thewadeblogs.com Ricky Bobby & Top 10 Movie Car Chase Scenes
Buckle up fans... with two movie vehicles, Talladega Nights: Ballad of Ricky Bobby as well as Miami Vice, both featuring prominent vehicles debuting in back to back weeks... 2006 is shaping to be up to be the year of car movie. But how do this year’s car movies stack up with those of the past.
TheWadeBlogs (pictured at right next to Ricky Bobby) has compiled the following list of classic car chases and we decided to see how Ricky Bobby and Crocket & Tubbs would fare against these classic car chase flics.
1. The Blues Brothers (1980)
Cut to the chase: This riotous race to the Chicago comptroller’s office culminates in one of the longest chase scenes and the largest pile ups ever. “It's a 106 miles to Chicago, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it.”
Who would win in a race: Jake and Elwood would pile it on Ricky Bobby and Crockett and Tubbs
2. The French Connection (1971)
Cut to the chase: Popeye Jones’ dizzying race under NYC’s old elevated subway line is bound to elevate your blood pressure especially after you learn that some of the movie’s most memorable moments were actually real including that near miss of the lady and her baby carriage.
Who would win in a race: Popeye will need to keep an eye on his oil (not Olive but his fuel) as we'd think the former Pizza delivery skills of Ricky Bobby would help him steer clear of trouble in NYC.
3. Mad Max & Road Warrior (1979 & 1981)
Cut to the chase: Talk about road rage... Mel Gibson and gang were pretty passionate about their petrol as they cruised around this nihilistic highway to hell. To add fuel to the fire the gas hoarding gangs equipped their modified muscle cars not only with nitrous super chargers but with high powered weapons. With today’s skyrocketing gas prices we wonder if we are that far off from a similar futuristic fate.
Who would win in a race: Our boys from down south would get whipped by the gang from the Southern Hemisphere. (given Mad Mel's recent run-in he would also probably be spilling some virtrol)
4. Bullitt (1968)
Cut to the chase: The Steve McQueen classic is viewed by many to be the grandfather of all car chase movies as it left many an audience member car sick as viewers were launched through the Streets of San Francisco aboard the muscle car.
Who would win in a race: Move over pretty boys Crockett and Tubbs... the strong silence of Lt. Frank Bullitt resonates more than the flash of Sonny and Rico and actually resembles that of Lt. Castillo (Edward James Olmos). The McQueen vehicle moves into this list with a bullet (it realy should probably be higher up on our list).
5. Smokey and the Bandit & The Cannonball Run (1977 & 1981)
Cut to the chase: These Burt Reynolds vehicles not only made road trips all the rage but they firmly established the Trans AM as the “it car” in High School parking lots across the country.
Who would win in a race: We think Ricky knows the backroads of South and would be an interesting match up with Florida born Burt. As far as Crockett and Tubbs go a more intersting match up would involve the Trans Am vs. the corvette/ferrari hybrid of Miami Vice TV series fame.
6. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
Cut to the chase: With Matt Damon behind the wheel the movie chase scene was “Bourne again” as we witnessed the modern day incarnation of the joust but with cars and metal. Paul Greengrass wasn’t suffering from tunnel vision directing this Robert Ludlum thrill ride through the streets of Moscow.
Who would win in a race: We'd love to see the Alabama bread Ricky Bobby out of his Southern comfort zone as he would have to make his way around as a Ruskie. We can see it now NASCAR vs. KGB...Moscow on the Albama? I smell $equel.
7. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Cut to the chase: With so many action packed Bond movies to choose from... how do we decide? Well our requisite was we not only had to select a film featuring 007’s signature Astin Martin but also one with a plot twist that matches its twisting car sequence. George Lazenby’s one hit wonder in which James Bond’s wife was hit in the passenger seat next to him will leave you both shaken and stirred.
Who would win in a race: The only Q is whether is whether the souped up car design would put 007 over the top. Substance (RB) over style? Actually we'd give a slight edge to the MV Testerosa.
8. Batman Begins (2005)
Cut to the chase: Forget his bat phone and his utility belt, the Batmobile was Batman’s greatest go to gadget. It was also interesting to learn how the great getaway car came about in BB.
Who would win in a race: Ricky Bobby would get tanked by the souped up version of the Batmobile. The Batmobile on steroids would run roughshot over this Boy wonder (Rickey Bobby is sponsored by Wonder bread) not to mention make Miami Vice duo look like pastel pussies.
9. Grease (1978)
Cut to the chase: We are not trying to switch gears here too much but how about Greased Lightning? The movie is a total chick flick as John Travolta took a spin to win the heart of Olivia Newton John but the bottom line is the film’s drag race in the damn basin was well... pretty damn good.
Who would win in a race: Mullets vs. Greasers vs. Pastels. Mullets man!
10. (tie) Ronin (1998)
Cut to the chase: Nice. John Frankenheimer skillfully leads us through the serpentine streets of Southern France in this adroit post cold ward adaptation.
Who would win in a race: Just like in Tallageda Nights against Ali G's French F1 character, Rickey Bobbby would show no merci.
10. (tie) The Italian Job ( 2003)
Cut to the chase: This heist caper featuring Mini Coopers squeezed out very inch of action in their chase scenes as we found ourselves careening inside a house and sidewinding through a sewer pipe. Ciao
Who would win in a race: Move over Mini me... Ricky Bobby would crush these foreign cars like a beer can in the Talladega infield.
SKID MARKS (a few notes on our Top 10): Keep in mind these are merely the humble opinions of thewadeblogs.com and we didn't mean to get everyone's engines roaring here. We didn't necessarily include The Fast and the Furious or Gone in 60 Seconds since those vehicles were totally car based rather we picked flicks where the car chase was just an element. Commet away...
What about Gone In 60 Seconds with Eleanor? I consider that I pretty impressive chase
Posted by: Crazy_Canuck | 08/04/2006 at 08:03 AM
I would put the chase scene from bourne identity at the top of the list. hell, even the chase from Bourne Supremacy probably deserves a spot on this list just for the final move in the tunnel where Bourne pins the SUV against the Median.
Posted by: kapp | 08/04/2006 at 08:17 AM
no fast and furious? weakness :(
Posted by: darth lardo | 08/04/2006 at 08:47 AM
You forgot about Gone in 60 Seconds.
Posted by: Justin | 08/04/2006 at 10:18 AM
Gone in 60 seconds is a remake, so that's probably why it wasn't included.
Posted by: PBru | 08/04/2006 at 10:38 AM
The Italian Job was a remake too, so your logic is flawed
Posted by: B | 08/04/2006 at 11:22 AM
Terrible list. You've left out some of the greats and included fluff. Demonstrates a clear lack of film knowledge.
Posted by: Doc_McCoy | 08/04/2006 at 11:23 AM
Ronin, No Man's Land, and in particular Faszination on the Nurburgring. Not a chase scene, just the coolest automotive scene ever shot.
Posted by: Uncle Mikey | 08/04/2006 at 11:29 AM
Don't belong on list:
-Batman Begins
-Her Majesty's Secret Service
-Grease
-Italian Job remake
Overlooked classics:
-Vanishing Point
-The Original Italian Job
P.S. Gone in 60 Seconds and Fast and the Furious obviously don't derserve a spot either, newbies.
I hope you make a list that doesn't make you look like a chump this time.
Posted by: Rory | 08/04/2006 at 12:28 PM
Since this list doesn't include the Bourne Identity it is a complete joke. Better luck next time.
Posted by: mike | 08/04/2006 at 12:39 PM
Gone in 60 secondd? Fast and furious? Get real. You did leave out The Seven-ups with Roy Sheider.
Posted by: Greg | 08/04/2006 at 12:48 PM
Would have been better if you said "cut to the chase" more.
Posted by: Cut To The Chase | 08/04/2006 at 01:05 PM
how about bad boys 2, the scene with the boat falling on the cars is pretty good too
Posted by: guskb | 08/04/2006 at 04:18 PM
BAD BOYS 2.... FERRARI.. NEED I SAY MORE? I THINK NOT
Posted by: K DOG | 08/04/2006 at 04:31 PM
how bout the bourne supremecy, bonus points since he causes the russian to bite it, it quite awesome fashion.
Posted by: topmoo | 08/04/2006 at 04:32 PM
Hey you forgot RONIN!!
Posted by: Keleborn | 08/04/2006 at 05:34 PM
any love for the transporter???
Posted by: Yeppers | 08/04/2006 at 06:17 PM
It makes me incredibly sad to not see the mammoth carchase that virtually started the idea of movie carchases included: the orignal Gone In 60 Seconds (H.B. Halicki). Seriously, how can you even attempt to top a 47-minute long carchase involving real stunts and fucking up a Mustang? I don't think it's possible.
Posted by: Ben | 08/04/2006 at 08:15 PM
What about the highway chase scene from Matrix Reloaded?
Posted by: Mark | 08/04/2006 at 09:40 PM
What about "Vanishing Point"??
Posted by: rolly | 08/05/2006 at 03:52 AM
Agree, original Gone in 60 w/ 47 mins. of "chase" has to break the top 5. Why, because it was pure, no computer, no frame games, just plain beating the hell out of a pony.
I'm sorry, your list smells.
PS. Transporter should receive "honorable mention"
Posted by: JMac | 08/05/2006 at 10:23 AM
Bullitt definitely deserves to be at the top, as most chase scenes are filmed going about 60 on straights and 30 on turns, and the film is sped up, Bullitt was all McQueen, and he went 50+ on San Fran's streets. Hell, he drove the 12 hours at Sebring. Fast and Furious just sucks ass, the actors were in cockpits on flatbed trucks. For those "cool" scenes, the actual cars weren't being driven, just mock-ups. The only good part of that movie is the Charger pulling the front.
Posted by: Nick | 08/05/2006 at 03:12 PM
Oh, and people who mentioned Bad Boys 2 need to cut their dicks off. First, it's a Michael Bay movie, that's all that needs to be said about that fact. Also, except for some straight-line driving, it's all computers. Oh yea, and Martin Lawrence is in it.
Posted by: Nick | 08/05/2006 at 03:16 PM
This is a "commet", I am "commeting".
But seriously, agreed with the Gone In 60 Seconds.
Posted by: Afterthought | 08/05/2006 at 08:13 PM
You say you left out Gone in Sixty Seconds and Fast and the Furious because they were car based movies. However you include on your list Smokey and the Bandit, The Canninbal Series, and Mad Max which are all car based movies too, thus making your list completly flawed.
Posted by: J Andrew | 08/05/2006 at 08:57 PM