Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool

[Feraud]

I made a trip to Orlando, Fl. about a month ago. The '05 Mustangs were everywhere! I was in pony heaven!

 

[MDFrench]

I have just completed the Steve McQueen tribute page at www.frenchbrosreviews.com.

http://www.frenchbrosreviews.com/GoneBut/stevemcqueen.html

Check it out if you get the chance.

Mike

 

[Absinthe_1900]

My wife has a 1973 Mach 1. It is interesting how style comes back around.

Regards to all,

J

I have a '71 Mach-1, Met. Blue with silver stripes, 4spd, with the ram air set up on a 351C, fun car except when an MG gets in your rear 3/4 blind spot. (Only 71-73 owners will understand that one)

 

[jamespowers]

I have a '71 Mach-1, Met. Blue with silver stripes, 4spd, with the ram air set up on a 351C, fun car except when an MG gets in your rear 3/4 blind spot. (Only 71-73 owners will understand that one)

Yeah tell me about it. Why did they even put in a rear window? It is completely useless anyway.
I would have a four speed but the wife can not drive a shift vehicle---yet. Her's is white with black stripes and the 351C.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Hondo]

I have just completed the Steve McQueen tribute page at www.frenchbrosreviews.com.

http://www.frenchbrosreviews.com/GoneBut/stevemcqueen.html

Check it out if you get the chance.

Mike

Thanks for the links, I saw the Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool, and I agree it could have been done better, McQueen wasn't a great actor and as a kid, I enjoyed watching reruns of "Wanted Died or Alive" Josh Randle with sawed off carbine in fact all the late 50's or early 60's westerns.
Ill also go with "The Great Escape" cooler King, and of course "Nevada Smith" and "Magnificent Seven", watch McQueen in "The Sand Pebbles" Outstanding and McQueen at his best. Don't forget "Soldier in the Rain"

Some men climb the mountains
Some men swim the seas
Some men fly above the sky
They are what they must be.

CHORUS:
Baby the rain must fall
Baby the wind must blow
Wherever my heart leads me
Baby I must go
Baby I must go.

I do not love for silver
I do not love for gold
My heart is mine to give away
It never will be sold.

Baby the rain must fall
Baby the wind must blow
Wherever my heart leads me
Baby I must go, Baby I must go....

He wasn't the best actor, but at times he was cool, but real sad, he paid a price for the way he lived, much like Nick Adams.
Never be another,
Best Regards,

Hondo

 

[PrettyBigGuy]

I've always been a fan of Steve McQueen, but I must admit that I was disappointed the the documentary as well. My favs are Mag 7, The Getaway, Hell is For Heroes, The Towering Inferno, The Hunter and Papillon. The Great Escape was good too, but I always wanted more of McQueen (and maybe less Garner!). Bullit is pretty boring IMHO and is only worth watching for the chase.
Speaking of the Bullitt chase, I was getting my oil changed this week and I saw the latest issue of Motor Trend matched up agreen 2005 Mustang and a black 2005 Charger on the streets of San Francisco! Here's a pic from the photographer's website!
http://www.evankleinfilms.com/CARS/Mustang.html
PBG

 

[Hondo]

The Great Escape was good too, but I always wanted more of McQueen (and maybe less Garner!).

Hey "BigGuy" you named some of his earlier work which was his best, like "Hell is for Heroes" and as I mentioned "Soldier in the Rain" with the Great one, Jackie Gleason, these two earlier films were outstanding, the story of two army buds was great, worked well in black/white film.
I also only watched the Great Escape for McQueen, less Garner, guess he was there for the ladies

 

[airfrogusmc]

He did an interesting film with Jackie Gleason, Soldier in the Rain B&W early 60s I think though not a great film a good one and Gleason was terrific.

 

[jamespowers]

I consider Soldier in the Rain one of the great and terrific films. I watch it everytime I see it on TV. The way Gleason portrays the sargent was brilliant. The quirky things that were around the office were even superb props. The Coke machine, the fans, the desk and the whole set was great.
I suppose those that do not like movies with sad endings mioght not like it but it was a good movie through and through to me. :cheers1:

Regards to all,

J

 

[Hondo]

JP: Right you are so right the whole base scene was great, lets not forget Tuesday Weld (Bobby Jo) I used to fall for girls like her, much like Gleasons part, sad she passed away, real cute girl, a good period film. Damn they still haven't gotten this one out on DVD.

 

[Hondo]

Steve McQueens Birthday

JP: Right you are so right the whole base scene was great, lets not forget Tuesday Weld (Bobby Jo) I used to fall for girls like her, much like Gleasons part, sad she passed away, real cute girl, a good period film. Damn they still haven't gotten this one out on DVD.

There should be a thread for silverscreen birthdays, I always happen upon them, and today is Steve McQueens birthday March 24, 1930 (passed away 1980) so perhaps someone can start a new thread for birthdays.

Here's to King Cool, Happy Birhday Steve :cheers1:

 

[Mycroft]

There should be a thread for silverscreen birthdays, I always happen upon them, and today is Steve McQueens birthday March 24, 1930 (passed away 1980) so perhaps someone can start a new thread for birthdays.

Here's to King Cool, Happy Birhday Steve :cheers1:

:cheers1:

 

[John in Covina]

I saw a PBS biography type show on Steve and there were a few people that said he was so big on talking "HIP" that they often couldn't understand what he was talking about.[huh]

Does anybody remember the movie "On Any Sunday" which was about motorcycling? Steve has a short set where he's dirt bike riding with buddies. I don't think I have ever got to see "On Any Sunday II"

 

[shamus]

I went to the peterson museum last week and they have the Steve McQueen cars on display. Very cool. My favorite there was his 56 or 57 356 Speedster....

 

[Twitch]

Sometimes in movies we just have to let ourselves go, immerse in the fantasy and be entertained without over-thinking things.

 

[John in Covina]

Suspend Disbelief Here!

Sometimes in movies we just have to let ourselves go, immerse in the fantasy and be entertained without over-thinking things.

**********
I like to use the term "Suspend Disbelief Here" for the flow of the film.

(As in: You can argue later, whether or not someone can fall three stories and have the strenght to catch a ledge and hang on. Or if a hundred foot tall bug could actually support it self.)

 

[Mojave Jack]

It was a Charger. I used to walk past a Dodge/Plymouth dealership everyday on my way to high school, and drooled over those Chargers when they were sitting in a line on the lot. I'm still not a hard core Mustang man, but that particular car that McQueen drove just screamed power, and yet was completely hidden by it's unassuming design and color. My kind of musclecar...no one notices it until you step on the pedal. (grins) Regards! Michaelson

Well, the Mustang was hot, and I've loved Mustangs ever since that movie. Unfortunately in terms of power the Charger absolutely walked away from the Mustang throughout the filming. The Charger was almost completely stock except for some work on the suspension, and the Mustang had beefed up suspension, remilled heads, headers, mags, and a high performance ignition system. Max Balchowsky, who did the custom work on both of them, said, "The Charger ran rings around the Mustang." They actually had to keep putting thinner tires on the Charger so the Mustang could keep up! Balchowsky said they were almost as thin as bicycle tires. Sorry, Mustang fans.

As far as Steve goes, I'm a huge fan. I think The Sand Pebbles was his best work, and is one of my favorite films. Plus he's a former Marine, so he's twice as cool right out of the gate!

 

[Twitch]

The same bad guy that drove the Dodge in Bullit was in another classic movie chase in The Seven Ups with Roy Scheider. Scheider drove a Pontiac Tempest- equivillent to the Chevy Nova. About 1979???

 

[Mojave Jack]

The same bad guy that drove the Dodge in Bullit was in another classic movie chase in The Seven Ups with Roy Scheider. Scheider drove a Pontiac Tempest- equivillent to the Chevy Nova. About 1979???

Yep, that was Bill Hickman driving the Charger. He also did the stunt driving in The French Connection.