Movies often portray cars as being faster and more powerful than they actually are, and Craig Lieberman, a technical advisor on the first two Fast and Furious films, reveals the truth behind the movie magic. In the first two movies, many of the iconic cars were not as fast as they seemed on screen. Brian’s Mitsubishi Eclipse and Jessi’s Volkswagen Jetta, for example, were far from the high-performance machines they appeared to be. Lieberman explains that most car stunts in movies are done at speeds below 60 miles per hour, with the use of editing, sound mixing, and other tricks creating the illusion of speed for viewers. However, some cars featured in the films did have impressive performance capabilities, such as Dom’s Mazda RX-7 and Leon’s Nissan GT-R R33.
Peeling Back the Curtain on Movie Magic
Craig Lieberman, a technical advisor on the first two Fast and Furious films, reveals the truth behind the movie magic that makes cars appear faster and more powerful than they are in reality.
Reality vs. Movie Illusions
Many of the iconic cars featured in the first two Fast and Furious films, such as Brian’s Mitsubishi Eclipse and Jessi’s Volkswagen Jetta, were not as fast as they appeared on screen, with some taking as long as 18 seconds to finish a quarter-mile.
The Role of Stunts in Movie Making
Lieberman explains that 90 percent of car stunts in movies happen below 60 miles per hour, with the use of remote controls or cables to achieve higher speeds when necessary, while editing and sound mixing help create the illusion of speed for viewers.
Cars with Performance Power
Despite the majority of cars in the films not being high-performance machines, some, like Dom’s Mazda RX-7 and Leon’s Nissan GT-R R33, did have impressive performance capabilities, delivering over 300 horsepower and achieving fast acceleration times.
Creating Movie Magic
While the cars in the first two Fast and Furious films may not have been as fast in reality as they appeared on screen, the use of various movie-making techniques and the inclusion of a few high-performance vehicles helped create the fast-paced and adrenaline-pumping experience that fans of the franchise have come to love.