number of "police cars". Couple of the local salvage yards were covered up with both at that time.