Trystan Casey
The 1973 satirical black comedy action film Electra Glide in Blue was predominantly filmed in Arizona and California. The film was directed by James William Guercio, who was making his directorial debut. Guercio was a former manager of the rock band Chicago, for whom he also produced many albums. The film was predominantly shot without permits, with exterior scenes filmed in Monument Valley and Fountain Hills, Arizona, and the bike chase scene filmed in the Mojave Desert, California.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1973 |
| Director | James William Guercio |
| Filming Locations | Arizona, California |
| Specific Locations in Arizona | Monument Valley, Fountain Hills, Phoenix, Carefree, Cave Creek Road, Shea Boulevard Scenic Overlook, North Bush Highway |
| Specific Locations in California | Mojave Desert, US163 Scenic, Victorville |
Explore related products
![Arizona [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51CGH2JT84L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![Arizona Blu-ray + UHD Steelbook [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71GahYj9COL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
Filming locations in Arizona
The 1973 cult biker/cop movie "Electra Glide in Blue" was filmed in Arizona and California. Most of the film's exterior shots were captured in Arizona, with the state's endless vistas and lonely highways featuring heavily in the movie.
The film's director, James William Guercio, wanted to shoot the exterior scenes in a way that was reminiscent of John Ford's Westerns, with Monument Valley in particular evoking the endless vistas and loneliness of Ford's films. The film's star, Robert Blake, plays a motorcycle cop patrolling the Arizona highways, and scenes were shot on the roads around Phoenix and Carefree, to the north.
One memorable scene sees Blake's character, John Wintergreen, handing out a speeding ticket on Cave Creek Road, a couple of miles southwest of Carefree. The bar scene, where cops hassle hippies in a van, was filmed at Harold's Cave Creek Corral, 6895 East Cave Creek Road. Another scene, where John chats up two girls in an ice cream truck, was shot on Shea Boulevard Scenic Overlook, Fountain Hills, east of Scottsdale.
Customizing Outfits: Electric State Style
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Locations in California
The 1973 cult biker/cop movie "Electra Glide in Blue" was filmed in Arizona and California. The film was directed by James William Guercio, who was also the manager of the rock band Chicago and composed the film's score.
The bar scene, after the cops hassle the hippies in the van, was filmed at Harold's Cave Creek Corral, 6895 East Cave Creek Road. The ice cream truck scene, where John tries to chat up two girls, was shot on Shea Boulevard Scenic Overlook in Fountain Hills, east of Scottsdale. A few miles further east, Zipper (Billy Green Bush) plants dope on a hippy on North Bush Highway, east of Salt River. The bike chase was filmed around Victorville in the Mojave Desert, California. The final shot, with the buttes and mesas of Monument Valley on the horizon, was captured on US163 Scenic, about 20 miles north of Kayenta.
Activating Electrical Age Lamps: A Simple Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The bar scene
In the scene, John Wintergreen (played by Robert Blake) and his partner Zipper (Billy Green Bush) enter a bar and proceed to order drinks. They get into an argument with a group of bikers, which eventually turns into a brawl. During the fight, Wintergreen is knocked to the ground and Zipper is thrown through a window. The bikers then flee the bar, leaving Wintergreen and Zipper bruised and battered but still standing.
The scene is notable for its intense and realistic portrayal of a bar fight, with the actors performing their own stunts. It also serves as a pivotal moment in the film, as it is the first time that Wintergreen and Zipper realize that they are out of their depth and in over their heads.
The bar itself is a seedy and run-down establishment, with dim lighting and a row of barstools lined up against a long, wooden counter. The walls are covered in old posters and photographs, giving the place a sense of history and character. The atmosphere is thick with smoke and the air is filled with the sound of loud, raucous music.
The filming of the scene reportedly took several days, with the cast and crew spending long hours on set to get the perfect shots. The bar was also a functioning business, so the production had to work around the regular customers and staff to get the footage they needed.
Electrical Inspection: Final Checks for Safe Electricity
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Ice cream truck scene
The ice cream truck scene in Electra Glide in Blue was filmed on Shea Boulevard Scenic Overlook in Fountain Hills, east of Scottsdale, Arizona. The scene features John Wintergreen, played by Robert Blake, attempting to flirt with two girls served by an ice cream girl, played by Susan Forristal.
The 1973 satirical black comedy action film stars Robert Blake as John Wintergreen, an Arizona motorcycle cop, and Billy "Green" Bush as his partner, Zipper. Wintergreen is an experienced patrolman who aspires to join the homicide unit. When he encounters an apparent suicide-by-shotgun, he suspects it is a murder due to the unusual location of the victim's gunshot wound.
The film was directed and produced by James William Guercio, who took a $1 salary to ensure he could hire Conrad Hall as the cinematographer. Guercio and Hall disagreed on the film's aesthetic, so they compromised: Guercio shot the exterior scenes in a style reminiscent of John Ford's Westerns, while Hall had free rein over the interior scenes.
Most of the film was shot without permits in Monument Valley and Fountain Hills, Arizona, due to a lack of cooperation from the Arizona Highway Patrol.
Electricity and the Human Body: A Shocking Relationship
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Bike chase scene
The bike chase scene in Electra Glide in Blue was filmed around Victorville in the Mojave Desert, California. The film's exterior shots were directed by James William Guercio in a style reminiscent of John Ford's Westerns, capturing the endless vistas and loneliness of Monument Valley.
The film was shot largely guerilla-style, without permits, on the roads of Arizona, around Phoenix and Carefree, to the north. The cinematographer, Conrad Hall, experimented with the interiors, flooding the camera lens with smoke, diffused light, and warped, fun-house-type angles.
The film's director, Guercio, and Hall disagreed on how the film should look. They reached a compromise where Guercio would shoot the exterior scenes in a manner reminiscent of John Ford's films, while Hall could set up and shoot all the interior scenes as he saw fit.
The bike chase scene was a late addition to the film, shot months after the film had wrapped. The film's star, Robert Blake, complained about production woes and lamented his $20,000 fee for a starring role. Despite this, his performance caught the attention of television executives and led to the police drama series Baretta, for which he is most known.
Air Conditioning Power Source: Electric or Alternative Energy?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The film was primarily filmed in Arizona, specifically in Fountain Hills, Monument Valley, Phoenix, and Carefree.
The interior shots were filmed guerrilla-style, without permits, and the cinematographer, Conrad Hall, experimented with flooding the camera lens with smoke, diffused light, and warped, fun-house type angles.
The final scene was filmed on US163 Scenic, about 20 miles north of Kayenta.
