Mini Cooper Picks Up “Most Iconic Movie Car Award”
The Mini Coopers in the ever-popular film The Italian Job have been named the all-time top movie cars.
The iconic models in the 1969 movie, starring Michael Caine, came first in a survey of more than 2,000 film fans by Uniroyal tyres.
The computer car KITT from Knight Rider came in at number two, followed closely by James Bond’s Aston Martin Vanquish from the 007 film Die Another Day.
From Wikipedia: “Set in London and Turin and filmed with vivid colors in anamorphic format, The Italian Job remains an iconic evocation of the swinging sixties, although its rose-tinted view of London’s criminal underworld was in sharp contrast to the brutal reality. In fact, Caine has stated that he took the lead role in Get Carter (which portrays the same underworld with brutal realism) largely in order to correct the overly romantic picture of organized crime painted in The Italian Job. An example of the lighthearted and comedic characterizations is that Mr Bridger’s gang is run by an effeminate-seeming dandy called Camp Freddie, played by Tony Beckley.
Apart from the colorful vision of a certain time and place, the film is also notable for its inventive and exciting car chases and stunts, arranged by Rémy Julienne. The film’s cars were almost as much part of the cast as the people: the ill-fated Lamborghini Miura in the opening sequence, various Aston Martin DB4 convertibles, Jaguar E-Types, a Land Rover and an array of police Alfa Romeo Giulias which are out-driven by the heroic British Mk1 Austin Mini Cooper S’s.
The Alpine setting through which some of the chases passed was another memorable aspect of the film. The getaway sequence is the film’s highlight, however……”
Great film, great cars and great movie poster! Grab yourself a copy by clicking on the link above.
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April 15th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Fully deserved too - purely for that movie alone.
April 16th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Surely the old VM Beetle deserved 3rd.
KITT in 2nd doesn’t make sense since it’s not a car you see in movieS - it was only on TV.
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:17 am
Well done to MINI, for me personally they looked great in The Italian Job!!!!