Best car race/chase scene [Archive]

jimsowden

Nov 23, 2004, 07:55 PM

In your opinion, what is the best car race/chase scene you have ever seen? Please incluse links, or pics if you do not have it, and the cars in it.

For me, I would say "Star" Directed by Guy Richie starring Clive Owen and Madonna in a BMW m5.
Link to the full res quicktime file from BMW films (http://a177.ch1.akamai.net/7/177/8122/v003/fallon.download.akamai.com/8122/hire1/downloads/Star_EFE_MAC.sit)

iLikeMyiMac

Nov 23, 2004, 08:30 PM

I remember those bmw films. I think my favorite of those was Beat the Devil (http://usa.bmwfilms.com/clap.asp?template=synopsis&country=usa&film=beatthedevil) with James Brown.

My favorite chase scene is from Ronin (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122690/)

jimsowden

Nov 23, 2004, 09:11 PM

dsharits

Nov 23, 2004, 09:21 PM

My personal favorite is the final chase of Eleanor in Gone in Sixty Seconds. Coming in at a close second, I like the Mach 1 chase scene in Diamonds are Forever. Can you tell that I'm just a little partial to Mustangs? ;)

Daniel

Phat_Pat

Nov 23, 2004, 09:28 PM

The Matrix Reloaded

http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_img/onset_reloaded_59.jpg
http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_img/onset_reloaded_60.jpg http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_img/onset_reloaded_65.jpg

ohh yeah look at that twisted metal :rolleyes:

Spymit007

Nov 23, 2004, 09:34 PM

Two come to mind for me, both come from Bond movies:

Goldfinger: 007 trying to outrun the likes of Goldfinger's goons with his Aston Martin DB5 -- Classic

Tomorrow Never Dies: the parking garage chase scene with Bond's BMW 750iL equipped with cell phone remote steering, re-inflatable tires, and sunroof missle launchers.

jimsowden

Nov 23, 2004, 09:41 PM

Yeah, the reloaded one was awesome. Its those crappy cadilacs that put it at #2. Stupid product placement.

blackfox

Nov 23, 2004, 09:49 PM

There are so many to choose from. So here are a few:

CLASSICS (Older movies without benefits of fancy technology) -
- almost anything in Steve McQueen movies.
- Smoky and the Bandit
- Original Italian Job

NORMAL (newer movies that try to pay some attention to the laws of physics and/or reality)
- Taxi (French film)
- BMW Film Series
- The Transporter

FANTASTIC (Movies that deal with not-invented technology or complete disregard for realism)
- Fifth Element
- Empire Strikes Back
- Firefox (in this category because it is a plane)

Sure there are many others...

gwuMACaddict

Nov 23, 2004, 09:59 PM

c'mon folks...

BLUES BROTHERS - HANDS DOWN :D

broken_keyboard

Nov 23, 2004, 10:26 PM

My favorite chase scene is from Ronin (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122690/)

Absolutely. The car chases in Ronin are by far the best in any movie, bar none. Also the car chase in The Bourne Identity was good.

Royal Pineapple

Nov 23, 2004, 10:34 PM

Bullitt, all time best car chase, through san fransisco, id post pictures but im on pay by the minute dialup, so i dont really have the bandwidth or time to find some.

anyway really good car chase

superninjagoat

Nov 23, 2004, 10:38 PM

Goldeneye tank chase.

apple2991

Nov 23, 2004, 11:05 PM

c'mon folks...

BLUES BROTHERS - HANDS DOWN :D

Oh, yeah!

jimsowden

Nov 23, 2004, 11:07 PM

Absolutely. The car chases in Ronin are by far the best in any movie, bar none. Also the car chase in The Bourne Identity was good.
I hated that POS. I can't stand the way they made that movie; the lack of music, booring color temprature, and the constant shifting and shackey feel they tried to ad, which just got so annoying. Book=Good/Movie=Crap

Counterfit

Nov 23, 2004, 11:10 PM

#1: Bullitt
#2: Ronin
others: Most of the BMW films series, Except Beat the Devil. I hate it when the director has the drive shift into 5th, which is followed by a surge of acceleration (and a Z4 beating blown 70's Tran-Am? puh-lease :rolleyes: )
The French Connection is pretty cool. And I still want to see Rendezvous (http://www.dukevideo.com/products/SLFREND02D.htm). (And some people though the Getaway in Stockholm series was original :rolleyes: )

comictimes

Nov 23, 2004, 11:31 PM

I've got 3:
-Bourne Identity (how has no one said this??)
-Matrix Reloaded
-Taxi (French Version- sooo funny!)

Jaz

Nov 24, 2004, 12:47 AM

Thomas Veil

Nov 24, 2004, 01:25 AM

I gotta go with the classic: "Bullitt".

bartelby

Nov 24, 2004, 02:47 AM

Taxi is amazing, but how bad does the American remake look!!

virividox

Nov 24, 2004, 05:14 AM

another vote for ronin

i didnt like that movie cept for the chase scenes!!! they were masterful

takao

Nov 24, 2004, 07:11 AM

hm Ronin
but blues brothers and taxi isn't bad either ;)

Hoef

Nov 24, 2004, 07:16 AM

Gone in 60 seconds!!

iGav

Nov 24, 2004, 07:18 AM

iGav

Nov 24, 2004, 07:22 AM

Gone in 60 seconds!!

shame about the remake though...

BubbaJones

Nov 24, 2004, 08:04 AM

#1 Vanishing Point. IMDB link (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067927/)
The entire movie is a car chase. Rent it!!

#2 Bullitt.

#3 Goldeneye (Tank chase).

MacDawg

Nov 24, 2004, 08:11 AM

Bullitt

Classic

JesseJames

Nov 24, 2004, 09:14 AM

Jesus. Nobody mentions Mad Max??? The original Mad Max, Road Warrior (you are a woman if don't love this movie), and Beyond Thunderdome?

You are all a bunch of wimps.

craigdawg

Nov 24, 2004, 09:56 AM

The Cannonball Run! :p

MOFS

Nov 24, 2004, 10:09 AM

How about the chase in Wallace and Gromit's "A Close Shave"? When the sheep go into an acrobatic formation, or when Gromit fires at the van with a porridge gun! :D :D :D

MongoTheGeek

Nov 24, 2004, 10:25 AM

Ben Hur...

Besides if you want to see real good chase scenes turn on Nascar... :)

jimsowden

Nov 24, 2004, 10:42 AM

Ben Hur...

Besides if you want to see real good chase scenes turn on Nascar... :)
I'll get on that, right after I put some lotion on my neck. Its so soar!

Xenious

Nov 24, 2004, 10:50 AM

The Cannonball Run! :p

Boo ya, +1 cool factor for you!

What do you do when you've done it all? Cannonball!

For another flick the car chase from the first of the 3 latest Hire films (Kidnapped) has some excellent stuff, go Z4. :)

One more cool one is from a jackie chan movie, but I can't seem to remember which one it is. Maybe "Who am I?" They are driving around in this white smaller sedan with a body kit on it.

kiwi_the_iwik

Nov 24, 2004, 11:42 AM

Hmmm - favourite chase scenes?

(Not in any particular order!)

• The Blues Brothers

• Bullitt

• The Driver (This movie, starring Ryan O'Neil, was the inspiration for the video game "Driver". Check out the Car Park audition scene - a classic!)

• The Italian Job (Original...)

• The French Connection

• James Bond - Diamonds Are Forever

• James Bond - Live And Let Die (Speedboat chase)

mactastic

Nov 24, 2004, 11:48 AM

Blues Brothers. Definetly.

evoluzione

Nov 24, 2004, 12:50 PM

Yes, Rendezvous for certain. Nothing like film director (Claude LeLoche actually drove the car too) with a spare 9 minutes of film roll, a Ferrari and a stopwatch. All the more amazing because it was a real run, in real time (no undercranking) through open streets of Paris, no permit, no marshals or safety crew. A few friends to wave off at some blind corners but that's it. I saw it on a big screen HD TV with surround turned way up. Bliss. Roaring down the Champs Elysee at 130mph with scream of a Ferrari as soundtrack. Awesome clip.

It may be $19 for a 9 minute clip but it's worth it for the "you won't believe this factor".

C'était un Rendezvous is well worth seeing...although i'm unsure as to whether it was Claude Lelouch was in fact the driver, it has been said that a (then current) F1 driver was behind the wheel. Unfortunately you can't tell anything from seeing just the back of the legs of the guy...[goes to watch it again]

of course, my favourite is still the original Italian Job. it's different from your run of the mill car chase and that's why it's the best. i was very disappointed with (the Nicholas Cage) Gone in 60 seconds, and Ronin. The Bourne movies were entertaining, probably a second for me.

:)

Brize

Nov 24, 2004, 04:34 PM

For those interested, there's a pretty cool car chase forum and database at www.varaces.com. It's well worth a look.

Jaz

Nov 24, 2004, 05:15 PM

As has being pointed out... Claude Lelouch's 'Rendezvous' is damn impressive :) just for his complete lack of regard for human life!! but (and I know I'm not alone on this one) I think the sound is faked... much like it is in 'Bullitt'. ;) and that detracts from it IMHO.

Wouldn't surprise me. He was a film director after all and sound makes a big difference. It is insane though what he did. :p

I read a great story in Car a while back when a new Mustang came out that was all about the Bullitt scene. Good anecdotes about all the sumps they broke on landings and the fact they were using racing engines to get all the power sliding and performance. How they purposely let McQueen oversleep one day because they wanted the stunt driver in the car for a dangerous shot and when McQueen found out he went nuts. Finally about how McQueen overcooked a corner one day and clipped a parked car which unfortunately destroyed the $50k film camera sitting next to it. That shot made it in to the film. :)

trailblazer

Nov 24, 2004, 06:22 PM

haha @ tank scene from goldeneye.
it's great, bond theme cranking and all.
i really like the bmw films, only coz i'm a sucker for beamers.
<3 my e30 318i.

OnceUGoMac

Nov 24, 2004, 08:13 PM

I'm surprised only 1 person listed The French Connection :eek:

jeffy.dee-lux

Nov 24, 2004, 10:27 PM

another vote for bullitt here. i'm a mustang fanatic of course, though.

there are a bunch of pics on this site:
http://bradbarnett.net/mustangs/timeline/67-68/68/bullitt/index.htm

oh yeah, for any mustang fans here, check out this thread:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=94660&highlight=mustang

cubist

Nov 24, 2004, 10:30 PM

Just watched "Bullitt" for the first time yesterday, and must say, it was a very good chase scene.

Thirty years or so ago (!) I remember a movie called "The Seven Ups" with a good chase scene. Roy Scheider in a 350 Nova. Alas, Netflix hath it not.

Counterfit

Nov 25, 2004, 03:19 AM

One more cool one is from a jackie chan movie, but I can't seem to remember which one it is. Maybe "Who am I?" They are driving around in this white smaller sedan with a body kit on it. That's the movie. And the car is a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO (VI I think...). Not just a body kit on that baby ;)
I'm surprised only 1 person listed The French Connection :eek: One (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=1141281&postcount=15) and er, uh, one (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=1141830&postcount=33)? :confused: :D

MOFS: ALmost forgot about that one! :D

iGav

Nov 25, 2004, 05:18 AM

Wouldn't surprise me. He was a film director after all and sound makes a big difference. It is insane though what he did. :p

If you get chance, listen to it again and see what you think... to me the gearchanges don't sound right, the tyre squeal is excessive and the sound is too good. I don't doubt it's a Ferrari, but much like in 'Bullitt' I think they probably dubbed a soundtrack on it, (although 'Bullitt' uses the wrong car for it's soundtrack :eek: :p ).

It's a great piece of film though, and more than alittle mad!!

Finally about how McQueen overcooked a corner one day and clipped a parked car which unfortunately destroyed the $50k film camera sitting next to it. That shot made it in to the film. :)

I thought that was Bill Hickman in the Charger that did that?? he got some nasty looking oversteer only for the car to gain grip again he couldn't catch it and that sent him crashing into the parked car and the camera??

McQueen then follows in the Mustang completely f**ks up the same entry to the corner and gets that mental wheel spin in reverse!

<edit>Just checked the Bullitt DVD... sequence below :) that Charger just looks plain scary to drive... :eek:

mpw

Nov 25, 2004, 06:39 AM

Dukes of Hazard. Any Saturday afternoon during the mid 80's...aahh Daisy. :o

blackfox

Nov 25, 2004, 07:09 AM

Upon reflection, I submit the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade chase(s) to the mix. Trucks, tanks, motorcycles...

pseudobrit

Nov 25, 2004, 07:33 AM

Trucks, tanks, motorcycles...

Nazis

Anytime you can add Nazis or Communists to a chase, it throws the coolness factor up a bit.

I'll throw another Ronin vote on the pile.

Raid

Nov 25, 2004, 09:54 AM

Yes, Rendezvous for certain. Nothing like film director (Claude LeLoche actually drove the car too) with a spare 9 minutes of film roll, a Ferrari and a stopwatch. All the more amazing because it was a real run, in real time (no undercranking) through open streets of Paris, no permit, no marshals or safety crew. A few friends to wave off at some blind corners but that's it. I saw it on a big screen HD TV with surround turned way up. Bliss. Roaring down the Champs Elysee at 130mph with scream of a Ferrari as soundtrack. Awesome clip.

It may be $19 for a 9 minute clip but it's worth it for the "you won't believe this factor".
<drool>
Can you please tell me where you got this?? I've been trying to get a non-VHS copy on and off for a couple of years now. Please PM me!!
</drool>

Oh if you can't tell this gets my vote!

<edit> It looks like a copy is availible through www.chasecam.com (http://www.chasecam.com/rendezvous/)! I'm considering picking it up... </edit>

Doctor Q

Nov 25, 2004, 10:38 AM

After Bullitt (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062765/) (QuickTime trailer (http://trailers.warnerbros.com/web/play.jsp?trailer=bullitt_trailer)) set the mark and James Bond made chase scenes fun in almost every imaginable way, it took one movie to combine the best: San Francisco and Sean Connery!

The Rock (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117500/) (QuickTime trailer (http://www.movie-list.net/classics/the-rock-trailer.mov))

Doctor Q

Nov 25, 2004, 10:44 AM

A few choice frames from The Rock:

evoluzione

Nov 25, 2004, 02:26 PM

That's the movie. And the car is a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO (VI I think...). Not just a body kit on that baby ;)
One (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=1141281&postcount=15) and er, uh, one (http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=1141830&postcount=33)? :confused: :D

MOFS: ALmost forgot about that one! :D

indeed it is the evo, that movie got me into jackie chan movies, i was flicking through the channels and happened to see that chase....bought the dvd, been a fan ever since. he does like his mitsus too.

evoluzione

Nov 25, 2004, 02:44 PM

If you get chance, listen to it again and see what you think... to me the gearchanges don't sound right, the tyre squeal is excessive and the sound is too good. I don't doubt it's a Ferrari, but much like in 'Bullitt' I think they probably dubbed a soundtrack on it, (although 'Bullitt' uses the wrong car for it's soundtrack :eek: :p ).

It's a great piece of film though, and more than alittle mad!!

i just watched it again, with the sound up loud, and there's one or two bits which don't sound quite rigth to me...namely on 6 minutes when he goes past a truck and i think a citroen (wasn't looking that closely) and it sounds like the sound is mixed perhaps, and at the end when the car stops and the engine is turned off, it's almost as if the engine soundtrack is faded out, no detonation or anything, when you've been driving a car like that for a while, there's not as smooth a sound as that when it's turned off (in my experience anyway)

as for the tyres, yes they're squeally, but didn't cars, including the ferraris, have skinny ones back then? wouldn't have been all that good i'm sure, and don't forget there's a lot of cobblestones which makes squealling them tyres very easy.

other than that, the soundtrack seems spot on, listen to the cars and bollards as you zoom past, there's a rush of noise as you would expect, i think it's the correct soundtrack, not positive, but pretty sure. :D

iGav

Nov 26, 2004, 05:36 AM

i just watched it again, with the sound up loud, and there's one or two bits which don't sound quite rigth to me...namely on 6 minutes when he goes past a truck and i think a citroen (wasn't looking that closely) and it sounds like the sound is mixed perhaps, and at the end when the car stops and the engine is turned off, it's almost as if the engine soundtrack is faded out, no detonation or anything, when you've been driving a car like that for a while, there's not as smooth a sound as that when it's turned off (in my experience anyway)

as for the tyres, yes they're squeally, but didn't cars, including the ferraris, have skinny ones back then? wouldn't have been all that good i'm sure, and don't forget there's a lot of cobblestones which makes squealling them tyres very easy.

other than that, the soundtrack seems spot on, listen to the cars and bollards as you zoom past, there's a rush of noise as you would expect, i think it's the correct soundtrack, not positive, but pretty sure. :D

I'm not convinced, the sound's too good.... if the mic was outside with the camera on the nose of the car then the engine wouldn't sound anywhere near as crisp because of the wind noise alone. And there's no way that engine would sound like that inside the car (they'd be other really distinct noises as well, especially in a '60's Ferrari) if the mic was in the engine compartment well you simply wouldn't hear anything else above the engine note of a '60s V12 at 7,500rpm.

As for the sound rushes (passing other cars etc) I think they're from the actual sound recording but they mixed a more intense engine soundtrack on top of it, either way I'd lay money down on there being quite abit of sound design going on because I just don't believe that is the original soundtrack.

Not unheard of though, even today I still come across people who argue that the whole Bullitt chase soundtrack is real as well.

Anyway... it's all gravy isn't it, it's still an awesome film. :)

edesignuk

Nov 26, 2004, 05:51 AM

c'mon folks...

BLUES BROTHERS - HANDS DOWN :D
Motion seconded :D

evoluzione

Nov 26, 2004, 08:24 AM

I'm not convinced, the sound's too good.... if the mic was outside with the camera on the nose of the car then the engine wouldn't sound anywhere near as crisp because of the wind noise alone. And there's no way that engine would sound like that inside the car (they'd be other really distinct noises as well, especially in a '60's Ferrari) if the mic was in the engine compartment well you simply wouldn't hear anything else above the engine note of a '60s V12 at 7,500rpm.

As for the sound rushes (passing other cars etc) I think they're from the actual sound recording but they mixed a more intense engine soundtrack on top of it, either way I'd lay money down on there being quite abit of sound design going on because I just don't believe that is the original soundtrack.

Not unheard of though, even today I still come across people who argue that the whole Bullitt chase soundtrack is real as well.

Anyway... it's all gravy isn't it, it's still an awesome film. :)

couldn't the mic just have had one of those wind ruffle things on it?? maybe i'm just being stupid, i have no idea how good those things are/were.

iGav

Nov 26, 2004, 08:51 AM

couldn't the mic just have had one of those wind ruffle things on it?? maybe i'm just being stupid, i have no idea how good those things are/were.

I'm not sure how affective that would be at those sort of speeds though... look at the films some motorcyclists make the wind noise is huge and masks the 13,000+rpm of a motorbike engine incredibly well, or even that Japanese guy that filmed himself on a motorway going from legal limit to the double ton in his F40 several years ago you hear all kinds of noises other than just the perfect engine note like you do in Rendezvous, it's just too crisp to be believable.

I just need to find a 275 GTB and give it a damn good thrashing round Paris that should prove or disprove it!! heheheh

'Climbdance' is even more impressive still though... :D

pseudobrit

Nov 26, 2004, 08:55 AM

couldn't the mic just have had one of those wind ruffle things on it?? maybe i'm just being stupid, i have no idea how good those things are/were.

Could have been more than one mic. Sound editing requires mixing, too; you can't dub with stock audio for everything.

iGav

Nov 26, 2004, 09:04 AM

Could have been more than one mic. Sound editing requires mixing, too; you can't dub with stock audio for everything.

The point though is that the sound is supposed to have been untouched, the film is supposed to be presented as is... and I don't think it has been. ;)

Actually I should say from my post above... the Japanese guy in his F40 was pretty impressive going from legal limit to the double ton whilst filming himself, with an inset of the speedo! :D that F40 looked well sketchy above 190mph, 3 lanes and trucks!! crazy kid!! :eek: :p

srobert

Nov 26, 2004, 10:21 AM

Any car chase movie where cars don't explode in huge fireball like if they were made of some sort of highly unstable explosive material.

Bourne's identity comes to mind as a great car chase movie. No explosions, cars don't fly everywhere, still exciting.

sushi

Nov 26, 2004, 10:36 AM

c'mon folks...

BLUES BROTHERS - HANDS DOWN :D
That is a classic. Especially the part leading up to the chase (scene with John Belushi and Carrie Fisher).

Sushi

sushi

Nov 26, 2004, 10:38 AM

Goldeneye tank chase.
Fun chase for sure!

Sushi

sushi

Nov 26, 2004, 10:43 AM

Upon reflection, I submit the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade chase(s) to the mix. Trucks, tanks, motorcycles...
The plane in the tunnel gliding along with no wings going beside their car was pretty cool.

Sushi

sushi

Nov 26, 2004, 10:47 AM

One that I enjoy for the comedic content, is "What's up Doc?".

Some pretty good stunts. ...and the Chinese Dragon was cool.

Sushi

Doctor Q

Nov 26, 2004, 11:06 AM

Any car chase movie where cars don't explode in huge fireball like if they were made of some sort of highly unstable explosive material.You means cars don't always explode when they hit something? I guess I've been driving carefully all this time for no good reason! ;)

I suppose you wouldn't like the scene in the silly movie Top Secret! (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088286/) where a car rolls into the back of Ford Pinto going very very slowly. They just barely touch - ting! - and the Pinto explodes. It was making fun of a well-publicized problem with Pintos. It was the best scene in that movie, which tells you something about the quality of the movie. :)

cubist

Nov 26, 2004, 12:42 PM

... (re Top Secret) It was the best scene in that movie, which tells you something about the quality of the movie. :)

Oh come on, how about the scene where they're standing on the motorcycles punching (the cycles keep driving somehow) and they fall off the bridge and sink into the water... into an underwater western saloon! That was a crazy movie, I loved it.

OT, recently saw Leslie Nielsen and Mel Brooks in "Dracula - Dead and Loving It", a movie I'd never heard of, and it was quite enjoyable.

Addendum re The Seven-Ups: Apparently it hasn't been released on DVD. Amazon has it on VHS.

srobert

Nov 26, 2004, 12:48 PM

I suppose you wouldn't like the scene in the silly movie Top Secret! (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088286/)

I'm a big Top Secret Fan. ^_^

I loved the french resistance fighters: Du Quoi, Chevalier, Montage, Detente, Avant Garde, Deja Vu, Croissant, Souffle, Escargot, and Chocolate Mousse. (Gotta love stereotypes)

Chocolate Mousse Rules!

I find it's one of those comedy movie that aged well enough. Some other comedies did not aged quite as well.

Here is a quote that could have been picked up from the movie a few weeks ago:

"Hillary Flammond: My uncle was born in America.
Nick Rivers: Oh, really?
Hillary Flammond: But he was one of the lucky ones. He managed to escape in a balloon during the Jimmy Carter presidency."

:D

Mike Teezie

Nov 26, 2004, 01:19 PM

Blues Brothers is easily the best chase scene of all time.

Honorable mention:

Ronin
Goldeneye
Matrix Revolutions (the hovercraft chase)

Floop

Jan 14, 2005, 01:41 PM

Ronin - terrible, simply terrible movie... but awesome car sequences. They really are IMHO the best car chase sequences on film.

Bourne Identity was pretty good in this regard too, and I really enjoyed that as a film in itself.

Gone in 60 seconds was a load of cobblers IMHO, the CGI jump was spectacularly horrifyingly terrible.

The CGI of Matrix Reloaded also means it doesn't feature for me. It made me gape in amazement, but knowing it came from inside a computer lessons it's impact.

Just my two penneth worth.