RICHARD PORTER: Hollywood gets cars wrong blog on Evo Community by Richard Porter

RICHARD PORTER: HOLLYWOOD GETS CARS WRONG

January 27, 2012 2:59 PM | Posted By: Richard Porter
Rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by 2 members | 14 Comments | 5990 Views
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The movie Drive is released on DVD this coming Monday. If you didn’t catch it in cinemas last year, there are many reasons why you should seek out the take home release including superb nocturnal cinematography, a moodily monosyllabic performance from Ryan Gosling, and a polysynthtacular fake ‘80s soundtrack.

Conversely, there are a few things about Drive that aren’t quite right. This is a car website so I’m not going to dissect the plot anymore than Mark Kermode might analyse the heater control placement in the Hyundai Veloster but I do want to highlight what is, for me, the film’s most annoying flaw; it’s yet another example of Hollywood getting cars a bit wrong.

It’s not giving too much away if I tell you, for example, that there’s a car chase in the film in which a current shape Mustang GT is pursued by a last generation Chrysler 300C. The Mustang driver is supposed to be the best wheelman in the West and the Chrysler isn’t the grunty SRT-8 version yet somehow the baggy, saggy saloon keeps up with the latest spec ‘Stang V8. It’s not very convincing.

When movie makers put so much effort into character, costume, set, cinematography and so on, is it too much for us petro-nerds to ask them to work a little bit harder on the cars?

Even so, it's worth watching Drive if you want to see a flawed but strangely intriguing film. Just don’t expect to enjoy the car chase.

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COMMENTS

MrZuffenhausen at 4:56 PM January 30, 2012

that sums up exactly what I thought of that film when I saw it. While on not convincing car chase : 007 Aston DBS vs Alfa 159s. I mean, come on!

Schnitzel77 at 3:27 PM January 30, 2012

the Driver must have supernatural powers. Hence he can shift up twice when in reverse! ;-) Anyone else noticed that?

yadda123 at 1:23 PM January 30, 2012

Theres a possible explaination in the film. It starts with the mechanic tricking out the 'heros' car, to give it much more grunt that normal. It allows crimes to committed in a fast car, in what doesnt look like a fast car. The 'bad' guys in the film are also known to use that garage, since their boss appears there. So its possible that the 300C may also have been given more power than normal. The Mustang is stolen and driven to the location, so its prob just the normal Mustang.

neil_g at 10:07 AM January 30, 2012

The film is bloody superb. I watched in on Saturday evening and the cinematography was excellent. The first sequence set the tone for a really well executed film. Gosling was superb as the Drive - you were always rooting for him. The 'Stang/300c stood out as the worst bit of the whole movie. It didn't seem to gel with the rest. The other film that I enjoyed over the weekend was Flypaper - no car - but a good fun film

Pedro Bastos at 7:33 AM January 30, 2012

Car Chase = 'RONIN' ;-)

Vansquish at 4:55 AM January 29, 2012

How about the horrific dubbing in "The A-Team"? There is a scene where B.A. is driving a last-generation Lamborghini Diablo, but the dubbed sound is clearly that of a Gallardo.

Gwaredd at 9:55 PM January 28, 2012

In the same chase you mention above Richard, did you happen to notice the 5 gear changes whilst reversing? TERRIBLE dubbing. Sadly, Cars 2's dubbing is spot on - and thats a cartton.

dudeluk at 9:48 AM January 28, 2012

Reminds me of that Bond chase. Was it Alfas keeping up with the DBS, or was it even a Land Rover Defender? I can't remember but I agree, these things just take the thrill out of it a little, since you just know that it'll never happen that way.

V6UFO at 7:32 AM January 28, 2012

I did say the very same thing to my collegues at work after watching the film at the cinema. ´Stang would have dissappeared from the 300C after the first corner :) I think SRT-8 have something you can actually call roadholding (stiffer springs and dampers) but the normal 5.7-l Hemi most definitely haven´t.

BlackPrince at 6:09 AM January 28, 2012

carlos - this is an awesome movie. Watch it. You won't regret it!

32LCD at 9:26 PM January 27, 2012

Agree with Porter 100%, and this is the first time that I have read this anywhere. Try 'No mans land' with non other than Charile Sheen (80's movie about Porsches)

GregMVF4 at 5:23 PM January 27, 2012

I'll forgive the car chase (and you forgot to mention double declutching and changing gear when no even touching the stick elsewhere in the filum:0) ) for the cinematography and soundtrack, both of which are outstanding ... the 'Oh my love/approaching the pizza joint' being one of many ...

possible-towel at 4:39 PM January 27, 2012

the book is worth a read, more mentions of 50's Ford galaxie then Chrysler 300C!, which is always good.

carlos at 3:07 PM January 27, 2012

I don't think i'll bother now. "Drive featuring a poverty spec 300C" doesnt have the same ring to it.

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