When it opened in 1972, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, or BART, was the poster child of cutting-edge design.But lately BART’s reputation has faded. Riders now complain about sanitation on the trains, and some say the system’s police force has become overbearing. So as BART approaches its 40th birthday, it may be hard to imagine that this system was once a symbol of the future in Hollywood films. Caroline Bins digs into BART’s cinematic history.
BART in the movies:
THX 1138. The first BART in the movies, this 1971 sci-fi drama was the feature-length film debut of George Lucas.
They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! (1970), starring Sidney Poitier. Chase scene at still-under-construction Montgomery Street Station and a little bit into the tunnel.
The Domino Principle. This 1977 feature starring Gene Hackman has a shot of Hackman on a BART train, and shows a train coming into Fruitvale Station.
The Princess and the Cabbie (1981) The story of a princess who falls for a literary cab driver and learns to use BART to navigate San Francisco.
Predator 2. this 1990 release features Danny Glover Predator 2 is set in Los Angeles but shows the characters getting on a BART train.
The Pursuit of Happyness. This Oscar-nominated 2006 Will Smith film is the best recent example we can find of BART in the movies.
Tags: Fall 2011