Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

[JustinSuhas]

This topic is a spin-off from the "hollywood wrecking cars" and "best car movie" thread. Car movies are easily one of the biggest influences I had as a kid leading me towards a gearhead life. It seems to me that less and less kids nowadays truly care about cars. Even from the time I graduated (2000) to today it looks as though the high school parking lots have turned into new car dealerships. It seems most kids(and their parents) are choosing warranties over shop class.


What does this have to do with car movies? When was the last time you went to the theaters excited to see a car movie, and left satisfied? Most of those movies are geared at high school kids. If high school kids don't care, nobody makes the movies. I feel that good car movies are fading away. Has this generation been lost to game consoles? I can see it now, "Hot Rod Hero" for xbox- with little plastic wireless wrenches. It's hard to say I blame them, when most young beginners are into (and can only afford) "fashion" imports. A 1990 Honda Civic might as well be a Formula 1 car for a young aspiring mechanic. EFI is superior to carbs in many ways, but it sure is a lot harder to explain than the Bernoulli principle. Especially to someone who just grasped the idea of a four stroke.


Im a big movie buff and I would hate to think that good car based movies are gone.


Thats my rant folks. I would love to hear some thought on this.

Has Hollowood lost interest in Hot Rodding?
Do kids today care?
Is there anything we can do about it?
...I know one youth group leader who seeks change.

This website is onto the right idea, thats why I'm here. I've got my car fix on tap. Once the video begins to flow, I might just sell my tv. Put it towards a stroker small block. Maybe they will make a carjunkiemovie? ;D


Now im getting verklempt, Talk amongst yourselves. Heres yet another topic, is Transformers a car movie? (which I actually liked)

[67pete300]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

The whole time I'm reading your thread, I am thinking about Transformers. Then you mentioned it. I was trying to figure out myself if it was a true car movie or not...

Yes: Generates interest in beat up but cool old Camaro which has a prominent role in the movie. Spawns merchandising stuff.

No: Same beat up old Camaro subsequently sells for $14k or $40k or something rediculous on ebay. Spawns more rediculous pricing crap.

No: Is some big corporate scheme to promote launch of 09 Camaro. Or is this a yes?

I think it is a "good" car movie (albeit targeted at 11 year old boys). I enjoyed it. But I can't think of any others off hand that haven't just had a token musclecar that was wrecked along the way (other thread).

[HillbillySailor]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

It seems to me that less and less kids nowadays truly care about cars. Even from the time I graduated (2000) to today it looks as though the high school parking lots have turned into new car dealerships. It seems most kids(and their parents) are choosing warranties over shop class.

I think alot of it has to do with our "instant gratification" society. My 13 year old son already knows I'm not plunking down alot of coin for a new car when it comes time for him to drive. I'm using the Explorer as an example of what a little work and some junkyard parts can do to make a nice vehicle. I know, and have come to accept, that my son doesn't have gearhead tendencies, but I want him to at least know how to work on a car so he can perform his own maintenance. I also want to impart on him the knowledge that new doesn't always equate to better and that a little work will go a long way.

[VTJUNK]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

Unfortunately, the kind of cars we would like to see in a movie, and the kind of movie we would like to see them in, is considered too niche and would not make anyone alot of money. Hot rods and muscle cars are also seen as not P.C. right now because everyone is trying to be green and "think globally, act locally"

As we all know, old cars are the biggest problem in regards to pollution........

[Dirt Rod]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

I also LOVE car movies. I also agree that movies where cars play a huge role are not really made anymore.

Rant time
I have lots of friends that are not into cars whatsoever. I got a few calls from said friends asking me if I had seen "Death Proof". I had not yet seen it. One of my good friends stated "dude, I think you have owned every car in that movie." I have.
I saw the movie, I thought it was great......did I hate that all the cars where totally destroyed during filming? That part made me flinch. My wife looked at me with concern in the theatre as I flinched, jumped, crossed my arms and shook my head when each car got pounded on. She could tell I was vexed.

I have not seen Transformers......I know, I'm going to when I can, just really busy. It's funny.....the other night when I was sick, I watched that Disney pixar movie "Cars". Damnit if it wasn't good! I had no clue. I mean shit, I know it's a kid's movie, but The King Superbird? Hudson Hornet sliding sideways on the dirt? That was cool.

I feel the same way many of you do. A car's movements and sounds where like it's lines and feelings in a movie. My Dad (car guy, but not a gearhead) sat me down when I was growing up and made sure that I watched car movies. He told me how important they were.

Watching Christine, Hollywood Knights, Two lane, Dirty Mary Crazy Larry, Used Cars......all those movies made a huge impression on me when I was single-digit ages.

Watching Mad Max and Road Warrior was like a religious experience for me.

I think now kid's can't afford to own old cars. I know that when I was in high school, Barrett Jackson wasn't making cars unattainable to the regular human. I think the crazy pricing of Muscle/Classics is causing kids to be in to imports.

Well that's all I have to rant about right now. Thoughts anyone?

Ax

[Two Lane Blacktop]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

One goal for 2008 is to set-up a permanent

endless-loop automatic-replay showing of

the greatest car movie of my lifetime on a

wall of the garage. Then, it literally will be

the very background of my gearhead life. --- ;)

[JOES66FURY]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

As with many things I dont think the car stands for what it did back in the early years of hot rodding. IMO the car of that era stood for something more than just basic transportation to and from work. It wasnt a mobile audio telecommunication center...it represented freedom, and frankly many people dont enjoy that freedom the car offered back then. When I got my licence I though...man this is it...I have arrived...I am free...NO! I had to work for gas and insurance and parts and.....so all my money and time went to a car...I love cars but I dont get to enjoy them the way they did back then...frankly only a small handful of us get to enjoy that pleasure of racing and cruising weekend getaways...and so I think that the american public is immune to the car and see it as an object of nessesity, they certainly dont see them in the way the americans did back in the early days and the Muscle Car era....Sadly, that genra is dead and gone. As much as I would love to see a real street race movie or just some good old hot rods tearing up the country highways...

[Two Lane Blacktop]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

Some "car-related" movie info:

Bullitt has been in pre-production since 2004.
Not a remake, but a continuation of McQ's role.
Was almost underway in late '06, but the first
director quit. Brad Pitt was allegedly signed
for the role of Lt. Frank Bullit. Second director
hired & rumored to begin again in late 2008.

F&F4 is underway. Already have Walker & Vin
signed & an initial car-casting call completed.


For some reall "drama" about the filming of an
independent car-related movie, find the thread
about "THE DEUCE OF SPADES", over at the
Jalopy Journals H.A.M.B messageboard. Just
do a search for "HiboyGirl". Read the whole
(closed) thread over a week's time as I did,
and "lemme know wha'choo tinks", eh? I'm
really not sure what to make of it all. ------- ???

[Woodward_Dreams]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

Has Hollowood lost interest in Hot Rodding?
Do kids today care?
Is there anything we can do about it?
...I know one youth group leader who seeks change.

Kids do care. I am one of them. Im a senior in high school and there is about 10 of us in my auto shop class who acutally care. Although that is only .01% of kids in my school (population is about 1200), there are people who do care. We just arnt noticed. My friend's 84 Z28 isnt given a second glance when next to a Mercedes E-class or an H3 hummer with "rims and tints." Most people in my school care more about looks than performance.

Part of the problem is that the staff members in my school think the program is useless. We have absolutly no support. Our budget is 1/3 compared to last year. All we have this year is $7000 to provide for text books, to replace tools, maintain our lifts and equipment, and to go to competitions. Last year we had $21,000. The only reason we still have our shop is because of a very dedicated teacher how built up the program over a decade ago.

The reality is i am very fortunate to go to a school with an auto shop and one which has been supported for many years. But it is falling apart. there is no passion from the students and the school staff doesnt support it. It is unessesary in the eyes of my principal. Business classes are more important. Our wood shop is being shut down too, after they laid off the woods teacher last year.

The point is, there is no support from the people who decided what classes should be taught in a high school. The people driving BMW's and Benz's are the ones deciding that we dont need a shop class anymore. Several of them do not know how to even change their oil! (i have asked them). They dont think we need the program when a BMW gets free dealership service for the first 50,000 miles. They dont know the difference between a cylinder head and a brake rotor. These are the people to blame for kids not caring about cars anymore.


This rant went on longer than i anticipated.... sorry


Bill

[Matt Cramer]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

Does "Ronin" count as a car movie? Sure, the chase scene had cars that weren't even sold in the US, and weren't hot rodded, but you've got to hand it to a director for pulling off a car chase like that, without resorting to CGI.

I recall walking out of "The Fast and the Furious" thinking, "I could write a better car movie script than that!" So I tried. However, I'd chosen to parody the import car culture of the time, anda lot of the jokes in it are now pretty stale. Never did finish that one. I have sometimes thought about writing a script involving street racing - the latest idea I picked up was from a remark I'd heard about a drug dealer sponsoring a kid who drag raced a very fast Mustang so the dealer could bet on his races.

I think what sort of cars a car movie would have would depend on the plot. If it were about modern day street racing, how many of the guys would be racing classic Detroit iron? There'd have to be a lot of imports in it for the movie to ring true - although there would be some domestic cars there too. Chances are you'd probably have to set it in the past if you're going to show older muscle cars running against each other on the streets and the usual mayhem you expect in car movies - set it in a clean, sanctioned event and you'd have more of a sports movie. And a modern car movie set in the '60s would probably be a tough sell in Hollywood; nostalgia doesn't sell all that well.

[Matt Cramer]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

This rant went on longer than i anticipated.... sorry


Bill

Preach it, Brother Bill! I didn't even have the option to take an automotive shop class when I was in high school, or learn any fabrication there beyond woodworking. I wish I'd had the chance to learn how to weld in high school - I still can't weld very well.

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

Since half of Hollywood are now sporting Hybrids; making a movie about old gas guzzling muscle cars is not PC right now.

[Woodward_Dreams]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

Rant (part two):


It also doesnt help when everyone's dad buys them a brand new japanese car for their 16th birthday. AHHHH!!!!!

and then when the car needs an oil change or new brakes, daddy takes the car to a dealership and pays $50 for a stupid oil change because he wont teach his son how to work on his stupid car. Ignorant people!!!! I live in the frickin motor city, whats wrong with this picture? dads dont teach their sons anything. (although my dad did teach me the basics).

And then these stupid kids (my classmates) go and wreck their $30,000 cars and dont have to worry about it cause daddy will take care of everything.

Example: the kid at my school with the brand new Benz E-350 crashed it last year, and got it fixed. He says that he might be trading it in for an audi in a couple months cause he's sick of mercedes. it's driving me nuts.




I think that's the real problem. Parents buying brand new cars for their kids.





Bill

[Scott Liggett]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

Rant (part two):


It also doesnt help when everyone's dad buys them a brand new japanese car for their 16th birthday. AHHHH!!!!!

and then when the car needs an oil change or new brakes, daddy takes the car to a dealership and pays $50 for a stupid oil change because he wont teach his son how to work on his stupid car. Ignorant people!!!! I live in the frickin motor city, whats wrong with this picture? dads dont teach their sons anything. (although my dad did teach me the basics).

And then these stupid kids (my classmates) go and wreck their $30,000 cars and dont have to worry about it cause daddy will take care of everything.

Example: the kid at my school with the brand new Benz E-350 crashed it last year, and got it fixed. He says that he might be trading it in for an audi in a couple months cause he's sick of mercedes. it's driving me nuts.




I think that's the real problem. Parents buying brand new cars for their kids.





Bill

My Dad was the one taking his car to get oil changes. I was the one who was doing it in my driveway along with every other repair because I couldn't afford mechanic's rates. Dad learned from me, bought tools and started doing some of his own work.

[JustinSuhas]

Re: Are good car movies dead? Does anyone care anymore?

Geez- i was surprised to see all the activity. Im laying rules for this thread. Rants are welcome (just no square blocks of words please) and avoiding topic deviation is futile, so screw it... lets just let it gracefully roam wherever it wants.

Does "Ronin" count as a car movie? Sure, the chase scene had cars that weren't even sold in the US, and weren't hot rodded, but you've got to hand it to a director for pulling off a car chase like that, without resorting to CGI.

I recall walking out of "The Fast and the Furious" thinking, "I could write a better car movie script than that!" So I tried. However, I'd chosen to parody the import car culture of the time, anda lot of the jokes in it are now pretty stale. Never did finish that one. I have sometimes thought about writing a script involving street racing - the latest idea I picked up was from a remark I'd heard about a drug dealer sponsoring a kid who drag raced a very fast Mustang so the dealer could bet on his races.

I think what sort of cars a car movie would have would depend on the plot. If it were about modern day street racing, how many of the guys would be racing classic Detroit iron? There'd have to be a lot of imports in it for the movie to ring true - although there would be some domestic cars there too. Chances are you'd probably have to set it in the past if you're going to show older muscle cars running against each other on the streets and the usual mayhem you expect in car movies - set it in a clean, sanctioned event and you'd have more of a sports movie. And a modern car movie set in the '60s would probably be a tough sell in Hollywood; nostalgia doesn't sell all that well.

Ronin was fantastic. Thanks for reminding me. I'm due to watch it again.

CGI in car movies is quite possibly the worst car movie violation ever. I'd rather see 3 chargers flip over than a CGI bmw flying through the air... jumping from one parking tower to another. cheesy + lame x unrealistic = me not feeling bad for illegally downloading it.

I think alot of it has to do with our "instant gratification" society. My 13 year old son already knows I'm not plunking down alot of coin for a new car when it comes time for him to drive. I'm using the Explorer as an example of what a little work and some junkyard parts can do to make a nice vehicle. I know, and have come to accept, that my son doesn't have gearhead tendencies, but I want him to at least know how to work on a car so he can perform his own maintenance. I also want to impart on him the knowledge that new doesn't always equate to better and that a little work will go a long way.

...set him straight, shipmate. Ever look into that 5.o swap? my little brother used to not be into gearhead stuff. He sat around all day and played yugioh and gameboy. My father saw that it was getting out of hand and nipped it in the butt. Forced him (at first) to get out in the garage and learn. now, about 5 years later, hes getting pretty good at swinging wrenches. 13 is young- still very impressionable. Working at the YMCA i realized how bored these kids really were. 70% just needed a firm push in the right direction. 28% just had not grown up enough, and 2% should have received more spankings as toddlers.

This rant went on longer than i anticipated.... sorry


Bill

Preach it, Brother Bill! I didn't even have the option to take an automotive shop class when I was in high school, or learn any fabrication there beyond woodworking. I wish I'd had the chance to learn how to weld in high school - I still can't weld very well.

Thats the first time ive ever heard that. Mostly cause nobody has the patience to teach their own father anything. (maybe thats just me). Im adopted on my dads side. My adopted dad is from India (the one who raised me) hence the crazy last name which is actually "Suhaskumar" (really funny cause im a white guy). He's an engineer and very much into mechanical cad design stuff. Actually he's a tool designer for Haliburton. Just not a car guy. He likes cars for sure, but hes not insane like we all are. For my 25th b-day he gave me his beautiful Datsun 280zx. Growing up he never really tinkered with our cars, other than repairs. We were usually off building box kites and pine wood derby cars.

I met my biological father for the first time when i was 21. He flew into seattle when i was in the Navy, we went and got a drink. Guess what, he's a huge huge gearhead as is most of that side of the family... and my grandfather was an animator for hanna-barbera, he worked on Yogi Bear. (im an artist)
Tom (my bio dad) always jokes about me being the "control" in the gearhead gene experiment. I believe now.

Did he pick it up quick and easily? and does he still work on his cars now?

We shouldn't be so sexist in this discussion. Who is to say you didn't pick it up from your mom?

~~2Lane- tomorrow im going google diving on bullit. Im not too excited about F&F4, but good to know info. I will swing by hamb too. The layout is kinda weird over there, its a little confusing. Perhaps cause its so big. (t.w.s.s.)

This rant went on longer than i anticipated.... sorry

Bill

Bill- i love the rant. Im glad to hear that there is some hope, all is not lost. I'm not going to lie, your generation is going to face some serious issues trying to keep the Hot Rod culture growing. Here is my suggestion for you, get into diesels and electric power (i think hydrogen is too far away). Learn that before the curve hits. While we might not be driving v8's in the future, i have no doubt that no matter what our personal transportation ends up as... some dude will find a way to make it faster. Then someone will best him and the legend will continue. Hopefully.

But before we go off and cry in our beers, (soda for bill) its not like this is going to happen tomorrow. There are still plenty of cool cars lying around for decent cash. Just check the Craigs List thread on this site. Some prime pickens.

I graduated High School (g.e.d... and proud) in 2000. in 1998 there was a guy in my neighborhood who's dads business boomed. He bought his son a 95 Supra n/a auto in blue (only 3 yrs old!). His son totaled the car one night while out with his minions. Less than a month later his dad replaced it with another supra. A turbo stick shift black one. (skeet!). Eventually he got bored with it and started trading around cars. He has gone though a Vette, BMW (2door sports), NSX, and two vipers, 1 old and 1 new (bill read:1 old and 1 older)... sheesh. My first car was a 2wd 87 nissan pickup. My current daily driver is even worse