The Best Movie Car Chases

The Best Movie Car Chases ever? From the Daddy of car chase movies, the 1968 film Bulitt starring Steve McQueen, followed by the 1971 classic `Vanishing Point` & 1974 original `Gone In 60 Seconds` to the modern day movies such as James Blonds Craig Daniel `Quantum of Solace` and the many many car chase movies in between. Which one is the best?

Lets face it, with peoples differing opinions there is never going to be an all time definite list of the best car chases!

Then we also have the slapstick comedy type car chases with films like The Blues Brothers, Cannonball Run, Smokey and the Bandit, Pineapple express, Taxi & not the shite American remake with queen Latifah, etc, etc.

I have deliberately left the comedy genre of car chase movies out for now but will be doing a follow up post to this one soon 😉

Well here is my list of The Best Movie Car Chases…….starting with one of all time favourites `Vanishing Point`

  • Vanishing Point

What can I say? This 1971 car chase movie is a must watch and If you haven’t seen it yet, what the hell are you waiting for, you really need to get a copy.

Its a simple story of Kowalski (Barry Newman) who has to deliver a 1970 Dodge Challenger from Colorado to San Fransisco, along the way Kowalski has a bet that he can do it in 15 hours!

Along the way, Kowalski is guided by Supersoul – a blind DJ with a police radio scanner. Throw in lots of chase scenes, gay hitchhikers, a naked woman riding a motorbike, lots of Mopar and you’ve got a great cult hit from the early 70’s.

Need for speed blatantly tried to copy the character Super Soul played by Cleavon Little, with that twat Michael Keaton doing a piss poor job of it.

 

  • Dirty Mary Crazy Larry

Another Great car chase movie from the 70s, this era was the golden age of car movies for sure with real stunts done by real stunt men! One of my favourite scenes is when the cop in a souped up police car says “My Top End Is Unlimited”…..hehehe too funny, if you’ve seen the movie you will know 😉

Larry Rayder is an aspiring NASCAR driver, Deke Sommers his mechanic. As they feel they collectively are the best, the only thing that is holding them back is money to build the best vehicle possible. As such, they decide to rob a supermarket’s office of the money in its safe to pursue their dream.

 

 

  • Bulitt

Lets face it, who hasn’t heard of Bulitt. This film has one of the greatest car chase scenes ever. During the car chase scene, authorities were informed the cars would not exceed 35mph through the streets of San Fransisco but infact they reached speeds of 110mph! Concerned residents called police thinking it was real………

An all guts, no glory San Francisco cop becomes determined to find the underworld kingpin that killed the witness in his protection.

 

 

  • The Driver

The is a great film in its own right with great acting but is even better with the amazing car chase scenes, which are intense, well photographed and fun to watch, another classic!

“The Driver” is a specialist in a rare business: he drives getaway cars in robberies. His exceptional talent prevented him from being caught yet. After another successful flight from the police, a self-assured detective makes it his primary goal to catch the Driver.

 

 

  • Mad Max 2

The Road Warrior, both Mad Max & Mad Max 2 are great car movies, with great car chases throughout. Last of the V8s, the Interceptor with the fictional supercharger that could be switched on & off to save on precious fuel…love it 😉

Thinking about it this could the very near future as oil supplies get lower & lower 😉

There is also a Mad Mad remake coming out in the summer of 2015, starring Tom Hardy as Mad Max, hopefully it will be as good as the original!

In the post-apocalyptic Australian wasteland, a cynical drifter agrees to help a small, gasoline rich, community escape a band of bandits.

 

 

  • The French Connection

This movie has a great car chase scene and rumor has it that it was all real. Gene Hackman done the driving himself and was filmed on a real live streets, not a film set, with people driving and walking around unaware that filming was taking place!

All the accidents & crashes were real and kept in the film….with health & safety these days it would never be repeated!!

A pair of NYC cops in the Narcotics Bureau stumble onto a drug smuggling job with a French connection.

 

 

  • Ronin

This film has some of the most amazing car chases throughout! Taking place through the busy streets of Paris, De Niro is in a Peugeot 405 chasing the lovely Natascha McElhonein in a Beautiful sounding 5 series Beamer. One of the best is the scenes is the look of fear on Robert De Niros face.

This was not acting, this was real life fear as De Niro was actually proper scared, (1:58, 2:08) as he was a passenger in parts of the chase scenes with a stunt driver in the passenger seat doing the actual driving! Hahaha too funny.

 

  • Gone In 60 Seconds (Original Version)

This film has the longest car chase scene filmed using the same car, the Mach I Mustang throughout the car chase. The acting may not be great but if you like car films you have got to see this.

Insurance investigator Maindrian Pace and his team lead double-lives as unstoppable car thieves. When a South American drug lord pays Pace to steal 48 cars for him, all but one, a 1973 Ford Mustang, are in the bag.

 

 

  • To Live & Die in LA

A real gritty film with great acting and music, made in 1985, this film and has stood the test of time and is still a top film. Has a fantastic car chase scene, some people say its the best car chase scene ever!

A fearless Secret Service agent will stop at nothing to bring down the counterfeiter who killed his partner.

 

 

  • Death Proof

A Tarantino movie had to make it on the best car chase list and Death Proof fits the bill. Great car chase scenes and Kurt Russel was a great choice for the part, although not the greatest of films due to some really irritating characters in it, yeah you know the ones, them stupid screaming, shrieking women 🙁

Two separate sets of voluptuous women are stalked at different times by a scarred stuntman who uses his “death proof” cars to execute his murderous plans.

 

 

  • The Bourne Supremacy

The Bourne series of films are all great with some epic car chases in them.

When Jason Bourne is framed for a CIA operation gone awry, he is forced to resume his former life as a trained assassin to survive.

 

 

  • The Gumball Rally

Long before the Cannoball Run arrived we had The Gumball Rally from 1976. I included this in the list although it is quite comical it is a must see for car chase fans with real cars and real stunts.

A disparate group of drivers take part in a secret and illegal cross country road race.

 

 

  • Quantum of Solace

This has to be one of the greatest opening scenes to a James bond film. The noise from that Aston Martins throaty V12 is glorious, as Craig Daniel is trying his damnedest to lose the bad guys in their V6 Alfas through heavy traffic on tight, twisting roads. This car chase is brutal, Intense and fun to watch!

The list of The Best Car Chase Movies could go on and on and I’m sure there are many I have I have not mentioned but the movies I have listed are the ones that 1st came to mind.

I would love to here your views in the comments below on The Best Car Chase Movies ever made?

Whats your opinion on the old type of Car Chase Movies, where they use real cars & stunt drivers Vs the newer type of that relies heavily on CGI effects.

Please feel free to share with your friends…..

 

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