The Cannonball Run | TheaterFire

This movie infuriates me. The beginning of the race clearly shows that this is a TIMED event, hence the staggered start times. Why does it turn into a footrace at the end, with the first team to stamp their time card determined to be the winner? The girls in the Lambo were one of the earliest starts - their getting to the time clock first means absolutely nothing!

I understood this at 8 years old. How did none of the adults making this movie grasp this simple nuance?

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OreoSpeedwaggon@reddit

I always had the impression that most of the cast and crew were either drunk or high most of the time, so they probably just forgot and didn't care.

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revdon@reddit

Yeah, at 8 this was the plot point that wrecked it for me; otherwise I was captivated by the flawless continuity. Don’t even get me started on the lack of Aristotelian Unity!

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ATXMark7012@reddit

That would have made a really good end credit scene. The organizer's looking at each other. "Don't they remember it's a timed event?" Staring at everyone "Just let them party while we figure out who actually won."

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Mulchpuppy@reddit

We need a remake just so this scene can exist

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Ronald-J-Mexico@reddit

This movie ends in the town I grew up in, Redondo Beach and I remember all my friends bragging they were there when the filming was going on....they don't make them like this anymore. Roger Moore and the Bandit in the same movie, are you kidding me? Awesome sauce!

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ZealousidealGrab1827@reddit

The Dom was gold.

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Which_Preference_883@reddit

Had absolutely EVERYBODY in it!

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R808T@reddit

My wife found this on Blu-ray for me and I can confirm it is still funny as hell.

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hemdek@reddit

I never understood the foot race at the end they all started at different times when they punched in

This was my introduction to Jacky Chan too, still watch it sometimes too

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bitterbuffaloheart@reddit

Adrienne had a nice plot

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Dollbeau@reddit

Her plot made me watch!!!

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griff1971@reddit

One of my favorite movies. That opening scene with the Countach! ( Even though the exhaust sound has been debated for years)

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Any-Opportunity-1943@reddit

“What about a black Trans-Am? No, that's been done.”

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RunningPirate@reddit

We’re out of beer, victor!

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Bellona_NJ@reddit

There’s mud across the windshield I can't see shit can you? No problem, son, no problem

Terry Bradshaw's movie debut, I believe

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griff1971@reddit

The only thing hiding it...hiding it...hiding it in the.... pool did was.....make it....purdy. it ain't running worth a shit! And it's wet!

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UnderwhelmingAF@reddit

He had cameos in Hooper and Smokey and the Bandit II prior to this, but I think this is the first movie where he had significant air time.

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ShockBeautiful2597@reddit

Nice one….broght back memories

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Rabbitrules87@reddit

Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr stole the show for me on this one. So many good moments. 😂

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griff1971@reddit

You, shorty. Where'd you get all that jewelry? 🤣

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Brasticus@reddit

Freeze or name your beneficiary!

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Budget-Hornet1215@reddit

These bleeds?

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Ike_In_Rochester@reddit

I'm still best friends with my childhood buddies. We reference that line a couple times a year, and not always appropriately. Most recently when a kid got a new rosery at his confirmation party.

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CatMom8787@reddit

This is the funniest thing I've read today. You guys are my kind of people.

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Boroboy72@reddit

"Bring friends"

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TheMightyPushmataha@reddit

Fenderbaum, the road is OPEN

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Rabbitrules87@reddit

Stares at peep hole with glass eye

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ApoplecticAutoBody@reddit

Cause you're small...s,m,all

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dlsc217@reddit

It's a 2 seater, where's he gonna sit?

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ShockBeautiful2597@reddit

Those fathers aren’t fathers they’re mothers 😂

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newyork2E@reddit

Beat me to it. Best line

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krawlspace-@reddit

Literally came here to post this.

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augustwest07@reddit

Came here for this

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HotSuccess1946@reddit

Yes they did lol. I quote the part where they pull over the ambulance and Dom says “nice car, father” and Dean Martin says “thanks, asshole” lol

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RunningPirate@reddit

Officer, I sincerely hope…

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Heathers4ever@reddit

I love this movie! Not sure if I saw it in the theater or not.

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gonzopaw@reddit

HBO summers.....

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Specific_Ad_97@reddit

So good. At the time, I remember thinking Burt Reynolds had been in so many movies. He was just like that one Uncle who owned a speed boat on a small lake.

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currentsitguy@reddit

I had a friend in high school whom we always planned to enter the real race during college summer break. Somehow we never got around to it. I'd still do it if I knew a good enough co-driver.

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D-Ray1469@reddit

OTR truck driver has entered the chat.

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currentsitguy@reddit

The time to beat is 25 hours and 39 minutes

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D-Ray1469@reddit

Very doable. You get the car, I'll provide the "skills".

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JediMasterPopCulture@reddit

"Why don't you take that piece of shit back to the junkyard!"

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theycallme_hans@reddit

Speed Zone was what I watched. I’d love to see that one again

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Kickingandscreaming@reddit

I loved the outtakes at the credits with Burt cracking up Dom.

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LayerNo3634@reddit

Such a fun movie!

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ItsmeMr_E@reddit

CR2 is currently on Roku and Tubii.

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CatMom8787@reddit

Welp! I'm officially old. I was 14. 😭😭😭

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zica-do-reddit@reddit

I used to LOVE this movie when I was a kid.

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Verdemountainman@reddit

Article about folks beating the old run record during the low traffic of covid: https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a32092440/26-hour-38-minute-cannonball-record-coronavirus/

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Greg0692@reddit

2,798 miles in 26.63 hours. That's an AVERAGE of over 105mph!!!

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Monkeynutz_Johnson@reddit

I used to build road racing cars. My daughter went on about this for a year trying to get me to set something up for her to do the cannonball in. Mom shut that down.

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NocturnalPermission@reddit

You raised her right.

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Monkeynutz_Johnson@reddit

She'd do it, not a doubt in my mind.

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detroitragace@reddit

Being a car guy since my childhood, this movie was one of my grails. I still watch it once a year.

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CaffeinatedGravy@reddit

I was 12. And I even read the book.

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Lumpy_Plan_6668@reddit

Nice! Thought I'd be the only one in here

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Simple-Purpose-899@reddit

The doctor is still so funny after all these years. Even my nephew got a kick out of him.

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JARsweepstakes@reddit

I’m honored, sir; Dr. Nicholas Van Helsing, Professor of Proctology and other related tendencies. Graduate of the University of Rangoon and assorted night classes at the Knoxville Tennessee College of Faith Healing

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TenuousOgre@reddit

The “crude interruption” line, drinking from the syringe, “cysts in her lungs” and his mumbled delirium tremor…ums.

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diamond@reddit

I always think of him whenever Ronny Jackson is in the news.

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NocturnalPermission@reddit

I need to examine her!

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VayVay42@reddit

But don't you ever tell me where you found him. Ever.

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Chaparral2E@reddit

Good film, but I prefer The Gumball Rally.

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EricDaBaker@reddit

That custom Lamborghini in the opening credits! So good!

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AppointmentKey9826@reddit

I can’t see $hit can you?

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fortyyearsthendeath@reddit

No problem son no problem

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Kuildeous@reddit

Watched it on HBO a lot.

Been waiting for it to pop up on one of my streaming services, but nothing yet.

I did see CR2 on my services, so why not relive some old memories? Dang, that movie sucked so bad. I didn't even realize it at the time. Goes to show how long the joke of Democrat => Communist goes.

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Tom_Slick_Racer@reddit

Think of the fact that there's not one state in the 50 that has the death penalty for speeding... although I'm not so sure about Ohio.

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ZandarrTheGreat@reddit

I am from Ohio and that line really stuck with me! Especially driving 70 near Dayton. Always, always multiple cops. 👮‍♀️

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Appropriate_End_3345@reddit

My dad and I watched this 1000 times.

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MNPS1603@reddit

I loved this movie so much as a kid. I always thought it would be fun to take part in something like it.

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kunk75@reddit

Such a banger I made my kids watch recently

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comish4lif@reddit

That's a genre of movie that I do miss and would welcome back.

That is - a celebrity filled 90 minute comedy.

What was the last one of those?

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Davegvg@reddit

After the opening sequence the movie went downhill.

I wanted to love it.

It wasn't great despite the fantastic cast.

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stinkyrobot@reddit

Love this movie. Saw in the theater at seven years old! Still watch it whenever I can. Burt and Dom are my favorite movie duo. And Farrah! Beauty.

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PsychoCandy1321@reddit

How did you know I saw it in the theater? I was 9.

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Intrepid_Mine6052@reddit

Where the hell is this movie? Can’t find it on on-demand or streaming. Would love to see it again. I would guess it didn’t age well, but still.

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Maleficent-Sport1970@reddit

Husband and I just re-watched recently. Still as funny as we remembered!

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banjono@reddit

Cysts… on the walls of her lungs. Very rare.

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fusionsofwonder@reddit

Young enough that I did not see it in the cinema.

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JEStucker@reddit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk1vbwb6vS8

gif

granted, the .gif is from CB2

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FrendlyAsshole@reddit

I adore everything about this movie!

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Inner-Management-110@reddit

Those guys weren't fathers....they were muthas.

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Consistent_Cook9957@reddit

The movie’s intr, priceless!

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Brother_Farside@reddit

"Think of the fact that there's not one state in the 50 that has the death penalty for speeding. Although I'm not so sure about Ohio."

As an Ohioan, I feel triggered.

And greatest open credits ever.

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Iimeinthecoconut@reddit

Norm Macdonald was great in this one.

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Wonderful_Face9110@reddit

I think you meant to say Turd Ferguson

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rcook55@reddit

I believe you meant to say the 'Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash' :)

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wjrj@reddit

Saw it in the theater, family outing. Found the dvd for less than five dollars at a store going out of business. Throw it in whenever I just want a laugh.

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guybro194@reddit

I watched it on my worst day of having the flu. Total fever dream of a movie and my brain wasn’t understanding any of it lol

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Boroboy72@reddit

"I say, would you mind rolling your window down, my dear? We're getting done up like a couple of kippers here."

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Active-Armadillo-576@reddit

Captain Chaos! lol

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No_Neighborhood_632@reddit

AKA Captain USA

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chrisgee@reddit

"it's a living!"

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JacPhlash@reddit

dun dun DAHHH!!

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Sufficient-Lab-5769@reddit

…him.

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Fritzo2162@reddit

Not....him!

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Starbuksman@reddit

I’m a pepper your a pepper wouldn’t you like to be a pepper too?!!

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mlm2020@reddit

Never seen it

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elyesq@reddit

I just ordered the DVD for $5! Can't wait to watch it again!

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757Jerk@reddit

Hal Ketchum is my favorite director.

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cricket_bacon@reddit

How young were you when you first saw The Cannonball Run inside the cinema in 1981?

While I don't think I saw the film in the theater, once it hit HBO, it was on heavy rotation. I must have watched it a zillion times.

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revdon@reddit

10 years old and saw it at the drive-in.

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cricket_bacon@reddit

I'd say that would be the ideal location!

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Wild_Bunch_Founder@reddit

This is literally the perfect drive in movie.

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dlsc217@reddit

These were the years where my dad would rent VHS tapes and record them. I must have watched that movie 100 times.

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Tempest_Fugit@reddit

I was quite young but this cringefest taught me what a bad movie looked and sounded like.

It was, in its edited format, a frequent mainstay of broadcast network replay. But that didn’t stop the network from shamelessly teasing the movie’s few nude scenes in the promos.

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Emotional-Rise5322@reddit

A favorite for sure.

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TenuousOgre@reddit

15.

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Capable_Isopod6563@reddit

Bewbs. Lol. I miss em .

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snortWeezlbum@reddit

This and part 2 are classic. Just rewatched 2 on prime and for me, it holds up!

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Insufficient_Mind_@reddit

I watched it on HBO in the early 80s I was probably 13 or 14. I loved Dom Delouise' "Him" character...🤣🤣🤣 that whole cast was over the top.👍

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Sanjomo@reddit

One rare example where the sequel was better than the original!

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Fernandop00@reddit

"In my particular line of work, I rarely need more than this" smack middle finger

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SFEastBayCouple@reddit

I was 15. I'm old enough to watch the original, Gumball Rally.

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serraangel826@reddit

Don't forget Jackie Chan!

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Djrussell@reddit

I tried buying this on AppleTV last night, couldn’t find it.

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bigstrizzydad@reddit

A masterpiece!!

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sin-thetik@reddit

I remember this movie being a lot of fun, but I liked Gumball Rally better.

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PolyDrew@reddit

Fun fact: I actually pushed the lambo out of the current (at the time) owner’s garage to take pictures of it. Ron wouldn’t let me sit in it or start it. Lol

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PolyDrew@reddit

For the longest time this was not available ANYWHERE to watch. Couldn’t even buy it on Apple or Amazon. I’m still not sure it’s available but the second one is. My wife found me a physical copy and gave it to me as a present. I’m guessing the premise of kidnapping a woman isn’t looked at favorably. That and blatant sexism and racism.

I believe I saw this in the theaters? I would have been ten. I absolutely loved Dom DeLuise.

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Constant-Bridge3690@reddit

Who is so famous now where they don't care about making a good movie and just want to give cameos to all of their friends?

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-Hot-Toddy-@reddit

Dum! Dum! Daaaahhh!!! Captain Chaos!!! One of my favorite movies from the 80s (the sequel was a lot of fun too)!

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Bigstar976@reddit

A movie that was probably way more fun to shoot than it is to watch.

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NocturnalPermission@reddit

You should check out the making-of documentary on Caddyshack, for it absolutely seems this way as well.

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0ttr@reddit

It wasn't until I was an adult that I read that this show was critically panned, which I thought was funny given its ensemble cast. I mean, it's not oscar winner, but it was a good time.

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gunni070@reddit

Bet there were some good stories to come from the making of this one.

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tunaman808@reddit

I think that one's actually backwards: all the true stuff that went into the film:

- The movie is fictional, but is based on a real-life unsanctioned race, the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash.

- The film's director, Hal Needham, was a long-time movie stuntman who did the Cannonball Baker dash in real life, with Car and Driver magazine editor Brock Yates.

- The guy who gives the speech before the race IS Brock Yates. The woman who does all\most of the talking at the race check-in desk is his wife, Paula Yates.

- Yates and Needham really did drive an ambulance across the country. In fact, the ambulance in the movie was the car they drove in the Cannonball Baker Dash.

- They really did have a doctor and "sick patient" in the back of the ambulance. However, in real life Farah Fawcett was played by Paula, and the doctor signed on weeks in advance, not last minute as shown in the movie.

- According to legend, the doctor was young-ish and handsome (think Aaron Staton's "Ken Cosgrove" character in Mad Men), not a hideous weirdo like in the movie.

- The real-life doctor did, in fact, improvise the "senator's wife having cysts on her lungs" story when they were pulled over early in the race.

There's tons more... I wish I could remember more!

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4WDToyotaOwner@reddit

I literally LOL’d at your “hideous weirdo” line because it’s so spot on!

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4WDToyotaOwner@reddit

“This is for you AND the judge!!”

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You_Must_Chill@reddit

That intro with the Countach rewired my young brain. I still watch it now and then for the sound.

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fullofsharts@reddit

I never saw it in the theater but I remember watching it a few times in the mid 80s on VHS, probably around 10 years old. TBH, I don't recall watching this movie since then. I may have to look into finding a copy on DVD or Blu-ray.

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Mongo2365@reddit

I must have been 8 or 9 when I first saw this movie on HBO. My dad recorded it and we watched it often. My brother and I still quote lines from the movie. Found this on YouTube. I remember the song from the movie and the video is pretty good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMO4NQvP8hA

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JacPhlash@reddit

This is one of the 1st movies I remember with a blooper reel at the end. Always cracked me up.

"These bleeds?"

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HotSuccess1946@reddit

lol I remember seeing that and laughing hard. I also laugh at the end where Burt tackles everybody and Roger Moore goes “not a very sportsman like way to win” and Dean Martin says “that’s a shitty way to win” lol

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EllyQueue@reddit

11 when it came out, dad always took us to the flickers

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Hillman314@reddit

Weird fact: No one with an IQ over 90 was allowed on the set, as they feared it would effect the integrity of the film.

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OverPaper3573@reddit

🤣

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InevitableOk5017@reddit

I like cr 2 better.

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OverPaper3573@reddit

Jackie Chan and Richard Kiel!

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SirWalterSmiley@reddit

Don't get mad, but this would make a great re-make.

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mrpotatonutz@reddit

Yesssss

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nomaxxallowed@reddit

Adrienne Barbeau look fantastic

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TXFlyer71@reddit

“You are certainly the most distinguished group of highway scofflaws and degenerates ever gathered together in one place!”

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FallenValkyrja@reddit

Loved this movie. I also enjoyed Gumball Rally, especially Raul Julia as the Italian race car driver.

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CapAvatar@reddit

This was on HBO like a thousand times a day at one point. :)

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CajunRoyalty@reddit

That’s one movie I’ve always wanted to see but never watched. I might have to change that.

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CarloCarrasco@reddit (OP)

I own a Blu-ray copy of it.

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LSBm5@reddit

Farah Fawcett is throwing 103mph in this movie.

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boss6769@reddit

The outtakes of Dom Deluise and Burt Reynolds are golden!

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Capable-Moose5275@reddit

The cannonball run is an actual thing, and the record that’s gonna be really, really hard to beat was set in 2020 during the lock downs. No traffic in LA being a key.

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phillymjs@reddit

For a while during 2020 it felt like every other week I'd see an article about a new Cannonball record being set.

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DeaddyRuxpin@reddit

I loved this movie as a kid. I thought it was the funniest movie. I hadn’t seen it in ages. I watched it with my wife who had never seen it. I played up how awesome it was. When it was over, I turned to my wife and said “I’m sorry apparently I used to be an idiot.”

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5h4tt3rpr00f@reddit

Outtake: "The Cannonball is a race, from Connecticut to your ass!"

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5h4tt3rpr00f@reddit

My dad knew this was coming on TV, and recorded it for me because it started just after my bedtime. I snuck back down and caught the intro; that glorious intro of the Countach in the desert, all NA V12 and guitar. Still remember that moment to this day, almost 40 years later.

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Spiritual-Island4521@reddit

That's a classic. During the 80s there was a movie about a man who is getting married and he buys a Lamborghini and try's to drive home for the wedding and the car is destroyed and falls apart because he didn't choose the extended warranty. Does anyone else remember that movie. I can't think of the name of it, but no one ever talks about it.

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Latham74@reddit

"It Takes Two" from 1988. I was (and still am) Countach obsessed so I watched it all the time.

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095384/?ref_=tturv_ov_i

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inky-doo@reddit

yes! I loved that movie!

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Spiritual-Island4521@reddit

Thanks. I haven't seen the movie since I was a kid. It's funny, but whenever I see the option to select the Extended warranty I think about that movie and I always try to get it.

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KelVarnsenIII@reddit

Definitely one of my favorite movies. "You look sharp, you feel sharp" "I liked it so much I bought the whole company" I still find myself singing the Cannon ball run song from time to time.

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Ranger197111@reddit

They must of had a blast making this movie!

gif

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412_15101@reddit

Dom DeLuise! Was just thinking about him the other day and the movies he was in

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RunningPirate@reddit

For the Motörhead geeks out there, the announcer at the beginning was Brock Yates who started the cannonball run, and was an editor for motor trend and car & driver

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mytruckhasaflattire@reddit

Brock also wrote this movie. 😁

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VayVay42@reddit

J.J.: I'm sure that doctor's a very sweet man, basically.

Victor: Oh, thank you.

J.J.: But don't you ever tell me where you found him. Ever.

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UpURKiltboyo@reddit

These bleeds...

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Eastern-Recording-53@reddit

“So let me understand, you want me to pull over for 2 priests driving a red Ferrari? What are they doing taking the bingo money home?”

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Voltesjohn@reddit

Parents took me to see this. Fun movie.

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Aggravating-Shark-69@reddit

One of my favorite all-time movies and hell even the second one was pretty good

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brooklyn-cowboy@reddit

It's not what you do, it's how you do it.

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lovedontfalter@reddit

A young Jackie Chan is also in this movie if I recall correctly

I remember it was stupid that Terry Bradshaw and Mel Tillis brought all that beer and only one bag of cheese doodles or something lol

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UnderwhelmingAF@reddit

This one was great, the second one sucked.

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zsreport@reddit

I never saw it in the cinema, but my dad always watched it when it was on broadcast TV.

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kimodezno@reddit

Hey! I did this! 2 days 17 hours!!

Such a good movie!

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Wild_Bag465@reddit

Story?

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kimodezno@reddit

What was my story? Or what is the story of the movie?

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Wild_Bag465@reddit

Sorry, what was the story of your Cannonball run

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kimodezno@reddit

Brother was stationed in California and was transferred to Iceland. I used to live in Connecticut. He had a dog, parrot and car that needed to stay with me. With a packed car, we drove like a bat out of hell. Even cracked the engine by the time we got there. Took 40 east to 78 north in Tennessee all the way up to New Jersey then switched to 95 to Connecticut.

The best part was when we crossed over the Rockies. It was at bout midnight. The moon was massive. It just about filled the windshield. Amazing.

The Jedi part was when we drove into Oklahoma, something told me to slow down and relax. Not more than 2 minutes later, I saw a state police officer. The only cop we saw throughout our entire journey.

Best roadtrip of my life!

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