The fact that they never said a word, cut the music when the real chase began, and let all the action speak for itself seems... Almost alien to me. No words, almost no music, just engines, tires, slams, and crash landings. Not even a "He's onto us" or an occasional "Shit!". It's beautiful.
It's funny that you mentioned this as the best car scene ever. I can tell you a true fact about this. My dad was a great sound editor and created the 1st Foley stage. When my dad and his work partner on Bullitt, the sound for the engine didn't sound right to Mr. Mc. Queen. So he picked up my dad and his co-worker Frank Makelvie to record the sound from the same 67 fastback mustang in the movie. Any Steve McQueen said he wanted to drive the same route in San Francisco as in the movie. Well my dad and Frank didn't think about it much until the got there. Mr. McQueen said to put the reel to reel sound recorder in between them in the back seat with a mic out both sides. My dad didn't realize until Steve said to put the seat belts on tight. Right then my dad said, "Oh Shitt"! Steve took off like a bat out of Hell driving as fast as it was in the movie. Thru traffic and everything. When they finished, my dad and Frank came crawling out of the car shaking. Mr. McQueen just laughed and says, "here John! This should make you gentlemen feel better !" Then he handed my dad and Frank each a case of aged scotch from Steve's private stock and $2000 bucks each. Mr. McQueen liked the sound so much he told the director to use the sound my dad made and that's what is in the movie to this day. Funny story right. You can look up my dad, God rest his soul. John Howard Post or John Howard. If you wish to hear more cool stories that my dad told me, I would be happy to share tidbits of the movies my dad and I worked on. God bless everyone
It's been rumored they used the Sound track from Bullitt for the Car chase in the Movie The 7ups . It was mainly used on 74 Pontiac Ventura Roy Scheider Drove , not the Pontiac Grandville Drivin by the Bad Guys .. Bill Hickman Drove the Pontiac Grandville too..
@@jimlechuga3193 I would imagine other crewmembers had children too. Nice to meet you. Do you also have a SAG membership number? Enrollment date? Practically all crewmembers enrolled their families. Do you even know what sag strands for. My guess is no. FYI (Screen Actors Guild). We made a lot of money for our parents as "Extras" on the sets over the years. I am in many old movies, albeit briefly, not to mention tv commercials. As one troll to another, you can believe it or not, my father often took me to work with him. He introduced me to Steve the very day they shot those clips. I was there in person to witness what you only see 2nd hand. To prove that the director let me use the clapper board. Tell me what that is and I'll know for sure you grew up in and around the film industry. Peace.
Which parts of the chase were filmed from a helicopter? I will defer to anyone claiming expertise, but, most of the shots seem to be taken from ground level.
I still believe that scene saved more lives than any public service bulletin, us kids would always give each other a mean look when we buckled up, this was serious business and if you were driving a 60's car it was !
@@radioguy1620 Hi Radioguy, good point, I did not think about that but you are right, I am a Baby Boomer and when we wanted to "psychologically" impress someone, we would "buckle-up" just for the look of this movie. Peace be with you, Good comment, Ciao, L
Boomer here. I don’t know about you guys, but for years, THIS was THE CAR CHASE. Later on there were good ones, but this established a pretty good precedent.
I think it's still THE CAR CHASE even today, speaking as a millennial. There have been some pretty awesome car chases since then, with some of them being almost equal to Bullitt, but Bullitt is still my favourite. A few more recent car chases (in some cases, entire movies) that deserve to be remembered as classics: Drive (2011) Jack Reacher (2012) Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Mission Impossible : Rogue Nation (2015), Fallout (2018), and Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023) Baby Driver (2017) The Batman (2022) I'll add more if I think of them :)
Blues Brothers, Terminator, Magnum Force, Gone in 60 seconds (The original 1974 to be specific), and even Spielberg's first movie Duel also had legendary vehicle chase scenes too. But still, no matter how well executed or legendary other chase scenes can be, nothing tops the Bullitt chase.
Man, talk about a classic. No talking, no music, no quirky one liners, no CGI, no outrageous stunts that look like they belong in a space movie, nothing like that. This almost ten-and-a-half-minute video is nothing but 2 muscle cars chasing one another through the streets of San Francisco. I love this whole scene from start to finish. I give my late father a lot of props for showing me this movie when I was a kid. By far THE most famous car chase in cinematic history.
What a lame ass chase, should have added the Chevelle & GTO to it, that they passed. Try to push big fat charger off road w little mustang, who made this sheet up,?
@@TooTallDean I count 4. However, that seems to be the same street with different camera angles. Back in those days, they didn't close certain parts of area off for filming like they do today. I'm betting many people were surprised to see they got at least one second of fame in something like this.
This is the movie that changed car chases in movies forever. I remember when this movie came out and I fell in love with the fast back Mustang. The legendary Steve McQueen.
Steve McQueen could drive. He wasn't just a Hollywood legend. He was also a race car driver. He had driven in Le Mans, Sebring, and I do believe Daytona. Fifty-five years later, this is still the greatest chase scene in Hollywood.
Yep. He drove in the Porsche 917 in the racing movie Lemans...Steve was that rare breed of actors like Paul Newman, James Garner, the guy from Greys Anatomy, and Paul Walker that actually raced. And let’s not forget James Dean. Wonder how good he would have been...
But neither does the other driver, which is what makes the chase scene a bit comical , in a great and classic way😁 everyone has this serious grim gameface on, while driving two cool hotrods and making history 😁
My Dad's fave movie. He worked at Ford, loved cars. I watched this clip on the first anniversary of the night he passed. RIP, Dad, you were right, it's still the best car chase ever.
The editing in the Bullitt car chase is so outstanding that it took me about 30 or so viewings of this movie before I noticed the omnipresent Green VW Beetle.
@@robbiespence6504 The editor masterfully worked with the cuts he was given. The director and cinematographer certainly didn't intend for all those green VW bug shots to be used. They left it up to the editor to work his magic. We are so focused on the two cars in the chase we don't think about the recurring bug. The editor deservedly won the Oscar for his efforts.
11 дней назад+3
@@BW4EIRE I noticed it from my very first viewing. It was obvious how bad this chase was edited.
lol. Really. The picture won the Oscar for Best Film Editing. The picture won the Eddie (which I'm confident you've never heard of) for Best Edited Feature Film. But I don't need that information to know how outstanding the editing in this film is.
10 дней назад+1
@@BW4EIRE and it was a huge mistake. Tell me editing the same scenes from different angles deserves an award. You see the vw and hubcaps fly off over and over. Doesn't matter if it won, it shouldn't have.
The vehicle those hit men were in just looks menacing. The fact they're both older middle aged men indicates they are experienced, calm and patient. No two characters look as grim and mechanical at their job then these two characters chosen to play the role of consummate killers for the syndicate. Nothing personal, just business. They communicate by glances without saying a word. Insane acting.
As FrankensteinsMonster-1313 said, 1968 Dodge Charger. The 1968 and 1969 models were my favorite Chargers ever made. You can tell the one in the movie is a 1968 at a quick glance (besides of course the movie itself being 1968!) from the single grill that goes all the way across, which would become split in 1969, and the two circular taillights on either side, which became rather cool rectangular ones in 1969. I like the grill of the 1968 better, but the taillights of the 1969. Either way, killer freaking body style - a timeless, menacing-looking car for 60s movie hitmen!
This 10-minute clip is absolute cinematograph history at its best! No music, no over-dramatized effects, just the pure natural V8 engine sounds open throttle all he way through, accompagnied by occasional traffic collisions and startled motorisis caught off guard eyewitnessing what they think is an illegal street race taking way. Absolute classy, compated to today's vehicle chases.
A lesser known third (and spiritual successor to The French Connection) is The Seven-Ups where Hickman is chased by Roy Scheider for nine solid minutes before Scheider's car has its top sheared off by a semi-truck trailer.
@@wesleycook7687 Loftin was the truck Driver in Duel, when they did chsde scenes, he would have his friend Dale Vansickle drive the car both of them were the top stunt drivers to go to
1 is said to be here in Ohio (The one that Steve wanted to buy) 1 was totaled and the 3rd was just found a couple years ago in a junkyard in Mexico. It had been painted yellow and most of the parts were gone.
Rumour has it that Steve McQueen's soul still drives around San Francisco's roads at night in a Mustang looking for Chargers to chase and drivers to kill
Everybody lining up to purchase the Mustang, I want that Charger. It's the only charger in the world that regenerates hub caps. It lost 3 hub caps during the chase and still managed to crash with 3.
Fun fact: Director Peter Yates estimated that the top speeds during certain portions of filming the scene would need to be 75-80 mph to achieve the realism he desired. The stunt drivers later confessed that had the cars up to 110 mph at times. And, because the Charger had 50+ h.p. on the Mustang meant its stunt driver was constantly having to lay off the accelerator to get the shots Yates wanted.
The Charger also handled all the jumps with stock suspension, whereas the Mustang had to be modified to handle them. They built cars fucking tough back in those days.
Heard that 20+ years ago, the charger was too fast and had to stay slow for the mustang - you can hear it in RPM's, the charger is literally cruising and the stang is at 6000 rpm wide open. For the record 390 mustangs weren't fast, 440 Charger R/T's were - look it up
@@FrankBullitt390 the sound of the Mustang isn’t authentic though, it’s actually the sound of a GT40’s engine dubbed in, which is why you’ll hear it upshift about 12 times during the chase. Furthermore, I remember reading the top speed statistics on both, the Charger was only 2-3 mph faster, the difference was in traction, the charger’s immense weight kept the tires glued to the road while the Mustang, being lighter, did burnouts in reverse gear, as you saw in that one shot. It just depended on what road they were on really, tight, narrow, San Francisco streets full of traffic were perfect for the Mustang, being able to corner much better and not fish-tail as much. The countryside with the long, clear straights were where the Charger could absolutely fly.
@@glipk LOL I wasn't suggesting that there was CGI in the 60s, just that old films like this one without CGI are great. In my view, the obsession with CGI these days spoils a lot of films.
You cant beat the sound of a well executed double declutch on an old school unsynchronised gearbox, CLASS ,, Iv'e still got ya picture on my wall Stevie 💛 :)
One of the very best street chaces of all time. Awesome footage. The ones producing this Steve wanted to do all the the scenes doing them his self. He (Steve) had a great time doing them. WOOHOO EH, LOLOL.
The good old stuff goes beyond holding up. Holding up suggests it's as good as contemporary offerings. It can be better in many ways. Something only possible in it's time. It gets better with age.
I don't wanna be 'that guy ' but in the city how many times did they pass the same cars in different scenes? The white Firebird the green Beetle ? But that aside. Fuking Epic
I’m not a car guy. But I am absolutely obsessed with this scene. The way they prowl around the downtown streets like lions growling in the bush. And when they finally roar and takeoff… The whole thing is absolutely thrilling. it’s emotional. Masterful filmmaking. And don’t get me started on Steve McQueen.
@@mikkoranta8767 As I understand it, the green bug was one of several "safety cars" accompanying the stunt. The streets were blocked off, but they had to be prepared (insurance wise) to deal with any civilian car wandering into the scene.
Got a stage two upgrade on my Road King a few years ago mechanic asked me what I want the new exhaust to sound like , I gave him this video and told him to match the mustang at full throttle as much as possible . I have to say it’s pretty damn close . Thank you Flaco !
I went to San Francisco last year. Have wanted to go there all of my life having been brought up on Bullit and Dirty Harry. I walked down the streets where this car chase was filmed. Went to Taylor street where bullitt,s house is. It was an amazing feeling to be there where it all happened. They just don’t make films like this anymore. No CGI. No stupid dialogue. Just pure class.
i went to see Mrs. Doubtfire's house in SF on 2640 Steiner Street and around that time, there was a lot of R.i.p Robin William written all over the sidewalk
@@mikestyles499 Horseshit, the point is that Hollywood sound professionals had total control over all the engine noise and tire screeching, and it has Nothing to do with technology. McQueen was pretending to shift a 4 speed when the car actually had an automatic. You children always get fooled by the pros. That's why they make the big money.
dehoe disc - Two identical Mustangs and two matching Chargers were used in the Bullitt chase sequence. So that the four-speed Mustang could run more easily with the brawnier four-speed 440 Magnum Charger, Hollywood engineer Max Balchowsky installed a racing cam on both Fords, milled the heads, and modified the ignition and carburetion systems. Additionally, Balchowsky bulked up the suspensions of all four cars for improved strength, handling, and control. One Mustang and one Charger were fitted with a full roll cage.
I was born nearly 40 years after this came out, and some of my earliest memories are of playing with my hotwheels on the tv cabinet pretending it was the cars in this chase while I was watching it. Still the best chase
Thank you for starting this at the ACTUAL beginning of the chase sequence! It starts with the low speed games, the music building, little hints at what engines these cars are packing, then all of a sudden they drop the hammer. Perfection!
I worked for IBM in the early '80's repairing IBM Selectric typewriters (remember those things?!) and I had the Fisherman's Wharf / Ghirardelli Square driving territory. i became very good at making a U-turn in a flash whenever I spotted someone pulling out of a space. It NEVER worked to go around the block ... it would be gone by the time I made it around that block.
You don't know what you're talking about. The engine sounds are just a generic American V8, dubbed over on a 30 second Loop with a couple gear shifts thrown in. They don't match up with the video at all. It's a poorly done sequence.
@@EATSLEEPDRIVE2002 Bullitt has inconsistencies and continuity issues, as has been pointed out for the last 56 years. (that pesky VW springs to mind). But, upon its release in 1968, it set the movie world on its ear. Gritty realism, innovative camera techniques, and antihero protagonists were all fresh innovations and combining them in a superb action film headed by Steve McQueen has made Bullitt an iconic film. Serious gearheads knew cars from the factory would never survive the abuse of that race. Furthermore, the glaring faux paus of portraying a 390 Mustang managing to keep pace with a 440 Charger was utter fantasy. But it doesn't matter. Bullitt does what all good art does. It captures its subject matter and portrays it in novel ways. That snapshot of the time, the place, the cars and the culture, which could have been so easily buried in some forgettable movie, was instead turned into legend. Half a century on it's still a thrill. As for the sound recording, let Mike Magda's eye-opening account, "Dangerous Pursuit: The Real Truth Behind the 'Bullitt' Chase Scene" (subtitled Steve McQueen and his green Mustang defined on screen car chases for a generation) in Motor Trend, June 20, 2005, cast some light into the murky recesses of the internet. Here's an excerpt-- "After Keller and Yates finished editing the chase, John Kean went to work recording and mixing in the sound of the revving engines and squealing tires. Kean and Bud Ekins took the cars to Willow Springs Raceway near Los Angeles for the recording. Some critics complain that the Mustang upshifts so many times it sounds as if it has a six-speed transmission, but most of the sounds fit the scenes perfectly, including the tires barking during gear changes and the rpm shifts during speed changes. Kean was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on the film." --Mike Magda Bullitt remains the quintessential car chase scene. It is the most influential chase scene ever filmed and the chase scene against which all others are measured.
I love how quiet the charger is until the seat belt goes on and the charger dude revs up and dumps the clutch. Then you hear the real sound of that big block come to life.
The Mustang had to be highly modified including nitrous because it could not reach speeds the Director wanted. The Charger was NOT modified for power. It came with all the power needed. Fact.
DAMN!!! I just love the sound of a V-8 engine and four barrel carbs! I miss the 1960s and '70s. No artificial intelligence can top this stuff!! I was 19 years-old when this played in theaters and it still gives me 'goose bumps' today watching it on RUclips. Nothing like seeing this on big screen theaters at the time.
Little known fact. The movie studio originally planned to give the bad guys a black Impala SS coupe. The studio approached Chevrolet about donating a couple of those cars but, was turned down. GM didn't want their car associated with the bad guys. The studio then went to Chrysler and they were totally on board. For them, this was top quality advertising and they sold a lot of Chargers because of Bullitt.
@@BlackPill-pu4vi I've always been a Chevy guy, but I had a 1970 Plymouth Duster as my first brand new car when I was 21 years-old. Nothing wrong with Mopar back in the day! It's too bad Chevrolet 'dropped the ball'. A black Impala SS would have been a great match vs. the Ford Mustang.
@@felixmadison5736 Absolutely. No doubt the studio execs thought it would be a natural Ford vs Chevy match in addition to the good guys vs bad guys. But GM dropped the ball on that and Mopar swooped in and got the fame instead.
During the filming of this chase sequence McQueen kept losing control of the Mustang which threatened the crew's safety. The problem of making McQueen look heroic on film and also protect the film crew was for McQueen to be seen visibly driving the car is limited to safe shots where he can't injure the crew. All of the real stunt driving is performed by the glasses wearing Dodge driver Bill Hickman. He was the premier stunt driver in Hollywood in that era. Great chase scene. Still the gold standard. Both cars were sold off after the movie and disappeared for decades. McQueen later tried to buy the Mustang but the owner refused and drove it around town on errands. The story of both cars is online.
@@jimlechuga3193 Thank you for the correction. I read about Hickman. Loftin is not listed online in only a brief search. You may have interesting additions about unlisted stunt drivers of interest to movie fans. Can you add more info?
@@bighands69 Errr... not really. Post synching is pretty straight forward. If you can't head slate it you can tail slate it. I'm not even convinced these are the sounds from these actual cars. But these are all done in post. I used to work in the film industry as a clapper loader and focus puller so it was part of my job.
@@thethirdman225 Cars do not sound the same when you listen to them through speakers. Music is the same when played through speakers. That is the reason when they do cars there is modifications of the sound or even replacement sounds. While you can record the event you will never capture the feeling of that sound hence why car sound is enhanced by different techniques.
I worked as an AV Technician for the Osceola Convention center in Kissimmee where the Mecum Car Auction took place, the year this car went on sale (2020). It sold for 3.4 million dollars!
I love this scene because up until the car chase, Bullitt has been one step behind the crooks and playing defense the whole time. It's when Hickman looks up and sees the Mustang in his rear view mirror that the audience and the bad guys are finally shown what Bullitt's really made of.
Everything came together, without doubt the best car chase... You can actually feel those drops, smell the engines and immerse yourself in the beautiful sounds of engines growling...Yet to be beaten and I doubt it ever will be!
Yes. But the filmmakers were right in having the actual chase without any music. Lalo Schifrin even suggested to keep only the sounds of the chase intact.
ive studied film for a few years now and can confirm that they simply do not make films on this level anymore. it saddens me everyday. what a sequence. the sound, subtleties in the performances, the cinematography, the tension, the editing. absolutely phenomenal.
Inoubliable à jamais je l'avais vu 2 fois au cinéma j'étais jeune accompagné de mon frère et mon cousin où à l'époque la place de cinéma était de 3francs 50 cts donc 60 centimes d'euros avec sièges en velours rouge une hôtesse et aussi qui nous vendait dans son panier rempli de cornets de glace, de chocolat, sucette, cacahouètes et ce film Bullitt avait un immense écran en technicolor et des hauts parleurs stéréo dolby de haut niveau..... aujourd'hui j'ai 65 ans et c'est comme si c'était hier
Those shots of the cars coming down the hill is the same scene as when they showed it from the top of the hill. They just replayed it from a different angle.
57 years and still the best car chase in the history of cinema Not a single word, no music during the chase, no overdramatized stuff, only what we need: V8s screaming, tires screetching and metal slaming.
I miss the plowing through farmers markets on the sidewalk....random motorcyclists w/black visors & automatic machine pistols....cop cars with cherries & berries. Hydraulic Gimbels launching automobiles cartwheeling 20 ft. in the air.
I have seen this chase seen soooooooo many times. Before cable, I knew exactly when to turn-on the TV after the movie started. To this day, so many people do not know why this is THEE GREATEST chase seen: 1. You NEVER see the speedometer; you do not have to be convinced that these maniacs are DRIVING!! 2. No visible special effects; the cars are specially prepared (under-carriage reinforced to handle the San Fransico jumps, but that's it). 3. Manual Transmission: an automatic is faster today, but nothing beats the sound of clutch & punch! 4. When the driving starts, the only music you hear are those beautiful V8's.
While not driving fast. When i lived in SF, parts of this do remind me of going to grocery store. Each intersection was basically "a new view" who is coming/up down!!
Love this movie: not just the chase. But what a chase: even though now you can see that green VW Beetle reappearing (that's become part of it's charm). I think it's the combination of San Francisco, those hills, the crashing car chassis' on the bumps, that bay view and sunshine, classic cars, great music, the roar of the Mustang engine, the overtakes and undertakes, and that unique handsome and oh so cool Steve McQueen persona. And the thugs look great too. All in all an excellent production which does what cinema did best without all the gizmo' we have today!
It's amazing how simply 2 muscle cars speeding down a street in SF can be more suspenseful than any of these multi-million dollar action blockbusters of today. I will say the car chase from The Raid 2 is the only film in recent times that comes close.
Owned one and if you read back story of movie the charger had to be held back never had chance catching it really. It wasn't even working that hard in this scene. So miss ours. Such a bad ass car.
Steve McQueen shared this chase scene with Bud Ekins, one of Hollywood's best stunt drivers at the time. 53 years later and it is still an epic chase scene with an Iconic car and equally Iconic actor. Hollywood don't make them like this anymore.
Stuntman Driver Bill Hickman drove the Charger, He was close friends with James Dean and was driving the Station Wagon pulling the trailer about 5 minutes behind when James Dean was killed in his Porsche Spider in 1955. Dean actually died in Bill Hickmans arms. His last words were I don't want to die.
How do you know bud ekins drove? I was 10 years old and talking to bud ekins on each scene.we were standing on the corner with bud and 2 girls right when they start going up the hill,I was wearing a white tee shirt and flood pants.bud has blonde hair,if you watch closely you'll see the four of us.i asked bud why he wasn't driving after he said he was Steve's stuntman and he said Steve does his own driving and he's there to fill in if necessary.
@@joematthewsparacino6844 I see you guys every time standing there on the corner on the left! Always thought that’s regular by-standers...kinda like the cabbie and the other guy in traffic who make Steve go around behind them...wow
Right! The sound from inside the Charger is epic. Other than it being in the script, never understood why he didn't boot it to get away after McQueen 'hedged it' after the biker came off.
It just gets better with age, what a piece of art. The way the tension builds and then the scene blazes into action... not a word said, the sweet music of the V8. And I'll take the murdered out charger any day :)
I was just reading something on that. Bill Hickman, the driver, was a stunt driver in Hollywood. The way the seatbelts in the Charger were at the time had a tendency to keep you planted in your seat, so in fact, he did it to maintain control of the car. When he came around the one corner and smacked the parked white car, that car had a camera on it, and he wasn't supposed to hit it. But, yeah, he in fact did know what he was doing. He was a close friend to James Dean, and was only a few minutes behind Dean with Dean's stationwagon and trailer when Dean crashed. Hickman was the first on scene, and Dean died in his arms.
I can see the influence Need for Speed got from this movie with the in car camera shots, plus the sound is fairly similar to the starting race they do in muscle cars. Cool little easter egg is that this was the scene playing at the drive in theater they went to.
My 8 year old son said... give this 10000 likes... saw this also after the Ronin chase which to me is the modern best chase while this is still my all time favorite.
My gramps showed me this as a kid, can't remember how old.. But I wanna say it was probably one of the first car scenes where I was like "woah... That was cool" lol. Ever since then, been the biggest car guy.
Love it. No music, no dialogue, no excessive car flips and explosions in the background like some Michael Bay movie. Just two badass muscle cars chasing each other.
Thanks to no CGI, you really feel like you're there inside the cars. And watching from the street. Clever camera work at 2:08 when the Mustang appears in the mirror of the Charger. EPIC!!
The most impressive thing in the video to me was the senic drive watching all the old cars. It dawned on me that as they drove up the residential streets the parked cars - some were 20 years old. Many of those cars were from the mid-to-late 50's; American's have been sold cars today that don't last. Yea, you had to either adjust or change the points and plugs and rotar cap every 3-5,000 miles but they ran forever. I really started focusing on the cars (rewatching several times) when the baddie's turned the corner and that yellow Mustang came into veiw. That 68 'stang and Steve McQueen are American Icons.
I see why it's the greatest chase of all time. Everything's authentic, the multiple camera angles, it was all done in one take from the looks of it. The fact that they did it on public streets, it all makes for one incredible scene
@@scottslotterbeck3796 yeah there's no way it was one take, you'd have to block off so many streets for one, but every car they drive around and dodge would have to be perfectly on cue. Doubt Steve McQueen did all the driving, I'm sure there was a stunt driver too.
@@MrFusion sSteve was like Paul Newman, James Garner, and a couple other actors. He was a real racer. Look up the movie Lemans, he drove in some of the scenes with the Porsche 917 at Lemans. Same type of photography. Cameras on race cars. Also look up, On any Sunday. The original. Steve is featured driving Baja racers and dirt bikes. He is as legit as the race car guy from Greys Anatomy TV show and Paul Walker...
![Natanael Cano - Ya Te Olvidé [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xLig8I91SJQ/mqdefault.jpg)
The fact that they never said a word, cut the music when the real chase began, and let all the action speak for itself seems... Almost alien to me. No words, almost no music, just engines, tires, slams, and crash landings. Not even a "He's onto us" or an occasional "Shit!".
It's beautiful.
british director peter yates wanted the movie to be as real as possible
For real. This is a lost art.
Sound fx made on a sound stage.
Words are unnecessary because the story is conveyed entirely visually, which is the best way to have done it.
Superior
It's funny that you mentioned this as the best car scene ever. I can tell you a true fact about this. My dad was a great sound editor and created the 1st Foley stage. When my dad and his work partner on Bullitt, the sound for the engine didn't sound right to Mr. Mc. Queen. So he picked up my dad and his co-worker Frank Makelvie to record the sound from the same 67 fastback mustang in the movie. Any Steve McQueen said he wanted to drive the same route in San Francisco as in the movie. Well my dad and Frank didn't think about it much until the got there. Mr. McQueen said to put the reel to reel sound recorder in between them in the back seat with a mic out both sides. My dad didn't realize until Steve said to put the seat belts on tight. Right then my dad said, "Oh Shitt"! Steve took off like a bat out of Hell driving as fast as it was in the movie. Thru traffic and everything. When they finished, my dad and Frank came crawling out of the car shaking. Mr. McQueen just laughed and says, "here John! This should make you gentlemen feel better !" Then he handed my dad and Frank each a case of aged scotch from Steve's private stock and $2000 bucks each. Mr. McQueen liked the sound so much he told the director to use the sound my dad made and that's what is in the movie to this day. Funny story right. You can look up my dad, God rest his soul. John Howard Post or John Howard. If you wish to hear more cool stories that my dad told me, I would be happy to share tidbits of the movies my dad and I worked on. God bless everyone
Well, we are waiting for more stories dude!!! 😮
AWESOME!👍🏻♥️😇
That's just way cool
It's been rumored they used the Sound track from Bullitt for the Car chase in the Movie The 7ups . It was mainly used on 74 Pontiac Ventura Roy Scheider Drove , not the Pontiac Grandville Drivin by the Bad Guys .. Bill Hickman Drove the Pontiac Grandville too..
Feeling the torq sitting in the back.
Filmed from a helicopter by my father, Rexford M. , pilot named Davey Jones. Dad also worked on "Jaws".
🫡
@@WhatsUp2121 how do you propose he do that?
My dad did too!
@@jimlechuga3193 I would imagine other crewmembers had children too. Nice to meet you. Do you also have a SAG membership number? Enrollment date? Practically all crewmembers enrolled their families. Do you even know what sag strands for. My guess is no. FYI (Screen Actors Guild). We made a lot of money for our parents as "Extras" on the sets over the years. I am in many old movies, albeit briefly, not to mention tv commercials. As one troll to another, you can believe it or not, my father often took me to work with him. He introduced me to Steve the very day they shot those clips. I was there in person to witness what you only see 2nd hand. To prove that the director let me use the clapper board. Tell me what that is and I'll know for sure you grew up in and around the film industry. Peace.
Which parts of the chase were filmed from a helicopter? I will defer to anyone claiming expertise, but, most of the shots seem to be taken from ground level.
Man that second generation Charger, in black with the headlights covered... That's one _SINISTER_ looking car.
Coolest car ever made. Mine was in black primer. It ran low 13's on street tires!
The hideaway lights are probably the best feature about it
A lot of Green VW beetles on the street that day. 😂
@@JeffKopisElaborate, you vile fiend.
Everyone idolizes the Mustang. The '68 R/T is 100X sweeter.
Back when putting on a seatbelt meant you were about to do some serious driving.
Van Farley if it was like in the UK in the 70s, kids in the back wouldn't have any belts on at all ! Crazy really.
I still believe that scene saved more lives than any public service bulletin, us kids would always give each other a mean look when we buckled up, this was serious business and if you were driving a 60's car it was !
@@radioguy1620 Hi Radioguy, good point, I did not think about that but you are right, I am a Baby Boomer and when we wanted to "psychologically" impress someone, we would "buckle-up" just for the look of this movie. Peace be with you, Good comment, Ciao, L
Really cool 😎 black leather gloves - put belt on here we go 👍
Dittos
This 10 minutes and 18 seconds alone is better than any movie from the entire Fast & Furious franchise. Steve McQueen - absolute LEGEND!
And both were professional stunt drivers/ actors Steve McQueen and Bill Hickman who actually drove their own cars. Unheard of today.
@@firebir11Bill Hickman also did the majority of McQueens dangerous car stunts throughout his career too.
Agreed and this is the real thing,a real car chase.
Only the first Fast and Furious movie was any good since the action was mostly all practical stunts.
Except for the first fast and furious
Boomer here. I don’t know about you guys, but for years, THIS was THE CAR CHASE.
Later on there were good ones, but this established a pretty good precedent.
i think baby driver's opening chase is gonna age like fine wine as the years go on
I think it's still THE CAR CHASE even today, speaking as a millennial.
There have been some pretty awesome car chases since then, with some of them being almost equal to Bullitt, but Bullitt is still my favourite.
A few more recent car chases (in some cases, entire movies) that deserve to be remembered as classics:
Drive (2011)
Jack Reacher (2012)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Mission Impossible : Rogue Nation (2015), Fallout (2018), and Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023)
Baby Driver (2017)
The Batman (2022)
I'll add more if I think of them :)
Blues Brothers, Terminator, Magnum Force, Gone in 60 seconds (The original 1974 to be specific), and even Spielberg's first movie Duel also had legendary vehicle chase scenes too.
But still, no matter how well executed or legendary other chase scenes can be, nothing tops the Bullitt chase.
Ahh, The good old days eh, LOL.
@@keithmoon3190 Duel did not have legendary chase scenes.
Nothing will ever replace the symphony of an American V8
An Italian V12 is impressive at full song but nothing thunders quite like a big block-especially a Mopar
German V8s are pretty damn good. Especially the e92 M3
Try a Koenigsegg at full chat!!
Man, talk about a classic. No talking, no music, no quirky one liners, no CGI, no outrageous stunts that look like they belong in a space movie, nothing like that. This almost ten-and-a-half-minute video is nothing but 2 muscle cars chasing one another through the streets of San Francisco. I love this whole scene from start to finish. I give my late father a lot of props for showing me this movie when I was a kid. By far THE most famous car chase in cinematic history.
What a lame ass chase, should have added the Chevelle & GTO to it, that they passed. Try to push big fat charger off road w little mustang, who made this sheet up,?
@@rogerdodrill4733 ok let's then have vin diesel star a chase made entirely with cgi
How many times did they pass that green VW Beetle?
@@TooTallDean I count 4. However, that seems to be the same street with different camera angles. Back in those days, they didn't close certain parts of area off for filming like they do today. I'm betting many people were surprised to see they got at least one second of fame in something like this.
@@JustRememberWhoYoureWorkingForOk those movies were better anyway.....
When Americans drove cars that had 3 pedals...
Yes sir and used the clutch once ripping through the gears😂😂😂 - once, the dump of it!!!!
& Australia. Only way to drive a car is by stick shifting , pure thrill .
@@malcolmhector2641 yes it is. it's really fun when you have your R.P.M.s down pat where you don't need the clutch, except to dump it on take off. ☺
Miss those days
I still drive a manual scat pack.
This is the movie that changed car chases in movies forever. I remember when this movie came out and I fell in love with the fast back Mustang. The legendary Steve McQueen.
I still drive a stick shift...but my motor is only half of a V8.
Killer movie...thanks for posting this.
👍
Me too and mine is a deisel
I have a turbo i6 and a turbo i4
Steve McQueen could drive. He wasn't just a Hollywood legend. He was also a race car driver. He had driven in Le Mans, Sebring, and I do believe Daytona. Fifty-five years later, this is still the greatest chase scene in Hollywood.
Yep. He drove in the Porsche 917 in the racing movie Lemans...Steve was that rare breed of actors like Paul Newman, James Garner, the guy from Greys Anatomy, and Paul Walker that actually raced. And let’s not forget James Dean. Wonder how good he would have been...
Well that would be someone who could get a Ford to keep up with a Dodge then.
What's your opinion on the car-chase in 'Ronin'?
@@jonpayne4931 It’s very good. It’s just not as relatable to me personally. I have no interest in the vehicles used...
@@jonpayne4931 ronin is a classic of the modern age
I love how McQueen doesn’t break a sweat or show emotion in any way. Calm and collected. Truly the king of cool
Trained racing driver he was !!
The OG badass
Lightning McQueen
But neither does the other driver, which is what makes the chase scene a bit comical , in a great and classic way😁 everyone has this serious grim gameface on, while driving two cool hotrods and making history 😁
@@Teknokill-jm2ub spot on.
A lot of films have tried, but none have surpassed the greatness of this car chase. One of my favorite films.
I'm 54 now, the first 2 movies I remember watching is Bullitt and Crazy Mary and Dirty Larry. Great movies
My Dad's fave movie. He worked at Ford, loved cars. I watched this clip on the first anniversary of the night he passed. RIP, Dad, you were right, it's still the best car chase ever.
@eating sugar no papa no
@eating sugar no papa shut up bitch
He is at peace.
Love is eternal ♡
You're a good son.
No cgi, no super fake special effects, no overdramatized acting. AWESOME compared to today’s movies. RIP Steve Mqueen.
yup the actors even burnt themselves to death for the last bit
@@WarrenZevonYT No man, I meant that the special effects weren’t overdone for every single scene like they are now.
@@GraysonMiller69420have you seen mission impossible fallout? Great driving in that
@@aidanfrancis2193 No man, but I will check it out.
@@GraysonMiller69420 you'll love it I think, cruise is a modern Steve McQueen
The editing in the Bullitt car chase is so outstanding that it took me about 30 or so viewings of this movie before I noticed the omnipresent Green VW Beetle.
But why is there an omnipresent Green VW Beetle? Did they run out of props?
@@robbiespence6504 The editor masterfully worked with the cuts he was given. The director and cinematographer certainly didn't intend for all those green VW bug shots to be used. They left it up to the editor to work his magic. We are so focused on the two cars in the chase we don't think about the recurring bug. The editor deservedly won the Oscar for his efforts.
@@BW4EIRE I noticed it from my very first viewing. It was obvious how bad this chase was edited.
lol. Really.
The picture won the Oscar for Best Film Editing.
The picture won the Eddie (which I'm confident you've never heard of) for Best Edited Feature Film.
But I don't need that information to know how outstanding the editing in this film is.
@@BW4EIRE and it was a huge mistake. Tell me editing the same scenes from different angles deserves an award. You see the vw and hubcaps fly off over and over. Doesn't matter if it won, it shouldn't have.
No CGI, no talking, no shit. Just real driving ... on the limits.
No Music , no Dialogue. This car chase will never be beaten.Period.
This and 1974 Gone in sixty seconds are the best.
Have to include the 7 ups as well but still cannot beat the original.
BLODWYN DAVIES i meant the original gone in sixty seconds not the nicolas cage one
Agreed...
Not sure I have see that one. Definitely haven't seen the NC one.
The vehicle those hit men were in just looks menacing. The fact they're both older middle aged men indicates they are experienced, calm and patient. No two characters look as grim and mechanical at their job then these two characters chosen to play the role of consummate killers for the syndicate. Nothing personal, just business. They communicate by glances without saying a word. Insane acting.
1968 Dodge Charger R/T. The meanest looking car ever made
Director Peter Yates commented that he liked the look of the Chargers because it reminded him of a shark
As FrankensteinsMonster-1313 said, 1968 Dodge Charger. The 1968 and 1969 models were my favorite Chargers ever made. You can tell the one in the movie is a 1968 at a quick glance (besides of course the movie itself being 1968!) from the single grill that goes all the way across, which would become split in 1969, and the two circular taillights on either side, which became rather cool rectangular ones in 1969. I like the grill of the 1968 better, but the taillights of the 1969. Either way, killer freaking body style - a timeless, menacing-looking car for 60s movie hitmen!
@@FrankensteinsMonster-1313Lincoln Continental Mark III begs to differ
It was Darth Vader before there was a Darth Vader!
This is THE car chase , but what folk never mention is its a great film all round good acting with a good story line .
This 10-minute clip is absolute cinematograph history at its best! No music, no over-dramatized effects, just the pure natural V8 engine sounds open throttle all he way through, accompagnied by occasional traffic collisions and startled motorisis caught off guard eyewitnessing what they think is an illegal street race taking way. Absolute classy, compated to today's vehicle chases.
Just that shot of the Mustang suddenly appearing in the rear view mirror beats most movies today.
It's kind of like the first appearance of the shark fin in "Jaws". Trouble is here!
LOVE that shot!
Oh yeah. You knew it was gonna get serious then. Then when Bill Hickman fastened his seatbelt, you knew it was ON...
And there it remained... being the slower car, and I guess the pitt manouvier was unheard of.
@@42lookc fair enough he did drive faster
The driver of the Charger is professional stunt driver Bill Hickman. He also did the famous chase sequence in the French Connection. A complete legend
Hickman looks like he’s out for a Sunday drive.
Pretty much the two ultimate car chases scenes.
A lesser known third (and spiritual successor to The French Connection) is The Seven-Ups where Hickman is chased by Roy Scheider for nine solid minutes before Scheider's car has its top sheared off by a semi-truck trailer.
@@wesleycook7687 Loftin was the truck Driver in Duel, when they did chsde scenes, he would have his friend Dale Vansickle drive the car both of them were the top stunt drivers to go to
He was also in a couple of episodes of Dragnet.
The wheel hop and the fact that the mustang sounds like it still has its manual cable clutch... so much better than today
Ridiculously-superior filmmaking. I miss that style.
Rumour has it the Green Beetle is still cruising the streets of San Francisco and at night you can still hear the Chargers hub caps rolling around.
1 is said to be here in Ohio (The one that Steve wanted to buy) 1 was totaled and the 3rd was just found a couple years ago in a junkyard in Mexico. It had been painted yellow and most of the parts were gone.
Rumour has it that Steve McQueen's soul still drives around San Francisco's roads at night in a Mustang looking for Chargers to chase and drivers to kill
Naw, the hub caps are stuck in some that shit all over san fransico.
All as the mustang shifted like it had an 18 speed eaton in it.
The 1Pubeman and came off and returned and came off and... 🤣🤣
Everybody lining up to purchase the Mustang, I want that Charger. It's the only charger in the world that regenerates hub caps. It lost 3 hub caps during the chase and still managed to crash with 3.
Trent 6_3 Christine was its mother
😂
🤣🤣🤣
O Oh 😂😂😂
The other driver is so cool. A real pro
I have to say if you haven't seen this in a theater sitting up close you really haven't seen it in all its glory.
Amazing Amazing stuff. You just can't make this today. No matter how hard you try. He had this way that is unmatched. Never ever gets old.
Fun fact: Director Peter Yates estimated that the top speeds during certain portions of filming the scene would need to be 75-80 mph to achieve the realism he desired. The stunt drivers later confessed that had the cars up to 110 mph at times. And, because the Charger had 50+ h.p. on the Mustang meant its stunt driver was constantly having to lay off the accelerator to get the shots Yates wanted.
The Charger also handled all the jumps with stock suspension, whereas the Mustang had to be modified to handle them. They built cars fucking tough back in those days.
Heard that 20+ years ago, the charger was too fast and had to stay slow for the mustang - you can hear it in RPM's, the charger is literally cruising and the stang is at 6000 rpm wide open. For the record 390 mustangs weren't fast, 440 Charger R/T's were - look it up
@@FrankBullitt390 the sound of the Mustang isn’t authentic though, it’s actually the sound of a GT40’s engine dubbed in, which is why you’ll hear it upshift about 12 times during the chase.
Furthermore, I remember reading the top speed statistics on both, the Charger was only 2-3 mph faster, the difference was in traction, the charger’s immense weight kept the tires glued to the road while the Mustang, being lighter, did burnouts in reverse gear, as you saw in that one shot. It just depended on what road they were on really, tight, narrow, San Francisco streets full of traffic were perfect for the Mustang, being able to corner much better and not fish-tail as much. The countryside with the long, clear straights were where the Charger could absolutely fly.
110mph nowadays, well that's tractor speeds & so bleedin slow..... When 17 I had a silly wee 250cc motorcycle that would reach a hundred....
There's certainly reasons Chargers were used for so many car chases in so many movies and tv shows. It's like they were built specifically for it!
No CGI, this is the real deal. I hadn't seen this for many years, and had forgotten just how good it is - even the music, and the way it builds.
It was 1960s dude why would there be CGI?
@@glipk LOL I wasn't suggesting that there was CGI in the 60s, just that old films like this one without CGI are great. In my view, the obsession with CGI these days spoils a lot of films.
No CGI in Blues Brothers either. Way better.
Aye, cool jazz with roaring engines and screeching tires is very American. Best chase ever.
Yup. This was raw.
You cant beat the sound of a well executed double declutch on an old school unsynchronised gearbox, CLASS ,, Iv'e still got ya picture on my wall Stevie 💛 :)
One of the very best street chaces of all time. Awesome footage. The ones producing this Steve wanted to do all the the scenes doing them his self. He (Steve) had a great time doing them. WOOHOO EH, LOLOL.
Man, this still holds up today. The cinematography, editing, and sound work are amazing.
The good old stuff goes beyond holding up. Holding up suggests it's as good as contemporary offerings. It can be better in many ways. Something only possible in it's time. It gets better with age.
I don't wanna be 'that guy ' but in the city how many times did they pass the same cars in different scenes? The white Firebird the green Beetle ? But that aside. Fuking Epic
The editing is garbage lol - he passes the VW beetle 4 times at the same spot
Wouldn't say the editing holds up very well, but it's still an exciting scene
AWESOME TO THE MAX!!!!🎉🎉❤❤❤❤
I’m not a car guy. But I am absolutely obsessed with this scene. The way they prowl around the downtown streets like lions growling in the bush. And when they finally roar and takeoff… The whole thing is absolutely thrilling. it’s emotional. Masterful filmmaking. And don’t get me started on Steve McQueen.
McQueen did all the stunts. The man was a true badass. Nowadays it s all CGI.
@@miltontavares9506 he was not doing the driving, you only see closeups. Bud Elkins is doing the driving.
@@holdenmcgroin9774 And some should say to that Green beetle driver 'Get hell out of this scene'
@@mikkoranta8767 As I understand it, the green bug was one of several "safety cars" accompanying the stunt. The streets were blocked off, but they had to be prepared (insurance wise) to deal with any civilian car wandering into the scene.
That whole bit before the chase starts is peak slow burn.
Got a stage two upgrade on my Road King a few years ago mechanic asked me what I want the new exhaust to sound like , I gave him this video and told him to match the mustang at full throttle as much as possible . I have to say it’s pretty damn close . Thank you Flaco !
They don't make movies like this anymore an absolute classic.
the movies itself was absolute garbage. Super boring.
I went to San Francisco last year. Have wanted to go there all of my life having been brought up on Bullit and Dirty Harry. I walked down the streets where this car chase was filmed. Went to Taylor street where bullitt,s house is. It was an amazing feeling to be there where it all happened. They just don’t make films like this anymore. No CGI. No stupid dialogue. Just pure class.
All Mustangs used must have been destroyed... but I guess the green Beetle is still rolling around there!
i went to see Mrs. Doubtfire's house in SF on 2640 Steiner Street
and around that time, there was a lot of R.i.p Robin William written all over the sidewalk
Was it safe in that area? I always wanted to go but heard it's super run down now. If it was, where was it exactly? Thanks
Ah, yes ... the good ol' days of REAL acting!
It's just a movie, Cleetus. And McQueen was a pencil-neck.
Bruce Lee said Steve McQueen was one tough son of a gun. If Bruce Lee says you are tough, it really means something.
Wait... is this legit???
Yes
@@franciscs1604 Yes, you can see it on RUclips for yourself. It's an interview with Bruce, the Pierce Something show.
Bruce Lee bought one of Steve’s porsches.
@@michaelf.douglas6798
Wait what…?!
Drove those roads, born in SF. And I had a 67 302 modified Herb Adam's modified suspension Camaro. Fun times..
Cars will NEVER sound that great again. Two of the best looking AND sounding cars ever made, in the best car chase ever produced.
Idk man there's some really really good sounding modern cars. I can recommend you some if you're unaware
Of course they still sound good
Listening to those V8’s sing is better than any music.
Hahahahahaha those V8's are a dime a dozen, and you don't know shit about music or v8 sound. Idiot.
dehoe disc - yeah idiot, those V8’s from 1968 aren’t near as powerful as the latest V8’s, but in 1968, that was THE music.
@@mikestyles499 Horseshit, the point is that Hollywood sound professionals had total control over all the engine noise and tire screeching, and it has Nothing to do with technology. McQueen was pretending to shift a 4 speed when the car actually had an automatic. You children always get fooled by the pros. That's why they make the big money.
dehoe disc - wrong, the Mustang that Steve drove had a four spd, the Charger also had a four spd.
dehoe disc - Two identical Mustangs and two matching Chargers were used in the Bullitt chase sequence. So that the four-speed Mustang could run more easily with the brawnier four-speed 440 Magnum Charger, Hollywood engineer Max Balchowsky installed a racing cam on both Fords, milled the heads, and modified the ignition and carburetion systems. Additionally, Balchowsky bulked up the suspensions of all four cars for improved strength, handling, and control. One Mustang and one Charger were fitted with a full roll cage.
What can you say? 50 plus years. And it's still badass.
I was born nearly 40 years after this came out, and some of my earliest memories are of playing with my hotwheels on the tv cabinet pretending it was the cars in this chase while I was watching it. Still the best chase
Do you have photos of your mother?
Not one word spoken...that is art
Man, those POV shots going over those hilltops was crazy.
This entire 10 minutes of the car chase is better than most cinema movies today. It's 2024 that's crazy
I agree
take out all the reused footage of the cars from several different angles and you have a 5 minute chase. Horrible editing.
Thank you for starting this at the ACTUAL beginning of the chase sequence! It starts with the low speed games, the music building, little hints at what engines these cars are packing, then all of a sudden they drop the hammer. Perfection!
The music of those big blocks was music enough for me .. 👍🏼
The cool music is fundamental. The heavy cars launching with just a blip and a burble showing the tractor like torque the engines had.
In this colour, she's just perfect. 💗💕
Ah, this brings me back to a time when you could actually find parking in San Francisco.
LOL. My wife and I drove to North Beach one time, and I found a spot about three blocks away. My wife urged me to find a closer spot. I just laughed.
Lol
@@scottslotterbeck3796 Husbands don’t usually win those points. Well done.
Yeah, but you'd have Chargers sideswiping you so I guess six of one, half a dozen of the other
I worked for IBM in the early '80's repairing IBM Selectric typewriters (remember those things?!) and I had the Fisherman's Wharf / Ghirardelli Square driving territory. i became very good at making a U-turn in a flash whenever I spotted someone pulling out of a space. It NEVER worked to go around the block ... it would be gone by the time I made it around that block.
not only is it the best car chase scene, it has the best engine sounds.
I think the Gone in 60 seconds car chase is way better, and a lot longer.
You don't know what you're talking about. The engine sounds are just a generic American V8, dubbed over on a 30 second Loop with a couple gear shifts thrown in. They don't match up with the video at all. It's a poorly done sequence.
@@EATSLEEPDRIVE2002 Bullitt has inconsistencies and continuity issues, as has been pointed out for the last 56 years. (that pesky VW springs to mind). But, upon its release in 1968, it set the movie world on its ear. Gritty realism, innovative camera techniques, and antihero protagonists were all fresh innovations and combining them in a superb action film headed by Steve McQueen has made Bullitt an iconic film. Serious gearheads knew cars from the factory would never survive the abuse of that race. Furthermore, the glaring faux paus of portraying a 390 Mustang managing to keep pace with a 440 Charger was utter fantasy. But it doesn't matter.
Bullitt does what all good art does. It captures its subject matter and portrays it in novel ways.
That snapshot of the time, the place, the cars and the culture, which could have been so easily buried in some forgettable movie, was instead turned into legend. Half a century on it's still a thrill.
As for the sound recording, let Mike Magda's eye-opening account, "Dangerous Pursuit: The Real Truth Behind the 'Bullitt' Chase Scene" (subtitled Steve McQueen and his green Mustang defined on screen car chases for a generation) in Motor Trend, June 20, 2005, cast some light into the murky recesses of the internet.
Here's an excerpt--
"After Keller and Yates finished editing the chase, John Kean went to work recording and mixing in the sound of the revving engines and squealing tires. Kean and Bud Ekins took the cars to Willow Springs Raceway near Los Angeles for the recording. Some critics complain that the Mustang upshifts so many times it sounds as if it has a six-speed transmission, but most of the sounds fit the scenes perfectly, including the tires barking during gear changes and the rpm shifts during speed changes. Kean was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on the film." --Mike Magda
Bullitt remains the quintessential car chase scene. It is the most influential chase scene ever filmed and the chase scene against which all others are measured.
Credit for being THE OG car chase, but let's not lie, there have been many phenominal stunt driving scenes since, with spectacular drivers.
This is first time seeing this legendary classic. I didn't expect the gruesome ending.
Bravo Bravo!
I love how quiet the charger is until the seat belt goes on and the charger dude revs up and dumps the clutch. Then you hear the real sound of that big block come to life.
Sounds like an angry t rex
The Mustang had to be highly modified including nitrous because it could not reach speeds the Director wanted. The Charger was NOT modified for power. It came with all the power needed. Fact.
Another fact: Check out tires on Charger. Smallest possible. Another way to help the Mustang.
My uncle had a satellite with the 380 and automatic and that fricking car was fast.
@@jjs777fzr actually they removed two spark plugs wires so the mustang could keep up enough for filming.
DAMN!!! I just love the sound of a V-8 engine and four barrel carbs! I miss the 1960s and '70s. No artificial intelligence can top this stuff!! I was 19 years-old when this played in theaters and it still gives me 'goose bumps' today watching it on RUclips. Nothing like seeing this on big screen theaters at the time.
Little known fact. The movie studio originally planned to give the bad guys a black Impala SS coupe. The studio approached Chevrolet about donating a couple of those cars but, was turned down. GM didn't want their car associated with the bad guys.
The studio then went to Chrysler and they were totally on board. For them, this was top quality advertising and they sold a lot of Chargers because of Bullitt.
@@BlackPill-pu4vi I've always been a Chevy guy, but I had a 1970 Plymouth Duster as my first brand new car when I was 21 years-old. Nothing wrong with Mopar back in the day! It's too bad Chevrolet 'dropped the ball'. A black Impala SS would have been a great match vs. the Ford Mustang.
@@felixmadison5736 Absolutely. No doubt the studio execs thought it would be a natural Ford vs Chevy match in addition to the good guys vs bad guys. But GM dropped the ball on that and Mopar swooped in and got the fame instead.
@@BlackPill-pu4vi apparently they got the message in time for the 7-Ups with cars supplied by Pontiac
Audi v10 on full noise, hell a v6 tdi driven by Not the owner
During the filming of this chase sequence McQueen kept losing control of the Mustang which threatened the crew's safety. The problem of making McQueen look heroic on film and also protect the film crew was for McQueen to be seen visibly driving the car is limited to safe shots where he can't injure the crew. All of the real stunt driving is performed by the glasses wearing Dodge driver Bill Hickman. He was the premier stunt driver in Hollywood in that era. Great chase scene. Still the gold standard. Both cars were sold off after the movie and disappeared for decades. McQueen later tried to buy the Mustang but the owner refused and drove it around town on errands. The story of both cars is online.
Not true. Are Loftin drive the mustang.
Carey Loftin. Sorry for the mistype
@@jimlechuga3193 Thank you for the correction. I read about Hickman. Loftin is not listed online in only a brief search. You may have interesting additions about unlisted stunt drivers of interest to movie fans. Can you add more info?
@@jimlechuga3193 Thank you for the further correction. He had a marvelous career.
Man these cars are still stunning today. Imagine during that time? Must've been so cool to see them on the roads.
No crazy stunts or unrealistic maneuvers. Makes this chase better than any of the chases from modern movies.
No but there was plenty of undercranking and the sound effects were all dubbed in post.
@@thethirdman225
Yeah because it is difficult to relay sound in filmed footage.
@@bighands69 Errr... not really. Post synching is pretty straight forward. If you can't head slate it you can tail slate it. I'm not even convinced these are the sounds from these actual cars. But these are all done in post. I used to work in the film industry as a clapper loader and focus puller so it was part of my job.
@@thethirdman225
Cars do not sound the same when you listen to them through speakers. Music is the same when played through speakers.
That is the reason when they do cars there is modifications of the sound or even replacement sounds.
While you can record the event you will never capture the feeling of that sound hence why car sound is enhanced by different techniques.
@@bighands69 LOL!! Yeah, okay. Whatever.
I’ve probably watched this scene 50 times and never get tired of it.
150 here bro😂😂😂
I have lost count😂
❤❤
Double that for me!
@@Metron65 😇🙂
I like looking at all the other cars on the streets. A lot of 1950's cars still in service..
AMEN! Thanks.
I worked as an AV Technician for the Osceola Convention center in Kissimmee where the Mecum Car Auction took place, the year this car went on sale (2020). It sold for 3.4 million dollars!
RIP Steve McQueen you will be sadly missed by millions of fans who are always there to support your talent
Love the man... couple weeks ago I could watch at Amazon Prime Video "The Great Escape"
He was awesome. He was a great, man too.
Well said about the "King of Cool"
@@carlosfranciscohernandezuz8028 One of the greatest POW films ever made.
@Tupac Shakur Nice.
I love this scene because up until the car chase, Bullitt has been one step behind the crooks and playing defense the whole time. It's when Hickman looks up and sees the Mustang in his rear view mirror that the audience and the bad guys are finally shown what Bullitt's really made of.
Steve McQueen was one of my favorite actors and like all his movies.
Everything came together, without doubt the best car chase... You can actually feel those drops, smell the engines and immerse yourself in the beautiful sounds of engines growling...Yet to be beaten and I doubt it ever will be!
The music never gets enough credit. It really adds to the legend of this scene.
Lalo Schifrin - composer. "Mission Impossible" theme too.
You mean the sax and jazz music at the start right ?
I know right away makes the beginning of the chase great
Absolutely!!
Yes. But the filmmakers were right in having the actual chase without any music. Lalo Schifrin even suggested to keep only the sounds of the chase intact.
ive studied film for a few years now and can confirm that they simply do not make films on this level anymore. it saddens me everyday. what a sequence. the sound, subtleties in the performances, the cinematography, the tension, the editing. absolutely phenomenal.
This iconic scene is master filmmaking.
@@miltontavares9506 indeed it is
You don´t need to study film to realize that. A real movie buff knows that.
Yes, they make them better
I'm gay.
It's like watching aircraft dogfight... They way it was filmed... Two classic icons fighting it out, the charger and the Mustang forever immortalised.
Inoubliable à jamais je l'avais vu 2 fois au cinéma j'étais jeune accompagné de mon frère et mon cousin où à l'époque la place de cinéma était de 3francs 50 cts donc 60 centimes d'euros avec sièges en velours rouge une hôtesse et aussi qui nous vendait dans son panier rempli de cornets de glace, de chocolat, sucette, cacahouètes et ce film Bullitt avait un immense écran en technicolor et des hauts parleurs stéréo dolby de haut niveau..... aujourd'hui j'ai 65 ans et c'est comme si c'était hier
Love how that VW kept beating those faster cars around the block.
I guess extra background cars wasn't in the budget.
4 times I think
@@steveblackburn9124 you are right
Those shots of the cars coming down the hill is the same scene as when they showed it from the top of the hill. They just replayed it from a different angle.
@@breakingcycles741 yea they repeated it for three times
57 years and still the best car chase in the history of cinema
Not a single word, no music during the chase, no overdramatized stuff, only what we need: V8s screaming, tires screetching and metal slaming.
I miss the plowing through farmers markets on the sidewalk....random motorcyclists w/black visors & automatic machine pistols....cop cars with cherries & berries. Hydraulic Gimbels launching automobiles cartwheeling 20 ft. in the air.
real cars real film making
54 years i was born in 68 but i do agree with your comment!
@@warrenofsherwooduk8328 feel honoured coming from a senior
You 55 years
Best scene in car chase history and the music fits perfectly...................................
I have seen this chase seen soooooooo many times. Before cable, I knew exactly when to turn-on the TV after the movie started. To this day, so many people do not know why this is THEE GREATEST chase seen: 1. You NEVER see the speedometer; you do not have to be convinced that these maniacs are DRIVING!! 2. No visible special effects; the cars are specially prepared (under-carriage reinforced to handle the San Fransico jumps, but that's it). 3. Manual Transmission: an automatic is faster today, but nothing beats the sound of clutch & punch! 4. When the driving starts, the only music you hear are those beautiful V8's.
NO CGI. That was a REAL car chase.
And some Badass Driving
🤦♂️ no
@@dilbertdoe601 yes
@@adrianwelgemoed9562 How many times they pass that dark green VW ?
@@dilbertdoe601 Hello!? 1968. No more words
Best car chase in cinematic history. No CGI, no music, no cheesy one liners and the best bit is the cars. To this day, they’re still iconic.
There was definitely music.
have to say the original mad max opening scene ties for that title
@@happilyham6769 The music set up the chase, but there was ZERO music during it. That is what Scott Ferguson is saying.
@@LCaddyStudios Nope.
kyokogodai reasoning?
While not driving fast. When i lived in SF, parts of this do remind me of going to grocery store. Each intersection was basically "a new view" who is coming/up down!!
Love this movie: not just the chase. But what a chase: even though now you can see that green VW Beetle reappearing (that's become part of it's charm). I think it's the combination of San Francisco, those hills, the crashing car chassis' on the bumps, that bay view and sunshine, classic cars, great music, the roar of the Mustang engine, the overtakes and undertakes, and that unique handsome and oh so cool Steve McQueen persona. And the thugs look great too. All in all an excellent production which does what cinema did best without all the gizmo' we have today!
It's amazing how simply 2 muscle cars speeding down a street in SF can be more suspenseful than any of these multi-million dollar action blockbusters of today.
I will say the car chase from The Raid 2 is the only film in recent times that comes close.
100%
This movie did have a multi million dollar budget and iirc went way over budget, but its very good ratings made up for it
Everything about the '68 charger was so badass, the looks, the size, the noise ..
Agreed man, the sound of that V8 is amazing.
That’s that classic 440 Big Block Mopar rumble !!
That Charger is my dream car
Owned one and if you read back story of movie the charger had to be held back never had chance catching it really. It wasn't even working that hard in this scene. So miss ours. Such a bad ass car.
That thing got a HEMI?
The sounds and the cars are awesome..
Steve Mc queen didn't need a stunt driver, he drove the car himself. He is the Cooler King
Steve McQueen shared this chase scene with Bud Ekins, one of Hollywood's best stunt drivers at the time. 53 years later and it is still an epic chase scene with an Iconic car and equally Iconic actor. Hollywood don't make them like this anymore.
Stuntman Driver Bill Hickman drove the Charger, He was close friends with James Dean and was driving the Station Wagon pulling the trailer about 5 minutes behind when James Dean was killed in his Porsche Spider in 1955. Dean actually died in Bill Hickmans arms. His last words were I don't want to die.
yeah I believe Bud drove the motorcycle.
How do you know bud ekins drove? I was 10 years old and talking to bud ekins on each scene.we were standing on the corner with bud and 2 girls right when they start going up the hill,I was wearing a white tee shirt and flood pants.bud has blonde hair,if you watch closely you'll see the four of us.i asked bud why he wasn't driving after he said he was Steve's stuntman and he said Steve does his own driving and he's there to fill in if necessary.
@@fahrbloosky Yes he did.
@@joematthewsparacino6844 I see you guys every time standing there on the corner on the left! Always thought that’s regular by-standers...kinda like the cabbie and the other guy in traffic who make Steve go around behind them...wow
3:21 The way the Charger just takes off is badass
No effort whatsoever for the RT. Lol!
Right! The sound from inside the Charger is epic. Other than it being in the script, never understood why he didn't boot it to get away after McQueen 'hedged it' after the biker came off.
@@nuntana2trying not to act suspicious
No SHIT
How was the Mustang right behind him after having to get around all those cars? Looks like he went down a different street. Magic Mustang.
It just gets better with age, what a piece of art. The way the tension builds and then the scene blazes into action... not a word said, the sweet music of the V8. And I'll take the murdered out charger any day :)
Zero dialogue for 10 minutes, incredible scene
This 10 minute scene epitomizes the talent and coolness of Steve McQueen.
Ever since The Blob (1958). Steve Mcqueen has been a legend ever since
And the bad guys….. cool as cucumber drivers
effortless acting.
I love it, when the Charger driver buckles up.... It's like he's thinking " OK, GAME ON ! "
That was when you knew shit was about to get real
Yup!!👍👌👌👌 you got it spot on
I was just reading something on that. Bill Hickman, the driver, was a stunt driver in Hollywood. The way the seatbelts in the Charger were at the time had a tendency to keep you planted in your seat, so in fact, he did it to maintain control of the car. When he came around the one corner and smacked the parked white car, that car had a camera on it, and he wasn't supposed to hit it.
But, yeah, he in fact did know what he was doing. He was a close friend to James Dean, and was only a few minutes behind Dean with Dean's stationwagon and trailer when Dean crashed. Hickman was the first on scene, and Dean died in his arms.
Most epic belt buckling ever.
wasnt James Dean instantly killed in the crash?
The pureness and joy of the V8 engine's sound is the best of this 10 min....
I can see the influence Need for Speed got from this movie with the in car camera shots, plus the sound is fairly similar to the starting race they do in muscle cars. Cool little easter egg is that this was the scene playing at the drive in theater they went to.
A true classic. Should be mandatory for any new car lovers and enthusiasts to watch to truly start their love.
My 8 year old son said... give this 10000 likes... saw this also after the Ronin chase which to me is the modern best chase while this is still my all time favorite.
My gramps showed me this as a kid, can't remember how old.. But I wanna say it was probably one of the first car scenes where I was like "woah... That was cool" lol. Ever since then, been the biggest car guy.
Love it. No music, no dialogue, no excessive car flips and explosions in the background like some Michael Bay movie. Just two badass muscle cars chasing each other.
I love old muscle cars their the best cars and the engine oooooff not like shitty plastic engines now
Jack Reacher
Oh there's plenty of music all right, it's just 289ci and tire squeal, perfect to me
@@myusdmcavalier390 for the Bullitt
Best car chase ever filmed, period.
You'll never see a car chase like that again.
No dialogue, no camera tricks, no nothing.... just 2 dudes driving 2 cars the best they can
I want to create a movie ne day. I'll have a car chase with no music or diolauge. Only the roaring engines of a 1996 Chevy K1500 and 06 Mustang.
The car chase in the movie The Seven-Ups 1973 was just as good as this. Both are great.
And 4 times a green vw beetle + a car appearing out of nowehere at 6'44"
When Steve walked up and got in car...looked And music started...Just a Perfect Buildup !
@@lonerunner89 Yeah, it is a great chase, but they only dubbed the sounds from this
Thanks to no CGI, you really feel like you're there inside the cars. And watching from the street. Clever camera work at 2:08 when the Mustang appears in the mirror of the Charger. EPIC!!
Right! I love brilliant camera work.
2:08.....The moment you go from being the hunter to becoming the hunted.......
Cgi makes me hate most action movies. Just doesn't have that authentic thrill
anti clout that’s why most of the Mission Impossible films work Bc of little CGI.
At 4:08 the car and the skid marks completely disappear after the crash.
The most impressive thing in the video to me was the senic drive watching all the old cars. It dawned on me that as they drove up the residential streets the parked cars - some were 20 years old. Many of those cars were from the mid-to-late 50's; American's have been sold cars today that don't last. Yea, you had to either adjust or change the points and plugs and rotar cap every 3-5,000 miles but they ran forever. I really started focusing on the cars (rewatching several times) when the baddie's turned the corner and that yellow Mustang came into veiw.
That 68 'stang and Steve McQueen are American Icons.
A testament to how much tires had improved in the preceding 10 years….
I see why it's the greatest chase of all time. Everything's authentic, the multiple camera angles, it was all done in one take from the looks of it. The fact that they did it on public streets, it all makes for one incredible scene
Done over four days. That green Beetle was a film car.
ONE TAKE LMFAOOOOO
@@scottslotterbeck3796 yeah there's no way it was one take, you'd have to block off so many streets for one, but every car they drive around and dodge would have to be perfectly on cue. Doubt Steve McQueen did all the driving, I'm sure there was a stunt driver too.
@@MrFusion sSteve was like Paul Newman, James Garner, and a couple other actors. He was a real racer. Look up the movie Lemans, he drove in some of the scenes with the Porsche 917 at Lemans. Same type of photography. Cameras on race cars. Also look up, On any Sunday. The original. Steve is featured driving Baja racers and dirt bikes. He is as legit as the race car guy from Greys Anatomy TV show and Paul Walker...
One of the greatest
....the driver of the Charger was,at the time,the greatest stunt driver in the world.
Bill Hickman, who coordinated the chase sequence in The French Connection.
@@8avexp Thank you.
also drove bad guy car in 7 ups
Bullit, 7ups and French Connection...best car chases ever filmed
@@8avexp That scene was just mental.