10 Of The Most Iconic And Classic Car Chases In Movie History
From screeching tires to high-speed smashes, car chases have been a staple of the Hollywood diet for decades. Movie chases captivate audiences so much that a poll of 2000 movie fans by Jardine Motors in the U.K. revealed that 28% of respondents feel more likely to enjoy a movie if a car is in it. More than 66% of respondents also believed cars have significantly shaped cinematic history, while 68% noted that they are central to some of their most precious movie memories.
The greatest car chases blend frantic velocity, outrageous stunts, and skilled cinematography to make something iconic. From the muscle cars that featured throughout the '60s and '70s to the CGI spectacles of the modern era, there have been some highly memorable automobile moments in Hollywood's long and storied history.
Some iconic movie cars weren't even real, but for the majority of classic chase scenes, as the late and great Burt Reynolds would say, "the cars are the star."
It's difficult to pin down an exact ranking for a list such as this — it's a pretty subjective category, after all. Therefore, we've organized this by each movie's release year. A heartfelt apology to anyone whose favorite isn't included. Here are some honorable mentions before starting: Steven Spielberg's debut movie "Duel" (1971); William Friedkin's second most-famous car chase in "To Live and Die in L.A." (1985); "Baby Driver" (2017); and countless scenes from the Fast and Furious franchise.
Bullitt (1968)
While "Bullitt" wasn't the first Hollywood movie to feature a car chase, it was, at the time, the most gripping one ever seen. With the legendary actor Steve McQueen stubbornly doing most of his own stunts, the movie became iconic for its realism. It raised the bar for authenticity in Hollywood car chases and has been considered a classic in the decades since.
McQueen's character, Lt. Frank Bullitt, drove a Highland Green 1968 Ford Mustang GT. And the iconic car chase in question involved a 1968 Dodge Charger driven by two murderous hitmen. What started with the hitmen following Frank Bullitt soon turned into the lieutenant's relentless pursuit of the Dodge Charger. Once the hitmen buckled up, you just knew it was going to be a lot of fun.
The phenomenal camerawork and street-level perspectives made viewers feel like they were part of the pursuit through the hilly streets of San Francisco. Audiences were thrilled by over-the-shoulder shots filmed from the back of McQueen's Mustang with rolling hills of asphalt sprawled out in front as the classic car careered down and uphill.
Only the hypnotic sounds of screeching tires, revving engines, and Lalo Shifrin's contemporary jazz soundtrack were heard from the moment the Mustang pulled out of a parking lot until the hitmen met their fate in a fiery explosion. The chase lasted a full 10 minutes and was utterly enthralling from beginning to end.
The Italian Job (1969)
"The Italian Job" was a classic British comedy caper originally released in 1969 that was so good it was deemed worthy of a remake in 2003. And, while that rework didn't quite wow audiences or critics as much as the original, it was still a worthy effort.
However, it was the madcap Mini Cooper car chase of the original movie that became hugely iconic. Led by Michael Caine's Cockney criminal Charlie Croker, three Minis — one red, one white, and one blue, reflecting the colors of the British Union Jack — were chased by police through the streets and buildings of Turin, Italy.
They sped through malls, down staircases, and even up, down, and across buildings, all set against the backdrop of a swinging 60s soundtrack provided by Quincy Jones. The whole scene was summed up with the perfect delivery of one of the movie's many quotable lines: "Try putting your foot down, Tony, they're really getting rather close," delivered in a typically charming British manner.
One of the most dangerous stunts from this scene involved a jump between two buildings. In an interview with Top Gear in 2019, producer Michael Deeley said, "Rémy who did it was mad," in reference to Rémy Julienne, the movie's legendary stunt coordinator. "If the jump and his calculations didn't work, then he'd soon find out."
The French Connection (1971)
William Friedkin may be better known as the director of the 1973 horror classic "The Exorcist," but he made his name a couple of years earlier with the 1971 crime thriller "The French Connection." Gene Hackman played the lead role of Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, a short-fused, bigoted, alcoholic yet dedicated cop.
Hackman was reportedly way down Friedkin's list of choices for the lead role, despite winning the Best Actor award at the 1972 Oscars for his incredible performance in the film.
However, the movie is best remembered for its classic car chase through the streets of New York. When Doyle commandeered a civilian's 1970 Pontiac LeMan, audiences had no idea what was about to unravel.
Doyle set off in pursuit of an elevated train to catch an onboard hitman. Friedkin used over-the-shoulder viewpoints, similar to those seen in "Bullitt," allowing audiences to feel like part of the pursuit. However, unlike "Bullitt," there was no use of music for dramatic effect. Instead, audiences were treated to an onslaught of hypnotic screeching tires, blaring horns, and desperate shouts as Doyle pursued his adversary.
The scene was made even more authentic by being shot unlawfully without permits. While Friedkin had off-duty policemen in his employ and crew members containing the situation, pedestrians in Brooklyn were, in fact, in real danger. With no official traffic control and a rumored accidental collision that made it into the movie, it's unbelievable that this classic car chase was ever filmed in the first place.
Vanishing Point (1971)
"Vanishing Point" starts when enigmatic protagonist Kowalski (Barry Newman) makes a bet with his amphetamine dealer that he can deliver a 1970 Dodge Challenger to San Francisco ahead of schedule. Starting in Colorado, Kowalski is pursued by the law across Utah, Nevada, and eventually into California. The entire movie is basically one long car chase from beginning to end. It captivated audiences with its intensity and raw energy when it came out in 1971.
A total of 103 vehicles were featured throughout the movie in what is still, to this day, the most expensive car chase in movie history. The iconic 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T was undeniably the star of the show, with eight of them used during production. White was the chosen color to ensure the vehicle stood out against the movie's stunning landscapes. And director Richard C. Sarafian beautifully captured the freedom of the open road with stark and dreamlike imagery.
The movie became a cult classic, and "Vanishing Point" has been listed by none other than Steven Spielberg, among other notables, as one of his favorite movies. Quentin Tarantino paid obvious homage to it in "Death Proof." Like "Easy Rider," "Vanishing Point" has become a counterculture classic that encapsulates the spirit of the outlaw.
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
There were so many iconic chase scenes in "Smokey and the Bandit." In the film, Burt Reynolds plays Bo "The Bandit" Darville, who is determined to illegally transport 400 cases of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. In hot pursuit is Sheriff Buford T. Justice, also known as "Smokey Bear."
The movie was never going to win any scriptwriting accolades, but with legendary stuntman Hal Needham directing, thrills were guaranteed. Anyone in the cinema back in 1977 knew just where one specific chase was going when an overconfident police officer pursuing the Bandit casually stated: "Son, he's not going anywhere. The Mulberry Bridge has been dismantled for the past six months." He did, of course, clear the jump in his 1977 Pontiac Trans Am and then some, with the pursuing police cars ineptly ending up in the river.
The Trans Am was not actually a 1977 model, but a modified 1976 model, as the movie was shot a year before its release. There are several stories surrounding the Trans Ams used in filming, including one that states the Mulberry Bridge-jumping car was fitted with a 700 horsepower engine and manual transmission to give it the necessary power to clear the bridge.
Thanks to the popularity of "Smokey and the Bandit," 1977 Pontiac Trans Ams can fetch up to $500,000, even today. All four used in filming were totaled, but several features may help you recognize one of the special "Bandit Editions" released at the time.
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Not all movies on this list are full-throttle action films. 1980's "The Blues Brothers" is, first and foremost, a comedy, and its classic chase scene is one of hilarious proportions. It's an over-the-top, comedic pursuit featuring audacious stunts that exemplify the movie's anarchic spirit.
Audiences were delighted by the crazy races through Chicago, and the movie set a new record for the number of car smashes in a single motion picture. What made it even better was that all the driving was real, with 40 stunt drivers flown in every weekend.
The Bluesmobile was a decommissioned Mount Prospect, Illinois police car purchased by Elwood Blue (Dan Aykroyd) at auction. Aykroyd, who co-wrote the movie, reportedly chose the 1974 Dodge Monaco as the Bluesmobile because he thought it was "the hottest car used by police during the 1970s." No fewer than 13 Dodges were used during production as the comedy duo put the cars through extremes.
With high-speed chases and cop car pile-ups taking place throughout the film, sequences were often shot at more than 100 mph. The final scene had to be utterly absurd to top everything that had gone on beforehand. More than 60 old police cars were purchased for the chase, and the casting crew even hired actual police officers to take part in some of the scenes. With gun-totting Neo-Nazis getting involved and a ridiculous backflip hilariously executed by the Bluesmobile, the chase certainly reached the peak of absurdity.
Ronin (1998)
This remarkable movie delivers not one but two of the most iconic car chases in cinematic history. "Ronin" stars Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno in the lead roles as Sam, an American mercenary, and Vincent, a French gunman. However, the car chase scenes really stole the show.
The first chase starts on a mountain road, eventually winding through the narrow streets of Nice, France. It features DeNiro's character firing a rocket launcher from the sunroof of a grandiose Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9. An Audi S8, a Citroen XM, and several Peugeot 605s also feature in this thrilling chase.
The climactic Paris chase involved a BMW 535i and a Peugeot 406. Several of each were used in filming, including ones cut in half and towed behind a camera vehicle for interior better shots. Other cars featured dummy left-sided steering wheels, while former F1 driver Jean-Pierre Jarier drove like a maniac out of shot on the right. If you look closely at DeNiro's face, you can see the occasional look of mild terror. More than 300 stunt drivers were used throughout this intoxicating chase.
Director John Frankenheimer insisted on filming at 24 FPS. The usual practice is to shoot at lower frame rates, allowing filmmakers to speed up the footage rather than the cars. This higher frame rate meant the vehicles regularly had to exceed 100 mph for authenticity. However, the practical stunts and real car crashes were necessary for making one of the most realistic car chases ever filmed.
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
The sequel to the much loved "The Matrix" may not have gone down as well with audiences and critics, but its riveting highway scene is one of the most memorable movie chases in cinematic history.
Incredibly, an entire 1.25-mile highway was constructed from scratch for the scene, and at least 100 cars were donated by General Motors, although many sources state this to be closer to 300. Both the highway and the vehicles were destroyed after filming, ensuring its status as one of the most ambitious chase scenes ever.
With forward-flipping vehicles, machine gun-totting bad guys, in-car knife fights, and Samurai-style swordsmanship from Laurence Fishburne's Morpheus, the excitement generated ensured it was the movie's clear highlight.
It didn't end there, though. After Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), swaps her Cadillac CTS for a Ducati 996, you're immediately in for one of Hollywood's greatest-ever motorcycle chases. As she snaked and twisted her way through oncoming highway traffic, audiences were left gasping for breath. The stunts easily rank as some of the most impressive ever seen on a motorcycle in Hollywood history.
Death Proof (2007)
Quentin Tarantino's wild homage to 1970s exploitation and slasher flicks featured some of the coolest muscle cars ever. Among them was a 1971 Dodge Challenger, disguised as a 1970 model in tribute to "Vanishing Point." This was the vehicle driven by the four girlfriends pursued by a menacing, black 1969 Dodge Charger. Kurt Russell played the serial-killing "Stuntman" Mike, who drove that intimidating beast.
Zoë Bell, an established stuntwoman and actress, oddly played herself in "Death Proof." The chase scene began with her playing a game of Ship's Mast on the hood of the Challenger. This "game" involves holding onto belts tied to the front doors while lying on the hood with the car at speed. When "Stuntman" Mike ominously arrived in his Charger, you feared the worst. But oh, did he pick on the wrong girls...
What happens next is a gripping, high-octane duel between the two muscle cars. With incredible camerawork, Tarantino perfectly captured the raw power and nostalgic history of these legendary vehicles. Bell absolutely nails the "Quentin-ized" version of herself, and when the tide turns on "Stuntman" Mike, you can't help but feel a rush of adrenaline as retribution approaches.
All the driving and stunts of "Death Proof" were real, and Bell didn't use a stunt double. There was also no CGI, which gave the movie authenticity and places it as a clear contender for the greatest car chase of the 21st Century, if not of all time.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
When George Miller announced he was resurrecting the "Mad Max" series, no one expected him to produce a movie nominated for no less than 10 Academy Awards. It even won half a dozen of them, including for film and sound editing. These production elements went a long way to ensuring the epic chase in "Mad Max: Fury Road" would become an instant classic.
Margaret Sixel's editing masterfully weaves together chaotic moments, creating a pulse-pounding narrative, while the sound amplifies the tension with roaring engines, firing bullets, and clashing metal. But again, this was a movie of practical effects. All the stunts were real, as were the cars — including even the Gigahorse (although an unlikely vehicle to grace the real world).
The chase scene lasted pretty much the entirety of the movie. With an assortment of apocalyptic custom-built vehicles ranging from menacing to just plain bizarre and stunts that were hard to believe were real, Miller masterfully brought authentic yet raw energy to the big screen. Add in the Oscar-winning production, makeup, hairstyle, and costume design, and the movie was an audio-visual feast that set a new standard for cinematic action sequences.
Max's iconic Ford Falcon XB GT Hardtop, AKA "Interceptor," made a return in Fury Road, although not the same prop last seen in "Road Warrior" in 1979. It was the least ridiculously modified vehicle in the 2015 film, but it still enhanced with four-wheel drive and a plethora of lethal weapons Mel Gibson would have been proud of.