Many listings come from members of the Moto Guzzi Correspondence List.
The Hot Angel (1958)
Movie details at:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051740/
Netflix has it on streaming. I haven't watched as yet.
I finally got a chance to sit and watch this film.
Don't bother! What a hokey plot. Rural southwest where private airplanes are the most efficient form of travel. Local kids form a moto gang with one riding the bobbed Astore. He gets a few novice flying lessons and then miraculously is able to land in an incredibly dangerous and inaccessible canyon to save his instructor.
There are moto chase scenes through the desert. Our hero starts out on his Astore but the bike is somehow transfigured to a vertical single when he finally crashes. There are a few good still scenes when you can easily identify bits of the Astore and its forks and gearshift. All the bikes make the same sound regardless of brand and design.
Except for the few flashes of desert riding, the movie is a waste of your time.
Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA
Sun Jan 30 2011
pehayes<at>comcast.net
Guzzi Movie
Moto Guzzi California II
I found a new Guzzi movie from Netflix. Titled in English as The Sicilian Girl, the original Italian title is La Siciliana Ribelle which would more correctly translate as The Sicilian (female) Rebel. Based on the true story of Rita Atria who uses copious diary notes to identify local Mafia activities and personnel and takes that evidence to the police. The basis of the story can be found here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rita-Atria
A brief view of the Guzzi can be found at 120 seconds into trailer on IMDB at:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1213926/
Several stills of the Guzzi can be seen here:
imcdb.org/vehicle-334017-Moto-Guzzi-California-II-1982.html
It appears to be a round head as best I can see, so that should be California II.
The footage in the film occurs very early on when Rita's father takes her for a ride. The bike appears to be a California II or III with some extra spotlights up front. Footage in the film lasts perhaps three or four minutes with a good side view and sound of the bike.
One additional Guzzi related movie note. One of the police officers who is assigned to guard Rita in the Witness Protection Program is played by actor Paolo Briguglia. You may remember him as the protagonist young army volunteer who survives to the end in El Alamein �" The Line of Fire. That film is a particular Guzzi special because a Guzzi SuperAlce moto plays a pivotal role in the film.
Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA
From: Patrick Hayes pehayes at comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 3:47 PM
Um, er, ah, I just found another Guzzi movie.
ALERT: this movie and discussion may not be suitable for some. Evaluate the tolerance of your significant other and then proceed at your own risk!
I'm known for renting off-beat, independent, films. I especially like to rent European and Italian films to look for Guzzi motorcycles in prop usage or as background scenery. To this end, we watched:
FRIVOLOUS LOLA (also known as MONELLA) 1998
The basic plot: Lola is about to get married to Masetto. She'd like to take a 'test drive' with her betrothed to be sure he can perform well before they are married. He, on the other hand, wants to 'respect' her and ensure that she remains chaste until they are wed. (Of course, as an Italian man, its OK for him to visit the local brothels occasionally. ????)
After one frustrating woodland tryst, Lola and Masetto head back to town on a gorgeous mid-30's Guzzi (girder forks) with left-mounted sidecar. My suspicion was a GTV. Nice five minutes of footage about the bike, close up and racing down the road. Masetto at first can't get the bike started and cuts his hand working on it. Lola sacrifices her tighty-whities to fabricate a bandage for him. Later, the poor bike is left outside in a drenching downpour while Lola teases the locals in a bar.
There is good enough footage to identify the bike and even see the Guzzi name on the engine castings and fender-tip decals. However, be warned, you're going to see a LOT MORE of Lola's intricate parts than those mechanical bits designed by Carlo! Director really seems to have a fixation on posteriors!
This is campy, soft-core porn comedy. Silly plot. Some nudity is quite graphic. Dubbed in English, but not particularly well. Fast forward to the moto scene and be done with it. Read the reviews on Netflix in advance.
Full discussion is here:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0174931/
Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA
Thu Jul 26 2007
Robert-g-roseM>at<csx dot com
moto guzzi movie list
I Think that the picture of ann-margret on a guzzi is from the movie called "the profit" ??? I Saw this once upon a time from a satelite feed, but I am not sure
about the title. It was a very young ann-margret, learning to ride a motorcycle and at one point her boyfriend/ strong man, picks up the guzzi in his arms, walks over and throws it into a canal. A terrible thing to do with a guzzi.I don't
really remember the basis of the story but I would like to have a copy if a dvd or tape is available..any one else remeber seeing this?
Tennessee usa
From: Patrick Hayes pehayes at comcast.net
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2006 10:27 AM
Several years ago I saw and reported on an Italian Film about the North Africa Campaign of WWII.
LA LINEA DEL FUOCO [The Line of Fire]
The 27th Pavia Division is in stagnant trench warfare against Montgomery's British artillery at El Alamein, just outside of Alexandria, Egypt. The film chronicles the lives, heroism, and deaths of this Italian force in a futile war effort. A Moto Guzzi SuperAlce plays a pivotal role in the beginning and the end of the film. There are two lengthy scenes of the SuperAlce in operation.
I have been searching worldwide for this film. It has only been available in Italian language for the European Region and also an Asian region edition with Japanese Subtitles.
I can now happily report that the movie has been released on DVD to the US market with English subtitles. It is an accurate war drama film with the added bonus of extensive vintage Guzzi footage.
Browse to amazon.com and search out #B0009Y2618 to get your own copy.
Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA
http://home.comcast.net/~superalce (archive)
Fri Feb 10 2006
guzzi1952 at hotmail dot com
Moto Guzzi in movie
Seen an Ambassador or eldorado in The Muppet Movie ridden by a cop
Patrick Hayes [pehayes at comcast.net]
Thursday, December 08, 2005 10:47 AM
Subject: Another Guzzi Movie
Watched another Guzzi movie that I don't think has been reported previously.
La Citta della Donne (The City of Women)
1980
Federico Fellini production
Marcello Mastroianni in the lead
Midway through, our hero gets driven to the train station on a nice Guzzi SuperAlce single.
DO NOT watch this movie unless you have a serious stash of some mind altering concoction on hand. I didn't. Suffered through in case there might be more Guzzi footage. That Fellini was one seriously strange dude!
Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA
.
Dave Richardson
Last year I teased of a big-deal Christmas movie. Well, it never happened. We had heard that George Clooney would ride an MGS-01 around Lake Como in a chase scene in Ocean's 12. An even bigger no-show involved Bewitched, where a Café Sport not only was supposed to appear but actually be a part of the script. So here's one for real, ‘cause I saw it (and after seeing the previews it will seem the most unlikely): there's a Guzzi (probably a T-3 California) in the closing scene of Aeon Flux.
Ciao,
Dave Richardson
Moto International
7701 Aurora Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98103 USA
From: Rich Maund [mail-to:rgmaund at netzero.net]
Sent: Tuesday, July 05, 2005 10:45 PM
To: MGCL at topica.com
Subject: (MGCL) Guzzi movie
Folks
There's an old movie from the 70's that I have been trying to rent for years. It's never in the video store's catalog. I finally found it, of all
places, at Overstock.com in their $1 bargain video list. I wound up getting four movies from them and with shipping it was under $8!
The movie? "FM"
Great cast, even better music and concert footage of Jimmy Buffet and Linda Ronstandt. And as a bonus.... There's a couple of LA motorcycle cops chasing a Porche Speedster in the beginning of the flick. The one in the rear is a Guzzi!
I get the feeling I'm the only one who even remembers this movie. But seeing it this evening, it was even better than I remember. Great flick and a dollar well spent.
Rich Maund
Rich's Cycle Upholstery
Chesapeake, Virginia.
Kindly forwarded by Sheldon Aubut
Houlton Wisconsin USA
http://www.sheldonaubut.com
From: Patrick Hayes [mail-to:pehayes at omcast.net]
Friday, July 01, 2005 1:25 AM
Subject: Another Guzzi Movie
Watched an historical movie this evening.
The Bicycle Thief (1948) ("Ladri di biciclette")
Italian with English Subtitles.
Our hero is destitute in postwar Rome. He manages to get a rare job which requires him to own a bicycle for transport. One day at work, the bicycle gets stolen. The movie chronicles his search for recovery of the bicycle and his relationship to his son in the process. From reports by relatives, it is a very accurate representation of postwar life.
At the 34:00 point, he is searching a Saturday flea market full of stolen bicycles and stripped parts. Among all this is a wonderful view of a Guzzino (Guzzi Cardelino, 65cc). Just a passing glance for 5 seconds, but unmistakeable. When I went back over in slo-mo, even Regina was able to discern the eagle tank logo.
Patrick Hayes
Fremont CA Kindly forwarded by Sheldon Aubut
Houlton Wisconsin USA
http://www.sheldonaubut.com
Wed Jun 08 2005
ankama at tpg.com.au
moto guzzi in tv ad ( 750s or s3)
A Tv ad for Mazda 3 in Australia, features 2 closing shots of a spoked wheel, (and maybe black muffler) shot of a 750 s or s3, the first shot is head on with a small perspex wind shield above the light, with the engine/leg protectors clearly
visible. The second is side on, cheers Andrew
There is now a page devoted to Moto Guzzi SuperAlce in the Movies
"The Luzhin Defence" starring John Torturro and Emily Watson, filmed 2000. I saw it on IFC the independent film channel.
Set in 1920's on Lake Como, Italy. Based on a novel by Vladimir Nabokov. Luzhin is an eccentric Russion chess champion attending a chess competition in Como. Late in the movie, some thug takes our hero and dumps him in the mountains so he can't continue in the tournament.
After laying on the ground overnight, he is rescued by a small patrol of Italian army. Four soldiers arrive by Guzzi and sidecar. All four of them in one rig and now they must carry away the victim too! The Guzzi scene is only about 90 seconds, but it is a nice flywheel side shot of the bike. It looks a little too new for the period. Didn't have much of a look, but it seems to be a Sport 15 or GTV which would have been 30's vintage. Also, the car is located on the right side. Earlier Guzzi rigs were copies of the British and had the car on the left side.
A little side note: the funeral at the end has the hero's casket arriving over the lake carried in one of those traditional Lake Como fishing rowboats with the three hoops over the top. Part of the tourist scene now, common in local paintings.
Patrick Hayes -- pehayes at comcast.net
I was watching TV the other day, and a commercial for Checkers, a fast food place, comes on. I see a couple of motorcycles in the ad. The first is easily recognizable as a Ducati, but I'm not sure which. The second looks vaguely familiar, but it wasn't until I slowed the scene down using my Tivo that I saw that it was a red V50. You couldn't see the name on the bike, but the style was unmistakable, and I got a good look at the engine, which gave it away. This commercial has been airing for only a short time, so it's a new one. I guess the director or producer has good tastes in bikes!
Ride Safe, Yaniv -- guzziknight at yahoo dot com
I just found your web group listing Moto Guzzis in the movies and have a few observations to offer:
Imagine where Moto Guzzi might have been in US sales if Marlon Brando had rode that Guzzi in The Wild One!
A few years ago Billy Joel stopped by our shop, Moto International in Seattle, when on tour. He wanted Guzzi overalls for Elton John. He would have bought a red Jackal but his truck had already left for places south. Nick Hayden says he bought one from them at Monroe Motors in San Francisco.
I've heard that Harrison Ford is a Guzzi fan as well.
There were many attempts to get a Guzzi on Friends before one ever appeared. The show's producer is the son of the man who ran Guzzi's US corporate office in the late 1990s. Small world. (Note from Sheldon: The Guzzi that appeared in Friends belongs to my friend Patrick Hayes from the Bay area. In 1991 I flew out there to visit my parents and spend some time with Patrick and other friends. That is the bike that Patrick let me ride for several days.)
In the movie Titus a three-wheel Ercole is used to bring back the severed heads of two sons to his father.
I've heard that our local grunge band Soundgarten has an 850-T in one of their videos. I'm too old to know that for sure.
You heard it here first: the best Guzzi movie appearance ever might be in theaters this Christmas!
Ciao,
Dave Richardson
Moto International
7701 Aurora Ave. N.
Seattle, WA 98103 USA
phone: 206-297-3822
parts orders/inquiries: 1-800-949-6686 (US & Canada only)
fax: 206-297-3828
sales at motointernational dot com
To order parts/accessories or to inquire about possible purchases from the US or Canada, it's usually much faster (we call it real time) to call our toll-free order line. service at
motointernational.com Tech help (4-6 PM west coast time only): 206-297-3827 Web site:www.motointernational.com
Hours: Tuesday - Friday 9-6, Saturday 10-5
Time zone: US west coast (GMT -8 hours)
It isn't a movie, but the singer Billy Joel rides a Guzzi:
I happened to turn on the boob tube last night and caught a glimpse of the surreal life of the privileged group who call The Hamptons home. Near the end of the show was a funeral for a restaurateur who crashed his car into a tree.
Billy Joel attended riding a Guzzi. I always thought he had class, over and above his beautiful ex-wife, whom certainly was a catch in her day, and still is today! :-) -- Mark -- Amherst VA -- Maitriman2001 at aol.com
Gordon DeLaMare of this list was in town for business this week and stayed here last night. We watched a tape of last year's hit movie "Life is Beautiful (Vita è bella, La)" . (1998 DVD English Italian with subtitles) The opening scene has our hero's car escorted by two Italian soldiers on motorbikes. WOW, WAS I ECSTATIC! The view is quick, but these were undoubtedly GUZZI SUPERALCE 500. Both have the forward leg shields.
The one driving on the right, (your left as you view their approach) clearly shows its very long, up-angle and out-angle exhaust pipe. In the history of Guzzi, only the SuperAlce used this precise pipe location and position on the
driver's left side. (Unfortunately, Guzzi didn't use this pipe until the late forties and early fifties and the scene is from the 30's, but who wants to argue artistic license details.) You can find a nice photo of my bike at:
http://members.aol.com/pehayes/alce.jpg
Study that exhaust and then go watch the opening scenes. -- pehayes at aol.com
From Sheldon: I can confirm this one...
Is someone still keeping a list of Guzzis seen in the movies?(From Sheldon: You bet'cha)
Last night I finally got to see 1953's 'Roman Holiday'. When Audrey Hepburn makes her escape from the palace, she climbs into the back of one of those motorcycle/scooter-based
three-wheeled goods delivery vehicles the Italians used everywhere after the war. When the driver climbs onto the seat, you can see a familiar eagle logo on the tank...
Later when she and Gregory Peck go tearing through the streets of Rome on a Vespa, they are chased by police on Guzzi singles (and war- surplus Jeeps, oddly enough). -- Chris Kelly -- chris-kelly at fastmail.fm ---
From Sheldon: Saw this one and confirmed it myself.
Magnum Force- Clint Eastwood - 1973 ----- V7 Specials ????? -- Sheldon Aubut Did you notice the major flaw in Magnum Force? in the final showdown at the wharf, Clint goes through the remarkable effort of kick-starting a Guzzi. As we all know that is tough to do. (because they are all electric start) When he drove out from behind the crates, the tank and bodywork appeared close to correct but it looked like a Triumph engine on the bike (but it could still be euro content). -- David Whitmore
The first shot of the Guzzi shows the name Ambassador. The second shot is the other side and I couldn't see a name. This is during the first 10 minutes of the film. -- JerryK I believe there was a Guzzi in "Harold and Maude". Very funny scene. -- Cynthia Standlee Yes, there is a Guzzi (V7?, Amb.?, Eldo?) in the movie "Harold and Maude". It is being ridden by a "cop" that's attempting to
pull "Harold" and "Maude" over for something. He eventually does, but then the movie's main characters take off on the Guzzi while the "cop" is going through their car. :) --- Rick Nagle(Can
anyone positively identify the bike - Sheldon) If anybody else has young ones, maybe they have seen Disney's "Witch Mountain". They used a Guzzi (police mount) which was driven off a cliff unmanned. -- Rick
Blass Hi! I'm Tom and live in Phoenix,AZ., and am an avid Moto Guzziphile. I have two Eldos. Anywho, I can confirm the sighting of a Goose in Disney's Escape to Witch
Mountain. I had just returned from the Az Rally, and was relaxing after the long ride home, when I turned on the boob-tube to the movie. I changed channels several times, but there was nothing better on, so I watch it. The guy that
played Mr. Douglas on Green Acres was driving a motor home and got pulled over. The cop on a mint Eldo. He gets off the scoot, and it promptly starts itself and puts itself in gear and drives over the cliff.Not a pretty thing to see. I just
hope the movie people had enough sense to use a wooden mock-up instead of wasting one of the best touring bikes of all time. That's just my opinion,'cause I have a LAPD. -- TomTea with
Mussolini, 1999 DVD - Moto Guzzi with sidecar but I wasn't sure what model it
was. -- Sheldon -- biker at cwizard.com
I'll confirm your "Tea With Mussolini" sighting. I saw it last summer and posted to the list at the time. (I saw it first, nah-nah, nah, nah, naaaaa, nah!)8-P
I'm not an afficianado of old Guzzis so I don't know what models they were either, but I do know that they were "bacon slicers", and the movie contained several scenes including one where this bike was tooling along through the Italian countryside until the riders ran out of gas. Since this was WWII and the Germans and the Italians were allies, there were also some scenes with BMW motorcycles. All in all, a good showing of old Geese and Beemers. -- John Filak -- jf-goosenbeemers at yahoo dot com
Achtung! Attenzione!
Now there's yet another new movie featuring our favorite motorcycles. "Bacon Slicers" with sidecars (mounted on the left side, of course)! Pre-war beemers in full military regalia! Fascists on Guzzis. Nazis on BMWs. Nice
scene of a Falcone zipping down a country lane in Northern Italy! And a beautiful pre-war Italian luxury car - I'd really like to know what it was.
Oh, and it was a pretty good flick, too!
Aufwiedersehen! Ciao! -- John Filak -- jf-goosenbeemers at yahoo dot com
A movie which showed a lot of Guzzis, albeit pre-war singles, was "A Month by the Lake", which came out in 1996. Actually its a pretty awful film; the only virtues were the setting (Lake Como), the presence of Uma Thurman (although she looks miserable the whole time) and six or eight Falcones and Airones buzzing around. Check it out at your own risk. Cheers! -Robert curran5315 at aol.com A Month By The Lake- available on video It came out in 93 or 94 and Lynn Redgrave and Uma Thurman star in it. There are several nice shots of single cylinder Guzzis in it. It takes place in Northern Italy in the 50's and there's a lot of period bikes. Some production guys really did there research on this one! - Kevin Seiler mail-to:mseiler at racal-pelagos.com
Actually came out in 1995. The Internet Movie Database has one of the biggest listings that I have ever seen. Roger Ebert even gave the move three and 1/2 stars. -Sheldon Caught a not-too-bad movie made by HBO about 2 (1995?) years ago which starred Billy Zane. He played a drifter who drove around in a great International pickup / Airstream trailer rig, and specialized in romancing lonely housewives. Kept a black and green T cafe bike in the bed. Didn't catch the title. "Lonely Housewife Trailer Park Biker Queen" perhaps. -- Jason Moore On The Moto Guzzi's in Films page: Jason Moore spoke about a Billy Zane starred movie with a T-cafe bike, and further down Mark Kaczmarczyk speaks about Lake Consequence, these two entries speak about the same movie.... You might want to get these two entries together? - Guus (Guz) Duijvestijn guus at psi.ch
Here it is: But is it a "T", "V7 Sport", or "LeMans"? (Sheldon)
Saw a soft core/thriller called "Lake Consequence" in which the "hero" rides a nicely done up V7 Sport or possibly early LeMans. Clearly the bike belonged to
someone on the film crew and they recorded the real sound of the engine while he was riding. He really motored as well! -- Mark Kaczmarczyk / imkx at cantire.comThen Came Bronson - TV
Movie - starring Micheal Parks with Bonnie Bedilia - 1969
Then Came Bronson - US TV Show starring Micheal Parks - 1969 As to MotoGuzzis in TCB (as Bronson's motorcycle), not a one!
According to the folks who made the movie and series:
Movie:
2 Sportsters
1 CZ
26-episode series:
4 Sportsters (including the 2 from the movie)
1 (Aermacchi) H-D Sprint SS (350cc)
1 (Aermacchi) H-D Rapido (175cc)
1 1970 Sportster with "boat-tail" fiberglas seat/fender assembly
There was a hill climb in the movie, and a hill climb and motocross in the episodes; whether any MotoGuzzis show up in these (all of which were brought by the "extras"), I don't know. Hope this is of some help. Please check out my web
site on Then Came Bronson. -- jonpf at thecia.net http://www2.thecia.net/users/jonpf/tcb.htm
Was watching the TV yesterday and they showed a preview of the new James Bond movie ( Tomorrow Never Dies). Thought I saw him falling off of a Guzzi. Anybody heard/seen anything? Wasn't sure of the model but it looked like a newer model. Hope they show more of the bike then him just falling off. -- Ian Adkins. Bust - No Guzzi - It is the new BMW cruiser - Sheldon
How aboutTerminator 2: Judgment Day, I'm sure it was a Guzzi, the bad guy rode it up the fire stairs, my favorite bit of the film. - Cathy. I'm afraid that the
bike ridden up the stairs by the bad robot in Terminator2 ain't a Guzzi but a police Kawasaki. Entertaining, however, to see Arnold jump several meters down on a Harley Fatboy. Probably Whitepower suspension. - Pastaboy lieven.loots at
arts.kuleuven.ac.be > The other day, while nursing the flu, I was watching a documentary(!) on VH1 about the history of disco. As my formative years alas coincided with this painful phenomena, and due to the Sudafed induced
delirium, I was paralyzed and unable to change channels. Suddenly, across the screen flashed theVillage People parading and prancing around as they did back then. Then it was cut to old home movie footage of
the band on a photo set for either publicity photos or an album cover, when to my surprise I saw that there was a leather-and-chain-clad mustachioed band member draped over an Ambassador (the bike). Laughed? I nearly started - Nicolas Just as plain as day is a Guzzi on a record album cover of "The Village People." -- DashRiprok [DashRiprok at aol.com] I know there is a following of people keeping track of Moto Guzzi's used in movies. I have a new one I hadn't heard mention yet. I was watching the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football
and they had a commercial for a new movie coming out soon called " Rush Hour ". I don't remember exactly what the movie was about but in the beginning you see a motorcycle driving
up. At first I thought it was a Ducati but as it got closer you can see the eagle on the front of the fairing. I was hoping they would show the commercial again but they didn't. So the bike is either a red 1100 Sport or Daytona. I'm sure if
I see it again I would notice the heads and front forks to determine the year. Lets hear some backup and more information on this one.
See you at the movies!! -- Doll, William E. (Bill) [DollWE at bv.com]
(New Jackie Chan movie - Sheldon) I caught a glimpse of it also. They show the front of it and you see the Guzzi Eagle, but there wasn't enough for me to tell if it is a Daytona or a Sport. -- Orwig,
Wayne [WayneOrwig at GA.SLRdot com]
Ah hah! That's the one I saw too! So I'm not dreaming... ! :)
It looked to me like a Daytona. -- Godfrey DiGiorgi [ramarren at bayarea.net]
Hey Y'all
Went to see the new movie Rush Hour over the weekend and it had two motorcycles in it. One a black UMJ was used by the bad guy and the other a Red Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport was used by
Chris Tucker, a good guy. It was used in a brief chase scene and was on the screen for maybe 30 seconds but it looked good and was shown in a high performance role. Euro motos are making the the big screen more and more often. -- Jim
twoup at mindspring dot com
The Guzzi in Rush Hour is definitely the later fuel injected model with the different mud guard for USD forks and the new graphics on the tail. Pretty brief but cool footage.
Great ad for Moto Guzzi. -- Joe Loss Joe.Loss at Jacobs.com Those of you who have kids might want to confirm this Guzzi sighting for me.
In the Disney movie "101 Dalmatians", with Glenn Close as Cruella DeVil, I'm pretty sure there's a Guzzi (LMIII?) that shows up very briefly. It's happens towards the beginning
of the movie, right when she pulls up to her business. There's an overhead shot of her car slowing down and pulling over to the curb. Look at the motorcycle that's right in front of her car!
The next shot should show the bike passing right in front of the camera. I'm fairly sure it's a Guzzi, it's red, it's got some kind of bodywork on it a la LeMans III, etc.! I haven't seen anyone else mention a Guzzi in this particular movie.
Confirm or deny?
Robert Brooks, Camarillo, CA
Was watching 101 Dalmations last night and I though I saw a Guzzi in the first scene. Just passed in the background but I thought I saw the cylinder heads sticking out. Can anyone confirm/deny the sighting? After freeze framing this
part of the movie numerous times on my home VCR, I can now say with authority: It is a motorcycle..... but could be any kind of standard at all. -- Russell Barr guzziot at localaccess.com
Today I watched a movie called "The Electric Horseman" (1979 DVD ) or something starring Robert Redford. In it is a scene where a gaggle of cops on Guzzis chase our hero mounted on a horse. Guess who wins ? Well, I never said that it
was a good movie... -- Mike kimsab at gte.net I didn't realize you still had Electric Horseman on your "unconfirmed list". There's a scene after the first 30 minutes or so that has quite a few police eldos chasing Robert Redford (on a
horse). Most of the bikes seem to end up inexplicably flying through the air and crashing. -- Daniel R. Kalal dankalal at southwind.net Italian Job - Micheal Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill - 1969 I saw this classic British film again about a year ago - there is a scene where the 2 or 3 Minis are escaping through the streets of Rome after the heist. The streets
are full of football fans if I remember rightly, and the Minis drive in and out of courtyards and up and down stairs to get away. There is a scene where, I think, 2 "Vigili Urbani" turn up on bikes to chasethe Minis. They are (I'm 90% sure)
a couple of Nuovo Falcones, painted in blue, and one of the traffic cops lays one of them flat very neatly. Their exhaust note is unmistakeable. Good film though, very 60s, very English. -- Adam Bolton adam at bolzin.demon.co.uk
Definitely. At least three, most likely Gallettos. I have the film on tape at home. It's almost worthy of crying over when you see beautiful little Alfa Romeo Guilia police cars being destroyed. Oh yes, the story's pretty funny too. ;) -- Godfrey DiGiorgi -- ramarren at bayarea.net Saw another movie a few weeks ago. I don't recall the title,but it was a Burt Reynolds movie about being a stunt man (really bad movie). While driving his truck backward at highway speed, he gets pulled over by CHP on,of course, a Guzzi. I'm afraid I didn't stay with the movie to find any more "high point" in the production. The movie fits in with the Genre and time frame of the "Smokey and the Bandit" and Cannonball series, and is about as good (not saying too much). -- David Whitmore Thought I would let you know that movie with Burt driving the truck backwards is called Hooper just saw it today on TV -- Big Red. (So is it a Guzzi? What model? - Sheldon)
I was just watching "Hooper" with Burt Reynolds. In the first 30 minutes or so Burt gets pulled over by what appears to be a CHP riding an Eldorado. -- Stan Rife -- srife at flash.net
Check out our new updated and relocated website for our motorcycle movie, The Search for Giuseppe. Our film is a visual and
spiritual quest for the essence of motorcycling. Come along on the ride with us through Europe as we discover more about Giuseppe, a pioneer of motorcycle travel from the 1920's and find out about the climate in Europe, where
motorcyclists are
seen as sportspeople. We will be webcasting daily diary entries from the road using our digital camera and laptop computer to give people a window into our adventure on two wheels.
Follow us as we discover for ourselves why we like to ride a bike and why Giuseppe Guzzi is such an inspiration to us. All riding vintage Italian motorcycles (1969 Moto Guzzi V700, 1971 Moto Guzzi 750cc Ambassador and 1978 Moto Morini 500cc Strada), this team of three people will lead you on a tour from Italy North to Scandinavia filming scenes along the way from Giuseppe's famous "Norge Ride" of 1928 and interviewing at all the major motorcycle manufacturers in Europe. Our trip starts May 21, 1999 and will continue possibly through September.
Come to the url below
13pt.net/giuseppe
and join the adventure! -- Zachary and Karen -- bennett at ccgmetamedia dot com
Repo Man 1984 -- starts out zooming through a series map details then fades into a desolate desert road scene with what looks like a Rambler weaving
down the road. The weaving car passes a speed trap with a cop sitting on a Moto Guzzi. The bike cop proceeds to ensue case and pull over the errant driver. The bike cop gets a bit too curious and looks at what was in
the trunk. A fitting reward. -- Eric Blume -- mail-to:erkaneva at murkworks.net One of my favorite movies and I forgot about that scene, and yes it is a MG but I will have to re-watch it to see what model --
Sheldon
The kid's are watching 'Up In Smoke', ( VHS ) and when the cop pulls over the van made of dope, when he starts up it says Kawasaki, but when he pulls them over it's a V-engined Guzzi (w/
generator and single disk front, so I guess Eldo/Ambo, I have it on video). -- Tom -- joemama at ticinodot com -- http://members.tripod.com/CH-ili Ok, enough of the macho
leading men on the Ducatis, here' one for the Guzzisti: In Cheech and Chong's "Up In Smoke" the stoned cop that pulls them over is in a LAPD. Gotta love that. -- Mark Kromer -- markk at
mynode.com
I don't know if this one is on the list, but I thought I would send it in anyway. I was waiting for Robot Wars to come on the Comedy Channel last night. In the mean time the Cheech and Chong movie "Up In Smoke" was on. There is the part where they're pulled over by a motorcycle cop while driving the truck made of pot. The bike was a late model Eldo w/disc brake. -- Bill Doll -- dollwe at bv.comThe movie was called "The Car" and it starred James Brolin and it was made in about 1977. I saw one on Mystery Theater 3000 awhile back that was filmed in Italy. They had a few Moto Guzzi's in it also. It was not a very good movie which is why it was on MST3K. -- Dave Carlson -- dcarlson at landoflakes.com
From Sheldon: Dave sent me the movie and I watched it myself to confirm.
Went to see the new Coen brothers film this weekend "The Man Who Wasn't There". Overall, I was underwhelmed and not uplifted. However, the protagonist, Ed Crain (played by Billy Bob "I Get to Do It with Angelina Jolie" Thornton) is a barber who works in a shop named "Guzzi's". So the movie was not entirely without redeeming features. -- Keep Rolling, -- Corey Levenson -- Clevenson2 at aol.com
My wife and I went to see the latest Coen Bros. movie, "The Man Who Wasn't There" with Billy Bob Thornton (Sex toy for A.Jolie); good movie, blah,blah,blah. Anyway, Billy Bob is a barber who works in his brother in laws barbershop named
"Guzzi's". I wanted to see this film and my wife didn't know anything about the plot but as soon as the Guzzi named was mentioned I get a voice in my ear, "this isn't the sole reason we're seeing this film?" I wonder if the Coen's are Guzzi
owners? -- Tom LaNasa -- BlackKat-1 at Juno dot com
Recently, I saw a Yugoslavian film called "Underground", it was a movie on the wars Yugoslavia has suffered thru the last 50 years - WWII and the Bosnian-Croatian wars. The Guzzi, which I'm
sure is a Falcone with a sidehack, is only seen two-three times. First seen for 5 seconds in an alley, and later on in the movie it's seen parked on the quay beneath the boat. I don't know if this info is sufficient for an adding to the
Guzzi movie list, but I'll leave that for you to decide.
Kim - Copenhagen, DK -- kim-isdal at worldonline.dk
Rented an 'indie' movie last night. It's called "Frogs for Snakes" (1998). There are s#!tloads of Guzzis in this film. Be advised though, it's not so much a film as it is a actor's showplace. Not much of a plot or production values, but a lot of character actors slumming it in lead roles. Pretty hammy.
Anyway, here's the rundown on Guzzis in it:
Yellow Centauro Sport (that later on gets described as "yeah, you know the guy, he rides a Moto Guzzi 900")
two 1100 Sports, one red, the other black
a California 3 ratbike, sprayed flat black (the only cruiser Guzzi that made me think to myself "cool bike"
a V-50
In fact, the only bikes in this film are Guzzis. -- Kev -- mseiler at racal-pelagos.com
The Wild Angels- Bruce Dern, Peter Fonda - 1966
The Wild One - Marlon Brando - 1954 DVD Concerning Guzzis on movies: The Wild Ones with M.B.: I do not remember which bikes they rode on the movie, but I remember a poster with M.B. He was on a bike with a trophy bound on the steering and on the gasoline tank, you can see "Moto G", but no more. --- Luigi Rotta
Marlon Brando rode a Triumph in The Wild One -- DashRiprok [DashRiprok at aol.com]
The bike that Marlan Brando rode was a 1952 650 twin carb Triumph Thunderbird. The motorcycle that 'forced' Harley to build the 'K' model. Rode one from Spokane WA. to Ft. Campbell KY. in 1955. -- Ron Bishop -- Guzzi01 at aol.com
CHiPs - US TV Show - Larry Wilcox, Erik Estrada - 1977-1983, Members of the list are debating whether MGs were ever used in these shows. Conventional wisdom indicates that they were, in the early episodes, but switched to Kawasaki at some point. Need verification.
An MTV series from several years ago featured a Moto Guzzi.
I remember once seeing the Roy Orbison video "I drove all night", where there was also a black Guzzi - probably an old Ambo. And guess what - it got kicked too... ---- Topi Kuusinen, Finland
What about a Tina Turner video with two V7 Sport in it? -- Jean-Marc Lederman, Belgium
Although Guzzis are not even part of the plot line, if you watch old "Mannix" (US TV series of a LA private eye) you can spot police Guzzis. They can be found when Mannix is at the police station trying to get information out of the affable police lieutenant or shots of Mannix in his convertible (GTO?) as he passes motorcycle cops. -- Bruce Giller
I saw a Charles Bronson movie where these Italian cops were chasing him at very high speed around some treacherous mountain roads. They were doing some extremely crazy stunts -- very exciting. Can't remember the name though. -- Michael Morrison
I am pretty sure a Guzzi (one of the 500 bikes) was smashed in Die Hard III. I lived in NYC at the time this was filmed and somehow ended up with the gas tank from this bike (only the back end was smashed). -- corey saft
I was at the home of Son #1 for Christmas dinner and they had the Disney Channel on for the kiddies. I wasn't paying a lot of attention, but I glanced at it just as the bad guy rode away on what appeared be an Eldorado with a
sidehack. The movie was: "It almost wasn't Christmas" starring Charles Durning. Anyone else see this movie? - Sheldon AubutI have seen this movie WAAAAAY too many
times. The first time I saw the movie it caught my eye too. I am afraid however that is an older model BMW. Believe me, the movie is too bad to warrant further watching to see anything other than the bike. - David Whitmore
Saw a B(D?)-grade Tele-movie a while back with a couple of Guzzi appearances - called "Fist of the North Star". Attention Hollywood: it's about time we saw a Sport or Daytona featured like the 916 in Speed 2.
- Andrew - Singapura
(Just to stop any confusion before it starts: - Sheldon) Oh, and not Guzzis, but three DUC 900 SS's starred in the Mel Gibson starred film Conspiracy Theory. Too bad the sound was not up to par. -- Guus (Guz) Duijvestijn guus at psi.ch
Check out The Electric Horseman starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. The police, while riding their police Guzzi's, chase RR while he is riding a horse! They do a bit of off'road too. -- DashRiprok [DashRiprok at aol.com]
I went to go see "Shooting Fish" ( 1998 DVD ) the other night. It's a good movie. Of course I don't generally post movie reviews to the list: it has little bits of a Moto Guzzi LeMans I in it for about 1 second. You'd have to be very familiar with Guzzis to pick it out, I think. You can see a rocker cover (polished) and then a character moves and you can see most of the red fairing and headlight. It's in the first fifteen minutes or so, when they're putting something in the trunk of a car. Not worth seeing just for the Guzzi, of course (even thought it appears to a nice LeMans), but it was a very good movie. -- Brian Harper I am not much of a film buff at all. I've heard the name of this film is it British ? If it is it makes me wonder if it is the same Le Mans that I have spotted many times in the background of British TV programs. I have seen it so often I am convinced it belongs to someone involved with the making of the various comedies/dramas etc who likes to have it parked up in the background. I haven't seen it for awhile so maybe the owner has progressed to film work ! -- Dave Davies, Belton, North Lincolnshire, UK. Another one for the movie list, assuming you don't already have it... (I may have mentioned this one before, I forget) A few months ago my girlfriend and I rented a video from the SF section called "Texas Gladiators 2020" ( Anno 2020 - I gladiatori del futuro (1982)) which turned out to be a pretty poor example of the post-apocalyptic Mad Max/Road Warrior genre without the humour of the original... Some of the bad guys ran around on bikes, mostly cannon-fodder class extras on assorted Japanese two-stroke dirtbikes, however their leader occasionally showed up in the background on an older Goose, looked like an Ambassador or Eldo... Can't say I recommend the flick, but for the sake of completeness... Arthur Torrey
In the movie Where the Buffalo Roam, Bill Murray as Hunter S. Thompson, runs into a police motorcycle (Moto Guzzi). What a shame. -- Walt olive at essex1.com
Also, in the movie "Corvette Summer" starring Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame, there is a Guzzi police bike shown. -- FRED JELICH FJELICH at worldnet.att.net
I know that one of the members of the band "Faith No More" wears a Moto Guzzi Classics T shirt in several of their videos. Could get more detail as to which song if I ask my son. -- Christopher Collins [so6338 at wemail.wisenergy.com]
Someone mentioned an A&E Television's Biography of Ann-Margret, which contained a picture of her sitting on a Guzzi. I (Sheldon) have also seen this one but I don't recall what kind of bike it was. Ann-Margret has ridden bikes for eons. There's a famous foto of her on the bike from Easy Riders. She was also recently pictured on another Harley for some charity event. -- Alice Sexton asexton at atlantech.net
From Sheldon 10/21/98: Check out Ann's official web site at http://www.ann-margret.com and especially her bike page at http://www.ann-margret.com/hd.htm [404]
Looks like finding the photo of her on the Guzzi could turn into a quest. If anyone comes up with it please send it to me and I will post it here. Others are looking also, see the following message:
While watching the A&E biography on Ann-Margret, they showed a movie poster, or promo photo, from an Italian movie she did. it was a picture of Ann sitting on a blue Eldorado (around 1970 I think) wearing black stockings and knee high
black leather boots. I was hoping some would know where I could find a copy of this picture or a repro of the poster.
ps. I already have the one of her riding her triumph.
East Village Motorcycle 212-674-5362 microdot at interport.net http://www.leatherx.com
Is Bob Vila standing next to a GUZZI in the tool commercial. I saw the ad at 2:30 am(est). The bike is red, and has aluminum covered gauges on the top clamp. The ad is for the locking grip and tube cutter. Jpolde at aol.com I haven't seen the ad, but knowing old Bob, he'll use the RoboGrip pliers on the Guzzi's fasteners, and someday I'll end up owning the bike, and cursing him to hell. -- Fred Sahms Knoxville, Tennessee motophyl at mindspring.com
Once Upon a Crime, Sean Young and Richard Lewis hide behind two Guzzis, one looked like a California and the other an LM, but I am not sure.
Sheldon Aubut -- biker at cwizard dot com
An episode of "My So Called Life" (claire dane - syndicated on MTV) has the mom fantisizing about a college boyfriend with motorcycle and in flashback they show a beautiful guzzi ambassador. -- Mark Garrison garrison at rosharon.wireline.slb.com
Saw part of an Italian movie yesterday, called "L'huomo delle Stelle" and made in the beginning of the nineties. Story unfolds in 1953 Sicily and what do I see very short-ly in one of the scenes that plys on a village square? Yep a big Guzzi single. No idea which model, don't think it was a Falcone, rather an Alce or Super Alce, but definitely was a 500cc Guzzi one lunger. No mistaking in that. Add it to the list I would say. -- Pastaboy -- lieven.loots at arts.kuleuven.ac.be
A long running ABC television program in Oz called GP (General Practitioner, as in family doctor) featured the lead actor regularly using a Moto Guzzi as his main means of transport. It was an ice blue Lemans MkI, in very original condition. -- Peter Matthews -- peter at mail.cth.com.au
The movie was called "The Car" and it starred James Brolin and it was made in about 1977. I saw one on Mystery Theater 3000 awhile back that was filmed in Italy. They had a few Moto Guzzi's in it also. It was not a very good movie which is why it was on MST3K. -- Dave Carlson dcarlson at landoflakes.com
The MG general importer for Germany (MGI) had release an e-mail news flash yesterday: The upcoming movie 'STRAIGHT SHOOTER' w/ Dennis Hopper will feature an all and deep-black Moto Guzzi Quota 1100 ES. It will be the bad guy's ride through wild chases and breathless stunts. Right in time for the movie to be released (april 1, 1999), the all-black Quota 1100 ES is supposed to be on the sales floor. It will NOT be Dennis Hopper riding the Quota, but it won't be Pierce Brosnan either:-)) -- Dietmar Flink -- Bonn/Germany -- dflink at rz-online.de http://rz-home.de/~dflink [404 ]
Alphabet City (1984) - This is a horrible movie, The Guzzi scene takes place in the last 10 minutes when our hero is rescued by his pal who arrives in the apartment hallway (!) riding a California II! The two ride off to safety together. The bike had just been introduced when the movie was made; it'd be interesting to know how they came to get hold of one. -- Daniel R. Kalal dankalal at southwind.net
Another movie staring a beautiful black 72 or 73 civilian Eldorado is "Teenage Bikers". This is a X X X rated video made in the early 70's, and stars Jamie Gillis. It is amazing what 3 people can do on an Eldorado. There is a lot to be said for the strength of the center stand. I have a copy of the video. Others on the list have seen it and can verify its existence. -- Bruce
Ok, enough of the macho leading men on the Ducatis, here' one for the Guzzisti: In Cheech and Chong's "Up In Smoke" the stoned cop that pulls them over is in a LAPD. Gotta love that. -- Mark Kromer -- markk at mynode dot com
If anyone should be interested, in an Italian movie from 1990, titled "Le Comiche", one of the two main players drives a 250 Airone, fish tail mufflers, with sidecar. Anyway, the guy (his name is Renato Pozzetto, very popular in Italy) usually rides a Galletto in his real life. -- Cheers, Lone Rider Antonino Tibaldi -- an.tibaldi at areacom.it
Was watching the show Friends (Thurs 8pm NBC) this evening and saw an EV. It was just a passing shot as the guy pulled away. Red tank with the cream teardrop. They used the same bike in an episode last year. -- Ian Adkins -- adkins at gte.net
Another movie with Guzzis is James Bond's "Octopussy". Early scene has an Eldorado military escort. The convoy is buzzed by a light aircraft and the bikes go down. I'm lucky enough to own one of those Eldo's with the same paint job still in tact as the movie co. sold the bikes rather than haul them back to California. -- Steven Seftel -- socastevie at yahoo dot com
Seems to me I remember that there was a movie filmed in the New York area about a motorcycle gang. They all rode chopped Guzzi's. The film was a low budget film and they probably couldn't afford HD's. I saw it in a theater in the late '79
or '80, '81. This is right after I got an Eldo. That's how I can remember. Don't remember the exact year, would have been '79, '80, '81. I thought that the movie looked stupid with chopped Guzzi's instead of HD's. Typical biker gang
movie. I had the Shovel and the Eldo at the same time. Let know what you think. Could have been filmed on Roosevelt lsand across from Manhattan.
Aloha!!! from the big island of Hawaii. NO SALES and NO SERVICE but definitely an OWNER.
Tom Au -- aucycles at webtv.net
Nicholas Cage is not only a serious auto and motorcycle collector but he is a rabid Guzzi owner. My old mechanic still services all of Cage's bikes, including his Guzzis -- which the shop, actually, hates to work on! They're not a Guzzi dealer so parts are slow in arriving and they have to mark-up over retail for a decent profit. This is why after I crashed my Yamaha XJ750J and bought my present T3 they refused to work on it. If I had the kind of business Cage throws their way it would be a whole different story they promised.<s>.
So anyway, if Cage didn't own that Guzzi in "Capt. Correlli's Mandolin" I'm sure he does now. And I doubt he would have even allowed it in the movie,
let alone have ridden it, if it wasn't correct.
Clifford -- cjg53 at pacbell.net
Ron,
I too was looking carefully at the bike, but there weren't enough shots to be sure. I suspect it was an Alce although it lacked the passenger handlebars that make that model so unique. It could have been a GT17, but I couldn't see if it had
the double barrel muffler. In any case it would have had the unique exhaust over intake 500 cc flat single motor and was correct for the period. Nice! My reference is Columbo's book.
Peter Yronwode
Ron,
I think the bike in the film is an Alce, a 500cc single producing about 13 bhp which was the main 2 wheeled transport of the Italian army during the Second World War.
There is a small photo on page 32 of Ian Falloon's "The Moto Guzzi Story".
I recently watched a documentary about the real events that happened in WW2- I haven't seen the film yet but understand that the true story was changed to make the film have a happier ending.
Regards,
Guy
Guzziesti,
It's been a long week, this weekend I am in the process of tearing in to my brothers '94 Cali to replace a broken shift return spring, & Alice was busting her butt in the yard. Nothing has been able to lift the sodden blanket from our
hearts. Usually I love being in the shop deep into a Guzzi, but all the usual little frustrations of doing a repair job were goading me like hot pokers. Alice said she hasn't heard me cuss like that since she's known me. We decided to go to
a movie & suspend ugly reality for a little while. Alice is a Nicholas Cage fan, so we went to see "Captain Corelli's Mandolin". Not only was it an excellent movie, but it had some scenes of Cage riding an Italian military motorcycle
that had a "bacon slicer" flywheel on the left side. I have no idea if it is historically accurate, or what model Guzzi it was. Perhaps someone with a more extensive knowledge can identify it
Ron Komoroski
"Assault on Precinct 13" (1976). Towards the end, two motorcycle cops pull up on Guzzi police bikes. Cylinders unmistakable, even in the dark. That, by the way, is all of the movie that I bothered to watch, but I was flipping channels, and there they were. More garbage from John Carpenter. -- Carl Allison -- guzzi007 at postoffice.pacbell.net
Hi all! There sure seems to be a lot of movies with glimpse's of Guzzi's, but my personal all time favorite is "TT Classic Magic" from Duke video. It can be purchased online by Americans at www.duke-usa.com and type in TT Classic
Magic in the search window.) This 1996 video feature's an interview with Bill Lomas and Umberto Todero and shows Bill Lomas and Guiseppe Todero riding two of the V-8's around the Isle of Man course in the vintage exhibition race! They also
have other video's for sale that shows factory racing Guzzi's from the 50's.Very good!! -- Dave Carlson -- Minneapolis, Minnesota -- dcarlson at landoflakes dot com
See Bulletproof Guzzis
