Top 10 movies featuring heavy machinery

If a vehicle excels glossy actors by becoming the superstar of a film, that occurs when it's a famous movie vehicle. There are a lot of memorable trucks, vans and heavy machinery involved in films, notwithstanding to crack the top 10 a vehicle should necessarily have a special luster and become the stuff everyone keeps in mind. There are our 10 favorites. Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

1. James Bond film series

Casino Royale, 2006 – New Holland Wheel Loader W190

If you thought that it was only Daniel Craig to make a remarkable debut in one of the highest-grossing James Bond films "Casino Royale", you were badly mistaken. The appearance of New Holland Wheel Loader W190 is no less important… at least in the world of iconic heavy machinery. And the wheel loader showed an excellent acting ability.

It pops up in such a necessary moment, when James Bond is in hot pursuit of a villain and he desperately needs help. And here it is, a worthy partner for a worthy hero. The robust loader, driven by the courageous agent, breaks through the fence, clearing up the road for the chase. Meanwhile, its windscreen withstands enemy bullets, saving the precious Bond's life.

Skyfall, 2012 – Caterpillar 320D L Hydraulic Excavator

Daniel Craig's version of James Bond named "Skyfall" continued to show illustrious heavy machinery driving skills . The film starts with action-packed scenes featuring Caterpillar 320D L Hydraulic Excavator. By the way, Cat vehicles are experienced participants of the Bondiana. It can be seen in "The World Is Not Enough" (1999). So, the "Bond+Cat" cooperation has made a valuable contribution to catch viewers' attention.

But before starring in a film, the excavator has undergone challenging modifications to fit the scenario. A standard Cat 320D L has the cabin on the left side and the modified Cat 320D L is prominent for the right-side cab. It took a great effort for the technicians to change all the electronics and hydraulics to the other side of a machine.

As a result, we can ultimately enjoy James Bond's ability of driving a hydraulic excavator over Volkswagen Beetles on a speeding train while communicating with his assistant Eve (who drives parallel to the train on the right), then digging the roof of the carriage, walking on the boom and, finally, jumping down in a typical reserved Bond's manner. But don't forget, all this became possible due to an extremely reliable Caterpillar excavator!

2. Terminator 2: Judgment Day, 1991

Freightliner FLA tow truck and Freightliner FLC tanker truck

What comes out of situations, when heavy machines fall into the hands of "a bad guy", is depicted in "Terminator 2". This movie features 2 Freightliner trucks that are taken hostage and used against "good guys".

A 1987 Freightliner FLA 9664 hook lift is the first to suffer the unlucky fate. It is driven by the T-1000 during the flood tunnels chase scene. The FLA 9664 has had a lot to bear: from numerous car collisions to an giddy jump off a bridge into a storm drain. But, eventually, such a stressful pursuit has taken its toll and the truck lost its head after smashing the bulk above the drain. For a moment we have enjoyed the Freightliner's cabriolet version before it blows up at the end of the scene.

The second Freightliner captured is the FLC 120 64 – a tanker carrying liquid nitrogen. During the tanker chase scene the T-800 performs a striking maneuver, when he turns the fast-running truck from the outside, topples it to the ground and then rides several tens of meters on the top of the cab.

3. Transformers film series

This film series was made especially for the fans of heavy metal… and for the fans of toys, as all the transformers characters are based on the toy models. The toy line is in great demand what is clearly understood. While transforming a robot into a high-class vehicle or vice versa, there is a precious possibility to transform the reality around you and for a couple minutes to plunge into a fictional but so tempting world.

One of the most popular toys is Optimus Prime – the leader of the Autobots from the planet Cybertron. The toy was created in 1984 and has gone through several modifications since then. Most of the models including Peterbilt 379, Marmon cab-over and Western Star 7500 trucks were also used in the sequel "Transformers: Age of Extinction" released in 2014. And as there is a waste of time to describe all the machinery from four Transformers series, we turn our attention to Optimus Prime's heavy trucks modes.

Freightliner FL-86 cab-over-engine truck

This is the original toy mode, which has never been used in the movies.

Peterbilt 379 conventional truck

Unfortunately for many fans, the movie-makers decided to change the original cab-over design to a conventional one. It was made for technical reasons to allow for the necessary height of the robot mode.

1973 Marmon cab-over truck

There is a huge difference from the previous mode, isn't there? But don't think that such a wretched look is the result of Prime's dissipated life. Actually, he was betrayed and had to disguise for survival.

Western Star 5700 Phantom Custom truck

The 4th series is notable for the new truck model for Optimus. And the real Western Star 5700XE launched in 2015 is notable for "extreme efficiency" (the base for the abbreviation "XE") with maximum aerodynamics, offered by the brand.

4. Meet the Fockers, 2004

Fleetwood RV

If a film features such fabled actors as Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand and Ben Stiller, the setting should be worthy of the cast. Having chosen Fleetwood's Pace Arrow RV for interior, exterior and action scenes, the production crew didn't regret it. Thus, watching this movie, a viewer can see on their own eyes, what it's like to travel in a state-of-the-art motor home (as not many people can do it in a real life). Moreover, there is a bonus from scriptwriters. As the owner of the vehicle is a retired CIA agent, his coach is custom-designed and consists of a kevlar-reinforced hull, 2-inch plexiglass windows, CCTV cameras, a soundproof cockpit and, of course, a secret lab.

In order to make interior scenes possible, the Pace Arrow made a sacrifice. One of its units was cut in half to accommodate the filming needs. As a result, a number of memorable scenes took place there, including a pivotal scene in which the cat flushes the dog down the RV's toilet.

5. Hyena Road, 2015

Mercedes-Benz Actros AHSVS

The Mercedes-Benz Actros truck needs no introduction, but its military version isn't well-known to the masses. The letters AHSVS stand for Armoured Heavy Support Vehicle System. So, the Mercedes-Benz Actros is made to support as it is stated in the name, and to fight as it is implied in such an appalling but true idea, declared by the protagonist: "In Taliban-occupied Kandahar, dogs fight dogs… birds fight birds… and men kill men."

6. Trucks, 1997

Western Star 4964 Refrigerator Truck

The concept of self-driving trucks has exited much interest and curiosity for many years already. Nowadays the facts of its implementing are no more surprising. But as far back as 20 years ago it was something scaring, almost unbelievable and could be depicted perhaps only in fiction.

The idea of malicious driverless trucks inspired Stephen King to a short story "Trucks", adapted to a horror film with the same name in 1997. The Western Star 4964 refrigerator truck plays the role of the main adversary of the residents of a small American town. Fortunately, it isn't able to transform into any super creatures, otherwise the Optimus Prime Western Star (from "Transformers") would have to appear on Earth earlier and the humans could be involved in a fratricidal struggle.

7. The Hitcher, 2007

Kenworth T-600

The scene with a once popular Kenworth T-600 truck is one more ill-fated example of what can turn out if a vehicle is used as a murder means. The hypersensitive are not allowed to watch. The episode is not only really heart-rending but really body-rending as well…

8. Jurassic Park, 1993

Ford Explorer XLT

The Ford Explorers XLT used in the movie as the autonomous electric tour vehicles running around the Jurassic Park, became as legendary as the film itself. The car scenes are well remembered largely thanks to recognizable car painting, which became a distinctive attribute of the featured story. Many kids of that time were obsessed with the XLT toy models either ready-made or painted at home. And many true fans continued turning their dreams into reality even in adulthood. The videos of the kind "how I made my Jurassic Park Ford Explorer" are still popular on the internet.

But not many people know that Michael Crichton's original story involved Toyota Land Cruisers as the Jurassic Park tour cars. There are guesses that the change took place as Steven Spielberg, the director of the film, owned a Ford Explorer (and enjoyed driving it) while filming the movie.

9. Duel, 1971

Peterbilt 281

This is probably the best example of the movie, which success was directly connected with the machinery starred in it. The intense duel between a red Plymouth Valiant and an intimidating grimy Peterbilt made the whole story and triggered numerous philosophic interpretations. Although the personified wicked tractor unit (the driver is never shown) crashes at the end of the film, it's immortal in the minds of the people, impressed by the story. The main villain has become the main hero. The Peterbilt 281 has its own Facebook account with 26, 647 followers!

10. Smokey and the Bandit, 1977

Kenworth W900A Truck

The W900A is especially significant model in a Kenworth Class 8 truck line. It gained wide recognition among owner-operators long before starring in a smash hit "Smokey and the Bandit". But after the film release it truly rose to the stardom. The movie is about a captivating trip lead by the Kenworth truck towing an eye-catching trailer with a horse mural outside and 400 cases of bootlegged beer inside. The truck played such a great part that since the 80s it has been commemorated as numerous toy models and genuine truck replicas.