MovieChat Forums > The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) Discussion > At least one really stupid thing in the ...

At least one really stupid thing in the movie....

posted 20 years ago by Reality-Bites
27 replies | jump to latest

Okay, it was a great movie, lots of fun (especially seeing Ed O'Neill/Al Bundy playing the part of a failed disco recording artist turned L.A. detective --- HAHAHA!!! lol) but I noticed they used a barely believeable movie stunt that I've seen used in one form or another in so many other movies: they had Ford throw a lit cigarette at a wet, supposedly flammable substance (in this case, a Sambuca milkshake that was splashed on somebody) and it instantly ignited into flames. Well, it's awfully hard to get things to instantly ignite when you toss a lit cigarette on them, especially something like a Sambuca milkshake. Sure, it has alcohol in it, but it is not so volatile and flammable that it would instantly ignite like that. I mean, it's hardly gasoline.

Yes, I know, it's only a movie, and lots of stuff in it was beyond belief (like when they were coming down the outside of the Capitol Records building) but I wish scripts wouldn't include the cigarette-causing-instant-fire technique. I mean, it's a Sambuca milkshake, for chrissake, not high octane gasoline! We're not all a bunch of snapperheads, you know.

[–] diskodanny 20 years ago

I dropped a lit cigarrette into a bucket of 91 octane gasoline and it put out the cigarrette

[–] abel29a 20 years ago

I saw on a site(cant remember which one - maybe insultingly stupid movie physics or something similar) that they tested igniting gasoline with cigarettes. They simply couldnt make it happend. Tried throwing it in - it was extinguished, they tried holding it just above the surface of the gasoline - to no avail. They even rigged a breathing apparatus to make sure the cigarette was glowing brightly just above the surface - no luck.

Their conclusion - cigarettes wont ignite gasoline at all...

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] Reality-Bites 20 years ago

I don't know how many times in the movies I've seen lit cigarettes being used to ignite either gasoline or diesel spilled on the ground, resulting in a much bigger explosion. I'm glad you pointed out that lit cigs can do no such thing (though I don't exactly plan to test your claim --- I'll just take your word for it!!).

But as far as that Sambuca milkshake being ignited with a cig, well, that was just dumb! (Still a funny movie, though, in spite of it).

[–] lecter-14 19 years ago

About those cigarettes and gasoline. I wouldn't recommend that anyone would try to duplicate myth busters test. It is true that heat itself rarely if ever ignites gasoline but even the smallest flame does it easily. Some cigarettes may have flaws due mass production and create little flame on them. Rarely seen by eyes because of their small size and short existence. Quite a few guys have lost their eye brows and in some occasions even ears and hair, just to impress their friends/girls. I'm not just repeating common urban legend, but sharing experience as a fireman...

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Reality-Bites 20 years ago

Another example: I seen a movie the other week - "Hudsucker Proxy" - and there's a scene where Tim Robbin's character puts a lit cigar down on a stack of papers and the top sheet of paper instantly ignites and erupts in flames. No way, Jose, it just don't happen like that!

[–] Sard_O_Niks 20 years ago

I can add to this. I have tried to ignite gasoline, diesel fuel, and paper with a cigarette. None of them will ignite. It is high time Hollywood stopped insulting us with this farce.

[–] decadentglamour 20 years ago

Vince Neil and Mel Gibson managed to burn down Havana Room with their cigar butts. They had thrown them on a trash bin.

[–] chasman99 19 years ago

The show that proved this wrong was "Myth Busters" great show. They take a lot of stuff like this and break it down. They couldn't get it to light until they had filled the room with vapor and such. Just pure bunk. I think it has to do with the ratio of burning material (in this case the ember of the cig) and the amount of liquid. I remember somewhere that alcohol under 100 proof won't burn either. Diluting it into a milkshake makes it impossible.

Just the same, sweat flick.

[–] iREADstuff 19 years ago

I was going to say that if the gasoline has been dispersed through the air (with some degree of concentration) then it would work.

Gasoline in it's vapor form is the most volatile...

[–] tomcat69w 19 years ago

Another good flick that does this dumb act is Payback with Mel Gibson,...and the use of lighters to start fires is almost as crazy,...who'd want to toss away a nice Zippo???? HA! Not ME!

The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get!

[–] maturity 19 years ago

A lighter will easily set fire to papers or gasoline. Cigarettes just burn a hole in paper. The flame quickly dies out. Watch Metropolitan. They play a game, where each person burns a hole in a piece of tissue stretched over a cup with a coin on top. If the coin drops, you lose. They burned a dozen holes in the tissue, but it wouldn't ignite.

Throwing a Zippo lighter in gasoline (like Die Hard 2) would probably work. But a cigarette won't do anything. I don't know exactly why this is, but cigarettes are not as likely to start fires as matches and lighters.

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[–] Hollywood_Guru 19 years ago

You all are missing the point.

Ford's Sambuca milkshake had Bacardi 151 on the top of it, which is 75% alcohol by volume and extremely flammable, even to a lighted cigarette. Many flaming Disco era drinks were made with 151. The stuff is much more dangerous/flammable than gasoline, etc. Many city's outlawed bars using 151 for flaming drinks because of it's danger/flammability.

Anyway, this movie had more one liners than any movie I've seen. You have to watch it several times just to catch them all, and that is if you really listen, ROFLOL.

[–] iREADstuff 19 years ago

151 is more volatile than gasoline?!?

Are you serious?

That can't possibly be true...

[–] honestashol 19 years ago

No it is not. But flaming drinks get spilled and will flow and burn as expected. Most cities are populated with sue-happy people so some politicians made a smart choice. The rest host "Girls Gone Wild" parties and E! channel.

[–] jamien56 19 years ago

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[–] godlike93 19 years ago

Many people are unaware of the fact that gasoline as a liquid non flammable so it's easy to pass this off in movies. It's only as during evaporation and the it's conversion to a gas dows it become flammable. When gasoline sits in the open, especially outside it's too widely dispersed to cause an explosion. On the other hand, if it's in an enclosure that limits air flow the gas can build up and lead to serious danger. Hence why gas cans can actually be quite dangerous and there's been many reports of gas being ignited in the can from static electricity.

Also, having worked as a bartender in the past I'll back up the fellow below and point out that 151 is some pretty strong stuff. While I couldn't scientifically say it's more flammable than gasoline at 75.5% alcohol it really doesn't matter as it's danger is about the same. 151 ignites FAST and easily and burns bright!

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] finster9 18 years ago

Realism on reality TV? That's funny. That stuff is more staged than a scripted show. The cast just isn't paid as well.

Anyway, if all you can find to criticize about this classic is that Dice's drink was or wasn't flammable, you're nitpicking a little too much. I think it's less likely that he picks up those twins than causes the drink to catch fire.

Relax, enjoy the movie.

Oooohhhh, money, money, money, oooyyoooyyoooyyooo!!!

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] tim-993 17 years ago

Hit the nail on the head. I was waiting for someone to point that one out.

"Hey, wait a minute. 555's not a real number. They only use that in the movies."

"No *beep* honey. What do you think this is, real life?"

However, the cigarette igniting fire is possible IF, and this is a real big if, the hots from the cig get enough oxygen from being thrown and hit something hard enough to cause them to scatter while good and hot. Myth Bussters didn't try that approach or at least not in the episode I saw.