The Los Angeles neighbourhood of Angelino Heights has been at the heart of the Fast and Furious Franchise since it began in 2001. Bob’s Market, which becomes Toretto’s Market & Cafe in the universe of the movies, has become a haven for fans. However, locals are unhappy because it also attracts a more dangerous element – street racers.
According to Variety, nearly every night, car enthusiasts spin out doing donuts at high speeds in front of the store, in addition to racing and doing street takeovers throughout the area just west of Downtown.
A notice of filming from FilmLA received by community members indicates that Fast X (the tenth movie in the franchise) will shoot Friday from 9 am to 2 am in front of the “Toretto house” with “simulated emergency services activity, aerial photography, wetting down of street and atmospheric smoke.” Residents who deal with the constant noise and unsafe conditions are fed up, and are planning a protest during the shoot.
The email continues; “If this film shoot is allowed to go forward in Angelino Heights, or any part of it from F10 Productions (Universal) … we will stage a huge protest and will invite many reporters and news cameras to film us protesting this film shoot all day and night,” an email obtained by Variety from a resident to Los Angeles City Council reads.
“We will hold this protest to honour the 178 people who have been killed by street racers in Los Angeles, and to shame Universal for their callous disregard for this deadly epidemic of street racing their films started and continue to promote.”
The irony is that the Fast saga has moved on from its street-racing origins and spun out into increasingly elaborate and mind-boggling stunts, including taking the franchise to space. This doesn’t help the residents of the neighbourhood, who have to put up with the noise of street racing all year round though.
Find out more about the Fast and Furious cast.