French cars in films

vince · Post by **vince** » 15 Nov 2008, 10:19

The Internet Movie Car Database is the king of finding cars in movies.

I have been buying movies off the listings in there..as far as DS's go, the following have good features

Day of the Jackal
Les Valseuses
French Connection 2
The Odessa File
National Lampoons European Vacation

And a real gem which is only available as a copy from the states via japan is an old Stelvio Massi italian cop chase film called Highway Racer. Its about a gang of bank robbers who use identical brown DS's as getaway cars. The main robber also has a red DS and the cop has an old black Ferrari 250GT. The film is over 90% car chases between these cars...Its subtitled in Japanese which you cant turn off but the film is pure retro car class.

For some more french car movies check out "Dailymotion" website and also Youtube. Type in "Tony Arzenta" or "Citroen DS chase"...there are loads...

You can find some of the Highway Racer chases on there

BTW Back to the Future.......Awesome movies

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 15 Nov 2008, 16:10

Napoleon wrote:You didn't think I meant my gun aiming moves did you?

Now there's an idea!

I could provide you with some.... and I am sometimes sorely tempted to fit some of mine to Cassy

Napoleon · Post by **Napoleon** » 13 Dec 2008, 21:25

vince wrote:The Internet Movie Car Database is the king of finding cars in movies.

I have been buying movies off the listings in there..as far as DS's go, the following have good features

Day of the Jackal
Les Valseuses
French Connection 2
The Odessa File
National Lampoons European Vacat...

I just watched French Connection 2, and even the non-tech savvy Mrs. Napoleon (Josephine) said, "Is that a Citroen?", when the DS's were on the screen. She'd noted what she called the 'wobbly' suspension!

Napoleon · Post by **Napoleon** » 14 Dec 2008, 21:52

Spud wrote:Ronin...

Watched Ronin tonight - order in error as I was confused between thtat Leon.

Must order properly. But Ronin a good film. Not great, but good.

vince · Post by **vince** » 17 Dec 2008, 13:25

Recently saw "Shaft in Africa" the old 70's movie, a bit of DS action in that one too

Old-Guy · Post by **Old-Guy** » 17 Dec 2008, 15:17

I've just come across this thread (a month too late).

The trader who sold me our Xantia claimed that when he bought her a matter of weeks earlier, it was for a brief (non-speaking) part in The Holiday. I've yet to see the film or even a DVD of it for sale.

Top trumps?

Guy

Post by **myglaren** » 03 Jan 2009, 23:15

I have just finished watching "Elise" and about halfway through Vanessa Paradis shoots out the windscreen of a DS she is raveling in, then rams the car in front, then the one behind in a parking space and declares that "Parking is easy in Paris".

However, I can forgive that girl anything

fatherjack2002 · Post by **fatherjack2002** » 04 Jan 2009, 12:15

There's a Citroen SM in Zoolander, with Ben Stiller, and, if i recall correctly there's a DS in Scarface, the scene where Pachino is with an asssasin, he is in a DS ,or the "hit" are in a DS, its been yers since i saw the film i can't fully remember ,

Paul...........

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 04 Jan 2009, 18:42

myglaren wrote:Not films but there was a black C6 in Spooks - Code 9 and in Silent Witness a couple of weeks ago.
Also Alexi Sayle drove one (presumably his own) around Liverpool a couple of months ago.

Having watched Jean De Florette and Manon Des Sources I can't recall seeing any cars in either of them.
Same with Heaven and Hell - cars were certainly there but can't remember what, same with La Fille Sur Le Pont, Noce Blanche, Nathalie and The Big Blue.
Shameful, really. Must pay more attention.

There's a nice DS in an advert for some fabric conditioner, anybody's guess which one though.

Xac wrote:2CV - best bond car ever
There's a 4 headlight DS showing it's nose in a certain beer advert at the moment.
DS also appears in the title scenes of Eureka!, although they've downgraded the suspension to anti-grav.

As myglaren said above, not films and xac included another post from TV therefore please allow me to include another one also from TV.

This Citroen model features on this programme every year, when they choose to use it as one of the "tests" so which programme is this well it's.............

(As the writer/poster pauses to keep the reader wondering.)

The model is the AX.

The programme it appears in, is Worlds Strongest Man.

Where the car has had the floor removed, and the engine!

Also all the wheels have been locked up, so they cannot push it.

They have to lift it up, with all four wheels off the ground!

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 04 Jan 2009, 22:08

So although the cars have mechanical suspension they still rise quickly, as they are lifted by the strongmen.

A case of no LHM in one sense I.E. not fitted by Citroen.

Although when they are being lifted by the strongmen, they certainly have a different form of LHM in it I.E. Large Heavy Man.

KP · Post by KP » 05 Jan 2009, 08:27

Harry potter and prisoner of azkhaban where the bus drops harry off it bumps into a parked Xantia Hatch setting the alarm off.

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 10 Jan 2009, 23:44

There was a Dersh featured in Top Gear previously!

Here's a link to it.

They also gave a (f)ondeo the same treatment. 8)

The brackets are there, because it changes to non Citroen without them!

Try it and, you will see.

The m has been changed from m to f to further ensure that it is as intended to be by the forum software/settings eh...................safer from Henry.

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » 13 Jan 2009, 22:32

Pretty sure Helen Mirren drove a BX GTi in prime suspect years ago.

And Citroen used to supply Corrie all their cars...hence why people had Picassos etc. Plus the car that some young nipper drove the now very fit but then very young Sarah Louise Platt (IIRC?) into a skip while on a joyride was.....an AX GT5.

Bepe used to have a maroon Xantia in Eastbenders.

Obviously the Ronin link....full of French cars! Literally! inc a brand new Saxo VTS getting smashed aswell as a pov-spec mk1 BX. Also had a 406 which seemed whay too fast for me!

Burt Reynolds did some extreme getaway in a brown SM in some old film I remember seeing. Lots of jumps and general wreckage of the SM, although as a nipper I thought that was obviously tres cool. Didn't think it was when he let the hand brake off and let it roll into the sea. Infact I threw the remote at the telly.

I noticed the XM V6 in Taggart.

Steve in Coupling had a DS, as did Giles in Buffy.

Feeder's first album had a DS on the cover. Ocean Colour Scene filmed a video driving round town in a DS too.

Janet Jackson filmed a vid in a gold SM with red leather.

And....

The cartoon Rugrats.....the dad's car was clearly based on a DS.

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » 13 Jan 2009, 22:34

Oh....and of course my own car which was filmed for TV on the "Used Car Roadshow" which is a very high quality format motoring show, way more popular than Top Gear.

504GLD · Post by **504GLD** » 20 Jan 2009, 23:09

If you want some true French Car movie's then you need to get yourself copies of TAXI, a series of films set in Marseille. They are French language but on DVD have English subtitles. They are directed by Luc Besson....(Ronin, Fifth Element etc), and star a 406 in the first movie, a 406mk2 in the second, a 407 in the third film and forth. Its packed with French cars, chases, smah ups and the cars are just a much the star.

Another French film with plenty of car action is Le Bullet... another 407 getting serious hunted across Paris. You can get this on ebay with English subtitles from Korea.

"Funny Face", the 1956 Audry Hepburn movie set in Paris has a lovely lot of old cars including Peugeot 203 which Audrey has at the airport, a Citroen Traction Avant, and a 2CV towing a trailer with a cow in the back!

The ultimate Citroen DS comedy has to be an episode of "CHiPS". A DS is being driven down the California Highway on 3 wheels, and gets pulled over. The driver only speaks French, and is trying to explain the DS's suspension to a baffled Jon. The driver cant understand why this isnt normal, after all its a DS!