The truck driving profession has one of the heaviest responsibilities and demands a lot, especially from the drivers. Safety of the drivers is a paramount aspect, as well as the safety of other people on the road. The nature of the job or profession demands a lot from the drivers with responsibilities such as long-distance driving, truck inspection, loading and unloading cargo, refueling, and cleaning the trucks. The responsibilities create a complex aspect in the logistics of deliveries, handling of the vehicles, and safety on the road, which require utmost attention. However, they are an integral part of our society in maintaining industry standards.
In filmmaking, producers offer a view of the skills and professionalism of truck driving in trucker movies. The fresh “Paradise Highway”, released on July 29, 2022, stars Juliette Binoche, a trucker involved in human trafficking to try and save her brother. The movie highlights the different risks truck drivers face in their jobs and the complete experience of the drivers.
Other classic productions like “Duel” by Steven Spielberg 1971 have also featured truck driving giving an impressive experience that sparked positive criticism. The film director has been praised highly in movie reviews, making Spielberg a seasoned director in other films.
The “Convoy”, which Sam Peckinpah also directed in 1978, showcases a trucker’s vendetta with an abusive Sherriff. The movie involved truckers in a long ‘convoy’ of trucker drivers to show support for the truckers’ vendetta, which led to the action in the movie. The production was, however, not well received but highlighted the truck driving in an addictive way.
“Breaker! Breaker!” by Don Hulette, featured in 1977 and starring Chuck Norris, is another production showcasing a truck driver searching for his brother. However, the movie was not well received due to its low budget and poor production, which did not entice viewers.
“Smokey and the Bandit”, a 1977 production led by Hal Nadheem, features road action involving the pursuit of a tractor-trailer with beers over the state lines. The film’s plot is not that strong but creates fun and interesting events related to the pursuit by the sheriff. The Bandit is hired as the trailer driver and showcases a simple story related to truck driving and various improvisations.
“Black Dog” (1998), directed by Kevin Hooks, is another film involving truckers manipulated into the transportation of illegal arms. The incorporation of truck drivers and action presented in the movie showcases an almost real experience that shows how the lives of truck drivers are in their day-to-day business.
Trucker movies or industries were first popular through music which displayed the wandering lifestyle of truckers. Films inspire us to tell stories of truckers and showcase their lifestyle in carrying out their day-to-day routine and the adventure of their work. Movies also ensure that they have a clear glimpse of the trucking industry. For this reason, works like “Paradise Highway” involve a close relationship with real drivers who offer an effective adaptation of the trucking industry and trucker’s life. From a woman’s perspective, actors such as Juliette Binoche offer a different view of trucking regarding their safety and other challenges in the industry.
According to publicity about the film, Binoche learned to drive a truck and fell in love with the experience of driving an 18-wheeler. “I loved hearing the motor,” said Binoche. “Because there are 13 different gears, you learn to be in tune with your engine sound, almost like a musical instrument, in order to drive well.”
The research done by the director Anna Gutto is a profound way of showcasing good film production as seen in movie reviews. While most films may fail to show the trucking industry’s professionalism by using vulgar words and other unrealistic plots, Gutto shows how this is very relevant in telling a story. Professionalism in displaying a movie or telling a certain story requires the same dedication to giving accurate results and practical experience.
At Transam Carriers, we believe that learning the attributes of the industry you represent and demonstrating real-world experience will guarantee maximum audience engagement. While not all of them are a perfect illustration of a trucker’s life, all movies mentioned in the article are considered influential in the trucking industry and recommended for watching. Movie trailers with the links are listed below:
- Paradise Highway (2022) by Anna Gutto, watch the trailer
- Duel (1971) by Steven Spielberg, watch the trailer
- Convoy (1978) by Sam Peckinpah, watch the trailer
- Breaker! Breaker! (1977) by Don Hulette, watch the trailer
- Smokey and the Bandit (1977) by Hal Needham, watch the trailer
- Black Dog (1998) by Kevin Hooks, watch the trailer
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