MovieChat Forums > Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983) Discussion > August 12, 1983...did you/would you?

August 12, 1983...did you/would you?

posted 17 years ago by MovieMan-88
13 replies | jump to latest

I was born July 20, 1983 but I wasn't really "introduced" to the world of movies until 1984 courtesy of the local videostore where my Mom used to take me to rent old Disney videos on VHS tape.

I never started to check out the movie page of the newspaper until I was about 5 years old and was amazed at all the cool pictures of movies that were playing in local theaters.

In all honesty, I love Smokey and the Bandit part 3. It's got a pretty good soundtrack (which I actually own on VINYL!), funny scenes, and the 1983 T-Bird is cool to see in action. My question is, did anyone actually see Smokey and the Bandit when it played in theaters during the summer of 1983?

If not, if you had a time machine, would you go back in time to go see it in the theater? I just remember as a kid seeing tons of great movies during the summer in the 80s and I for one would definitely take the opportunity to go back in time and catch Smokey and the Bandit part 3 at my old local theater.

I'm wondering exactly how Universal's promotional campaign for the film went? What kind of ads they put in local newspapers, the trailer, and any TV spots, etc.

"How can I move when you've stopped the music?"-me.

[–] jasoncampbell05 17 years ago

You should go to your local library and see if the have newspaper archives that you could check out.

[–] hecklejecklelove 17 years ago

I saw all three Smokey and the bandit films on their original run here in Australia.

The original is definately the best...The second one was fun, and this third one was a let down, but still okay.

If I had a time machine Id actually go back to 1976 and relive the late 1970's/early 1980's again...The movies and the music were amazing, times at least felt safer and the world just seemed to be more fun back then.

hjl

Star Wars Episode IV.V: The Holiday Special.

[–] willerror 17 years ago

I was 12 years and saw the movie for free as the result of winning some local radio-sponsored contest, or something of that nature. Memory is hazy. However, I recall that even at that tender age I knew the movie was *terrible*. It was on cable the other night & I watched it for kicks. Horrendously, hilariously bad. Actually, not even hilariously bad; it's just abysmal. "Pound of ground round and lay it down," or whatever Jerry Reed says, I mean, ugh, and his prancing around singing "I get to be the Bandit!" Barf.

[–] brobqq 17 years ago

I saw Smokey & the Bandit 3 , as a 13 yr old, w/ my friend Jeremy and his parents at Marina Del Rey - UA Theaters. It was a Sunday evening showing and pretty crowded as I recall.

[–] Eclectic_Flamingo 16 years ago

I would DEFINETLY go and see it I love this movie!

KABLAM! NUCLEOID WAR!-Louis DiMucci

[–] jasoncampbell05 16 years ago

In my town the local theatre took out a pretty decent sized add for it on its opening weekend. I believe that Universal had high hopes for the film.

[–] csweetleaf2 16 years ago

I would gladly watch this in the movie theater, I wish I can go back to the late 1970s/early 1980s era all over again, everything seemed to be alot better back then and it was a more laid back simpler time in life.

[–] buby1987 16 years ago

Well, I do remember when Smokey 3 came out. The first one came out in 1977 with little fanfare and made a killing. The second one came out in summer 1980. I worked in a movie theater that summer, and I recall there was a huge promotional push for the film. When the third one came out, Universal put smaller ads in the L.A. Times, and the film played in less theaters than the other 2. The film came and went quickly. The fact that Burt Reynolds didn't star in the film reduced its potential appeal. In addition, Reynolds put out his own car wreck film that same summer, Stroker Ace, and it didn't make money. The whole good old boy car wreck sub-genre had played out by 1983.

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[–] gerard-21 15 years ago

I grew up with the first two, loved the original, but hated the sequel. A lot happened between II and III for me (graduating high School, off to college, first serious girlfriend, etc...), so I was not even aware that there was a third Bandit movie out in 1983. It wasn't until I saw it on HBO around 1985, that I realized it existed! There were a lot of memorable movies out in 1983 (two Bonds, a couple of blockbusters from a newcomer named Tom Cruise, The Right Stuff, etc...), but this wasn't one of them. In retrospect however, I liked it's raunchiness over the childishness of the 2nd one.

[–] SunCanyonRoad 14 years ago

Yes, I saw it at the Artcraft Theater in Frankin, Indiana the week it opened. I was 9 years old at the time. I loved it, but missed seeing Burt Reynolds in the role.

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