Five Classic Car Chases – Monday Viewing

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Chris Pollitt

It’s Monday, and as such, the only pressing matter is that of procrastination. If you’re looking for a way to do exactly that, we have you covered. We’ve been pondering – what are our favourite car chases? Thousands of them have been played on the silver screen, but only a few truly make the grade. We like our car chases to have a hint of realism, a bit of grit and a more than obvious nod to the fact that cars get beaten up when chasing each other. As such, we won’t tolerate shoddy continuity (looking at you, Commando, and the magical healing Porsche 911). We also have no time for chases in which two obviously outmatched cars seem to be able to achieve the same speeds. We’re happy, in the name of cinema, to suspend our disbelief, but we have limits.

With all that in mind, and with your Monday morning looking decidedly dull, let’s pump up the adrenaline with some classic car chases hand-picked by the team here at Car & Classic. You won’t find any celluloid fluff here, but you will find on-screen automotive gold. Some you may have heard of, some you may not. All, though, will entertain you.

Though, one last thing – we’re not including Bullitt in this list. Because Bullitt is a given. But, just watch the car chase. The actual film isn’t all that good.

1) Ronin – 1998 – Directed by John Frankenheimer

1998’s Ronin was a film that seemed to come out of nowhere, and it revolutionised what a ‘car chase movie’ should, and more importantly, could be. The cars were used to maintain the momentum of the story. They were not overly special other than being, in the case of the Audi S8, fast. They were simply tools used by these hired mercenaries to do a job. And that’s what makes them all so cool. They’re these big, brooding, silent characters. Other than the S8, which Larry asked for, there is no mention of any other car’s name. It’s not important. What is important is what they can do. The S8 has the grunt and the grip to shunt the XMs and 605s out of the way. The W116 is the 450SEL 6.9, which speaks for itself, while the E34 M5 is the ultimate Q car, as is the 406 V6 that battles it. All the chases in Ronin are excellent, but it’s that scrap between BMW and Peugeot that is most deserving of a watch.

Chase Trivia: The high-speed tracking car used was a Porsche 911 with no bonnet – this way, the camera man could sit in the luggage space. Brave man!

2) Jack Reacher – 2012 – Directed by Christopher McQuarrie 

We’re not here to talk about the Jack Reacher character and whether Tom Cruise was the right actor for the role. It doesn’t matter. What does matter, is the authentic and brilliantly shot car chase between a fleet of Police Ford Crown Victorias, an Audi A6 and Jack’s 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS. It might sound like a hodge bodge mix of cars, and on paper it shouldn’t work, but on film, it does. The chase is set on the streets, and this means there are real things – like other cars, people, trucks etc to help keep the drivers on their toes and to help set the pace for the action. Then, there’s the way it’s shot. There is no music, just engine noise. The camera shots are wide and full of action, but there are also plenty of shots to show that it really was Cruise driving. And as for the driving; it’s real, it’s gritty, it’s… clumsy. But it would be in the real world. That Chevelle SS is a handful at the best of times, so seeing it spin out, seeing it fight for traction and seeing it collect damage all adds to the authenticity. It’s a wonderful bit of automotive action. 

Chase Trivia: When the car spins into the barrels and stalls, it wasn’t meant to. However, the stall added in some realism, so it made the cut. 

3) Death Proof – 2007 – Directed by Quentin Tarantino 

We’re still not entirely sure what 2007’s Death Proof was all about – a psychopath stuntman, we think? Whatever the plot may have been, we’re just glad it happened. This movie gives us what has to be one of the most wonderfully gratuitous car chases ever. It’s all real, physical, practical stunt work. Not only that, but the woman on the bonnet of the Dodge Charger is not a double for the actress in earlier scenes. That’s the same person, Zoe Bell, actress and stunt woman. And clearly a very good one at that. As well she’d have to be, in order to keep hold of the Challenger as ‘Stuntman Mike’ repeatedly slams into it with his ’69 Dodge Charger. Yep, this chase is fifteen minutes of Mopar-on-Mopar action. All the noises, all the tyre squeals and all the bumps and bangs. It’s a pure recreation of the car chases of old, and one that every petrolhead needs to see. With two equally matched cars, this chase is about wit, driver skill and reactions.

Chase Trivia: The term ‘death proof’ refers to the work stunt teams do to a car prior to filming. They make it death proof.  

4) Un Homme et une Femme, 20 ans déjà – 1986 – Directed by Claude Lelouch

Look, we’ll level with you here. Were it not for this mighty chase featuring a whole brace of 1980s executive saloons, we would have never heard of this film. Apparently, it’s a sequel, set some 20 years after the original ‘A Man and a Woman’. All we know is that the second film has a few minutes of automotive gold in it. The plot is a mystery, but the plot doesn’t matter. What does matter is the joy that comes from seeing a game of Top Trumps come to life as a Saab 900, Peugeot 505, Mercedes-Benz 190, Audi 100, Renault 25, BMW E28 and Fiat Croma battle it out. No music, no poor continuity, no fake overdubbing of tyre sounds, just a gaggle of cars scrapping it out. It’s awesome. Though, it’s also a little painful, especially given how much cars like the E28 are worth today.
Chase Trivia: That bit when the screen smashes, twice. That wasn’t an effect, that was a couple of rocks walloping the expensive camera lens. Ouch. 

5) Duel – 1972 – Directed by Steven Spielberg 

This one is slightly different from the rest. The four movies mentioned above feature chase scenes. Duel, however, is entirely a car chase movie. It features Dennis Weaver playing David Mann, a travelling salesman riding around in his Plymouth Valiant. For some, unknown reason though, David becomes the object of fixation for a mysterious trucker driving a rusty, dirty, relic of a fuel tanker. You would think that the small Plymouth could outrun a truck, but that’s not the case. While the Plymouth has speed, the truck driver has seemingly unending patience and as such, waits for his opportunities to strike. It’s a tense, beautifully shot, edge of your seat film that will have you shouting at your telly. A tiny cast, two key vehicles and a lot of desert. That’s your lot. But honestly, that’s all you need. The tension and the fear that comes from the unknown nature of the antagonist makes up for any lacking effects or set pieces. This really is an iconic film.

Chase Trivia: Duel was the second feature film to be directed by, then little-known director, Steven Spielberg.

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