10 Famous Corvettes From The Movies

The world was first introduced to the legendary Corvette in 1953. It seems it was destined to be on the big screen: it exudes a certain attitude of style, class, and luxury.

And the big screen is where it ended up. Corvettes are still seen as a status symbol, which is perhaps why so many of our favorite movie characters are seen cruising in them.

Of the hundreds of films featuring Corvettes, we've narrowed it down to our 10 favorites. Keep reading to learn the make, model, year and other details of some of the most famous Corvettes to appear on the silver screen.

1. Animal House

Animal House, as you probably know, is one of the best party/college movies of all time.

Featuring big name comedic actors like Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, John Belushi, and Chevy Chase, it details a ragtag fraternity taking on their college's dean.

It is a frat movie complete with parties that shape fraternity life and expectations to this day.

It also featured a few gorgeous vintage cars, including the famous 1959 Corvette. With the classic cherry red paint job with white features, it's the perfect car for the rich fraternity chairman to ride around campus in.

The film takes place in the early 60s, so it's a relatively new car in the film’s world. However, the movie was actually made in the late 70s, meaning it was an almost 20-year-old Corvette by its release. It was definitely very well taken care of by the owner (which, let's face it, is common with car buffs who own Corvettes).

2. Apollo 13

Apollo 13 follows the true story of the Apollo 13 mission to the moon. In the film, Tom Hanks' character is shown driving a gorgeous 1970 Corvette Stingray (C3).

Unlike the fictional Animal House, the addition of the Corvette in Apollo 13 follows real life. NASA and Corvettes are strangely linked. When the first American that went to space (Alan Shepherd) showed up to astronaut training driving his own 1957 Corvette, General Motors (the maker of Corvettes) jumped at the chance to strengthen that link.

GM began giving many of the first American astronauts in NASA brand new Corvettes. The man Hanks played, Jim Lovell, actually did own a Corvette as a result.

The guy gets to go to space and get a free Corvette? Not too shabby.

3. Body Heat

The first two movies on this list feature Corvettes in prime condition. Body Heat, on the other hand, shows a time when older Corvettes were seen as relatively cheap, used and not-that-special cars (we know, it's shocking to hear).

The Corvette used is an older and beat-up 1964 Corvette convertible, which fits the sleazy lawyer character perfectly. Many other movie Corvettes are used for epic action, car chases and events that only seem to happen in the movies.

Not with this one. This Corvette acts like a "regular" car and looks like one too. However, the older and used look adds character to the car than many collectors and Corvette enthusiasts love.

4. Corvette Summer

How could we not include a movie that has the car's name in the title? The 1978 film Corvette Summer starring Mark Hamill and Annie Potts features an amazing customized 1973 Corvette that Mark's character and others customize in their high school auto shop class. The car is then stolen because it's so awesome, and the kids have to get it back.

It's not the most realistic or incredible film ever made, but it's enjoyable to watch nonetheless. It's especially fun to watch if you're a car buff who loves to make custom vehicles.

5. Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me

When you think of spies with classic cars, James Bond comes to mind. But what about Mike Myers' funny spoof on James Bond, Austin Powers?

Austin is a complete spy caricature with his velvet suits, his "male" symbol necklace, and, of course, the awesome car. However, Austin himself drives a British-made Jaguar fully decorated with the Union Jack.

His American love interest and fellow spy, Felicity Shagwell (yes, that's her name), stays true to her roots with the classic American-made 1966 C2 Corvette decorated with the American flag. It doesn't get more over-the-top than that, but if you've seen the movie, then you'll understand that "over-the-top" fits the film.

6. 2 Fast 2 Furious

The first true "car movie" on this list gives us a few gorgeous Corvettes. However, it also gives us some heartbreaking Corvette destruction. You've been warned.

While our protagonists are in a high-speed chase in their 1998 Corvette C5, the car flips and is understandably destroyed. The scary part is that the crash was scripted, but the rollover/flip wasn't.

Because the flip was a surprise, there were no precautions put in place for the stunt driver. No roll cage, no expectation of a flip, nothing.

Thankfully, the stunt driver walked away unscathed because of fast thinking. We can't say the same for the Corvette, though.

7. Con Air

The Con Air Corvette, a 1967 Corvette Stingray, is another Corvette casualty. This action movie features federal prisoners hijacking a plane from the DEA that results in the DEA agent's beautiful Stingray being dragged through the air, hanging on by a single cable.

The car's fate ends as it crashes to the ground completely smashed and broken. If you can handle seeing the destruction of such a gorgeous, classic Corvette, give it a watch. The movie is exciting, fast-paced and enjoyable to watch (you can always skip the Corvette destruction, too).  

8. Star Trek (2009)

Apparently classic Corvettes are going to still exist, and still be drivable, a few centuries from now. In the 2009 Star Trek film, a young Captain Kirk is seen driving a classic 1965 Corvette Stingray through the open roads of Iowa in the 23rd century.

When we say a "young" Captain Kirk, we mean young: 11 or 12 to be exact. As you could expect with a pre-pubescent driver (especially knowing the renegade personality of Captain Kirk), things don't end well for the classic Corvette.

At the end of a robot police chase, Kirk abandons the car and watches it plunge off a cliff (since, you know, there are so many huge cliffs in Iowa).

What's with all of this classic car carnage?

9. Boogie Nights

Boogie Nights follow Mark Wahlberg's character as he slowly deteriorates via drugs and porn during the 70s and 80s. It's a sort of known fact that porn stars during that time owned cars like Corvettes in order to boast about their wealth and, well, stardom.

So that's exactly what Wahlberg's character, Dirk Diggler, does. He buys outlandish clothes, expensive jewelry, a new house, and, of course, the famous "competition orange" 1977 Corvette in order to show off his newfound fame.

Somewhat similar to the role the Corvette plays in Body Heat, the bright orange 1977 Corvette Wahlberg drives in the movie starts to worsen, break, and deteriorate right alongside its owner in order to mirror the feel and theme of the movie.

10. Terms of Endearment

Lastly, we have yet another astronaut who owns a Corvette. While the overall theme of this movie is more focused on a troubled relationship between mother and daughter than anything else, it does feature Jack Nicholson driving an awesome 1978 Anniversary Special Edition Corvette.

This film is perhaps the most famous on the list, seeing as it won Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (for Jack Nicholson's role), and Best Actress (for Shirley Maclaine's role).

What we remember most vividly, though, is Nicholson driving the Corvette onto the beach and parking it knee-deep in the ocean. While it's a bit painful to watch, it's also a pivotal part of the movie where the characters let loose and have fun, which is what driving a Corvette is all about, anyway.

10 Famous Corvettes That Upstage Their Actor Counterparts

Well, that might be a bit of a stretch. But the fact is that many of these movies are remembered because of their famous Corvettes that play key roles in the films.

Would Boogie Nights have showcased the culture quite as well without the Corvette? Would Apollo 13 have been accurate to the true story without featuring the astronauts' Corvettes?

We say a hearty "no". Corvettes are a part of American culture, which is why it makes sense that they're featured in yet another huge part of American culture: Hollywood.

Curious to learn more about Corvettes? Wondering where you can get your hands on these famous cars? We have both recent Corvette model parts along with a number of classic parts. Check out our selection!

You can also contact us with any questions or inquiries about certain parts/restoration needs.