Its owner, walt kowalski, is a bitter veteran of the korean war who despises many in his neighbourhood. Themes such as confession for sin, loving ones neighbor, and the gift of sacrifice for those close to you. Gran torino takes its title from a 1972 ford beaut parked in a driveway a fetish object and memento mori in this curious, striking drama directed by and starring clint eastwood. Gran torino is a tale with many facets to it,such as the loss of male identity that was orginally brought about by working in skilled bluecollar employment which eastwoods character didhe was a ford auto worker in the movie and the male characteristics and bonding that this employment developed,and the repercussions regarding the decline and. Disgruntled korean war veteran walt kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, thao lor, a hmong teenager who tried to steal kowalskis prized possession. Posted in entertainment tagged chevrolet camaro, ford gran torino, starsky and hutch. Jun 15, 2014 1972 gran torino sport used in the movie at the warner bros. He leaves the house to the church because dorothy would have liked that and perhaps because he had developed a. The following is a list of significant characters who feature in the 2008 film gran torino, directed by clint eastwood casting calls were held in fresno, california, detroit, michigan, and saint paul, minnesota, from which eastwood selected ten hmong american lead actors and supporting actors. Fords gran torino relives musclecar heyday wardsauto. A critical and commercial success, the movie was entirely filmed in metro detroit, united states. The car in clint eastwoods recently released movie, gran torino, is a green twodoor fastback 1972 gran torino sport.
Very clean original 351v8, auto, 119,000 miles, all tunedup by an exp. Jul 21, 2017 a group of hmong gang members rape and assaults thaos sister, then shoots up his home in retaliation of walters attack on one of the gang members. Why the 1972 ford gran torino sport was fords best mid. The torino nameplate debuted in 1968, and an allnew version called. And thats why he built his very own gran torino car himself. Like any other good movie, gran torino contains a lot of symbolism within its story. The movie doesnt go into the details of all his possessions, such as his bank account, tools, furniture, etc. Perhaps it should get five stars on the strength of playing the title role. Ford produced a lot of muscle cars during the golden era but its best midsize muscle car was the 1972 gran torino sport which was produced when horsepower was falling just as fast as muscle car. Gran torino is an awardwinning 2008 american drama film, directed and produced by clint eastwood. If you ask me the gran torino should have 3 or maybe 4 stars and not 5. Gran torino earns its r right here, with characters uttering the fword nearly 75 times and the sword another 25. Gran torino, movie, 2008 internet movie cars database. Visit gran torino filming locations in detroit legendarytrips.
Feb 1, 2012 these cars are so iconic, so cool, or so absurd that they claimed starring. Clint eastwoods hit movie gran torino is resurrecting interest in a ford motor co. Sep 26, 2019 ford produced a lot of muscle cars during the golden era but its best midsize muscle car was the 1972 gran torino sport which was produced when horsepower was falling just as fast as muscle car. The film costars christopher carley, bee vang and ahney her. Later, thao is seen driving the car along jefferson avenue with daisy. Looks absolutely stunning in the green exterior the lines are straight as an arrow and the chrome is very impressive the interior is a one off velour that gives the vehicle a. Why the 1972 ford gran torino sport was fords best midsize. Gran torino does get points for trying to talk about race and class at a time when too many mainstream films ignore and shun tackling such tough realworld concerns. Im doing some research on the 72 gran torino sport from the movie gran torino. Gran torino identify critical moments in the film gran torino where walt kowalski is transformed from a racist tormented character to a compassionate father figure. Gran torino might not be quite the typically sublime clint eastwood directed and acted screenplay most have come to expect, but this only seems to serve the goal of putting humanity unflinchingly on display, flaws and all. Dave beckett, from monett, looks over a gran torino he first purchased in 1972. Oct 31, 20 symbolism in gran torino like any other good movie, gran torino contains a lot of symbolism within its story.
Considering it is the title of the film, one would expect the gran torino to play an active role in the movie. Thaos initiation is to steal walts prized car, a 1972 gran torino sport. Of the hmong cast, five, including bee vang, one of. Today we feature the 1975 ford gran torino from the tv show starsky and hutch.
It was a competitor in the intermediate market segment. Owned by fictional character walk kolowski, a community patriarch who remembers when men were men, it becomes a source of strength for a character running light on muscle. The torino was initially an upscale variation of the intermediate sized ford fairlane, which ford produced between 1962 and 1970. I just posted up an article on my blog please let me know if i need to remove the link. Walt does come to know, understand, and like some of his hmong neighbors. The vehicle is dually symbolic, being representative of walt in one manner and of thao in a very different one. Detroit has been hit hard by the decline of the car industry, but isnt taking the setback lying down. With sue at his side, thao manages to verbally confront them to no avail. For sale 1972 gran torino sport restored and ready to rumble 2 door fastback 351 motor with only 5000. Walt sits on his porch all day long, when hes not doing house repairs or working on his prized 1972 gran torino, a car he helped assemble on the ford assembly line.
In his will, walt leaves his house to the church, and his gran torino to thao, much to the suprise of his family. Thats not a lot for a genuine movie star, but it sure is a helluva lot for a gran torino. Starsky and hutch, a show about plainclothes investigators working in california, was a massive hit, running in prime time from 1975 to 1979 and spawning a movie 25 years after the shows cancellation. Jan 12, 2009 gran torino takes its title from a 1972 ford beaut parked in a driveway a fetish object and memento mori in this curious, striking drama directed by and starring clint eastwood. The closing scene of the film shows thao driving the car down an esplanade, a young man with a future, and hope. The gang drags thao off his porch in an attempt to assault him.
There were 496,645 torinos produced by ford in 1972. The classic 1972 gran torino pictured above is now starring in the latest clint eastwood movie by the same name, gran torino. Nov 10, 2018 the big short 6 jared vennetts pitch to front point partners jenga blocks scene duration. Jesus name is misused about 20 times a few times by the priest, and gods name is paired with dn another halfdozen.
The other emblem used by the film is the lighter bearing the symbol of the rank walt was in during the. Movie cars typically have an aura attached to them and kowalskis gran torino played a central role hence the movie title. Now available in three trim lines torino, gran torino, and gran torino sport the car was built on a new bodyonframe design. Ultimately, this is an excellent film, with a poignant message often intentionally muddled by its old school grumbling. Jan 24, 2009 in his will, walt leaves his house to the church, and his gran torino to thao, much to the suprise of his family. I mean come on, if your going to name a movie after a kick ass car like that at least give the audience a car chase or two. Walt interrupts the robbery, pointing a rifle in thaos face and forcing him to flee. The film features a large hmong american cast, as well as one of eastwoods younger sons, scott. I found this movie to be long and boringclint eastwood is just a grumpy old man i could find anyone his age to act in this movie and pull that offthe only good part was this movie inspired me to go to hertz and rent a gran torino and run this dvd over until it was totally wasted like my time from watching this movie.
The movie centers around walt, a korean war veteran whose wife has recently passed away leaving him unhappy, angry, and disappointed in the behaviors of his family and country. Gran torino is a 2008 american drama film directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also starred in the film. The gran torino that thao attempts to steal at the beginning of the film is what is left for him in. Jul 31, 2018 the seller caught my eye with this 1972 ford gran torino sport, which does look an awful lot like the movie car in the clint eastwood film, gran torino. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. An interview with don ripple, who was the picture car mechanic on clint eastwoods film gran torino. T he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in. At first glance, one would notice integrated hood scoop. Feb 19, 2009 t he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in the tv cop show starsky and hutch. He is giving him a reward for work, a source of prestige, independence, and an american identity.
Upon reflection it becomes quite apparent this was the perfect pick for walt kowalskis pride and joy. Symbolism in gran torino essay sample new york essays. His housing area has become populated with poor, immigrant families and gang violence has become. Billed as one of seven cars used in the filming of the television series, the restored 1976 ford gran torino that crossed the stage at leakes tulsa sale was painted in the correct red and white livery, powered by a. This was eastwoods first starring role since 2004s million dollar baby. The car, featured in the clint eastwood movie gran torino, is now on display at warner brothers studios. The car is used to show as a bridge between the two cultures which was not there at the beginning. Gran torino is a 2008 film that clint eastwood produced and starred in. The story focuses on walt kowalski, an angry, widowed war veteran, and people from the hmong community. The big short 6 jared vennetts pitch to front point partners jenga blocks scene duration.
Ford gran torino classics for sale classics on autotrader. The car in the movie is one of 92,033 topoftheline 72 gran torino sport, two door fastbacks produced and is magnificent in 4q dark green. Windsor v8 and equipped with the original fiveslot mag wheels fitted to the car. See our topranked characters and read their profiles. The car was named after the city of turin torino, in italian, considered the italian detroit. The cadillac in the 1956 movie the solid gold cadillac got five stars despite having an even smaller role than the gran torino does in this film. The seller caught my eye with this 1972 ford gran torino sport, which does look an awful lot like the movie car in the clint eastwood film, gran torino. Gran torino is a 2008 american drama film directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also. However only 92,033 were gran torino sport models, like the one featured in the movie. When walt leaves the gran torino to thao in his will, he is giving him more than a car. With clint eastwood, bee vang, christopher carley, ahney her. This is not the case, but the car still plays a very powerful role. The two main points of contention are his home which his son mitch brian haley wants and his gran torino which his granddaughter ashley dreama walker wants.
A group of hmong gang members rape and assaults thaos sister, then shoots up his home in retaliation of walters attack on one of the gang members. A new tax incentive package offered to film productions by the state of michigan clinched the deal, and gran torino became the first film to benefit. The ford torino is an automobile that was produced by ford for the north american market between 1968 and 1976. In the final scene, thao is driving the gran torino with walts dog, daisy, next. Gran torino is a brilliant movie from start to finish, i cant believe i waited so long to watch it, its completely different to what i expected, two thirds of the film had a very light tone at. Gran torino 2008 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Jan 17, 2010 im doing some research on the 72 gran torino sport from the movie gran torino. Gran torino is a film directed by clint eastwood, with eastwood also taking on the key role as main character and protagonist.
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