Bullitt - Car Chase

Steve McQueen's car chase scene from the 1968 film, "Bullitt," is widely regarded as one of the top car chases of all time. It set the standard for which future chases were compared to in Hollywood.

Did You Know:
- The original script was based in LA not the curvy, hilly streets of San Francisco that provided the texture and high speed suspense.
- The original script did not include a car chase scene. Peter Yates, director, had just completed a "car chase" movie titled "Robbery" in England and did not want to repeat this genre.
- Steve McQueen originally did not want to do a car chase in Bullitt because he had another car chase movie coming up.
- This scene was set up, staged and filmed at the end of Bullitt's shooting schedule. Peter Yates was givin only two weeks to put this chase together.
- The seatbelt buckle scene, used to create the image of a modern western gun fight, was suggested by Bill Hickman, stunt man driver of the 1968 Dodge Charger.
- Count the reloops of the green Volkswagon Bug getting passed by Steve McQueen's Mustang and the Charger. Peter Yates had to use the same footage because of time constraints.
- Count the endless hubcaps that seem to continuously fall off the Charger.
- Why did Steve McQueen drive a Mustang? Warner Brothers had a contract with Ford; the studio wanted to use two Fords for the chase. Steve McQueen fought the studio to include a "lesser" Dodge Charger for the mob's car driven by Bill Hickman.
- Watch the motorcycle rider sit up after taking a spill...he was scared of getting run over by the approaching car and this was the only way the stunt man would do it.
- Watch the Charger "crash" into the gas station. The film footage shows the Charger going right by the station. Again because of time constraints they edited around this gaff.

Bullitt, filmed almost entirely on location in San Francisco, and before high speed film, won an Oscar in 1968 for Best Film Editing, in large part due to this classic car chase added almost as an afterthought.

http://www.stevemcqueen.com/