You may find it worth noting that the soundtrack on the reissued DVD (currently only available in Region 1 format) is different from the original video issue. Presumably for copyright clearance reasons the 'Great American Dream' song at the start has been removed - which is a shame. If you really (and I mean really) like Junkman then find the DVD issue of Deadline Auto Theft / Gone in 60 Seconds II which contains Deadline Auto Theft - a movie made up of stunts filmed for the original Gone in 60 Seconds / Junkman. And the edited stunts rushes footage from the never finished sequel to 'Gone' called 'Gone in 60 Seconds II' - HB Halicki was killed on the set while filming it so only the rushes remain as he did all the stuntwork first before working the plot around it.
14 Reviews
Not as good as I had hoped.
poolandrews25 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The Junkman is set in California where stuntman, actor, director & businessman Harlan B. Hollis (H.B. Halicki) has just finished a re-shoot for his new film titled Gone in 60 Seconds which premieres in days. On his way to a James Dean festival Hollis comes under attack from a couple of bi-planes & a couple of cars driven by assassins who have orders to kill Hollis in a very public & spectacular way. Using grenades & machine guns Hollis has to use his driving skills to outrun the planes & cars, as the local police join the chase things get messy as Hollid drives for his life. The chase ends with the car Hollis was driving crashing into his ranch & blowing up, but not before he managed to jump out to safety. Now the police, local news reporters, his family & friends & the assassins think Hollis is dead so he sets out finding out the truth behind who wants him dead in secret as everyone thinks he is...
Written, produced & directed by stuntman H.B. Halicki who stars in it & did much of the stunt work The Junkman is a strange sort of follow up to his earlier car chase action thriller Gone in 60 Seconds (1974), I say sort of follow up because while Gone in 60 Seconds is referenced & mentioned many times The Junkman takes place in a world where it is just a film & Halicki plays the guy who starred & directed it which he did back in 1974. So Halicki is playing himself, in a strange sort of fictional way as the script was apparently based on his life. I'm not sure the assassination attempt was based on actual events but the guy's massive toy & car collection, his memorabilia, the fact he started out running a junkyard the ranch location used for filmed was actually owned by him & was where he lived. Now, I only watched Gone in 60 Seconds yesterday so it's still fresh in my mind & all the little references, props, cinema posters & gags didn't pass me by but it does make The Junkman feel a little bit like a self obsessed vanity project at times. Overall I didn't think much of Gone in 60 Seconds despite it's good reputation & I found The Junkman to be more of the same, sure it has a few great individual moments, some cool stunt work & a much better story but I was still left feeling empty when it had finished. The humour missed the mark for me, the action while plentiful didn't excite me & the basic story about Halicki's publicist hiring assassins to kill him & proclaiming at the end that he 'wants it all!' is pure Scooby-Doo silliness. The script is a lot more light hearted this time around with some very dated humour. At 100 odd minutes the pacing is better this time around & it's certainly not boring but I can't say I was particularly amazed by it, look it's slightly better than Gone in 60 Seconds but only slightly.
Like Gone in 60 Seconds the only reason to watch The Junkman is because of the vehicular action & carnage, this time around we get some planes & a Goodyear blimp join the action to spice things up a bit. Apparently The Junkman is in the Guinness Book of Records as the film that has the most number of vehicles wrecked in it, I am not sure that's true today but it probably was back when it was made. The stunt-work is great & the editing is a lot tighter this time around without the film cutting to needless secondary character's every couple of minutes, the chase through Los Angeles at the end is probably the best sequence. It seems that all the recent DVD releases have had the entire soundtrack replaced with an awful, generic & dull score that really is dreary.
According to the IMDb this took two years to make, filmed in California by Halicki probably with his own cars & friends & family helping out. It was probably a real labour of love & the guy obviously had a passion for cars & stunt-work. The acting is slightly better than the original but not by much although the production values are miles better & The Junkman actually looks like a film with decent colourful photography & good location work.
The Junkman is an odd film, it's a film born out of Halicki's love for destruction, stunts & cars & he chooses himself to star in it as himself. Halicki is the director & star of The Junkman playing the director & star of Gone in 60 Seconds which he was in reality, does anyone else find that slightly strange? Was to be followed by a sequel but star & director Halicki was killed in a crash with a water tower during filming.
Written, produced & directed by stuntman H.B. Halicki who stars in it & did much of the stunt work The Junkman is a strange sort of follow up to his earlier car chase action thriller Gone in 60 Seconds (1974), I say sort of follow up because while Gone in 60 Seconds is referenced & mentioned many times The Junkman takes place in a world where it is just a film & Halicki plays the guy who starred & directed it which he did back in 1974. So Halicki is playing himself, in a strange sort of fictional way as the script was apparently based on his life. I'm not sure the assassination attempt was based on actual events but the guy's massive toy & car collection, his memorabilia, the fact he started out running a junkyard the ranch location used for filmed was actually owned by him & was where he lived. Now, I only watched Gone in 60 Seconds yesterday so it's still fresh in my mind & all the little references, props, cinema posters & gags didn't pass me by but it does make The Junkman feel a little bit like a self obsessed vanity project at times. Overall I didn't think much of Gone in 60 Seconds despite it's good reputation & I found The Junkman to be more of the same, sure it has a few great individual moments, some cool stunt work & a much better story but I was still left feeling empty when it had finished. The humour missed the mark for me, the action while plentiful didn't excite me & the basic story about Halicki's publicist hiring assassins to kill him & proclaiming at the end that he 'wants it all!' is pure Scooby-Doo silliness. The script is a lot more light hearted this time around with some very dated humour. At 100 odd minutes the pacing is better this time around & it's certainly not boring but I can't say I was particularly amazed by it, look it's slightly better than Gone in 60 Seconds but only slightly.
Like Gone in 60 Seconds the only reason to watch The Junkman is because of the vehicular action & carnage, this time around we get some planes & a Goodyear blimp join the action to spice things up a bit. Apparently The Junkman is in the Guinness Book of Records as the film that has the most number of vehicles wrecked in it, I am not sure that's true today but it probably was back when it was made. The stunt-work is great & the editing is a lot tighter this time around without the film cutting to needless secondary character's every couple of minutes, the chase through Los Angeles at the end is probably the best sequence. It seems that all the recent DVD releases have had the entire soundtrack replaced with an awful, generic & dull score that really is dreary.
According to the IMDb this took two years to make, filmed in California by Halicki probably with his own cars & friends & family helping out. It was probably a real labour of love & the guy obviously had a passion for cars & stunt-work. The acting is slightly better than the original but not by much although the production values are miles better & The Junkman actually looks like a film with decent colourful photography & good location work.
The Junkman is an odd film, it's a film born out of Halicki's love for destruction, stunts & cars & he chooses himself to star in it as himself. Halicki is the director & star of The Junkman playing the director & star of Gone in 60 Seconds which he was in reality, does anyone else find that slightly strange? Was to be followed by a sequel but star & director Halicki was killed in a crash with a water tower during filming.
As it turned out, Halicki's epitaph!
uds323 March 2002
Eight years on from the original, GONE IN 60 SECONDS 2: THE JUNKMAN (As it was known pretty much everywhere outside the US) was a vastly bigger budgeted exercise in fender-bending. Whilst boasting a couple of the greatest auto stunts ever filmed, including a car flying OVER a plane, the film does not have the rawness of the original that made it the unique experience in auto-wrecking it was. They even managed to get Lynda Day George and Christopher Stone on to the pay roll!
The "chase" this time sees Halicki being pursued by two hitmen and one slinky and mega-cool hitwoman with designer handguns. Much of the car crashes are obviously deliberate and lack the spontaneity of the '74 flick. However the scene wherein Halicki tosses a live grenade over his head on to the guy behind him that blasts the Chev right over Halicki's Caddy, is the one to watch for. Ive never seen better in any action movie.
Heaps of reminders of the original in terms of posters and even a premiere for GONE IN 60 SECONDS. We are even privileged to see the original "Eleanor"....the crushed and battered yellow Mach 1 from the original movie (that Halicki kept for years as his most prized possession!) It infuriated me that Nicolas Cage was permitted to use that name for his Shelby Mustang in the 2000 remake, of which the less said, the better. It could never be anything but Harlan's!
For those of you who do not know, H B Halicki died doing what he loved best in August 1989, attempting an auto stunt for a sequel to GONE IN 60 SECONDS that was never completed. Doubtless he is in his element somewhere in that great garage in the sky!
The "chase" this time sees Halicki being pursued by two hitmen and one slinky and mega-cool hitwoman with designer handguns. Much of the car crashes are obviously deliberate and lack the spontaneity of the '74 flick. However the scene wherein Halicki tosses a live grenade over his head on to the guy behind him that blasts the Chev right over Halicki's Caddy, is the one to watch for. Ive never seen better in any action movie.
Heaps of reminders of the original in terms of posters and even a premiere for GONE IN 60 SECONDS. We are even privileged to see the original "Eleanor"....the crushed and battered yellow Mach 1 from the original movie (that Halicki kept for years as his most prized possession!) It infuriated me that Nicolas Cage was permitted to use that name for his Shelby Mustang in the 2000 remake, of which the less said, the better. It could never be anything but Harlan's!
For those of you who do not know, H B Halicki died doing what he loved best in August 1989, attempting an auto stunt for a sequel to GONE IN 60 SECONDS that was never completed. Doubtless he is in his element somewhere in that great garage in the sky!
More of a follow-up than a sequel, but still fun.
emm24 January 1999
H.B. Halicki, who thrilled many with some of the most exciting crashes in GONE IN 60 SECONDS, had this follow-up a few years later called THE JUNKMAN. This time, it's more amusing and hilarious than the previous film, and you will expect both more and the same with the almost nonstop car chase action. New in Halicki's film are big explosions, gunslinging, and a femme fatale out to catch Harlan B. Hollis' butt (he also acted). Don't be perturbed, though. It isn't the original movie, but given the notorious stuntwork and a sense of humor, it still has its credentials. You'll be amazed by some camera work on the low-flying planes and a never-before-seen idea of autos driving over the front hoods! As films like this go, it doesn't hang onto any new innovations, and many of the car crashes are nothing to get nutty about. Sometimes, the cars crash directly on purpose, which is lame. Halicki's talent in making movies shouldn't be denied, as logos of GONE IN 60 SECONDS appear almost every time. That includes a familiar prop, the beaten-up yellow '73 Mustang he named "Eleanor"! This one's different, but it won't leave you disappointed. If nobody can agree with Leonard Maltin over THE JUNKMAN, who will?
More of a follow-up than a sequel, but still fun.
emm28 January 1999
H.B. Halicki, who thrilled many with some of the most exciting car chases in GONE IN 60 SECONDS, had this follow-up a few years later called THE JUNKMAN. This time, it's more amusing and hilarious than the previous film, and you will expect both more and the same with the almost nonstop action. In Halicki's second effort, there are big explosions, gunslinging, and a femme fatale out to catch Harlan B. Hollis' butt (he played the role). Don't be perturbed, though. It isn't THE original movie, but given the notorious stuntwork and a sense of humor, it still has its credentials. You'll be amazed with the low-flying aircraft, plus a never-before-seen idea of autos driving over front hoods! As films like this go, it doesn't hang onto any new innovations, and the crashes are nothing to get nutty about. Sometimes, cars crash directly on purpose, which is lame. Halicki's talent in making movies shouldn't be denied, as logos of GONE IN 60 SECONDS appear almost every time. That includes a familiar prop, the beaten-up yellow '73 Mustang he named "Eleanor"! This one's different, but it won't leave you disappointed. If nobody can agree with the professional movie critics on THE JUNKMAN, who will?
H.B. Halicki strikes again!
Hey_Sweden15 August 2014
"Gone in 60 Seconds" mastermind H.B. "Toby" Halicki basically plays himself in this ass kicking tale guaranteed to please car enthusiasts and action movie junkies everywhere. Harlan Hollis is a junkman who's made good with a drive-in car chase classic and who is now set to attend a festival honouring film legend James Dean. However, the trip there proves to be an extremely eventful one as somebody has decided that it would be a very good idea to bump off Harlan. So he has to dodge assassins left, right, and centre while pretty much every vehicle in sight is destroyed in extravagant fashion. When Harlan is thought to be dead, he realizes it's good cover while he hightails it to L.A. to find out the brains behind the operation.
Halicki delivers plenty of good, straightforward, unpretentious nonsense that's very easy to watch. The acting won't win any Oscars but it's just right for this sort of thing. Halicki is reasonably engaging in the lead, receiving fine support from Christopher Stone ("The Howling", "Cujo") as P.R. man Michael Fox, Susan Shaw as newswoman Susan Clark, who does some sleuthing of her own, Lang Jeffries ('Rescue 8') as Arthur, and Dan Grimaldi ("Don't Go in the House") as flustered news producer Larry Bergleman. Cameos include Freddy Cannon and the Belmonts, Lynda Day George ("Pieces") as a reporter, car customizer George Barris, and Hoyt Axton ("Gremlins") as both himself and a character in a film-within-the-film.
The non-stop assortment of eye popping vehicular stunts is simply spectacular. "The Junkman" set a record for over 150 vehicles destroyed in one way or another. Best of all is the memorable gag of jumping a car *over* a plane. Halicki even works the use of the Goodyear Blimp into the proceedings!
This is pulse-pounding visceral entertainment that really hits the spot.
Seven out of 10.
Halicki delivers plenty of good, straightforward, unpretentious nonsense that's very easy to watch. The acting won't win any Oscars but it's just right for this sort of thing. Halicki is reasonably engaging in the lead, receiving fine support from Christopher Stone ("The Howling", "Cujo") as P.R. man Michael Fox, Susan Shaw as newswoman Susan Clark, who does some sleuthing of her own, Lang Jeffries ('Rescue 8') as Arthur, and Dan Grimaldi ("Don't Go in the House") as flustered news producer Larry Bergleman. Cameos include Freddy Cannon and the Belmonts, Lynda Day George ("Pieces") as a reporter, car customizer George Barris, and Hoyt Axton ("Gremlins") as both himself and a character in a film-within-the-film.
The non-stop assortment of eye popping vehicular stunts is simply spectacular. "The Junkman" set a record for over 150 vehicles destroyed in one way or another. Best of all is the memorable gag of jumping a car *over* a plane. Halicki even works the use of the Goodyear Blimp into the proceedings!
This is pulse-pounding visceral entertainment that really hits the spot.
Seven out of 10.
Why nobody vote for this movie. It's GREAT
dome-49 March 2005
yeah, thats true "The Junkman" is wonderful. This is one of the best movies with... what i talking about, it is the best movie with CARS.So men, boys also you ladies Watches this film it's horrible good!!! No really i'm not kidding, if you see it you'll never forget it. I promise. What only 67 votes SHAME OF YOU!!! And it's much better than the Dominic Sena's "Gone in sixty seconds"(2000) with Nicolas Cage. I think it's also better than the first part "Gone in 60 seconds"(1974). It's the best role of H.B. Halicki. Like you see now i'm big fan on this film, but my all family and friends love it. So what is conclusion? You must see it with you own to understand.
The Car Crash King strikes again
coho2229 April 2002
I just picked up this little gem on DVD. If you are a fan of 1980's era car chase flicks then this a fun, cheesy ride. While not as gritty as the legendary GONE IN SIXTY SECONDS(a true classic of outlaw filmaking,) this one boasts slicker production values and the World's Record for most vehicles wrecked in a movie. Full of thrilling stunts, gratuitous car crashes, sexy eighties ladies and a prize winning pig. By the way, the DVD is great. Great picture and lots of bonus footage(A peak at H.B. Halecki's car and toy collection is a treat.) Have fun.
A wonderfully ridiculous and over the top crash 'em and smash 'em car chase hoot
Woodyanders24 June 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Stunt driver, filmmaker and shaggy-haired, Elvis chop-sideburned, ultra-macho "I do whatever I please" millionaire H.B. Halicki, the unfairly neglected genius who gave us the awesome 70's drive-in car chase humdinger "Gone in 60 Seconds," basically plays himself in this stupendously crazed vanity project. Halicki stars as Harlan Hollis, a filthy rich moneybags with three blockbuster pictures and a teeming amount of cash to his name. While en route to the James Dean festival to promote his latest movie a bunch of assassins attempt to punch Halicki's mortality ticket, which results in a truly amazing all-out frantic mondo destructo car chase punctuated with grueling slow motion, occasional freeze frames, wired, hyperactive, tirelessly mobile cinematography, a wild score which neatly combines loud-blasting rock'n'roll with kick-up-the-dirt lively country tunes, bright yellow explosions, generous dollops of lowbrow humor, punchy editing, a swift, unflagging pace, and a strange conclusion at the Hollywood Cineramadome.
As with "Gone in 60 Seconds" both the plot and characters are tissue thin, with a noted emphasis instead on wall-to-wall vehicular carnage. Over 120 vehicles get spectacularly demolished: assorted vans, trucks, campers, souped-up hot rods, pick-ups, and more police cars than you can shake a nightstick at smash into each other, go off cliffs, veer all over the road, break in half, barrel down hills, create massive pile-ups, crash through houses, and generally make enough twisted scrap metal for a dozen junkyards. Add some nifty behind-the-scenes film-with-a-film footage, a snazzy cast which includes late, great folksy singer/songwriter Hoyt Axton, Christopher Stone as Hollis' brother-in-law, and Lynda Day George as a festival news reporter, a musical guest appearance by Freddy Cannon and the Belmonts, Eleanor the Mustang from "Gone in 60 Seconds," and a total dearth of needless high-falutin' pretense, and this baby's status as a surefire winner is completely in the bag, buddy.
As with "Gone in 60 Seconds" both the plot and characters are tissue thin, with a noted emphasis instead on wall-to-wall vehicular carnage. Over 120 vehicles get spectacularly demolished: assorted vans, trucks, campers, souped-up hot rods, pick-ups, and more police cars than you can shake a nightstick at smash into each other, go off cliffs, veer all over the road, break in half, barrel down hills, create massive pile-ups, crash through houses, and generally make enough twisted scrap metal for a dozen junkyards. Add some nifty behind-the-scenes film-with-a-film footage, a snazzy cast which includes late, great folksy singer/songwriter Hoyt Axton, Christopher Stone as Hollis' brother-in-law, and Lynda Day George as a festival news reporter, a musical guest appearance by Freddy Cannon and the Belmonts, Eleanor the Mustang from "Gone in 60 Seconds," and a total dearth of needless high-falutin' pretense, and this baby's status as a surefire winner is completely in the bag, buddy.
This movie rocks. It WAS a classic
kingjohnny8522 May 2005
I bought the original a couple years back when the DVD first came out. Until a couple months ago i never knew of a sequel. Then one day i was at a discount department store on the Gold Coast when i found the original VHS copy of GONE IN 60 SECONDS PART II THE JUNKMAN. It was only $2 so i bought it. Later i found that it had been shipped up to Queensland from an old video store in Brompton South Australia. Any way, when i arrived home i chucked the movie on and watched it. I knew it was from the 80's and the styles were a bit off, but i enjoyed the movie. What else i enjoyed was the music, The fact that it was upbeat during the fast paced chase scenes and that the singers included the movie name and one of the major events that the movie was set around. The video wasn't in great condition so most of the middle to end of the movie was very fuzzy. This propelled me to go forth and find a remastered copy on DVD. Weeks later i found one and ordered it in. When it arrived i was excited, i was expecting soo much. But when i was watching it i noticed that something was removed from the original and replaced with something inferior. It was the music, the music that was written for THE JUNKMAN, gone, replaced with INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC??? So, i will rate the original 10 out of 10. But for the DVD 5 out of 10. H.B. "Tony" Halicki would be disappointed with what has become of one of his masterpieces.
Knowing this makes me wonder what the original music was like in the original GONE IN 60 SECONDS.
Knowing this makes me wonder what the original music was like in the original GONE IN 60 SECONDS.
Mind-Blowing Car Chase Epic
abbazabakyleman-988341 April 2019
This film took two years to make because Toby Halicki took his time with the carefully executed stunts and numerous car chases featured in this movie. 150 cars were destroyed (an assortment of cars, trucks, planes, boats, etc.) that it was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. This film actually has more of a story than Gone in 60 Seconds did as it's a loose autobiography of Halicki's own life as a junkyard owner turned filmmaker. It's a crying shame that Halicki died during filming of Gone in 60 Seconds 2 on August 20, 1989. Hopefully, someone will dig up much more footage of that lost film.
Politics
bevo-136782 April 2020
Great Car Chases but Mediocre Acting
AZ-Nick8 January 2008
This truly is one of the best car chase movies I've seen! It is comparable to Bullit, Ronin, Gone in 60 Seconds, etc. It is a classic combination of guns, explosives, & high speed car chases (and crashes!). While it is a lesser-known title than the others in its genre, the movie is action-packed from almost the very beginning through to the end. Additionally, this is the only movie I've seen wherein the main character is chased in a Cadillac Eldorado. Whether intentional or not, I found it somewhat ironic that the three cars involved in the main chase scene in the movie were each one from the Big 3 U.S. auto manufacturers. There's a GM, Ford, & Chrysler vehicle; I guess H. B. Halicki wanted to give equal recognition to each of the Big 3. In my opinion, the only reason it is not a perfect 10 is due to the mediocre acting and the distracting and sometimes annoying sub-plot. However, this still is a must-see for the car chase fanatic!
Real piece of junk. You may love Halicki, and his death is sad, but let's be honest.
SomeHeartPlease23 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I mean, you read the comments and reviews, and you'd expect this movie to be on the same level as Gone in 60 seconds. It's just not. Worst, one reviewer even says that this is way better than the Gone in 60 seconds remake with Cage. I can't understand why so many people would bash the remake. It doesn't do justice to the original OK, but it's a fun movie... you guys are just getting old and your time has passed and you can't accept it. That's just life. Don't take it out on Cage. Considering the garbage Cage has played in in his life, the remake accounts for one of his best. But back to this piece of junk. Hey listen. In no way do I want to show any lack of respect for Halicki. His death is sad, and Gone in 60 seconds will always stand as a masterpiece of the genre - and it's amazing this was shot and there are no special effects - and the guy died doing what he loved. Most of us will die in a retirement home mostly senile because we live so (too) long. For me Gone in 60secs is on par or better than stuff like Vanishing Point and such. Someone said Ronin, right on, great car chases there. Personally I think Diesel did something great with Fast 4 and especially 5, but it's really not the same era and there are so many special effects today and I don't want to further upset the old crowd.
I mean, let's be sincere. OK, a few stunts here and there are fun but that's it. Of course you see Halicki's toy collection, cars but this movie is just plain bad. Luckily Halicki himself shines on the screen. He's just intense and good looking.
The first part of the movie is so dull and long (the part when they try to kill him). OK the opening sequence is fun. Otherwise it's like some walk down memory lane with the references to James Dean etc. Maybe it means something to you guys. Well not to me. And yeah those small planes are fun. But it really shows that many of the sequences are played in fast motion to increase the speed. It's immensely tedious.
The movie kicks in after, when Halicki tries to figure out who did it. It somehow kept my interest for some time. The yellow corvette ride is nice. But hey that's it. You could put any music there but nothing will save this movie. Which is why Halicki was working on a sequel to Gone in 60 seconds. So for me the "Junkman" stands as a slapstick piece for the hardcore fan. It's almost a self-portrait of some kind. Only in that way can it be understood. But don't say this is a good movie.
May he rest in peace.
I mean, let's be sincere. OK, a few stunts here and there are fun but that's it. Of course you see Halicki's toy collection, cars but this movie is just plain bad. Luckily Halicki himself shines on the screen. He's just intense and good looking.
The first part of the movie is so dull and long (the part when they try to kill him). OK the opening sequence is fun. Otherwise it's like some walk down memory lane with the references to James Dean etc. Maybe it means something to you guys. Well not to me. And yeah those small planes are fun. But it really shows that many of the sequences are played in fast motion to increase the speed. It's immensely tedious.
The movie kicks in after, when Halicki tries to figure out who did it. It somehow kept my interest for some time. The yellow corvette ride is nice. But hey that's it. You could put any music there but nothing will save this movie. Which is why Halicki was working on a sequel to Gone in 60 seconds. So for me the "Junkman" stands as a slapstick piece for the hardcore fan. It's almost a self-portrait of some kind. Only in that way can it be understood. But don't say this is a good movie.
May he rest in peace.
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