The Cannonball Run
1981 Directed by Hal Needham
Synopsis
You'll root for them all...but you'll never guess who wins.
A cross-country road race is based on an actual event, the Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, organized by Brock Yates to protest the 55 mph speed limit then in effect in the U.S. The Cannonball was named for Erwin G. "Cannonball" Baker, who in the roaring 20's rode his motorcycle across the country. Many of the characters are based on ruses developed by real Cannonball racers over the several years that the event was run.
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Watched this for a number of reasons. I've recently embarked upon a self-imposed mission to watch Roger Moore films that aren't Bond films. As a part of the Failed Critics film review podcast I contribute to, we're having a "Bond special" when Skyfall comes out, and having drawn the "Roger Moore" straw, I realised that aside from mentioning a cameo in Spice World and his non-appearance on the first episode of Knowing Me, Knowing You With Alan Partridge, I didn't really have a whole host of non-Bond related reference points!
The second reason I watched this is for Burt Reynolds. I'm not explaining that further.
The third reason is because it's one of those films that almost everybody I know…
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You get the feeling The Cannonball Run was a hell of a lot more fun to make than it ends up being to watch. It's also one of those 'classic' comedy films a lot of people remember fondly (as I did when first I watched it as a kid) but, truth be told, isn't really all that good; Hal Needham's all-star slapstick chase comedy relies almost entirely on the charm and reputations of the actors involved, not to mention a great deal of narrative repetition and on the vehicular element; the script barely exists and as a result, most of the characters barely do either. Crucially, the problem is this: for comedy it's just not very funny at all.
The…
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There's enough so-bad-it's-good moments that sort of transcend the inherent stupidity of it all, but there are an equal amount of excruciating gags that keep the enjoyment level from breaking out. These moments include a Japanese Jackie Chan, every second Roger Moore is on screen, racist buffoonery, attempts at priest humor and general nonexistent conflict. Seriously, nothing happens in this film for any discernable reason. Barbeau is the only thing that remotely "holds up", you might say.
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A classic with one of the greatest casts assembled for a film
Adrienne Barbeau - yum!!!
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Was completely bored last night and had for some reason sky-plussed this over the weekend.
Was instantly transported back to my childhood and it brought back memories of movies my old man liked, mainly containing Burt Reynolds being a bit of a lad in just about every movie going.
Anyway, I digress.....
It's a fairly watchable movie, but three of my stars were earned by Captain Chaos alone.
Clearly the most watchable thing in the movie. Apart from Farrah Fawcett's legs.
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All heart from beginning to end, the joy this films gives me far out ways it's blemishes. This up beat cheeky romp is just sunshine baked cars garnished with cleavage and moustaches. For me this milestone marks but one point on the road map which includes Vanishing Point, The Gumball Rally and Convoy.
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Inspired by the drive for road movies in the late 70s and the illegal "Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash" held in America, this mad-cap movie directed by Hal Needham features an all-star cast including Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan, Joe Klecko and Tara Buckman (oozing sex appeal and plenty of cleavage).
It basically is a cult film which folows an eccentric mix of racers, petty criminals and rich toffs taking part in a cross-country race using any means at their disposal to win the cash prize. Super cars, motorbikes, trucks and other vechiles are used to stay one stop ahead of the competition and evade the law trying to close them down.
It's full of great actors in tongue-in-cheek roles with lots of gags and harmless fun to be had, but don't expect anything groundbreaking. It does exactly what it says on the tin.
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A childhood favorite. I'd forgotten how many times I watched this on VHS back in the day...finding myself speaking the lines as they were delivered.
Many of those lines have not aged well, but you'll never see a cast like this again...and frankly they don't make films as loose and fun as this anymore.
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It's Sunday and that means it's time to watch films about a gang of men going into the wild and then being raped and beaten by red necks. Oh no, not that Burt Reynolds film, like that film, but imagine it is a big car race. I think I have seen this film about 50 times and it is very dated and the jokes are okay. The plus side is every time I watch it I forget Jackie Chan is in it. You know the plot and the characters are on good old fashioned form, apart form Dean Martin because he has seen better days. You can always uses this film as a guide if you forget what day of the week it is......definitely a Sunday movie and you can fall asleep if you want to.
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Crazy good comedy. A Burtfest.
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Easily one of the funniest films ever made. Utterly, unapologetically, genuinely entertaining from start to finish, with the funniest outtakes of all time. The cast are in a class of their own, this could never be adequately replicated today. The more I watch it, the more I laugh.
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Very and had some very funny actors with Burt and Dom. Farrah added a nice female presences, as did the two female drivers. Dean and Sammie did a good job.
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There's enough so-bad-it's-good moments that sort of transcend the inherent stupidity of it all, but there are an equal amount of excruciating gags that keep the enjoyment level from breaking out. These moments include a Japanese Jackie Chan, every second Roger Moore is on screen, racist buffoonery, attempts at priest humor and general nonexistent conflict. Seriously, nothing happens in this film for any discernable reason. Barbeau is the only thing that remotely "holds up", you might say.
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Favorite childhood movie #2.
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I remember thinking this was really funny when I saw it as a kid. Now I realize it's not very good. Great cast though.