Apr 28 2007
The best movie car chase, a poll.
Les Jones has put up a poll asking “What’s the greatest car chase in movie history?“. Swing on by and make your voice heard.
[I voted for the Blues Brothers, but that was more for the scope of the chase, Bullitt remains the movie that pops to mind when someone says "car chase"]
Hmmmm… I liked the moped chase in “Diva” but I suppose that doesn’t count. It also didn’t have Steve McQueen in it…
You know, I’ve been meaning, for years, to put up my personal favorite ‘top ten car chases’ list … so I’m looking forward to seeing what people post – perhaps save me some brain strain
Obviously ‘Blues Brothers’ and ‘Bullitt’ make my list (especially since the Bullitt sequence was filmed mostly at actual speed!). And there are other obvious choices, like the (original) ‘Italian Job’ and ‘The French Connection.’
But I’ll have to scratch my head over some of the more ‘oddball’ sequences, like the 2CV chase in ‘For Your Eyes Only.’ and the movie-length chase in Spielberg’s ‘Duel.’
Sure, there are car chases in films like ‘Fast and Furious” but they seem, for some reason, contrived and don’t really work for me.
Then, again, I should maybe also consider a ‘top ten motorcycle chases’ list, too … Steve McQueen, of course, in “Escape”, “Diva” for sure, “Freebie and the Bean” – perhaps.
Does that time you thought that an invisible clown car was chasing you count as a car chase scene? Because we all loved that one…
-GRIN-
This is a topic of conversation that comes up in every garage I work in.
I have heard just about every movie with a car in it named.
But, when car guys sit around talking about it, you get some odd responses.
One movie that gets brought up from time to time is “Dead pool”.
Getting chased by a remote controlled hotrod full of C4, can’t beat it.
How about “Jurassic park”, short lived, but racing a T-Rex…
If I had to choose a favorite, I’d say “Ronin”.
Cheesy and full of continuity errors, but still great.
By the way, if we’re voting on worst my vote goes to “corvette summer”.
What a stinker.
Totally off topic but I wanted to let you know Vince got mentioned in dispatches, award to follow. Check it out http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=5044
Hmmm … I’d almost forgotten … another ‘oddball’ sequence takes place in ‘Bullet to Beijing’ – one of the ‘post-downsizing’ Harry Palmer films. You don’t often see Lada Nivas cast for chase scenes – it progressively disintegrates during the chase (BTW – this film is worth renting for the Aeroflot scene!)
Way of the Gun should get a mention for being a cool low-speed car chase.
I’d have to agree with Piet on Ronin. If only because I have to shamefully admit I’ve never seen most of the others mentioned.
Bullit was and still is the best car chase ever; especially when Steve McQueen does the driving.
Dammit Mike, I completely forgot about the outstanding low-speed car chase in Way of the Gun. Hrm, going to have to do some more thinking about this clearly, but my gut still says Bullitt wins, and Blues Brothers is second place.
My vote goes to the original “gone in 60 seconds” with Elenor clearly the star of the show.
IIRC, it was (is?) the longest-lasting & most expensive car chase ever.
Merle