Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000)

When car nut and aspiring B movie maverick H.B. "Toby" Halicki released his debut film, he gave top billing to his car, a yellow 1973 Ford Mustang named Eleanor. That's a good indication of Halicki's priorities in the original car-crunching, tire-squealing drive-in classic Gone in 60 Seconds. Halicki wrote, produced, starred, and did all of his own extraordinary stunt driving in the picture, the story of a career car thief who makes a deal to steal 48 cars for an overseas smuggler. OK, it's not Shakespeare. The plot is perfunctory at best, and Halicki's all thumbs when it comes to directing his wooden cast, but he gives a crash course in the mechanics of the car-theft biz and tops it off with one of the greatest car chases of all time: a 40-minute finale that roars through five Los Angeles-basin towns and destroys 93 cars in the process. It's a masterpiece of stunt driving, down-and-dirty photography, and sharp, furious cutting; the unsung hero of the picture is editor Warner Leighton, who paces the film perfectly and never lets it stall. Forget the messy Nicolas Cage in-name-only remake, this is outlaw auto cinema at its purest. --Sean Axmaker Amazon.com

watch the last 40 minutes only if you don't want to waste time.

First of all, I respect H.B.Haliki for his passion in wanting to make movies to thrill audiences and make himself a renown independent film maker. He made this movie (gone in 60 seconds 1973), the Junkman, and Deadline Auto Theft. His fourth film, Gone in 60 seconds 2, was never completed due to his accidental death during production. He showed with a strong determination, and a good bank account, you can do what you set your mind and heart to. I collected his films, due to his originality in film making, always raising the bar to do what has never been done before on film.I purchased this dvd when it came in 2005, watched it a couple of times and gave it away. I regretted getting rid of it because I did enjoy the film, especially the last 40 minutes of it. So I bought me a new copy a couple of days ago and watched it twice already. It does lack qualities you see in larger produced films, but that is the charm of it. One of my favorite cars is of course the mustang, Whether it be a 67 fastback or a 73 Mach 1, I love them. And this film captures every guys dream who has one or wishes he has one, on driving fast and furious. The chase seen is long, but not the longest, that honor goes to my my favorite car chase flick, Vanishing point, 1971. Hats off to the folks who restored this film, you guy's, truly have an art form there. So watch this movie or any other of his films, enjoy them for there originality, action and testosterone levels that they reach. January 4, 2009

2.5 stars out of 4

The Bottom Line:

The original version of Gone in 60 Seconds features a cool car chase but is so bereft of anything else of interest (e.g. characters, plot, etc) that it has a tendency to drag--it's probably the most boring boy's movie ever made. January 4, 2009

awesome classic car movie

great movie for its time true classic, huge extras on this version highly recommend this to any car movie nut. December 22, 2008

Awesome Action Movie

Nicholas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Robert Duvall,Giovanni & all the guys on the team are great actors. Cage's character comes back to town to save his little brother (Giovanni) by doing something that he'd promised their mother that he'd never do again! But Kip got in over his head with a crazy, woodwork loving, Russian. When the Raine's brothers get their car boosting crews together it's intense action all the way to the end. I watch this movie everytime it's on TV & put my new DVD in the player when I get a "jones" goin' to see it & no tv station's playing it. I highly recommend "Gone in 60 Seconds" to any & all adhrenaline junkies!!
December 17, 2008

wrong reviews got voted up to #1 and #2

OK, neither of these movies are the deep, moving, cinematic masterpieces that Halicki and Cage are both otherwise known for (are you kidding me?)

This is a car flick, period. My interest is purely my inner 14-year-old's car nuttiness coupled with my (now 36 yr old's) appreciation for awesome Mustangs; and Eleanor is one awesome hunk of steel (either the 1973 mach I OR the 1967 GT 500)

So it ain't "Shakespeare" as another reviewer said, it ain't supposed to be. You don't go to a strip bar looking for fine wine or to Six Flags in search of the ultimate metaphysical meaning of life (or maybe you do, i ain't yer momma)

The reason I'm chiming in here, though, is because the reviews that have been voted to the top are for Halicki's ORIGINAL movie, shot in the early 70's (or, the remastered DVD that came out a few years ago)... NOT THIS MOVIE. THIS MOVIE is the 2000 remake with Nick Cage and Angelina Jolie. Actually, this DVD is the director's cut of that movie released in 2005.

Cage and Jolie would have had a hard time stealing tricycles in 1973, when those reviewers saw the movie they are talking about. The shocking thing is enough idiots rated these wrong reveiws all the way to the top, without anyone catching the fact that they were talking about a different flick.

On an unrelated note: It really bothered me when Stephen Speilberg and Tom Cruise caused that panic in 1938 with their "War of the Worlds" radio play. I bet it really ticked off President Taft and the Roman Empire. November 23, 2008

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