For this week’s Hollywood Drive of Fame we’re taking a look at the Dude’s iconic Gran Torino from The Big Lebowski.
This car wasn’t just a means of getting from A to B for the Dude, it was an extension of the man himself… man.
Its shoddy chassis (try saying that 10 times quickly, no really, do it) and ramshackle interior were more suited to a scrapyard than the big screen.
However, the laid back, no frills Gran Torino was perfect for The Dude. The only thing that could have possibly improved it was a rug.
And to think, it almost didn’t make the film.
Ugh, WE SAID: “To think it almost didn’t make the film.” Damn hippies…
Anyway, in the original script The Dude drove a Chrysler LeBaron (pictured below). Thankfully, this was changed to the Gran Torino for filming, because the LeBaron couldn’t fit John Goodman.
There were two Gran Torinos used while filming. One’s demise came on the back of a group of pyromaniacal German nihilists, which the below clip shows.
WARNING: NSFW language…
The other went onto have an extensive movie career itself. It appeared in the Martin Lawrence “comedy” Blue Streak in 1999.
It then took its place in an X Files season 8 episode in 2001.
Although the Torino was destroyed later in that episode, it does live on in the memories of Lebowski fans.
In fact, the only group of people we could find who didn’t like this car were Nihilists… Damn Nihilists.
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