Muni in the Movies: Casualties of War, 1989
Octoferret shares this movie still and the following info:
Casualties of War starred Michael J. Fox and a young but post-Spicoli Sean Penn. Never seen it. What other movies have you seen Muni in, besides the obvious?
There was the random Muni bus in the Mark Wahlberg Italin Job. He’s trying to escape from Ed Norton’s chopper in some kind of garage, and he gets cut off by a Muni bus.
Or, this: http://playapillar.com/2010/08/16/playapillar-in-the-italian-job/
I remember that movie and specifically that scene. The only other movie with MUNI in it that comes immediately to mind is the Star Trek movie where they save the whales, or whatever.
Star Trek IV.
In that scene the bus is going across the Golden Gate Bridge. So I’m inclined to say it’s not actually Muni.
Someone posted a link to that one on our Facebook Wall. It seemed like it COULD be Muni; she theorized it was the 76-Marin Headlands.
Sorry to dredge up an old thread, but I’m watching Star Trek IV right now, and Kirk and Spock actually have quite the MUNI experience. First, they get kicked off because they don’t have “exact change”, and they have no idea what “exact change” means.
Then, while riding the bus, they sit by a graffiti covered window and deal with a punk (literally a mohawked punk rocker) blasting his music too loudly. It’s the *classic* MUNI ride!!
If only I had Spock’s talent for knocking punks unconscious with my bare hands. What a boon for those times when you’ve had enough of those rambunctious teens or that smelly drunken bum.
22-Fillmore makes an appearance in Mrs. Doubtfire. (http://www.filminamerica.com/Movies/MrsDoubtfire/doubtfire10.jpg)
However, they used a motorized New Flyer bus 🙁
I have a terrible memory, but is Muni in the original Dirty Hairy movie?
Dirty Harry. I think Dirty Hairy is pr0n. And if it’s not, it should be.
what makes you think that wasn’t intentional?
The original Dirty Harry has Harry going into Forest Hill Station to ride the “K” to Church and 20th
And in the chase scene in The Dead Pool, Harry narrowly avoids crashing into an N turning into the Sunset Tunnel on Carl
Try the movie “The Conversation”, from 1974. Gene Hackman stars, and there’s a terrific opening scene in Union Square. For the Muni-related stuff, there’s several scenes where he rides the old trolley coaches (pre-Flyer!), including one where he sits in the dark for a while after a dewirement. Wonderful film!
Love that movie. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen it, but it’s def. worth re-watching. Will make sure to Muni-spot when I do.
One of my Top 10 movies. Something about the mood captured by the filmmaker and Gene Hackman’s insane performance makes you-the-viewer experience real paranoia. And it really captures SF during the 70s.
I always loved that you could see my old house over Michael J Fox’s ear in that movie. But they start in Church Street Station and then get out at Dolores Park.
One I remember from 1973 is “The Laughing Policeman.” It is adapted from a Swedish story and involves an SFPD detective tracking a suspect aboard a 55 Sacramento (now 1 California) bus heading into Chinatown. He is about to make his move when someone on the bus pulls out a submachine gun and shoots everyone. The bus rolls to s stop in Portsmouth Square and then it is up to another detective played by Walter Matthau to solve the mystery. What was the first detective after, who killed him and why.
Church Street Station figures prominently in a chase scene in 48 Hrs.
There’s this movie with Robert Downey, Jr. from the 90’s called Heart and Souls. The plot centers around a bus crash (typical) and the characters’ unfinished business.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_and_Souls
Also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_in_popular_culture
Cool. Looks like Buses on Screen doesn’t have stills from Heart and Souls yet, sadly.
The funny thing about this movie is that it involves a trolley coach going down California near Stockton (actually cable car territory). Well, the movie didn’t use a real trolley coach but altered a GM old look with fake trolley poles and cream and green paint to fit in.
Here is a link to a picture from Heart and Souls that shows Kyra Sedgewick, Robert Downey Jr,, David Paymar and part of the bus:
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3391589888/tt0107091
More links to pictures of the Heart and Souls bus:
http://bloggingbyjen.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/heart-souls/
http://www.filminamerica.com/Movies/HeartAndSouls/heart05.jpg
http://www.filminamerica.com/Movies/HeartAndSouls/heart06.jpg
The Pursuit of Happiness features Will Smith running to catch an MUNI bus, and also features an underground station, though I can’t recall which one, maybe Powell.
I haven’t seen the movie, but, whatever station it was, the outside of it was actually built in Duboce Park.
Sister Act
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBMAjNABKjY
MUNI at 2:22!
Here are links to two pictures from that movie:
1)Detective boards Muni at Transbay Terminal
http://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_163053-Mack-C-49-DT-1955.html
2) Suspect boards Muni at Washington Square
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/216/buss23gs5.jpg/
By that movie, I mean The Laughing Policeman.