Club Arnage

Just been watching the film Bullit for the nth time, a thought has crossed my mind as to what might be the best car films of all time.

Bullit is one, Le Mans a second both Mr McQueen.  Another(http://) could be The Rendezvous, may be too much of a cult film.  What are your fav's and why?(http://)

Hmm...
I'd have to go with a McQueen film and its not Le Mans or bullitt.  Technically its not a car film so it probably doesn't count but On Any Sunday is probably the best motor sports movie ever made.  GP, LeMans, Winning all have some great film (the Grand Prix footage of John Surtees rocketing around the original Spa in his Ferrari 312 in a driving rain is simply stunning, no other way to describe it) but as movies go, they're pretty awful.  The chase scene in the French Connection is as good as they get and the Gumabll Rally gets a nod because its so f**k*ng funny and you get to see a 427 Cobra and a Ferrari Daytona get after it.
John

Ronin is one of my favorites. It's not a race film but the car chasing is brilliant. Ahh, the S8....  ;D

Mine has to be 'The Italian Job' just a classic film...

Not really a film but the Gumball 3000 DVD had loads of racing in it!

As for films themselves I do like the films

Gone In 60 Seconds
The Fast and the Furious
2 Fast 2 Furious.

The transporter's one of my fave's,

also gone in 60 seconds is up there

must've thought at the same time rick

Have you seen the original Gone in 60 seconds though??

i keep meaning to but have never got round to it

Gone in 60 seconds (the Nicolas Cage one not seen the original)
and the Ronin car chase gets in there too, Germany vs France can you guess which cars came out on top??  ;D

This thread really shows up the age of the poster!!

what about Herbie rides again, or chitty chitty bang bang ?

Two Lane Blacktop is well worth a look, long character list:

The Driver
The Mechanic
The Girl
GTO

Acknowledged that it is not a car film, but the combination of Steve McQueen, a German motor bike and the Great Escape has to merit a mention. 8)

Heading towards a car film (because there are lots of them in it) then the car scenes in the Blues Brothers are worthy - particularly the chewing gum/accelerator interface, the whole police chase, and the mile-high plummet of the Pacer(?) into the sea. :D

In terms of a pure car film about a race rather than a "story", then La Ronde Infernale does it for me  ;D

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang every time  ;D

Herbie goes Bananas?!!

 MY 2 favourite.... not forgetting genevive.

Mark, sorry to be an anorak but... The bike they used in the film wasn't German, it was actually as British as it gets; a Triumph 500 twin dressed up as a pseudo-army bike. In the war, the Germans used BMW's, DKW's and Zundapps.

Quite right to mention it though, a classic scene, as was Gordon Jackson getting onto the bus,

"Good Luck!"
"Thank you... DOH!"

And you can't forget about The Cannonball Run. However you can forget about the two appalling sequels.

Smokey and the Bandit is pretty good for car chases as well.

Jay

my vote goes to American Grafitti,Hot Rod or the Californian Kid
PM

Mine have to be the French films,  Taxi and Taxi 2.  Not only do they have car chases etc but they also show that the Frenchies have also got a sense of humour.

I bought cannonball run and smokie and the bandit on DVD as a boxed set for a tenner at MVC last year. Great buy as these were some of the best films about in the 80's

Some of the more obscure 60 / 70's car film are interesting for their car content (though not for their plot!)

Vanishing Point
Duel (with the mystery truck)
Two Lane Blacktop (with a very wooden James Taylor as the driver)
Death Race 2000 (David Carradine)
original Gumball Rally movie

plus I enjoyed the Dirty Harry films and the Streets of San Francisco series for the views of 70's San Fran (Bullitt also set there).

Then there's the Blues Brothers for the sh*t box Dodge police car and the destruction of numerous other police cars.

(getting all nostalgic now  :'( )

Has anyone seen the french classic "pardonner mon affaire Too" 1976 (http://)not actual a car film but excellent part where a 2CV gets ripped apart by a jealous husband, so strong when aroused.

Favourite films :

The Longest Day
The Great Escape

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Gumball rally

Braveheart

And last but never least

The Italian Job

Debbie Does Dallas

 ;)

Le Mans

Have to agree with American Graffitti - got Le Mans DVD free with the program this year and the car shoots are fantastic - I just wish he would shut up!

Any one seen" La Passionne"? any good?

Yes, very excellent, try and see it, music also worthy of note.  Chris Rea.

1) Rendezvous
2) Le Mans
3) Taxi
4) Italian Job

Cant stand "Fast & The Furious" - oooohhh we can go quick in a straight line...  Whoopee sh*t.

No one mentioned Days Of Thunder ?

You mean Days of Blunder?  That steaming pile of crap and the Stallone turkey "Driven" should win some kind of award for the worst pair of racing movies ever made.  The only redeeming value of either of those clunkers were Nicole Kidman and Gina Gershon.
John

My god, we cant class "Drivel" as a motorsport film....

I have to say I like the film 'Crash'. Can't explain why, I just think it's so well made. Also like what they did with the Gran Torino in Starsky and Hutch.

Nothing beats 'Le Mans' though. Just love that RC crash! ;D ;D

You're right Mark (DR). I just clean forgot "Taxi" 1, 2 & 3. Pure fun.

Le Mans is still my number 1.

The worst film? "Michel Vaillant" No doubts here.

Issue of Michel Vaillant in DVD just today !!!!


Little question; would you be for or against a remake of Le Mans ?

Gilles, that would be a depends.  Remake as in copy then no.  Just thinking of of some of the copies of recent times; Get Carter, Italian Job, Le Cage aux Folies, Les Visiteurs to name a few, originals all far better.

I think McQueen would probably smell a bit by now  :-X