Customer Reviews

Smokey & The Bandit 3 [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

There are two version of this movie. In the original version of "Smokey and the Bandit 3", Jackie Gleason plays the Bandit *and* the Sheriff. It is VERY strange. I saw it in the original theatrical release. They pulled it and remade it soon afterwards because it confused audiences.

The original needs to be seen. It is bizzare, but work being seen just because of the schizophrenic nature of Jackie Gleason's performance.

It is even meantioned in "Bill and Ted Go To Hell" (aka "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey".)

If anyone is listening, please release the original version on widescreen DVD. It needs to be seen!

I'm gonna go out on a limb here by saying that most people my age (20) don't watch the Honeymooner's, and might not be familiar with Smokey & The Bandit. Me however, am a fan of both... but for the first time in my life, I feel anger toward the (sadly, no longer with us) Jackie Gleason. Without his portrayal of Buford T. Justice, I must say the series wouldn't have been the same. But Smokey & The Bandit 3 was an alright film that was seriously hurt by 2 things. First being the absence of Burt Reynolds (and Sally Field, of course). 2nd being the spotlight stealing Jackie Gleason. His ego stole the show, when they SHOULD have waited for Burt Reynolds to finish his other films. Smokey and The Bandit WITHOUT the real bandit? come on. However, I did enjoy Jerry Reed getting to "Wooo Hooo, Play the Bandit!" This movie could have been a bridge to a Smokey & The Bandit 4, with The Real Bandit making his return, with Frog (Field) and SnowMan (Reed). But I give this movie a two. It has it's moments, but the end literally choked me up when I realized it WAS the end. Avoid depression and stick to Smokey 1 & 2. I'm fighting back tears to write this Review. Maybe someday they'll do Smokey & The Bandit 4, and do it RIGHT (with Burt, Sally and Jerry), and wake me up from this nightmare that I refuse to let ruin the dream.

This movie was an insult to the viewer and the talent of a great performer(Gleason). Even Jackie Gleason's tremendous comedic talent couldn't save this turkey. Jerry Reed's a pretty good singer, he should keep at it, because without Burt Reynolds to play to, he's lost as an actor. The entire cast was cardboard, no zest, it was as though they were trapped in a contract and were doing their least to fulfull it. The plot was weak, if not non-existent. The stunts were boring and ill-timed. The video was a waste of money and not worth watching, unless you like the 10 seconds of T&A in the nudist camp. I didn't. Smokey and the Bandit was a good "B" car chase movie and deserves the kudos it got. They should have took the money and run because it's been all down hill with the sequels.

OK, so this film is absolute dross. But watchable for one resaon alone: Gleason. His one liners are hilarious, e.g. Gleason stumbles into a nudist colony and remarks "Junior, give me the good ole' days when a pair of boobs was a couple of dumb guys". If you can stomach the bile in-between Gleasons one liners and slpastick, then go for it.

After viewing "Smokey And The Bandit, Part 3", here is my assessment of the pluses and minuses of this movie: Pluses-Soundtrack. Although it's not as good as in the first "Smokey And The Bandit", it has nice country music numbers by Ed Bruce and Lee Greenwood. Also included are nice rockers by John Stewart titled "It Ain't The Gold" and "Ticket For The Wind". They provide a somewhat refreshing change of pace compared to the obviously all-country soundtrack featured in the first two Smokies. Jerry Reed as The Bandit. Yeah, I know he isn't Burt Reynolds, but he provides a rather captivating performance here as the primo "All-American Redneck Lawbreaker." Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice. Gleason reprises his role as the famous Texas lawman who'd like nothing more than to capture the Bandit. The car chases are splendid involving the Sheriff and The Bandit, but as a minus, lack the gusto provided in the first two movies. The plot. I found the plot where Sheriff Justice carries a stuffed fish on the roof of his squad car to be quite funny, yet bewildering. The Enis Brothers. Who in heck would drive around in a Cadillac filled with milk? Beats me! Burt Reynolds' cameo. A bit short, but need I say more? Yes, because we haven't gotten to the minuses yet. Colleen Camp. She is NO Sally Field! Faith Minton. I thought having a nymphomaniac character in the film was the lowest point here. The same, tiresome jokes. after seeing the first two Smokies, the old jokes just weren't funny anymore. And the new jokes persented in this movie, like where Sheriff Justice was pointing out to his dimwitted son that all the lawmen in the Justice family have "six sense", and his son replies, "Six cents, that's not even a dime". Oh, PUH-LEASE! Based on this film's assessment, you can plainly see there are more pluses than minuses. That's why you should add "Smokey And The Bandit, Part 3" to your video library. Oh, and the biggest plus is when Jerry Reed says: "I get to be The Bandit, I get to be The Bandit!" WOO-HOO!

I saw the theatrical release...in fact about three times (it was a long summer in rural KY and the movies were $1).

Was there really an 'alternate' version of this film? I seem to remember a scene when Gleason 'played' the Bandit...some sort of fantasy thing. Whatever.

There was one scene that provided me with a memory. Justice is talking to some floozie about something...and she offers him a 'good time'. He replies "I'm interested in pursuit, not partytime." Unfortunately, the dubbing department didn't do a very good job of superimposing the word "partytime" over what Gleason actually said...which also started with 'p', had two syllables and referenced the female anatomy. Thus my band of bike-riding friends and I had a good two or three hours worth of slightly rebellious entertainment 'renacting' the 'moment'.

Oh Puhleese, this movie all that bad, I mean it ain't no original Smokey and the Bandit but it's a pretty good southern comedy.
Pros: Good music, The scenes with Buford T. Justice and his son Junior, the hotel part and Junior at his dumbest.

Cons: Poor script, Cledus playing the bandit, The Enos playing mean tricks on Buford, and the new girl, man was she awful.

Overall, if you're a big fan of car chase movies, this is a must have (as long as you don't compare it to the first one).

This movie is about Buford T. Justice retiring and relaxing at Miami Beach, but his vacation doesn't turn out as well as he hoped, so he decides to come back and the Enoses tells Buford to drive all the way from Miami, FL wish the fish on top of the car to Austin, TX in 28 hours, he'll get a quarter of a million dollars, if Buford fails, his badge is going to be destroyed.
Along the way the Enos do everything they can so Buford wouldn't make it on time, and later on The Enoses call up Cledus to become the bandit and he later picks up a new girl (she's horrible compared to Sally Field).

In order to see what happens, watch this movie, although you may want to watch the original first to like Smokey and the Bandit.

I recently bought the Smokey and the Bandit Pursuit Pack, mainly for the first two. I had no idea that they made a thrid one. Now that I have seen it, I wish the Universal would set out a singular DVD release.

If no stars were possible, this film would get it.

A great way to go out in one of the greatest trilogies ever to embrace the screen. Smokey and the Bandit, Part 3 lives up to its predecessor from 1977. This one envolves Sheriff Buford T. Justice retiring. At his retirement ceremony the Enises bet him to carry a plastic fish from Miami,Florida to Austin,Texas for $250,000. Once Buford finds out how boring retirement is he takes the bet. But the Enises have a ace up their sleve by hiring The Snowman to portray The Bandit so he can stop Beautiful Buford before he gets to Austin. The movie contains: Language,Adult Situations, and Brief Nudity.