# Hall of Fame/Shame of Car Chases and Car Stunts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2003, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754 "2003-07-02T12:01:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/21 "2003-07-02T22:46:17Z")
**Hall of Shame** : Every chase in _The Dukes of Hazzard_. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/22 "2003-07-02T23:33:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dooku \* > \*\*Was anyone else bothered by the constant flashing of the headlights during both **Ronin** car chases? It got to the point of distracting for me. I kept thinking “How can they be driving a stick that fast, steering and flashing their headlights all at the same time?” Plus, why are they so safety concious of the other cars all of a sudden, when at the same time they’re causing huge traffic accidents, making police cars crash and explode, etc? \*\* I thought that was a European thing. Flashing lights can’t be much harder than hittin gthe horn, and you want folks to get out of your way. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/23 "2003-07-03T00:12:37Z")
**Elwood** : It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we’ve got a full tank of gas, a half a pack of cigarattes, it’s dark and we’re wearing sunglasses. **Jake** : Hit it. And then the best car chase scene (about 1/3 of the movie) ensues… Hell, this should be the Straight Doper’s Motto… ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/24 "2003-07-03T04:12:33Z")
The Blues Brothers, my all-time favorite, has been mentioned several times. How about Terminator 2? The one through the LA canal system, then the one that ends in the steel mill? Awful continuity, but pretty cool. Cameron did a nice job with the Florida Keys chase at the end of True Lies, too. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/25 "2003-07-03T08:21:03Z")
As far as car stunts go, I was particularly amused by the almost-legendary “spiral bridge jump” in _The Man with the Golden Gun_: Bond drives a car of a broken bridge, spirals over the water, and lands perfectly on the other side. It’s a great moment in a great film, and it was so perfectly executed that I didn’t even mind the silly “spring” sound effect. ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/26 "2003-07-03T13:17:00Z")
> [@](#): > > almost-legendary “spiral bridge jump” Actually, it _is_ legendary. Nobody has attempted anything like it before or since. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/27 "2003-07-03T13:29:13Z")
I’ve always loved the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark, where Indy is under over and in front of the Mercedes truck. It’s so much fun! My first thought when seeing Matrix Reloaded was that I’ve finally seen a car chance that tops To Live and Die in LA. I’ll second every episode of Dukes of Hazard for worst. Gah, how did I ever sit through _any_ of those episodes? ---
**Author:** ![greenphan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c37758/32.png) [@greenphan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenphan)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/28 "2003-07-03T13:43:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dooku \* > \*\*Was anyone else bothered by the constant flashing of the headlights during both **Ronin** car chases? It got to the point of distracting for me. I kept thinking “How can they be driving a stick that fast, steering and flashing their headlights all at the same time?” Plus, why are they so safety concious of the other cars all of a sudden, when at the same time they’re causing huge traffic accidents, making police cars crash and explode, etc? \*\* It wouldn’t be that hard to flash your headlights while driving quickly and dangerously; all it requires is a spare finger on the left hand. And it isn’t necessarily being safety concious of other drivers; it could be a message for the drivers in front of them to get the hell out of the way, making their driving much easier. –greenphan ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/29 "2003-07-03T13:45:05Z")
I’d say the last chase in _The Blues Brothers_ is the best. I’m not into car chases, but I loved it, and I loved how they slowly gave up on realism and just wrecked as many cars as they could. I’d say the freeway chase from _The Matrix: Reloaded_ belongs in the Hall of Shame. It went on forever, was boring, featured a little Asian man and two albinos with dreadlocks, and the car was shot with 28,000 bullets which **clearly pierced the driver’s side door** - and everything else - but nobody was harmed. It was excess personified, and it just refused to end. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/30 "2003-07-03T14:52:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zeldar \* > \*\*Has there been an update for the car carnage in \*\* Blues Brothers \*\* for most vehicles destroyed in one flic? \*\* Sort of. I believe _Blues Brothers 2000_ holds the current record. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/31 "2003-07-03T15:06:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Short Guy \* > **As far as car stunts go, I was particularly amused by the almost-legendary “spiral bridge jump” in _The Man with the Golden Gun_: Bond drives a car of a broken bridge, spirals over the water, and lands perfectly on the other side.** [The Story of the Astro Spiral Jump](http://jmp.buffnet.net/astro.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/32 "2003-07-03T15:10:32Z")
Oh, and my submission for the greatest comical chases in movie history: _It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World_ and _What’s Up, Doc?_ ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/33 "2003-07-03T15:36:48Z")
> [@](#): > > Was anyone else bothered by the constant flashing of the headlights during both Ronin car chases? It got to the point of distracting for me. I lived in France for ten years, and that flashing deal is SOP on the highway when overtaking. I still get a kick out a satirical newspaper article on French driving that explained “when a following driver flashes his lights at you, it means you and your car are supposed to instantly disappear.” ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/34 "2003-07-03T19:16:39Z")
I should clarify my point about _Ronin_. I realize that is SOP in France and all that, and that Frankenheimer was adding a touch of realism, but it was still distracting. I just didn’t get the impression that those desperate characters, driving the wrong way and trying to kill each other, would take the time to do it. It’s not like they were flashing their headlights during the other chase scenes, just those two. Meh. ---
**Author:** ![Sofa\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/58956e/32.png) [@Sofa\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofa_King)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/35 "2003-07-03T20:33:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zeldar \* > \*\*The slow one I keep trying to pull up from my memory vault is even slower, though. Even slower than the Bob & Ray sketch. \*\* Wouldn’t happen to be _Attack of the Killer Tomatoes_, would it? It’s been a long time, but I vaguely recall a chase so slow that the pursuer eventually jumps out of his car and runs down the other car on foot. Silly bad stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/36 "2003-07-03T20:36:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sofa King \* > \*\*Wouldn’t happen to be _Attack of the Killer Tomatoes_, would it? It’s been a long time, but I vaguely recall a chase so slow that the pursuer eventually jumps out of his car and runs down the other car on foot. Silly bad stuff. \*\* That _is_ possible but it’s been a very long time since I saw that and somehow have it fused with Rocky Horror in that I can’t imagine why I’d want to see either again. I’ll take your word for it, Sofa King. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/37 "2003-07-03T21:40:01Z")
I don’t recall anything like that in _Rocky Horror_. 95% of it takes place inside a castle, so not a lot of car chase potential. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/38 "2003-07-03T21:47:13Z")
My bad, Marley23. I meant to convey that the fusion of those two flics had nothing to do with their contents except that both movies are in my “never to watch again” stack. ---
**Author:** ![Cargogal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/48db29/32.png) [@Cargogal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cargogal)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/39 "2004-02-23T11:18:59Z")
I was thinking of starting a car chase thread, but thought I’d search first. This thread cannot retire without a mention of the magnificent Mini chase scene in the '69 Italian Job. “This is the self-preservation society…” ---
**Author:** ![elf6c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c57346/32.png) [@elf6c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elf6c)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754/40 "2004-02-23T13:57:44Z")
Hall of Fame: Ronin- by a lot, over the next closest. Special moment inductee: The suped-up Mini’s from the revised version of the Italian Job. Finally they explain how these cars can do these thing- add lots of expensive racing parts first, and plan carefully. Nice! Also the actual car scene were nice payoffs for the car customization scenes. Good filmaking. Hall of Shame: Any seventies TV show, the A Team. Special meritless award- Magnum P.I., who often couldn’t lose (or catch) a crappy 80’s crap box car when chasing them (or escaping from them) in a fricking Ferrari! Come on T.M., even I could win that one. I loved the show, but that always bugged me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hall-of-fame-shame-of-car-chases-and-car-stunts/185754.md?page=3)