One of the greatest car movies of all time is undoubtedly "All hell breaks loose on the highway" (original title: "The Cannonball Run"). To celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Countach LP 400 S, which plays the leading role in the film, Automobili Lamborghini invited the two actresses Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman to their first meeting since the film was released on June 19, 1981.
Modified Countach
This Lamborghini Countach LP 400 S was produced in November 1979. The black car with mustard-colored interior was delivered to S.E.A. Automobili Roma at the time and was probably sold directly to the USA, eventually ending up in Florida. Its owner was a friend of the director and he placed the Countach in the movie, establishing the car's legendary role that earned it a place in American history.
For the film, the Countach was pimped up with a wing and two headlights on the nose, a spoiler, three aerials and twelve exhaust pipes at the rear as well as two additional false instruments in front of the passenger seat. After filming was completed, the car was returned to its rightful owner, with the modifications made being retained.
In 2009, the car found a new owner in Jeff Ippoliti - a true enthusiast of these cars - who now lives in Florida but is originally from New York. When he saw the opening scene of the movie in 1981, he could never have imagined that one day he would own the car he had seen on the screen and dreamed of. "I've always been a car nut," he recalls, "but the opening scene of the movie was the first time I saw and heard the Countach in motion - and I was instantly hooked. It wasn't until 26 years later that I saw it live for the first time, and it took another 18 months of negotiations before I was able to take it home."
Cult movie
"All hell breaks loose on the highway" was inspired by the Cannonball race, in which the registered vehicles had to cross the United States in the shortest possible time, starting in New York and ending in Los Angeles. With actors such as Roger Moore, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Jackie Chan as well as actresses such as Farrah Fawcett, Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman, the cast was exceptional.
The latter two formed the only all-female team in the race: they drove the Countach, which ultimately won. The three-minute chase at the beginning of the film, in which the soundtrack is complemented by the sound of the Countach's twelve-cylinder carburetor engine, is one of the most memorable scenes in the film. The scene in which the Countach comes to a halt, the female passenger gets out and sprays an X on the traffic sign is also one of the opening scenes.
These scenes are so legendary among car enthusiasts that they have become part of American culture and have led to the Countach being one of very few cars to be registered in the Library of Congress.
In the Library of Congress in the USA
Any object that is the result of human creation can be registered in the Library of Congress. If the application is successful, all the knowledge associated with it is archived and available for future generations in one of the most prestigious and traditional institutions in the United States of America. To achieve this, however, the item must first be recognized as an object of exceptional importance to American history, society and tradition. Once this recognition is achieved - to date, this is the case for just over 30 vehicles - all the knowledge about this particular car, from the construction plans to the photographs, from the original documents to those that tell its story, is stored and archived in the halls of the Library of Congress.
The Countach LP 400 S from the film was deemed worthy of this honor and became the thirtieth vehicle to receive the award. It was awarded in 2021, the year of the 40th anniversary of the film's release.
Memories of the leading actresses
Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckmann have not met in person since filming in 1981. The interview and the stories of the two leading actresses are therefore something very special. The fact that the same Countach they drove back then is in the background makes it even more attractive.
The meeting brought back many memories. None of them had ever seen a Lamborghini before, let alone driven one. It's also worth remembering that Lamborghini only produced just over 50 cars a year back then. "I immediately thought it was beautiful, just beautiful, and it still is," recalls Adrienne Barbeau, who plays Marcie Thatcher in the movie. "We had the best car and it was definitely the most beautiful car of all," adds Tara Buckman, who plays Jill Rivers in the movie. When asked why the Countach won the race: "I think the Countach just looks like a winner," explains Barbeau, "None of the others could have won. They weren't at his level. And then the opening scene with the soundtrack and the Countach driving off and playing hide and seek with the police car. Only the Countach could do that."
When asked if they ever expected the movie to achieve the cult status it has today, they both reply: "Never, not for a second. No one would have expected this incredible and lasting success during filming!" - "I only realized the success of the film when people started asking me for autographs. To this day," adds Adrienne Barbeau. "Despite my success as an actress in horror films and my role as Catwoman in the Batman movie, it's mainly the Countach models that I get asked to sign autographs for." - "I can't remember how many times I've signed a photo or a model of the Countach!" adds Tara Buckman.
Her favorite scenes include: "The scene where Tara gets out of the car and sprays the X on the road sign," Adrienne Barbeau makes clear. And for Tara Buckman, it was the opening scene in which the police car chases the Countach. "There are many films with good opening scenes, but this is undoubtedly one of the best ever."
When asked what influence she thinks the film has had on American culture and society, Adrienne Barbeau answers as follows: "Everyone knows it. And everyone knows this Lamborghini." Tara Buckman adds: "Not just him. Everyone also knows the two young ladies in the Lamborghini. We are inextricably linked to these roles."
The Polo Storico from Lamborghini
The "Polo Storico" is Automobili Lamborghini's in-house department that takes care of the company's historical heritage by managing and researching the company's archives and restoring and certifying historic Lamborghini cars. The Lamborghini Polo Storico, established in spring 2015 at the headquarters in Sant'Agata Bolognese, is the point of contact for collectors of historic Lamborghinis from all over the world and looks after models from the first 350 GTV from 1963 to the Diablo from 2001.
The activities of the Polo Storico are divided into three main areas: the archive, where Automobili Lamborghini's historical heritage is preserved in the form of information and documents of both a technical and commercial nature; certification, which is the culmination of an in-depth documentary, archival and technical analysis of the vehicle and concludes with the publication of a special book that certifies the authenticity of the vehicle being appraised.The restoration, which is carried out in full respect of the vehicle's originality by a team of specialized technicians who work mainly in the Polo Storico workshop.
Alessandro Farmeschi, Director of Customer Service at Automobili Lamborghini, says: "In the years I have worked for Lamborghini in the United States, I have come to know this Countach LP 400 S with its extraordinary history. It is a car that has awakened a passion for the Lamborghini brand and the Countach model in many young fans, who have become customers of our brand and our cars as they have grown older. It is of historic importance, both for Automobili Lamborghini and - as its inclusion in the Library of Congress proves - for the automotive culture of an entire nation and far beyond. We at Lamborghini can only be proud of it and look forward to celebrating its 45th birthday by reuniting the car with its unforgettable crew from the movie."
