A Steve McQueen "Treasure Hunting" Story

[MiddenMonster]

Just read this and thought it might be of interest to treasure hunters. Makes me want to drive to Mexico and check out a few cenotes, myself!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...8084%2C00.html
June 25, 2005

McQueen in return to the screen from beyond grave
By Jack Malvern, Arts Reporter
STEVE McQUEEN is to make his debut as a screenwriter, 25 years after his death.

The actor starred in films such as The Great Escape and Bullitt, but he never realised his ambition to be credited with writing a film.

A chance discovery by Lance Sloane, McQueen?s godson, is about to change all that. McQueen?s estate is discussing final terms with Warner Bros for Yucatan, an action film set in Mexico.

Mr Sloane, who will be executive producer with McQueen?s son, Chad, found 16 notebooks in a vault of the actor?s possessions in Los Angeles. They contained storyboards and notes for a film that would reprise one of McQueen?s most iconic moments ? the epic motorcycle chase in The Great Escape.

The chase is the climax of the film about a band of treasure hunters who travel to the Yucatan peninsula in search of gold. They try to recover riches thrown into an underground cave by the Mayan inhabitants as offerings to the gods.

McQueen became fascinated by the peninsula?s cenotes ? sinkholes formed when porous limestone collapses above underground lakes ? when he visited Mexico with Sam Peckinpah, who directed him in The Getaway and Junior Bonner.

McQueen based the background for his film on the historical division between the country?s Spanish-blooded aristocrats and the indigenous population. He was especially interested in the Mayan practice of throwing gold and jewels into the cenotes.

The popularity of the ritual was discovered in 1901 when Edward Thompson, an American archaeologist, found gold discs and jade ornaments in a cenote near the ruins of Chichen Itza.

McQueen made almost 1,700 pages of notes for the film, but abandoned the project either because of other commitments or ill health. He died from lung cancer in 1980.

The film will be brought to life by David Heyman, the British producer of the Harry Potter films, who hopes to strike a deal with McQueen?s estate and Paul Scheuring, who is adapting the script.

Mr Scheuring said: ?Certain things need to be updated, but everything needed for a great action movie is right there.?

Yucatan will be McQueen?s second return to the screen from beyond the grave. In 1997 he starred in an advertisement for the Ford Puma after images of him in Bullitt were digitally combined with modern footage of a car chase in San Francisco.

[surfrat96]

It's good to hear about Steve McQueen. Makes me remember the time when I was much younger, the phone rang, I answered and the guy said "Hi, I'm Steve McQueen, could I speak to your Mother please?" Seems like he was a friend of my Aunt and Uncle in California, and he was calling to wish my Mother a Happy Birthday!

HH 8) surfrat

[omnicognic]

One of the more humrous blunders in film is in the movie bullit where the car loses seven hubcaps during the car chase !

[Mental Granny]

Actually there was a guy in the back seat laying down and dropping them out a slot in the floor-but who's counting? haha

[MiddenMonster]

One of the more humrous blunders in film is in the movie bullit where the car loses seven hubcaps during the car chase !

Ha! Speaking of treasure, do you know how much that black 1968 Charger would be worth now? If it was a numbers matching car in showroom condition it would be worth in the neighborhood of $100,000, and that's not considering the value from being a movie car. Too bad it exploded. Ever notice how the Charger always gets totalled in movies? On the bright side, last I heard the Mustang driven by Steve McQueen was purchased by a retired cop on the East Coast. He supposedly has it in his garage with the original movie dirt still on it. He doesn't drive it and won't sell it, but I bet it's worth a small fortune now. Treasure comes in all forms...

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

There were a number of identical cars used in that movie and all but one was dinged up. The remaining good one was on display in the Harrah's car museum along with the prototype Ford Thunderbird that was given to John Wayne and driven from the dealership to the casino. It had red and white checked interior and had photo of him giving the car to Harrah and his guitar. Many of those cars were sold and only a few of the gems were kept by the casino when he died. I think he also had one of hitler's staff cars and an Afrika Korps rommel staff car and war planes too when I was there in the early 1970s. Maybe a bat mobile too. Saw that somewhere but I disremember where. exanimo, ss