Register  |   Log In  |  
Sign up to our weekly newsletter    
Search   
Follow Me on Pinterest
Empire
Trending On Empire
Two free posters with Empire magazine
Subscribe: Get Dead Island: Riptide
Empire's Soundtrack Celebration
90 Years Of Warner Bros.
Vote for your favourite film
Cannes Film Festival 2013
News, photos and more from the Croisette
Movie News

LATEST HEADLINES
TODAY
Cannes 2013: Inside Llewyn Davis Initial Reaction
The Coens' latest wins over the Croisette
Cannes 2013: For Those In Peril Initial Reaction
British flick puts George MacKay on the map
More Movie News

RELATED NEWS
14 July 2004
It'll Be Alright On The Knight Rider
Exclusive: David Hasselhoff talks big-screen Kitt remake
More Movie News

RELATED REVIEWS
Armageddon
Empire Star Rating
Volcano
Empire Star Rating
Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery (1997)
Empire Star Rating
More new cinemas releases
DVD & Blu-ray releases

Hot Wheels
Talking cars hit the big time

28 October 2002  |  Written by   


Once again the phenomenon Empire Online likes to term 'The Hollywood Law of Duplication' (also known as 'Let's nick this idea 'cos it's hot Principle') has surfaced in the movie wires. Previous examples include the asteroid mayhem that became all the rage in 1998 - viz Armageddon and Deep Impact - and the lava frenzy of 1997 that resulted in Volcano and Dante's Peak.

But never in all our scientific ponderings did the research team here at Empire Towers predict that the next Hollywood craze would be talking cars. Apocalyptic nuclear war and classical epics maybe, but chatty automobiles never quite seemed to appear in our equations.

Our carefully calibrated equipment only registered a minor blip earlier this year when we heard Knight Rider's Michael and his camp car KITT might be accelerating towards our cinema screens – the combination of 80's nostalgia, a bit of techno-wizardry and a touch of vigilante action seemed perfect, if cheesy, cinematic content. But emergency bells fairly belted out this morning when another verbose vehicle project was announced, this time with the wonderful title, Wheels of Fury. Described as a cross between Austin Powers and the aforementioned Knight Rider - quite how, we're still trying to find out – the comedy revolves around another 80's cop who, in a pathetic twist on Michael Knight's near death experience, falls into a coma and wakes up 16 years later. Quite what his talkative car got up to in the 16 years while he was sleeping is also still in question.

But it's always nice to see Hollywood hasn't lost any of its originality.

Have Your Say
To comment on this, and all articles, register for free or login now.

Storm Brews Ahead Of Oscars
It's them or us says Malick to organisers...
Impractical Magic
Kidman ready to be Bewitched?


CURRENT HIGHLIGHTS
Movie Poster Mashups: The Furniture Edition
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll be appalled at the punning...

Cannes Film Festival Videblogisodes #1
Leonardo Di Caprio, Baz Luhrmann and a mysterious stranger kick things off

Exclusive: Why Man Of Steel Wasn't Called Superman
Writer and producer David S. Goyer speaks

Dwayne Johnson Talks Fast & Furious 6
'I wanted to come in and frankly dominate the movie.'

Music Celebration: David Holmes On The Making Of The Out Of Sight Soundtrack
'I watched the film... the music was all over the shop'

The Rise And Fall Of The Movie Power Ballad
What happened to those endless movie theme no.1 hits?

Hans Zimmer Career Interview
On The Dark Knight, Man Of Steel and Going For Gold

Subscribe For Only £20
Get Dead Island: Riptide and six issues of Empire for only £20! Subscribe now
Steven Spielberg iPad App
Hollywood's most beloved director in this unique iPad special. Download now
Empire iPad Edition
The world's biggest movie magazine available on iPad Download now
Home  |  News  |  Blogs  |  Reviews  |  Future Films  |  Features  |  Interviews  |  Images  |  Competitions  |  Forum  |  iPad  |  Podcast  |  Magazine Contact Us  |  Empire FAQ  |  Subscribe To Empire  |  Register
© Bauer Consumer Media  |  Terms And Conditions  |  Our Data Promise To You  |  Bauer Entertainment Network
Bauer Consumer Media. Company number 1176085 (England). Registered Office: 21 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2DY