Smokey and the Bandit: Pursuit Pack: The Franchise Collection
by Hal Needham
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DVD details
Actor: Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Paul Williams, Sally FieldDirector: Hal Needham
Brand: Universal Studios
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 282 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-01-20
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
DVD Reviews of Smokey and the Bandit: Pursuit Pack: The Franchise Collection
DVD Review: Worth the Price to Acquire the Original Film
Summary: 3 Stars
The original SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (1977)was a fantastic film. The forumla was perfect: low budget, simple script, CB radios, car chases, country music, and Hollywood stars. There is a lot of talent in this film. Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, and Jerry Reed head the cast of this CB chase through the Bible-Belt. All of these factors put SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT in league with the top grossing films of 1977. The movie is fun to watch. The dialogue is funny. The soundtrack, primarily written and performed by Jerry Reed, goes along perfectly with film. In fact, the picture's last scene hints at a sequel.
About the only drawback with the first film was its low budget. The continuity between camera shots and scenes is lacking. Trans Am on an interstate highway one moment -- driving on a two-lane road by a cornfield the next. Sunny blue skies in one shot and moments later confronted by an overcast threatening rain. After watching the movie again I noted there was good reason for Burt Reynolds to wear a cowboy hat as it blocked the camera's view of vehicles in through the rear window of the Trans Am.
On the other hand, the budget kept the production honest. The story was simple and uncomplicated. Additionally, Jackie Gleason reportedly crafted most of his own dialogue for this movie.
Unfortunately, SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT II (1980) followed. The only redeeming feature of this film is that the original cast was reunited. The storyline is horrible. Jackie Gleason's character was the only individual to show some sort of continuity between the two films. The Bandit, we find, has become an alcoholic. Carrie leaves Junior at the altar a second time to seek fortune with the Bandit. Cletus has apparently abandoned his family in search of truck driving adventures. Big and Little Enos Burdette are up to their old tricks. This time it is personal as they bribe the Bandit to smuggle a quarantined elephant from Florida to Texas. What follows is a series of loosely connected car chases and crashups. Burt Reynolds' crony Dom DeLuise joins the cast for seemingly no reason. With the exception of Jerry Reed's opening song, TEXAS BOUND AND FLYING, this movie is a bomb.
The majority of BANDIT II was filmed in Florida, and it looks like Florida. Unlike the first movie that was lensed primarily in Georgia (with additional footage shot in Ojai, California), with the exception of the desert confrontation with dozens of police cars, ala BLUES BROTHERS, the film never makes its way out of Florida.
If the film carries at all it is certainly because of Jackie Gleason's strong performance. If you missed the nostalgic significance of Sheriff Justice driving a bus at the end of BANDIT II, go back and watch an episode or two of THE HONEYMOONERS.
It came as a surprise that SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT III made its appearance in theaters in 1983. There was very little advertising afforded this third installment of the BANDIT series. The main characters have been reduced to Sheriff Buford T. Justice, Junior, Cletus, and Big and Little Enos Burdette, though Burt Reynolds also makes a cameo dream sequence appearance at the end of the film. Even the gaudy tractor trailer was not included in this picture.
The Story: Big and Little Enos are obsessed with the Bandit and Sheriff Justice. As such, they contrive yet another contest to draw Justice out of retirement and into competition with the Bandit. The Bandit is not available, so Cletus decides to fill the role.
If you thought BANDIT II's elephant premise was dumb, then BANDIT III's icon is down-right stupid. Justice and Bandit spend the entire movie stealing a plastic shark from each other. The winner is the person who is able to deliver the life-sized fish to the Burdette ranch. The film becomes a cliche of earlier films. There are car chases, a bizarre speed boat chase at Silver Springs, Florida, and the usual recycled Buford T. Justice dialogue. Jackie Gleason once again carries most of this movie.
The picture would have been better had the Bandit been cut from the film entirely. In fact, the original concept for SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT III was for it to be a Jackie Gleason film with Gleason playing dual roles as both Smokey and the Bandit. Note that the original cinema poster features Sherif Justice as the central character. The original Gleason film did not fair well when shown to test audiences and the movie was altered with Jerry Reed added as the Bandit. It is too bad that the original Gleason version of movie has yet to surface on DVD.
On the other hand, buying this set is your opportunity to acquire the original BANDIT at a price that is less than I originally paid for the solitary DVD.
Description of Smokey and the Bandit: Pursuit Pack: The Franchise Collection
No description available for this title.Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: PG
Street Date: 01/20/04
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
Language: ENGLISH
Foreign Film: noSubtitles: no
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve
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