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By Jerry's Kars - 17 Years Ago
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What color was Robert Mitchum's Fairlane 500 in the movie Thunder Road?
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By 55Birdman - 17 Years Ago
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I dont think they made a color version. White,grey,light blue or green. But, the garage in Asheville he went to (which is still open)was owned by my grandfather and rented to make the movie.
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By Jerry's Kars - 17 Years Ago
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I wonder if there is anybody around who would have seen the car in person. Perhaps any of the movie people. 55birdman is your grandfather still around? Jerry
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Jerry, John (Hoosier Hurricane) will know, he'll answer when he sees this. I can hardly remember what color Robert Mitchum was, let alone the car. Maybe white for White lightinin' ?
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 17 Years Ago
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Sorry, I don't know, have only seen the black and white movie (I have a copy). I would have to go with the lighter colors suggested above. Speedpro, didn't you have a relative that was involved in the movie also? John
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By 55Birdman - 17 Years Ago
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No, Paw died in the 1970 right before I came home from 'Nam. I will ask my uncle he may remember. But, I looked on the bay and they have color copies or the movie. Great movie.
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By yehaabill - 17 Years Ago
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Y-Guys: Ya'll try not to laugh too hard about this, but when I was in Grammar school, my buddies and I used to "sing" the "Thunder Road" song while swinging on the playground!!!! I really believe that movie is what sparked my interest in cars, hot rods etc... Bill
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By speedpro56 - 17 Years Ago
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No relative John, but part of the movie was filmed in the weaverville beech community where my uncle lived and watched them shoot part of it. He's now passed on so no way of knowing. I believe my uncle owned the black 57 ford sedan 4dr used in the movie, according to my uncle Frank and it was a very good running car.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 17 Years Ago
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I am curious about the technical process involved in "colorizing" a B&W movie. Maybe there is some computer analysis/comparison program that can determine proper color according to the degree of shading?
Once the original wardrobe gets lost, and the actors/crew die off, you have to wonder how authentic all the colors really are? Aside from flesh tones and known product/landscape cues, do they likely just make an educated guess?
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By speedpro56 - 17 Years Ago
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Talked to another uncle today, Wincie Biggs and he seems to think it was two toned and grey and white was his first guess. He watched part of the filming being done in Monday Cove Weaverville, N.C. He also said it's been so long it's hard to remember and it could have been another two tone color. I think he's 84 and may be having some memory loss.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 17 Years Ago
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Gary,
Internet trivia articles claim all the "moonrunner" cars used in the movie were purchased from moonshiners, who used the money to buy yet faster cars. Did your uncle spend a lot of time out in the woods?
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By 55Birdman - 17 Years Ago
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Black & white movies are converted to color by computer analysis. Every color known to man has a certain amount of pigment/color in it. Computers are programmed to scan the color whatever it may be and determine within a degree of correctness and the color is known. They have gotten better because in the old days the color looks like the first movies seen at the theatre eons ago. Ted Turner is the man who developed the color process back when he bought MGM? studios and he wanted to colorize the oldies. The original movie is not colorized a duplicate one is made only in color. Thats all I know. Also my uncle thinks the ford was green and white.
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By Jerry's Kars - 17 Years Ago
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I saw the movie on TV not long ago. I had a VHS copy of it, but loaned it and never got it back. I know the car was two toned. No doubt Colonial White. And if it was green my bet is Cumberland Green and not Willow Green. But I would still like to know for sure. Jerry
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By speedpro56 - 17 Years Ago
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Daniel, only to squirrel hunt.
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By pegleg - 17 Years Ago
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Just so you guys know, Jerry does restorations of "Retractors" sold him some pulleys. Google his site under Jerry's Classic Cars, I think
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By Jerry's Kars - 17 Years Ago
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Frank (pegleg), I am not Jerry's Classic Cars. I hope I didn't confuse anyone. Used the K in Kars as a play on Kar Kraft. Have one Kar Kraft car and the rest are 57s. Thunder Road is one of my favorite movies. Wish it was in color. Another question. How many different models of 57 Fords were used in the movie? Saw one change it's model from being on the road as it crashed down an embankment.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 17 Years Ago
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I wonder if any of the young (at the time) actors from the movie are still around. James Mitchum? He should know the color, he was walking along the car as Robert was chewing him out for following him. Did you notice the sound effect as the car drove away. Had the distinct sound of an inline 6 with split manifold and dual glasspacks. How about Keely Smith? And the girl who played Roxanna (Sandra Dee? I'd have to look at the credits to make sure of her last name). Are these people, if still alive, approachable? Just a thought. John
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By PWH42 - 17 Years Ago
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Just for the heck of it,I googled James Mitchum last night.He is still living,in fact is only one year older than I am.so he's still just a kid.I didn't find where he lives or any way to contact him,but I'd bet someone who is better with people searches than I could find a way to contact him.Incidentally,most of think he is Robert's younger brother,but he is in fact his older son. For some reason,it sticks in my mind that the car was red and white,but I don't really know why I think that.
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 17 Years Ago
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The accuracy of movies isn't always the best, but I would think that real moonshiners would want a dull generic color on their cars so they would blend in with traffic better. One part of the show I liked was in the opening series where Mitchum did a quick U turn with his '50 and rolled it, then it emerged from the dust unscathed. Ford tough!! John in Selma, IN
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By Jerry's Kars - 17 Years Ago
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John, I noticed the engine sound as well, definitely not a y-block. I guessed it was just low budget movie sound tracks. Jerry
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By Larry D - 17 Years Ago
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I have a reproduction color poster showing the front of the '57 and it appears to be Regency gray and Colonial white, although I've been told by folks who attend the annual Moonshine festival that the car was actually Cumberland green and Colonial white. Running shine you wouldn't want anything that was overly flashy. In the black & white movie days certain colors showed up better than others and either gray or green were prefered and either could have been used. James Mitchum is indeed alive and kicking. He also has a remake script for Thunder Road and as of June 2007 his plan was to start filming the summer of 2008. Haven't heard if that's changed or not. The '50 Ford is interesting. It's actually a '51 with a '49 hood & grill and a nice tri-power Y-Block under the hood.
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By Jerry's Kars - 17 Years Ago
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John, The girl who player Roxanna was Sandra Knight. Once married to Jack Nicholson.
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