Journal: Iconic Car Chases That Leave Us Breathless

Iconic Car Chases That Leave Us Breathless

By Petrolicious
May 28, 2015

Tight alleys, expansive deserts, canals, and even airplanes have served as the backdrop for some of the most enjoyable car chases committed to film. We’ve watched so many, in fact, that we can say with certainty the best chases are often not found in Hollywood blockbusters—in fact, you may not have seen a few of our favorites.

Our playlist this week features thrilling car chase action, so sit down, strap in, and hit “Play”.

Ronin deserves its own special mention—read our recap of this movie’s awesome chase scenes in our feature story. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvo0belqm_I

This is every turbo boost and jump from the TV series Knight Rider. Yes: all of them.

This is likely a clip from a movie called Ninja Thunderbolt, and features a car known as the Zoe Zipper and Honda Bubu, among other names… On the right, the “most epic car chase” shown in Indian cinema, from the feature Khiladi 420.

Land barges doing silly speeds? Gotta be the car chase from 1977’s The Seven-Ups.

From 2004’s The Bourne Supremacy, one of our favorite newer car chases.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v_eerDEARc

The original Gone in 60 Seconds’ car chase was the central part of the entire movie, and lasts for more than 30 minutes. Better make some popcorn. Next to it, the first few minutes of the chase in Bullitt

It’ll take some doing, but find yourself a copy of 1974’s Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry. Starring Peter Fonda and Susan George, as the trailer voiceover says, “There’s nothing they won’t try!” 

How are chases done in Italy? Like this, in The Master Touch—with high speeds and total destruction.

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Emily Lopez
Emily Lopez
9 years ago

Nice Cars and really very much attractive clips you have shared. Well it’s all about the race and technology . The new we get the cars the new they got the technology indeed it really unlikeable that we didn’t get anything from this tech – rich cars. But in right sense they are[url=”https://vimeo.com/126351937″] technology-rich cars[/url] that are very much safe for our day to day use.

Emanuel Costa
Emanuel Costa
9 years ago

Gotta love those ninjas on roller skates!

Greg Vassilakos
Greg Vassilakos
9 years ago

“Le Coup / Le Casse / The Burglars”, 1971, Omar Sharif’s Opel chases Jean-Paul Belmondo’s Fiat through the streets of Athens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVs5rVf8hB0

Thomas trepied
Thomas trepied
9 years ago

Maurizio Merli did some good “inseguimento” like this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPmnArBkxy0
The bad guys often ride a bmw in those ’70 Italian movies, ahah.

Tom DesRochers
Tom DesRochers
9 years ago

This list has some glaring omissions.

Short Time (1990)
https://youtu.be/AlSMrxXrba0

The Italian Job (1969)
https://youtu.be/kuKYtRuDiuw

And how in the hell could you leave out the most truly epic car chase in all of cinematic history??:
https://youtu.be/RTRXnuoK1ss

Tom Johnson
Tom Johnson
9 years ago

I thought the Bullitt and Seven-Ups lead car drivers looked alike! Turns out those chases (and the French Connection chase too) were coordinated and driven by the same guy, Bill Chapman. That’s him driving the Charger in Bullitt, the gigantic Grand Ville in the Seven-Ups, and the LeMans in FC. Hickman had been a driver, driving advisor, and friend of James Dean Since The Wild Ones. Following Dean in a support vehicle, he was first to come upon the scene of Dean’s crash. “I pulled him out of the car, and he was in my arms when he died, his head fell over.” http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hickman

Keith Walker
Keith Walker
9 years ago

This counts as a car chase in my book, French Connection
https://youtu.be/IzEloJ5venk

Keith Walker
Keith Walker
9 years ago

Holy mother of GOD! Joseph Gordon-Levitt has been caught time traveling!!! Look at the bus driver in the 7-Ups clip:
https://youtu.be/9vACWV5sRcY?t=7m24s
Turns out the film Looper is a documentary…

Dan Picasso
Dan Picasso
9 years ago

Well, dang! That ol’ ’58 Fury’s one o’ them ol’ shape-shiftin’ cars…!

Arsenije Todorovi?
Arsenije Todorovi?
9 years ago

Except from putting a chase form Knight rider, which is full of low/budget effects, You should have put a chase from Mad Max I, with Night Rider. Follow the link and enjoy the real chase form golden 70’s, instead of american popcorn wannabe chases.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7Bcov5SGU0

Chris Jeffs
Chris Jeffs
9 years ago

Controversially after hearing for many years how fantastic the Bullitt chase scene is I sat down to watch the film and was very disappointed. Hopefully not too offensive to say I think the scene is very much “of a generation” and others like the Bourne film mentioned really do add a great deal more atmospheric excitement.

Christopher Gay
Christopher Gay
9 years ago
Reply to  Chris Jeffs

I will agree with you, it must be “of a generation”. I couldn’t even get through the Bourne clip, finding it impossible to follow with so much editing.

In my opinion, the chase from Bullitt was more tuned into the both the vehicle and driver dynamics, and not how much destruction and money could be exhausted to make the scene.

I’ve only seen a handful of movies in the last 25 years, though, so what do I know? 😉

Can’t really believe I am commenting on this…

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