The Junkman (1982)

Pretty Good

Excellent but underrated film

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

I bought the original a couple years back when the DVD first came out. Until a couple months ago i never knew of a sequel. Then one day i was at a discount department store on the Gold Coast when i found the original VHS copy of GONE IN 60 SECONDS PART II THE JUNKMAN. It was only $2 so i bought it. Later i found that it had been shipped up to Queensland from an old video store in Brompton South Australia. Any way, when i arrived home i chucked the movie on and watched it. I knew it was from the 80's and the styles were a bit off, but i enjoyed the movie. What else i enjoyed was the music, The fact that it was upbeat during the fast paced chase scenes and that the singers included the movie name and one of the major events that the movie was set around. The video wasn't in great condition so most of the middle to end of the movie was very fuzzy. This propelled me to go forth and find a remastered copy on DVD. Weeks later i found one and ordered it in. When it arrived i was excited, i was expecting soo much. But when i was watching it i noticed that something was removed from the original and replaced with something inferior. It was the music, the music that was written for THE JUNKMAN, gone, replaced with INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC??? So, i will rate the original 10 out of 10. But for the DVD 5 out of 10. H.B. "Tony" Halicki would be disappointed with what has become of one of his masterpieces.Knowing this makes me wonder what the original music was like in the original GONE IN 60 SECONDS.

You may find it worth noting that the soundtrack on the reissued DVD (currently only available in Region 1 format) is different from the original video issue. Presumably for copyright clearance reasons the 'Great American Dream' song at the start has been removed - which is a shame. If you really (and I mean really) like Junkman then find the DVD issue of Deadline Auto Theft / Gone in 60 Seconds II which contains Deadline Auto Theft - a movie made up of stunts filmed for the original Gone in 60 Seconds / Junkman. And the edited stunts rushes footage from the never finished sequel to 'Gone' called 'Gone in 60 Seconds II' - HB Halicki was killed on the set while filming it so only the rushes remain as he did all the stuntwork first before working the plot around it.

I just picked up this little gem on DVD. If you are a fan of 1980's era car chase flicks then this a fun, cheesy ride. While not as gritty as the legendary GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS(a true classic of outlaw filmaking,) this one boasts slicker production values and the World's Record for most vehicles wrecked in a movie. Full of thrilling stunts, gratuitous car crashes, sexy eighties ladies and a prize winning pig. By the way, the DVD is great. Great picture and lots of bonus footage(A peak at H.B. Halecki's car and toy collection is a treat.) Have fun.

Eight years on from the original, GONE IN 60 SECONDS 2: THE JUNKMAN (As it was known pretty much everywhere outside the US) was a vastly bigger budgeted exercise in fender-bending. Whilst boasting a couple of the greatest auto stunts ever filmed, including a car flying OVER a plane, the film does not have the rawness of the original that made it the unique experience in auto-wrecking it was. They even managed to get Lynda Day George and Christopher Stone on to the pay roll!The "chase" this time sees Halicki being pursued by two hitmen and one slinky and mega-cool hitwoman with designer handguns. Much of the car crashes are obviously deliberate and lack the spontaneity of the '74 flick. However the scene wherein Halicki tosses a live grenade over his head on to the guy behind him that blasts the Chev right over Halicki's Caddy, is the one to watch for. Ive never seen better in any action movie. Heaps of reminders of the original in terms of posters and even a premiere for GONE IN 60 SECONDS. We are even privileged to see the original "Eleanor"....the crushed and battered yellow Mach 1 from the original movie (that Halicki kept for years as his most prized possession!) It infuriated me that Nicolas Cage was permitted to use that name for his Shelby Mustang in the 2000 remake, of which the less said, the better. It could never be anything but Harlan's!For those of you who do not know, H B Halicki died doing what he loved best in August 1989, attempting an auto stunt for a sequel to GONE IN 60 SECONDS that was never completed. Doubtless he is in his element somewhere in that great garage in the sky!