29 March 2009

CNN's top 10 movie car chase scenes





from here.

1. Bullit
2. Ronin
3. The Italian Job (1969)
4. The French Connection
5. Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)
6. Vanishing Point (1971)
7. The Road Warrior
8. The Fast and the Furious
9. Death Proof
10. Cannonball Run

I certainly agree with Bullit as #1, and I'm a big fan of Ronin, but The French Connection in the #4 spot? I'd have thought that'd be vying for #1. And I'd put the Blues Brothers on my list long before Cannonball Run.

5 comments:

pyker said...

Agreed on Blues Brothers! And Gumball Rally was far superior to Cannonball Run. And I highly rate the chase scene in The Bourne Identity as well. I guess it's been cheapened by the followups. But it was the most exciting and refreshingly filmed car scene in years.

zim said...

ooh, i forgot about Bourne Identity. that was really good, what with actual stunt drivers and all.

i think too many modern chases rely on quick cuts (if not cgi) to add excitement. that's what i really liked about the Bullit chase, all those wide, long shots that let us know what's going on. imagine: storytelling in a movie!

i also like the chase in Moscow near the end of Bourne Ultimatum. And should the highway chase in Matrix 2 at least get a mention? some was cgi, but some was actual stunt driving, too.

pyker said...

I was just about to comment on Matrix 2! Great chase.

pyker said...

Not just chases, but most "action" scenes rely on quick cuts -- creating action in the editing room. Lazy, unimaginative, underwhelming.

JustJoeP said...

I saw Road Warrior 2 weekends ago again, for the first time in many years. Several of the "chase" scenes are grossly sped up, out and around the gas depot. Amusing to see it made any list. Nice story line, but not a stellar car chase genre to make a top 10.

I also liked the 2nd Matrix movie Cadillac based chase and several of the car chases in the first & second Terminator movies and none of which made the list.

I could not agree more with Ron's disdain for the quick cuts. I'd add "annoying" to that list as well. It doesn't create 'tension' or increase 'thrills' it just annoys the thinking viewer.