“Pop quiz, hotshot. There’s a bomb on a bus. Once the bus goes 50 miles an hour, the bomb is armed. If it drops below 50, it blows up. What do you do? What do you do?” Released on June 10, 1994, it’s now been three decades since movie audiences were held in heart-pounding suspense as a young actor’s character aimed to answer this riddle. “Speed” is the best kind of summer blockbuster — a sleeper hit that takes critics and audiences by surprise. With a first-time director, a relatively unknown actress and an actor who was just establishing himself as a solid lead, “Speed” opened at number one, established Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock as two of the biggest stars of decade and caused many of us to rethink using mass transit. It’s the “Speed” 30th anniversary, so grab a bowl of popcorn as we take a look back at one of the best nail-biters of the 1990s.
Screenwriter Graham Yost had worked on a couple of TV series, and was encouraged by his father to watch “Runaway Train” (1985), an action thriller based on an undeveloped screenplay by famed Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Yost adapted the concept of an out-of-control train headed for disaster to a bus, with the added suspense of a bomb, planted by an extortionist bomber, on board set to explode if the bus goes below a certain speed.
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John McTiernan was considered for director based on his action hits like “Die Hard” (1988) and “The Hunt for Red October” (1990), but he instead suggested cinematographer Jan de Bont. Although de Bont had never directed a film, his 20-plus-years experience working the camera included action movies like “Die Hard,” which had similarities to Yost’s original script. However, a casting decision and some help from an uncredited writer eased “Speed” into a slightly different direction.
Yost’s story saw a few rewrites along the way, with de Bont tapping Joss Whedon to consult on the script. Meanwhile, Reeves was cast as LAPD SWAT officer Jack Traven, who heroically jumps on board to rescue the passengers. Originally, this character was conceived as a John McClane-type character, with witty one-liners and a cocky confidence. But Reeves’s performances in films like “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure” (1989) and “Point Break” (1991) had established his more laidback persona, with the latter his first action film that also had him cast as law enforcement (although FBI in that film). Reeves was not comfortable with the Traven character, and Whedon helped to rework him into less of a cocky hotshot and into more of an earnest civil servant trying to save lives. For the role, Reeves buzzed his famous locks, and spent weeks at the gym to get into shape.
The character of Annie Porter, the passenger who takes control of the runaway bus when the driver is injured, was initially conceived as a paramedic or a driver’s ed teacher to explain how she could handle the careening bus. However, a little-known actress named Sandra Bullock read with Reeves, and their chemistry led to her casting, as well as a little romantic spark between the two characters, throwing Annie into a slightly different direction. Instead, she’s riding the bus because her driver’s license has been revoked … for speeding …
Several buses were painted to look similar to buses serving the L.A. area, and were rigged for different effects throughout production, with some being used for the high-speed scenes, some for the inside shots and others for explosion takes. Bullock learned to drive a bus herself, and handled the task with the help of a stunt driver. Reeves performed many of his stunts himself, including the scene in which Traven jumps from the car onto the bus.
Although Reeves and Bullock were at the beginnings of their stardom, they were backed by some well-established veterans. Portraying Traven’s partner Harry Temple was Jeff Daniels, whose two-decade acting career included key roles in films like “Terms of Endearment” and “The Purple Rose of Cairo.” Dennis Hopper, known for his off-beat and sometimes mentally disturbed characters, was cast as Howard Payne, the “eccentric” bomber who wields a grudge against the police officers who thwarted his previous bombing attempt that was two years in the making.
“Speed” debuted at number one on its opening weekend, steamrolling over “The Flintstones” and “City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold,” and stayed in the Top 10 until the end of July. Thrilling, suspenseful, with bits of that one-liner wit remaining, it was one of THE films to see in the summer of 1994. Reeves established himself as an action hero with a heart, leading to his success in films like the “Matrix” and “John Wicks” franchises, and Bullock became one of the most sought-after actresses of the decade. It received Academy Award nominations for Best Film Editing, Best Sound and Best Sound Effects Editing, winning the latter two, and is frequently named as one of the best films of the 1990s, and one of the best action movies of all time.
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