You read right! I recently managed to obtain a copy of the original script for 'Smokey IS The Bandit'. Quite the Holy Grail for Smokey and the Bandit fans! If you'd like to receive a copy, I can send it to you as a PDF file.
Please send a PM to me and it will be yours!
"How can I move when you've stopped the music?"-Me.
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shareYes, please.
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The script was quite interesting. I would love to see how they filmed the opening seen with Bandit. FYI when they introduce Bandit in the script Gleason's name is beside it in quotation marks so clearly it was designed and filmed in this manner as the script is dated 10/82
shareYep. I can see how initial test screening created confusion: the "Bandit" has zero dialogue in the film. What the heck? Is he a ghost, haha? There's no rationale provided for why he's silent. If Gleason had just adlibbed dialogue I could have gone along with it the whole time. Fascinating, but strange.
shareKnowing how Gleason was always improvising on the set im sure he added Bandit dialogue. But, I too was confused at how little he had to say. Its like they let Colleen Camp be the narrator of what is going on.
sharePossibly due to the fact that they didn't believe Gleason could impersonate Reynolds' voice very well.
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Get out of the WHEY! - Dr.Cheese (Santa Barbara,1987)
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shareThanks for sending me the script, amazing that it's finally come to light, I read it while watching the Movie at the same time, it was pretty interesting- the 'final' version of the movie as it stands is nonsensical garbage and I thought maybe the original intended version would make some more sense but ....nah it doesn't.
A few thoughts:
- up until 'The Bandit' is introduced the movie follows the script almost identically
- I think one of the stupidest decisions was to not let 'The Bandit' talk, absolutely no explanation to why he's suddenly become a mute for (almost) the whole movie, I don't think Gleason would have tried to ad-lib anything either
- Dusty works at a radio station in the original script - not sure why they changed that??
- the motel portion of the movie longer (its way too long)
- I kinda like the Dusty Trails twist at the end, her being an Enis and all, it explains her ridiculously fake sounding name, should have kept that
-there was a fight scene filmed inside the road side diner
- A small snippet of the scene where Buford crashes into a bunch of cyclists can be seen in the original trailer
I'd still really like to see this version of movie on the screen
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