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Like many, I watched Bullitt after years of hearing the hype about its car chase, I decided to buy the film to see if it lives up to its legacy. I believe it does, but there is more to this film than the car chase. It oozes style as McQueen goes about investing the murder of the witness, and the serious injury his colleague sustains in the assassination. As Bullitt digs deeper into the case, he becomes involved with the murky world of a publicity & success hungry senator who seems keen to hinder Bullitt, but he is wise and works the system in his favour, a results driven policeman cynical at the world of politicians meddling in police affairs. McQueen throws himself into this role, and the film stays true, it might seem plodding in places as Bullitt recreates the steps leading up to the assassination, but it thrives on detail rather than trying to cram in too much to the film. And then there is the car chase, voted by some as the best ever. It is certainly one of the best, I never recall a film that fades the music out during car chase, but the soundtrack in this film is the V8 engines in Bullitt’s Mustang, and the hit men in the ’68 Charger. Unlike modern films, this entire chase was filmed in sequence and on real streets at real high speeds. Modern films like 2Fast 2Furious depend on poor computer generated chase scenes. The screeching of tyres, and roar of the engines make such an action packed chase as they tear through the streets of San Francisco. Yes the cameras filmed it from several angles so the Beetle reappears in the background more than once, but it doesn’t detract from the chase. It certainly isn’t unique in being a film with continuity errors. A great film if you like action police dramas.Read full review
Steve McQueen plays a hard-nosed detective in this tale about the routine protection of a star witness that turns out to be anything but routine when the witness is brutally murdered in a cheap hotel. Jacqueline Bisset plays McQueen's girlfriend in a substory. What follows is a gritty, fast-paced pursuit of the killers with plot twists. Bullit has an authentic, stoic feel - many scenes are filmed on location in San Francisco including a real hospital with real doctors and nurses playing roles. But what really stands out in this film (for this writer at least} is the car chase between Bullit (McQueen) in a souped-up Mustang and the killers, in what appears to be a big-block Olds. Unlike most formulaic Hollywood car chases using stunt drivers, McQueen does some of the driving himself, ranging from hilly, downtown San Francisco streets to twisty-turny roadways. McQueen's skill as a driver shows as he manoeuvers the high-powered car. The sound and camera work are very good; you can hear McQueen double-clutch and 'burn rubber' as he shifts gears. You will find yourself gripping the couch arms as the cars fly and skid up to 100 mph!Read full review
This 2 disc set is a great value. I hadn't seen the movie since it was originally in the theater back in '69. McQueen and the rest of the cast do a great job. The fact that it was done on location with many of the "actors" being actual doctors, nurses, etc lends an air of credibility to the story. The one thing that is always mentioned is the car chase. Yates and McQueen "crafted" a chase by which many others have been influenced. Many of the shots are from the drivers POV. I remember seeing this in the theater which amplifies the feeling of being "in the car". The 2nd disc has a nice look at McQueen's career which is illustrated by certain movies in his catalog. There is a "short" that is a look at the film itself which Warners did back in the day. A third feature is a look at film editing which was done by the BBC which was fascinating. The picture quality of the film itself looks like a good VHS tape - it has not been remastered for higher resolution DVD formats. This was not a problem for me as it felt like seeing it in the theater back in 69. All in all a good package from my point of view. Could it be better? Sure. Does the film suffer? No.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This opens like an episode of Mission Impossible or Get Smart, with clever swiping credits and music. Steve McQueen is the King of Cool in this movie, and is self confident enough to munch on a PB&J sandwich and glass of milk, ordered from the nurse, while he's hanging out in the hospital, waiting for a fellow detective to recover from his wounds. Jacqueline Bisset in this, is also a real treat to watch. The climax of the movie results in one of the best car chases in cinema history, through the hills of S.F. (the only thing that comes close is Popeye Doyle, under the elevated subway trains of NYC, in French Connection) This is a typical police story plot, but more importantly, this is a time capsule for the late 60's, in it's street scenes and attitude. Just overall a fun movie.
Pretty good movie for its time. No language or nudity. Steve McQueen is certainly “cool” in this one. Warning: the “extra” about the art of editing is interesting but it has some language and explicit scenes and intense moments from some R rated movies.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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