Steve McQueen

[Hondo]

Cannon, Harp and Jake431 I would enjoy seeing your Grandfathers uniform. I saw one before and jake, he must have been a really great guy as well as cool, he sure looks like it to me. Being a rather large size myself, its difficult to find a tunic in my size, so the search goes on.
I have friends in England and it gets really dark/cloudy and cold so the wool chocolate shirts, plus having officers latitude does explain it, I think it looks fine warmer than pink khaki blouse, McQueen looks cool as ever, I'll have to dig up this film, its been a while since I last saw it.
No body ever will be as cool as Steve McQueen for sure
Thanks guys for all the info:eusa_clap

 

[Matthew Dalton]

Baracuta are doing a "Steve McQueen" model G9 jacket for their 70th Anniversary, to be released in early 2007.

 

[Hondo]

The King of Cool

Where does the time go? In memory of Steve McQueen, he died on this date Nov. 7th, 1980, Born March 24, 1930, we miss you Steve, RIP

 

[Nathan Dodge]

When I was a kid, my best friend and I had a "Holy Trilogy" of McQueen films: The Great Escape, The Sand Pebbles and Papillon. We tried to dress like "Virgil Hilts" from Escape and my friend's dad made a wooden replica of Josh Randall's "Mare's Leg" rifle! Oh, lost days of adventurous youth! We pretty much thought the world of McQueen, the actor. McQueen the actual human being, on the other hand...not so much.

 

[tallyho]

In some documentary I saw who knows when, a director was commenting on his directing McQueen. He was saying that one of the reasons people said he was so cool and anti establishment was because his characters used so few words and made up for it with mood, eyes, action. he said the truth behind it was that McQueen could not memorize his lines! he wasnt saying he was dumb or anything like that, just that he could not memorize the lines.
he would go through a script and cut down the dialog to the bare minimum so he would have less to remember. the result was a man with few words and all action/results i.e.-COOL! Think of clint eastwood in all those westerns. The director also said if you watch real close, the scenes with him are always cut so you never see Mcqueen saying more than one line of dialog at a time. After hearing that, I went back and rewatched a number of his movies, and sure enough, he was right!

I also think his role in the much maligned "Towering Inferno" was really good.

A tidbit of info on that movie is that Mcqueen was insanely jealous of Paul Newman. They were both up for the lead roles of the fire cheif and architect. they both wanted to be the fire cheif. mcqueen said he wanted to be the hero and would walk if he didnt get it. they also had a big flap over top billing. they both thought they should get it. the compromise was this. Newman's name would be on the left (traditionally first) and McQueen's name would be on the right but higher than Newmans ( traditionally first also). So they both got their egos stroked by being able to say they got top billing over the other. next time you watch it you'll see what I mean.

 

[Pilgrim]

Folks, he died 26 years ago. John Wayne died on my birthday in 1979 - 27 years ago. That's longer than much of our population has been around.

KIDS DON'T WATCH OLD MOVIES ANY MORE. They are too slow-paced, and kids find them boring. Yes, there are some exceptions, but kid don't know which movies those are. It took me three years of nagging to get my oldest daughter and her boyfriend to watch The Great Escape, and THEN they said it was really a good movie. Sheesh.

If I hadn't made an effort to show them movies with both McQueen and Wayne in them, neither of my daughters (17 and 18) would have much idea who they were. My oldest daughter likes two - only - John Wayne movies: McLintock and The Quiet Man. The younger daughter has to be cajoled to watch either one.

I don't know whether either of my kids would recognize Jimmy Stewart. Maybe they would if I told them he played the lead in "It's a Wonderful Life", although that movie isn't one of our family favorites. Instead, we watch Holiday Inn and White Shristmas - so they know Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, and possibly Fred Astaire.

Actually, my daughters find most of "Bullitt" boring -except for the car chase. But they like Nick Cage in "Gone in 60 Seconds", which you must admit has a great car chase. It's just a faster-paced movie.

 

[John in Covina]

TV induced ADD?

KIDS DON'T WATCH OLD MOVIES ANY MORE. They are too slow-paced, and kids find them boring. Actually, my daughters find most of "Bullitt" boring -except for the car chase. But they like Nick Cage in "Gone in 60 Seconds", which you must admit has a great car chase. It's just a faster-paced movie.

fftopic:
I am wondering, as a quick aside, is it TV, MTV and other influences that make it so our children cannot concentrated on anything for longer than 15 seconds? Have they been conditioned to this style of information reception?

If they can't watch intelectualy stimulating movies with human interaction because there is no explosions, what does this say about their learning skills, the content or depth of learning and what their impressions are for real life?

Life in glib sound bites?

Sorry but this is a nagging question for me now, baby! ( The "Baby" reference is homage to Steve!)

 

[Feraud]

Stop blaming the children....

How about if we stop blaming the youth, who by the way do not write, direct, or produce any of the MTV style movies/videos/games, etc. we think are hazardous to the future of mankind.

I blame the hack directors and editors (adults btw) who have not the talent nor the desire to learn what make a movie great (or even good) and try to emulate the style. I also blame the studio owners (adults again) for putting on this lame programming with the excuse, "it's what the younger generation want". As if we let the tail wag the dog.
One more finger must be pointed at the parents who do not monitor their children's activities. My son's peers spend their free time on the computer playing games, in front of the television watching whatever they like, and on cell phones and text messaging their buddies.

Who is really the blame for our children's lack of attention span?

 

[carebear]

How about if we stop blaming the youth, who by the way do not write, direct, or produce any of the MTV style movies/videos/games, etc. we think are hazardous to the future of mankind.

I blame the hack directors and editors (adults btw) who have not the talent nor the desire to learn what make a movie great (or even good) and try to emulate the style. I also blame the studio owners (adults again) for putting on this lame programming with the excuse, "it's what the younger generation want". As if we let the tail wag the dog.
One more finger must be pointed at the parents who do not monitor their children's activities. My son's peers spend their free time on the computer playing games, in front of the television watching whatever they like, and on cell phones and text messaging their buddies.

Who is really the blame for our children's lack of attention span?

Sorry, lost ya around "...desire to blah blah blah..."

 

[Feraud]

Sorry, lost ya around "...desire to blah blah blah..."

um o.k., here is the MTV version: Blame the adults, not the children!

 

[Hondo]

Well Pilgrim, looking at this from the big picture, any fault lies squarely with the media, (yup feraud some of those adults) they fill the youth of today with the likes of so called Hollywood celebrities Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan's, or Paris Hiltons and I don’t mean to single out females there’s a bunch of males to boot, for lack of talent, just look at your local supermarket news stands, it sure not like yesterdays screen stars. For sure the crop of writers, director’s, and the head studio honchos who hire these idiots. I give up wondering why so many remakes of classic films, the problem is the lack of imagination to tell a story.

Today’s generation are like mice being lead by a piped piper, sheep to slather, Possible the fault, or responsibility goes around or hand in hand, the media, some parents, teachers (drama classes), maybe we reached a dead-end, Hope I made some sense, I don’t know[huh]

I know, believe were all the “gate keeper” of yesterdays era or stars, not to forget actors, directors, films, its only when I reach 40 yrs of age did I realize or think of those from the past. We’ll just have to hope that youth of today preserves history of films, actors, directors.
Its got to be better, else I fear for the youth or media of the future.
Think!!!

 

[Hondo]

McQueen "King of Cool" auction

McQueen Shades Net $70,000 at Auction
By Associated Press


LOS ANGELES - Bidders looking for a piece of the "King of Cool" shelled out six figures for motorcycles and paid more than $70,000 for one pricey pair of shades in an auction of items that once belonged to actor Steve McQueen.

Cars, trucks, motorcycles and memorabilia from McQueen's widow Barbara and other collectors were put up for sale by Bonhams and Butterfields at the Petersen Automotive Museum on Saturday. The entire auction brought in $2.9 million.

A 1937 Crocker "Hemi-head" V-Twin motorcycle brought in $276,500, the biggest price of the day and a world record for a Crocker motorcycle, said auction house spokesman Levi Morgan. A 1934 Indian Sport Scout went for $177,500, and a 1920 Indian Powerplus Daytona brought in $150,000.

One anonymous bidder paid $70,200 for Persol sunglasses McQueen is believed to have worn as he played a dapper thief in the opening scenes of 1968's "The Thomas Crown Affair." A Rolls Royce Silver Shadow from the same movie brought in exactly the same price.

The winning bidders included private collectors in France, Great Britain and the United States, and the Petersen museum itself bought several items, Morgan said.

McQueen, who died in 1980 at age 50, was known nearly as much for his love of vehicles as for his acting. His most famous movie moments include a mad motorcycle dash in "The Great Escape," and a car chase through the streets of San Francisco in "Bullitt."

 

[Jack Scorpion]

Folks, he died 26 years ago. John Wayne died on my birthday in 1979 - 27 years ago. That's longer than much of our population has been around.

KIDS DON'T WATCH OLD MOVIES ANY MORE. They are too slow-paced, and kids find them boring. Yes, there are some exceptions, but kid don't know which movies those are. It took me three years of nagging to get my oldest daughter and her boyfriend to watch The Great Escape, and THEN they said it was really a good movie. Sheesh.

Since the birth of this thread, I've seen many McQueen movies, but I have to say, I just did not find Bullittvery exciting. I liked Dirty Harry far more, which seemed familiar to me. I also didn't much like The Thomas Crown Affair or Nevada Smith.

On the flipside, The Great Escape is fantastic. The Sand Pebbles, The Blob, The Magnificent Seven and The Cincinatti Kid were all fun. And Sam Pekinpah's The Getaway is now one of my favorite movies of all time.

 

[MrBern]

Do check out "Papillon" as he & DustinHoffman have great performances as prisoners on DevilsIsland.
Also, if youre into WWII movies, check out "Hell is for Heroes."
But if you like `70s disaster movies, check out "The Towering Inferno."

 

[Hondo]

Since the birth of this thread, I've seen many McQueen movies, but I have to say, I just did not find Bullittvery exciting. I liked Dirty Harry far more, which seemed familiar to me. I also didn't much like The Thomas Crown Affair or Nevada Smith.

On the flipside, The Great Escape is fantastic. The Sand Pebbles, The Blob, The Magnificent Seven and The Cincinatti Kid were all fun. And Sam Pekinpah's The Getaway is now one of my favorite movies of all time.

Too each his own, I say, guess its us old timers, If you had been around when certain films were made, you might have a change of heart, I first saw Nevada Smith in 1967 in a theater, big screen. Thought it was a good story, still enjoy the story seeing it, brings back memories, basically McQueen plays the same character as in Wanted Dead or Alive and in The Magnificent Seven, Granted Bullitt was slow paced, murky plot but its the race scene action that made it a good film, you had to be there, (I grew up in the bay area, San Francisco so excuse me for being prejudice) in that era to understand, Still every one is entitled to their opinion, so its cool, understandable. The Sand Pebbles is my all time McQueen film, he should have won Academy award for his role

 

[Mark G]

I agree with Hondo, McQueen was it. Despite Bullitt's lack of coherent plot, it set the paradigm for the car chase. I miss the pace of movies like this, they let you "find" things for yourself. Like the scene where McQueen and his partner are going through the suitcases, looking for clues. There's also the quips between McQueen and Robert Vaughn. "Let's get something straight Chalmers...I don't like you.

Also when "The Magnificent Seven" was made it was a Yul Brenner film, when it opened It was McQueen who became its star.

 

[John in Covina]

Bullitt

What's the problem with Bullitt?

I don't understand why people have such a problem with the story or plot.

It is a double cross on the pigeon picked to replace the mafia guy, a double cross on Chalmers and a double cross on the Mafia guys that want their guy dead.

It represents the gritty life of police detective work and how some people are better off not knowing the realities of life (the girl friend) and it re-enforces dat with 'for then' some pretty direct scenes.

If you are not thinking about all of the inconsistancies of the actions of the pigeon and asking why would this or that happen, or maybe you miss a point of two, then you can be either surprised or confused. It is a movie that you need to pay attention to to get the questions and the answers from it, but it all falls neatly into place. Or as some might say a neatly wrapped package with no loose strings, BABY!

 

[Harp]

McCool

Steve McQueen--hands down, bar none had it together,
and nobody on the scene today even gets within this guy's range.
I've only caught a few scenes of Bullitt, but have seen most of his
films--of which The Sand Pebbles is a little appreciated classic.
McQueen epitomized the laconic American loner, a guy who went
his own way, and his films possess a truth of fated heroism that none
of the cinematic garbage put out today can match.

 

[Hondo]

Bullitt

John in Covina:
I take nothing personal, you have every right to defend how you feel about Bullitt, last time I watch this film on the tube late (yawning) night, I tried to recall how it was in the theater as a kid glued bugged eyed watching scenes and the plot unfold, it seems different.
The DVD unfortunately isn’t as vibrant, (colors) or full life as the big screen. It looks almost faded, dated or old. (Is it me or do others detect this?) And of course watching this from a small 37” TV isn’t as good as seeing it come at you on the big screen. I think that mood sets up the plot. I don’t know I liked it enough to buy regardless of the plot, relive S.F. (retrace scenes, buildings, street names) in that era. I do the same with the Bogart’s Maltese Falcon.
Any way good comment just the same

 

[Mark G]

Hondo, you're not seeing things, On older films, the negative or positive they transfered the movie from has seen better days. The dyes fade and the transfers are not done with as much care. It takes a great deal of money to restore films and is often left to "masterpieces" like "Lawerence of Arabia". Untill then we'll have to settle for a washed out "Bullitt". I've never had the pleasure of seeing it on the BIG screen, must have been cool.