MovieChat Forums > Heart Like a Wheel (1983) Discussion > I Was an Extra On This Movie

I Was an Extra On This Movie

posted 15 years ago by eric_ham
4 replies | jump to latest

Along with hundreds of others!

They shot the crash scene at the fontana speedway (when it still existed) and gave away tickets to be in the grandstands for it. They also had some drag cars and a jet dragster doing things on the track.

I was a kid then and it was pretty exciting. I remember having to hold my ears when the jet dragster went by. I also remember the director, directing the crowd, "Okay now!" and everyone turned like they were watching the race and then reacting to the "crash"

I got Shirley Muldowney to sign my ticket stub and I still have it!

[–] AlexEvensen 14 years ago

Sounds like a very cool experience :) Wish I could have been there.

I really hope I get to see live drag racing some day :) (And photograph and record it ;).

-
Dziga Vertov:
I am the machine that reveals the world to you, as only I alone am able to see it

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

Were you able to spot yourself in the finished film?

When I was watching this, I wondered whether they used actual race fans or just set up a race and recruited fans, so I guess it was the latter. I actually looked at the individual spectators to see if they were looking at the camera. That was a pretty ferocious crash. Even though I have no interest in car racing, I thought this was a very entertaining film. You were lucky to have been there when it was being made.

[–] eric_ham 13 years ago

I was not able to see myself. I recorded that scene on the DVR and tried to go by slow but, nope. Not on my little TV anyway.

Yeah, it was a pretty cool film.

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

That's too bad, but such is the plight of the extra. Did they at least serve sandwiches?

Oh well, this film is worthwhile regardless, and I don't even care for auto racing.