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Classic car films [building a top 10 list]

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JodyFKerr

JodyFKerr

Jedi Knight
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Hey all,

I was trying to explain the movie Vanishing Point to the wife tonight and then started making a top ten car films list because of it. I don't like all of the list I've come up with (nor could I determine a really good #10). What movies am I missing from my list? The idea is that the car is either a central charachter, or so integral to the film that it becomes such. Here's my working list:

1) Italian Job (Original)
2) Vanishing Point
3) Bullett
4) Cars
5) Mad Max (including the Road Warrior)
6) Gone in 60 Seconds (Both versions)
7) Herbie the love bug
8) Smokey and the Bandit
9) Cannoball Run

There's many b-stars to go with this. Harold and Maude, Downhill Racer, THX1138, Fast and the Furious, What's new Pussycat, the Bond films, etc, etc.

What do you all think?

Jody
 
I've had added to my overall list:

Le Mans,
American Graffiti,
Two-Lane Blacktop,
Funny Car Summer,
Tucker: The Man and His Dream,
Grand Prix,
The Racers
 
JodyFKerr said:
Two-Lane Blacktop,
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Ah, <span style="font-style: italic">Two-Lane Blacktop</span>, a real car aficionado's movie! James Taylor's only movie (I hope!) but the real star was that bad-ass '55 Chevy shoebox with the rompin-stompin 454 Rat Motor. I love the scene where they are cruising a local drive-in burger joint and can identify every hot car in the parking lot and what it had under the hood. (hood, not bonnet)
I need to get it in DVD, my old video tape is about worn out!
 
I think the same Chevy starred in <span style="font-style: italic">American Graffiti</span>.
 
The Internet Car Movies Data Base is a good place to look too.

It's good for seeing what movies and shows have "your" car in them: I found lots of movies & TV shopws with Big Healeys, a few Jensen-Healeys but no Rochdales, which is about what I expected...
 
"When did you last see your father?"

Recent film - excellent by the way.

Opening scene is at Goodwood. Story takes place in England between around 1949 and 1989. LOTS of classic English roadsters, coupes, sedans; a main character drives a 1964 (I think) Alvis drop head:

734.jpg
 
Don't forget <span style="font-style: italic">Thunder Road</span>, back in the mid-fifties with Robert Mitchum. Mitchum's character was all about cars and speed: fast cars were his life, and ultimately his death, too.

It's on TBS every once and awhile. I saw it (again, for probably the 20th time) last fall.

Souped up Fords and Mercs (his fave car was a nice '57 Ford), dusty backroads, moonshine. It seems like a thousand years ago that this stuff happened . . . like ancient history.

Too bad the director didn't cast some of the early NASCAR stars for bit parts in this film, like Junior Johnson, Fireball Roberts or any number of the early guys who got their starts running 'shine in VA/NC/TN. That <span style="text-decoration: underline">really</span> would have made it a huge cult classic!

Great film, if not a bit melodramatic . . .

". . . Tell Ma and Pa I ain't comin' home for supper tonite . . ."
 
vagt6 said:
Don't forget <span style="font-style: italic">Thunder Road</span>, back in the mid-fifties with Robert Mitchum. Mitchum's character was all about cars, cars were his life and ultimately, his death, too.

It's on TBS every once and awhile. I saw it last fall, I think it was.

Souped up Fords and Mercs, dirt backroads, moonshine. Seems like a thousand years ago.

Too bad the director didn't cast some of the early NASCAR stars in this film, like Junior Johnson, Lee Petty or any number of the early guys who got their starts running 'shine.

Great film, if not a bit melodramatic . . .
Click to expand...

When I was a kid, I got so hooked on that movie that I almost drove my dad crazy playing the theme song, Thunder Road, on my guitar and singing it all the time. I haven't seen that film in years.
 
I may duplicate some titles here, sorry if I do. :smile:

Corvette Summer....some young kid named Mark Hamill was the "star"
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang....timeless! IMVHO :smile:
Gumbally Rally
Christine
James Bond movies usually have great cars in them
Starsky And Hutch....it was ALL about the car! LOL
Batman....who'd have paid attention to two grown men in tights if they hadn't had the COOLEST car?!
The California Kid
Deathrace 2000...the 1975 version
Eat My Dust....Ron Howard, Dodge Charger.....Yee-Ha!
Fireball 500.....really cool car
The Great Race
Those Daring Young Men and Their Jaunty Jalopies
Heart Like A Wheel - Shirley Muldowney....
Viva Las Vegas.....Elvis and cars....
Grand Theft Auto....Ron Howard in a stolen Rolls Royce!
Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry
Hollywood Knights
The French Connection
Ronin
The Transporter series
The Fast and The Furious....too over the top NOT to watch!

And thankfully NOONE'S mentioned Stroker Ace or Talladega Nights, The Legend of Ricky Bobby.....oops! :laugh:
 
...There are some good scenes of Riveside ( supposed to be Ausrtaila) in "On the Beach", kind of a depressing movie, but.....
 
Viva Las Vegas...........Elvis was OK, but Ann Margaret was great!!
 
Thunder Road. I just watched the trailer twice and while they screwed it up, you do get to see a lot of the cars. The oil tank trick was great, but not in the trailer.

Around that same time a few more that had fast cars (hot rods) of the day was High School Confidential. Part of the 50's first taste of drug hysteria over marijuana, mouthy teenagers and hot rods.
 
The Herbie movies really deserve a look. lost of the race scenes are packed with some really amazing sportscars.
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World. the whole movie is a road race run by the greatest comedians the thier day.
The original Fast and the Furious from the 50s. Jags and the like! good scenes.
Back to the future. Gotta love the Delorean! and all the 50s cars and the "future cars" lots of fun
Ahhh... it's late.. I'm drawing a blank now...
 
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