FIVE OF THE BEST: COUNTING DOWN THE CRAZIEST CAR CHASES
January 20th 2009 07:12
There are two ways to look at great car chases: The first is to view them in a purely technical fashion, as a set piece and nothing else; the other is to look at them in the greater context of the story, as a consequence of character and plot. Here, Screentrek finds fine examples of both in attempting to round out the five greatest car chases ever.
5. Ronin
Essential Tools: Audi S8 & Mercedes S W116 vs. Citroen XM & three Peugeot 605s
Arguably the most technically proficient car chase ever filmed, Frankenheimer upped the realism by eschewing digital effects for this efficient four-wheeled symphony. Kicked off with an explosive raid performed by Robert De Niro and Jean Reno, they end up lending support to Skipp Sudduth (who did virtually all of his own driving) in his Audi S8 as he pursues the bad guys down a twisty mountain road and into the heart of Nice. Great directing gives the audience a firm sense of geography as motorised mayhem ensues.
4. Bullitt
Essential Tools: Ford Mustang vs. Dodge Charger
The movie that defined car chases for the modern age with Steve McQueen, director Peter Yates and their cohorts essentially writing the playbook for all that followed. Audacious stunts and cinematography on the streets of San Francisco are matched to amazing, minimalist sound design to create an absolutely startling scene. Mustang versus Charger; McQueen versus a couple of dour stuntmen: With ten minutes worth of action, the chase ends when the bad guys have to stop for gas & snacks and Bullitt unsportingly runs them headlong into the petrol pump.
3. Terminator 2
Essential Tools: Tiny Bike & Harley Davidson vs. massive Freightliner Tow Truck
A pure statement of intent by director James Cameron, this is essentially the first action scene in T2 and one of the best. John Connor (Edward Furlong) races on his tiny trail bike while the seemingly unstoppable T-1000 (Robert Patrick) commandeers a giant tow truck and chases him down. All the while, Arnie is in pursuit on his earlier acquired Harley Davidson. Once again, one of this scene’s greatest strengths has to do with its effective use of geography, something easily achieved by Cameron with most of the chase taking place in the linear environment of a Los Angeles flood control channel. There are some great little elements of character here too, as Connor displays his ‘sisu’ and the true missions of both the Terminators become apparent. Exhilarating stuff.
2. The Road Warrior
Essential Tools: Mack Truck Tanker & Support Buggy & Autogyro vs. about 20 specially modified Crazy Death Machines.
The most straightforward of the Mad Max films, this ‘western on wheels’ is also perhaps the most frightening. Max (Mel Gibson) has become a shell of his former self, an abrasive antihero who simply roams the barren post-apocalyptic Australian landscape in a perpetual search for petrol. When he reluctantly gets dragged into helping an under-siege community escape from the evil Hummungus (Kjell Nilsson) and his tribalistic horde, Max has to blockade run the bad guys in a fuel-laden tanker with a bare minimum of help. A terrifying car chase ensues with director George Miller expertly filming what looks like a mission with absolutely no chance of success. Pack extra underpants for this one.
1. Blues Brothers
Essential Tools: Retired 1974 Dodge Monaco Police Car vs. 1976 Dodge Monaco Police Car & Ford Pinto & Ford LTD Country Squire
The greatest, most outrageous car chase ever as Jake and Elwood Blues (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd respectively) attempt to outrun something in the vicinity of 50 police cars (and some Illinois Nazis) to deliver a cheque for $5000 to a Chicago tax assessor’s office and therefore stop the closure of their childhood orphanage. The sheer scale of this final chase scene is intimidating, but what makes it work more than anything else is how invested you are in the Jake and Elwood and their ‘Mission from God’ by this point in the film. Director John Landis lets the comedy flow but it takes nothing away from the stunt work and destruction. Cool, hilarious and gripping all at the same time.
5. Ronin
Dealing with Sunday drivers in Ronin
Arguably the most technically proficient car chase ever filmed, Frankenheimer upped the realism by eschewing digital effects for this efficient four-wheeled symphony. Kicked off with an explosive raid performed by Robert De Niro and Jean Reno, they end up lending support to Skipp Sudduth (who did virtually all of his own driving) in his Audi S8 as he pursues the bad guys down a twisty mountain road and into the heart of Nice. Great directing gives the audience a firm sense of geography as motorised mayhem ensues.
4. Bullitt
Bullitt: Some say it's still the greatest
The movie that defined car chases for the modern age with Steve McQueen, director Peter Yates and their cohorts essentially writing the playbook for all that followed. Audacious stunts and cinematography on the streets of San Francisco are matched to amazing, minimalist sound design to create an absolutely startling scene. Mustang versus Charger; McQueen versus a couple of dour stuntmen: With ten minutes worth of action, the chase ends when the bad guys have to stop for gas & snacks and Bullitt unsportingly runs them headlong into the petrol pump.
3. Terminator 2
The T-1000 (Robert Patrick) puts himself together again after the channel chase
A pure statement of intent by director James Cameron, this is essentially the first action scene in T2 and one of the best. John Connor (Edward Furlong) races on his tiny trail bike while the seemingly unstoppable T-1000 (Robert Patrick) commandeers a giant tow truck and chases him down. All the while, Arnie is in pursuit on his earlier acquired Harley Davidson. Once again, one of this scene’s greatest strengths has to do with its effective use of geography, something easily achieved by Cameron with most of the chase taking place in the linear environment of a Los Angeles flood control channel. There are some great little elements of character here too, as Connor displays his ‘sisu’ and the true missions of both the Terminators become apparent. Exhilarating stuff.
2. The Road Warrior
Epic destruction in The Road Warrior
Essential Tools: Mack Truck Tanker & Support Buggy & Autogyro vs. about 20 specially modified Crazy Death Machines.
The most straightforward of the Mad Max films, this ‘western on wheels’ is also perhaps the most frightening. Max (Mel Gibson) has become a shell of his former self, an abrasive antihero who simply roams the barren post-apocalyptic Australian landscape in a perpetual search for petrol. When he reluctantly gets dragged into helping an under-siege community escape from the evil Hummungus (Kjell Nilsson) and his tribalistic horde, Max has to blockade run the bad guys in a fuel-laden tanker with a bare minimum of help. A terrifying car chase ensues with director George Miller expertly filming what looks like a mission with absolutely no chance of success. Pack extra underpants for this one.
1. Blues Brothers
Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi and their Dodge Monaco in The Blues Brothers
The greatest, most outrageous car chase ever as Jake and Elwood Blues (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd respectively) attempt to outrun something in the vicinity of 50 police cars (and some Illinois Nazis) to deliver a cheque for $5000 to a Chicago tax assessor’s office and therefore stop the closure of their childhood orphanage. The sheer scale of this final chase scene is intimidating, but what makes it work more than anything else is how invested you are in the Jake and Elwood and their ‘Mission from God’ by this point in the film. Director John Landis lets the comedy flow but it takes nothing away from the stunt work and destruction. Cool, hilarious and gripping all at the same time.
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Mountain Fog
Comment by alt_ed
Alted Opinion
ArtCombat
The Inner Saintdom
Comment by Matt Shea
Don't get me wrong, the car chase on one level is really cool, but it's not that there is very little character, it's that there is no character at all - none - that's the problem for me. Therefore, at the end during the chase you are taken out of the moment completely.