Gone in 60 Seconds
According to people on the set, after the mishap when a driver missed a mark and caused "Eleanor" to hit a real light post at 85 mph, the first thing that H.B. Halicki said when he regained consciousness was, "Did we get coverage?",During the tow truck chase, the red Challenger loses its front right hubcap, but it reappears moments later.,Male police dispatcher: [as police cars fly over bridge] Attention all units in the San Pedro, Long Beach, Torrance and Carson areas. Stand-by to copy. Long Beach PD is in pursuit of a 1973 Ford Mustang, yellow in color. California license 614 Henry Sam Ocean. One occupant, male caucasian. Approximately aged forty-five. Six feet, one-hundred-and-eighty-five pounds. Gray hair and mustache, gray coat, black pants. The reason for pursuit unknown.,The ending credits in the 2001 DVD release features footage of H.B. Halicki's widow, Denice Shakarian Halicki, riding in "Eleanor.",The Norweigian version, at least when released theatrically, concluded at the end of the "big jump" scene, where Eleanor spins out to the song "Big Town, Big City". Everything afterward was removed, because the Norweigian censors did not want Mandarian to get away. The scene optically turns white, then cuts straight to the end credits.,Edited into Deadline Auto Theft (1983),Gone in 60 Seconds
Music and Lyrics by Ronald Halicki and Philip Kachaturian
Sung by Philip Kachaturian,Hey guys, if you want to REALLY enjoy this flick, watch the horrific remake first. You had to be young in the mid 70's to remember the hype that went with this flick. A total B-Grader that had audiences (including me and my 19 year old wife) queued up around the block.

Considering its microscopic budget, H B Halicki delivered precisely what audiences wanted to see - truck loads of cars smashed up! No more no less! No-one handed over their (then) $5 expecting to see Sir Laurence Olivier do Hamlet, they just wanted some serious fender-bending and this they got!

Admittedly I suspect most people who own the video or DVD these days fast-forward to the actual 40 minute chase each time they load it up. I am actually watching it as I compose this critique! (Right at the sequence at the end where Harley pulls off the big swapperoo at the car wash!) Absolute stand-outs are the incredible smash on the freeway when Halicki takes out the power pole at 80 mph plus and the unimproved-upon final scene as the Mach-1 leaps several cars at the intersection. That shot, lovingly photographed from multiple slow-motion camera angles was worth the ticket price alone. The climactic scene in the 2000 version is just plain wimpy!

The plotline for the film is remarkably simple. Man steals cars for a living! For trivia fans who may NOT know. H. B. Halicki died during a stunt filming the sequel GONE IN 60 SECONDS : THE JUNKMAN which features arguably the greatest car stunt of all time. (Sorry, not telling!!),