SEEN ANY GOOD FILMS LATELY?

Having read Sam Collins’ top 10 films in last month’s Acorn I thought I’d add my take on this genre.  While Sam has picked a few good films I think his youth shows by some startling omissions.  Here are 10 of my favourites in no particular order.  Cars are either the stars of the film or a main theme.

1. The French Connection.  1971.  “Doyle is bad news, but a good cop.”  Doyle is an old-school cop trying to intercept a large heroin shipment.  Good story that also features an amazing ‘chase’ between car and train through Brooklyn.
2. Duel.  1971.  “Terror in your rear view mirror.”  Is there anybody who hasn’t seen this film?  Unseen psycho in an articulated lorry chases car for the duration of the film.  Makes you think twice about sticking two fingers up at the next truck that cuts you up on the M25!
3. Two Lane Blacktop.  1971.  “You can never go fast enough”.  Monte Hellman’s existential film about two gearheads who race for money in a ’55 Chevy fitted with a 454.  Unlike a lot of car films this featured a genuine street racer capable of 10 second quarter miles.  Warren Oates gives a superb performance as ‘GTO’, the washed up loser who challenges ‘The Driver’ and ‘The Mechanic’ to a race across country.
4. American Graffiti.  1973.  “Where were you in ’62?”.  Absolute classic rites of passage film.  Lots of interwoven stories and lots of great cars.  The actual ’55 Chevy from Two Lane Blacktop is driven by a young Harrison Ford.  The film builds up to a race between this car and a ’32 Ford Coupe.  Great soundtrack too!
5. Gone in 60 Seconds.  1974.  “His business is stealing cars…when he goes to work the excitement starts---and GOES---and GOES---and GOES” .  The 2000 remake of this film must be one of the most disappointing films I have seen.  The original is far better.  93 cars were trashed in the 95 minute film…
6. Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry.  1974.  “No one’s faster than Crazy Larry, except Dirty Mary!”.  Race car driver and his girlfriend rob a shop and then get chased all over the place in a stolen Dodge Charger.
7. Mad Max.  1979.  “The Maximum Force of the Future.”  Policeman Mel Gibson avenges the murder of his wife, child and best friend by The Toe-cutter and his gang of bikers.  And what does he choose to hound them down? The last of the V8s, a Ford Falcon interceptor.
8. The Road Warrior.  1981.  “Ruthless, Savage, Spectacular.”  Max is back.  This time there is even more car action.  The world is running short of fuel, so naturally everybody is charging around in big cube, supercharged cars.  Max helps protect a fuel depot from a group of outlaws and the film finishes with one of the best car chases ever.
9. Repo Man.  1984.  “It’s 4AM, do you know where your car is?”  Not a car chase film, but a very funny car-based film.  The repo men have to recover a Chevy Malibu that contains something very strange in the boot.  Concentrate closely as the film contains many one-liners and visual gags.
10. Ronin.  1998.  “Loyalty is bought, betrayal is a way of life.”  Awesome action film with a terrific plot.  Features the most realistic chase scenes you are likely to see in a film.  None of your dubbed engine sounds and ridiculous cornering shots seen in lesser films.

The Acorn : October Edition