Favorite Old(er) Car Chase Movies

Cafe Society
1

I’m sure this has been explored, but I’m curious what the current crop of dopers thinks. What is your all-time favorite older car chase movie? My own is Vanishing Point. Not much of a story, I know, but some great chase scenes and featuring an awesome '70 Dodge Challenger. (As an aside, I love my new, fuel-efficient, air-bag-equipped safe vehicle, but DAMN!, there really ain’t no substitute for cubic inches planted firmly in a land yacht… ::sighs:: )
I miss my old '72 Impala 400 4-bbl… Oh well…

So what’s YOUR favorite race/chase movie? And why?

2

Elwood and Jake’s mad dash to Daley Plaza on a full tank of gas, at night, wearing sunglasses.

3

Smokey and the Bandit

How old(er) can we go? A few years ago there was Ronin which was pretty bad ass. And also Gone in 60 Seconds had some old car in it as well.

4

Bullitt

If only to watch that Beetle show up over and over again.

5

The Italian Job. It also has the awesomest clothing I’ve ever seen, and if you get the special edition DVD there’s a deleted scene featuring Indoor Mini Ballet with full orchestra.

6

Askia- I believe the quote was

Elwood- “We’ve got a full tank of gas, half-a-pack of cigarettes, it’s dark; and we’re wearing sunglasses”

Jake- “Hit it!”
One of the best chase scenes ever, and it includes this gem:

Dispatcher “Use of excessive force in the apprehension of the Blues Brothers has been approved”

Vanishing Point does rock, but only the original. There was a remake, and it was substandard, even as “car chase movies” go.

7

The Italian Job and the French Connection.

8

Heh. Another of my all-time favorites Askia. That poor car…
:smiley:

And I’d like to modify my OP to include current race/chases, as there are a few new ones I like a lot as well. :slight_smile:

9

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World(1963), and The Love Bug (1969).

10

Yes, W/T/S, the original only for me. I didn’t even know there was a remake. Never seen it. Glad I didn’t. :slight_smile:

11

I like the non-chase chase scene in Dirty Mary Crazy Larry.

12

Barney Oldfield’s Race for a Life! Car chases, and Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand!

13

Ayup.

I’ll also second The Italian Job (Ed Norton’s… I’ve yet to see the original).

14

My understanding is that The French Connection pretty much invented the modern car chase scene. Have I been misled in this regard?

15

“Aloha, Bobby and Rose”

a low-budget sixties Bonnie & Clyde rip-off, still did not prepare you for ending.
16

“The Driver”

 Ryan O'Neill's coolest flick with some of the best car footage on film!
17

Bullitt preceded it by three years.

Guess who saved up his lawn mowing money when he was a 13 to buy a Super 8 print of that movie? :slight_smile:

18

The new Italian Job has very little to do with the original. They are completely different movies, both good in their own way… but as this is a thread about OLD car chase movies, I didn’t think the Ed Norton one was worth mentioning.

19

Are you talking about the remake, or the original Gone in 60 Seconds? I saw the original when it first came out, but not since.

The original The Italian Job kicks ass; haven’t bothered to see the remake.

I don’t know where the cutoff point for “old” movies is, but I have to mention The Road Warrior.

And every time this subject comes up, I mention Rendezvous; and every time I am resoundingly ignored. Until such time as someone is arrested for making a car chase movie on public streets without permission, this one stands alone.

20

It’s been years since I’ve seen it but **Diva ** has a memorable chase scene through Paris’ Metro…on moped and foot as I remember.