Brilliant

I know, gives a fantastic sense of buildup, doesn’t it?

Gives me goosebumps every time!

Movies don’t have creative openings like this anymore. Nowadays, people don’t even have the attention span to handle 30 seconds of audio over darkness before the credits even start.

@@12classics39 They don't make movies like this anymore, such a shame

@Tim Dewano Bitch, yes

I'd like to think a prequel could be made with Chitty as a racecar with it's driver and how they parted after the accident

Same

I think I was just glad the dog and the girl didn't get run over. Although did the driver and mechanic manage to escape the flaming wreckage? I can't really tell.

@@keyboardwarrior327 That's one of the things that upset me :( . I was a little kid and wasn't used to "death" or "grievous injury", and certainly didn't like being shown it at the end of such a great intro at the beginning of such a happy film.

@@keyboardwarrior327 nope they both die in the explosion when the car engine blew up

Opening

They should have made it in black & white to look more authentic.

@@marvinthemaniac7698 That'd be a bit problematic, as the whole film is set in the past. If it was black and white in the races, then went to colour in the junkyard, audiences in the 60's would have expected that scene to have flashed to the present day, i.e. the 60s. But the whole story is set not all that long after those races anyway.

@@_Braised good point

Is 1968

@sarahojukwu4820 Oh I know, that's when this was filmed, I love the added effect they included in the opening sequence that made it appear almost time appropriate, but just the costumes and sets. Like, all you'd need to do is make it black and white and it'll complete it.

Not just that, but I love that the whole sequence was filmed at 18 FPS and then sped up in post-production to 24 to make it look more like a silent film where everyone is walking faster than normal.

I totally agree with one exception and it's totally minor, but my historical OCD is really bugged by the fact that Chittys driver is wearing WW2 American pilots goggles and I don't know why? I mean there are other drivers in the scenes wearing period correct goggles but not him! Most people wouldn't even notice (or care!) but I'm a historical accuracy dork and it just stands out!

@@37silverstreak1 Normally I'd be annoyed at this type of thing but props to you for finding this.

Very true

The sign seen at the start of the final race that says “stay away from start line” is such minute attention to period detail that I actually wondered for years if this was just all expertly colorized footage

They literally started the movie with a bang

Jack Grover I was just thinking the same thing! 😂

if only drifting was invented xD

Ah 1908, when Fiat was the Italian racing car

One word ... Mustang I know that the first mustang was made in 64 but still Ford forever

@@donnyannessa654 On the topic of that Fiat. It's a replica of the Fiat S74 made by Alan Mann for the film. The thing is, the Fiat S74 didn't come along until 1911. It's an anachronism, but whatever. As for that side exhaust, a thing like that was never usually seen on the S74 in real life. In most pictures I've seen on the internet of the real-life S74, the vehicle did not have a side exhaust. Recently, I've found an image of an S74 with a side exhaust similar to the one that the Alan Mann replica had. Here's a link: i.pinimg.com/474x/a3/67/a1/a367a1a8c388934fb1fdb22e4e592929--fiat-cars-fiat-abarth.jpg

I feel like he deserves more recognition as a character in the story somehow. After all he was the one who made Chitty famous by winning those races.

It would’ve been an interesting premise for the movie if the guys spirit inhabited the car when it was remade. As opposed to a simulation that doesn’t matter.

chitty was chitty all along- how do you think she won all those races :)

@@skyrogue1977 intesting...!

Would be an interesting prequel if they made one with him and Chitty. Its like a Ian Fleming version of The Love Bug

I've always hypothesized that Chitty began life as a Motobloc or Delaunay-Belleville from around 1906.

+sleeming88 I could probably answer those questions. "Who built Chitty?" An unknown motor car company that probably was closed down or bought out by another company. "Who was her driver?" An unnamed British race driver who was very popular and skilled for his time. "Did he survive?" Yes. As you see him and his co-driver jump out right after the car burst in flames. "What happened to him?" Open ended. He went on continuing racing with other cars, but was not as successful as he was when racing with Chitty. He was forced to retire due to suffering from PTSD from nearly running over the child. Or he lost his contract after the crash, and never raced again due to his reputation being ruined. Like I said: It's open ended. "Was Chitty already a "magic" car at this point and, if so, is that why she won those races?" Probably. Either that, or/and she was built with a new powerful car engine that was experimental at the time, and her driver was the only one skilled enough to drive her with this engine. One should not confuse the car with the driver.

I know the prop was built by Ford...

I'm Pretty sure that it was a Ford.

I've watched this movie since I was about 5 and I can tell you what I thought then and I think now...it just 'happened'. There was no real backstory, there was no special set of circumstances that led to Chitty being Chitty, it just happened. I think it really solidified that concept in my mind when I bought my first car...sure it's just a car, it's just a hunk of junk, a machine, but there is something special about it, once you sit down in it and drive it. I don't think you really get over your first car.

Several of the shots are undercranked. I believe you are correct that it was deliberate to give a silent movie feel to that sequence.

According to Wikipedia, this film is set in the 1910's while KZfaq Movies says it's set in pre-WW1 England. They don't give a specific year.

What would make it better if the sequence would have been in black and white

@@marvinthemaniac7698 The dates on the races are 1908-09, so I think the main film is probably 1910-11.

@@HalfLifeExpert1 if you say so

Back then it was between steam, gasoline and electric.. now it's more gasoline vs electric.. although i'd like to see steam brought back, which would be nuclear powered automobiles.

@@CaptApril123 Only need to pit for fuel once every twenty years.

@@DkSchadow yep.. i think Chrysler had a prototype back in the late 1950's or '60's but it didn't go anywhere. Mention nuclear and and cars together and people tend to freak out.

@@CaptApril123 The Ford Nucleon concept if I'm not mistaken. I can't imagine it would fare well in a crash.

The opening make us want to sing along.

Gil D'Aquin i agree with you there. I’ve always wanted to build a true replica chitty but not the gleaming one we see Potts make- a few brilliant replicas of that have been made but as far as I know nobody has made one of the racing car so hopefully I can change that at some point!

Lovely to hear of a new generation enthralled by the same magic as we were :)

Happy 5th birthday to your son!

@@WoodyWoodpecker19843 he’ll be 6 in September. 🤣🤣

Happy 57th birthday!

Happy 58th birthday!

ive always found this film to be fast paced.i usually skip the beach scene and pick up when theyve been cut off by the tide.

I knew that. The book version of 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' (which is MUCH better) is basically James Bond for children. It has espionage, adventure, subterfuge and a gadget laden car.

Yes and produced by Albert Broccoli who made all the classic Bond films. And Gert Frobe, Goldfinger was herr Baron. All that was missing was John Barry's music. The book was wonderful.

@@commandernelson1584 and the gunbarrel opening and of course the Bond theme.

@@commandernelson1584 think it was made on the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios too.

@@chrismc410 - And Mr Coggins was played by Desmond Llewelyn - most notable for playing Q in the James Bond movies.

most of those cars even didn't had any brakes

It was also an era where there were no drones, no televisions, no iPads and Smartphones, or any electronics of any kind.

Also due to the fact that there were high death rates when accidents happened.

@@mikcnmvedmsfonoteka Or REVERSE...Many had to be pushed backwards manually. The race cars were often stripped down to the bare essentials for speed...

@@mikcnmvedmsfonoteka they definitely had brakes. Most horse buggy carriages had brakes these were probably still done by a lever by the gear lever.

8% of the budget went on it, would you believe! (For context, about the same as it cost to build and run all six Chitty models)

Now with wings and flotation units.

Thanks for pointing that out. This movie has been a staple of mine for a good 20 years.

Loved this movie since I was at least three years old.

1968-2018

Yes to true 💪

Not to mention no smooth or paved roads on these cross country races

Very true

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Y5p4ldGXlpicfok.html Enjoy this!

I would love to have a go at Racing in something like car number 3 It wouldn’t bother me at all this non safety nonsense life is to short to think what if this happens or that happens just get on with it and enjoy yourself

Thay are real cars i have seen the red 2 and the white 51 in a museum in the uk

@@josephmc1073 Here is a link to read about the cars. Most of the race cars are replicas. The red 2 is a Fiat replica. It was built by the same company that built Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The white 51 is a Rolls Royce. The others like Truly Scrumptious's car and the crazy King's car are real. imcdb.org/movie.php?id=62803

Josephmc10 _ what museum is that?

@@barnabyg6808 caster car museum

Josephmc10 _ thanks!

What I love is that elements of the film are in perfect sync with the music- e.g. the explosions of the flashes for the cameras. Modern movies are so slack about this type of detail that it is common to see the face of an actor overlaid with the credit for an entirely different actor.

You must've watched a re-released version. This movie was from United Artists before MGM bought the company.

@@Rlotpir1972. Oh. I thought Metro Goldwyn Mayer owned United Artists in 1919. Metro Goldwyn Mayer was founded in 1924.

I saw "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" after growing up with Chitty, and I knew that I wanted to be a restorer of classic cars. Working on my Aston Martin DBS in the workshop with Chitty music playing is divine!

Written by Ian Fleming for his kids. - who wrote James Bond.

@@stevetheduck1425 yeah and the songs were written by The Sherman Brothers who also wrote the songs for Mary Poppins.

They simply sped up the film.

It was it was filmed in 1968 which was in the 1900's.

dvferyance I meant like 1900’s like 1901-1909

dvferyance No the 1900s was 1900-1909 this was filmed in the 1960s

@@firebros1695 The movie itself was filmed in the 60s. What he's trying to convey is that the beginning scene was filmed in a way that is meant to resemble those old films in the early 1900s, the kind where things appeared to be moving quickly.

Which episode is that? I'm familiar with Hercule Poirot.

FoxiFyer lol

ChannelWarrior 2006 Productions IKR!, That Crash Reminds me of Dale Earnhardt Sr.

But that's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Why else do you think the main theme plays every time it appears?

Screenplay by Roald Dahl

Ryan Holman that's made my day

It might as well had been. All you needed was the gunbarrel opening, a pretitle sequence and Sean Connery, the reigning Bond at the time.

There are several films set in this odd time period ( back then it was grandad's time ); 'Magnificent Men in the Flying Machines', 'From the Earth to the Moon', and others. A sort of 'after Queen Victoria, before the first world war' ambience...

Hollywood car crash logic is the answer, same reason why in so many old movies, cars inexplicably blow up after crashing when they shouldn't.

older cars like those weren't built like today's cars. they were essentially giant motors on a chassis with skinny spoked wheels. As you might be able to predict, durability and safety wasn't what they were after, but speed. when the 3 car swerved, it's possible that the fuel spilled over somewhere and the fence sparked a fire. the impact from the ground as the wheel detached likely sparked the fuel somewhere in the system, causing the explosion.

@Aussiumo And have to deal with the Bad publicity and likely jail time? I dare say I would choose loosing the car over hitting the girl

Adam Gilchrist dude, that doesn’t justify murder.

Adam Gilchrist still wrong, and not justified

what?

This makes absolutely no sense.

Actually at the very beginning it wins a grand prix in 1907 at britain then moves into the french grand prix in 1908

Britain 1908 was the first one

Crzy Shrf at 0:15 1907 Grand Prix. That's year 1. 1908 French & German Grand Prixs Year 2. And then in 1909 at the British Grand Prix, the 3 car gets wrecked after winning the race.

@@steffen19k Just realised I'm replying to a 3 year old comment on something I said, but the British GP at the end is not a win, you can see the finish line ahead of them as they veer off the road

Good ear, didnt note until you mentioned

Blayze Lynn was it the grandpa who drove the cars in the beginning?

Carson Dugger I don’t think it was anybody in the cast, the children just wanted potts to buy it

You forgot British Grand Prix 1907 0:00-0:35!

And not to kill the doggo either.

Hayden Gault you mean she?

@@morganbailey3231 oh is Chitty a girl?

@@haydengault2568 yes she is!

Oh it's a girl I didn't know that Chitty was a girl because Grand Prix racing is a male dominant sport.

@@haydengault2568 machines are all girls.

Loved this scene as a kid

Truly underappreciated.

this is a bot

It’s green.

@@morganbailey3231 A dark green?

@@ThomasLover-fr8nh British racing Dark Green to be exact.

@@morganbailey3231 Oh, sorry. My mistake.

Sooty after the fire.

They definitely don't make them like this anymore. And I'm not even a boomer

​@@Synystr7me neither. Xennial. Born 1979. This was late night tv faire I got to stay up and watch. My parents thought it important.

Chitty, Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka and Wizard of OZ all hold up fantastic and I enjoy them just as much as an adult as I did when I was a kid.

GEN 11 = genii...

That British racing grenn tho

It's a proper fairy tale... dramatic, scary as all hell, and full of death and rebirth. Ian Fleming was a better writer than James Bond let him be.

@ethanschmid4104 Yes, I believe that's correct. The Grand Prix was originally a French invention, and other European countries didn't join in until the late 1910s/early 1920s.

0:14

Is British Grand prix 1907 no 1908 it was on France and desthland

Can't you read

​@@franklinwilliams9668OH yes I didn't notice that! I will change it

'You might think, seeing me burn like that, that this was the end of my story... '

I have the feeling Dick van Dyke is next.

Not for a very long time, he's all right, he's still keeping fit and healthy, he just turned 96 the other week.

Wait Lionel Jeffries was younger than Dick Van Dyke?

@@dvferyance if you're new to this then it was just added makeup to make Lionel Jeffries look older but he was younger than Dick Van Dyke.

You're right I grew up in the 1960s and begged my dad to take us to the drive in we were going by in Sevierville TN to see if this movie when it first came out.I think the only reason he stayed was the opening race sequence (he was a big Nascar fan)

I know right? I know some of them race at the Goodwood revival. Some of them are probably in private collections... Some have been lost to history.

Would be so cool to get a load of them together and run them on some dirt tracks somewhere like they would have done back in the day. Not necessarily as a competitive thing but just for the spectacle of it. Thing is with Goodwood is those cars probably never touched a smooth road when they were racing so you can't really get a sense of what those guys went through when they raced.

They do this every year kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fb-no9udptXSco0.html Also, the 1937 mod kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fbugebKAnrjTp6c.html

Yeah the SF Edge trophy race was good, the Thunderbug (Number 20) is one of my all-time favourite racing cars, saw that thing at Cadwell Park last year and he was about 10 seconds ahead of everyone else with half the power. I remember reading an article about the Beast of Turin Fiat and the owner said it had never been driven at full throttle because no clutch in existence at the time could handle the power. Can't imagine that thing racing on dirt roads like above!

Ah lucky. Yea I'm in Canada so the oldest car I've ever seen was like... A Studebaker or a WW2 Era Ford pickup.