For those who haven't seen it, may I present https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilR93GwSYEA : "C'ETAIT UN RENDEZ-VOUS" - Claude Lelouch (1976), a short film of driving from the north of Paris to Montmartre in eight minutes. The title card says "no trick photography and the film has not been sped up".
The "Highway Patrol" TV series of the 1950s was a precursor of the car chase genre, as were some notable film noirs that elevated car pursuits as story lines i.e. High Sierra, White Heat. Agreed that Bullitt is exemplary, but don't forget The French Connection, Duel, Easy Rider, Two Lane Blacktop, and Vanishing Point and you have some great car/bike films of Bullitt's era. The hoaxy C'etait un Rendez-vous is likewise great if you don't do the time/distance math.
There aren't any male seventies motor heads that were not excited by the idea of the race. Things had started to change in the seventies and it was the last final hurrah of the street race tradition that dates back to the nineteen twenties in America.
My dad told me of seeing grainy copies of C'était un rendez-vous at antique car collector meetings. I keep a copy handy whenever I need to quicken my pulse.
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For those who haven't seen it, may I present https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilR93GwSYEA : "C'ETAIT UN RENDEZ-VOUS" - Claude Lelouch (1976), a short film of driving from the north of Paris to Montmartre in eight minutes. The title card says "no trick photography and the film has not been sped up".
Don't try this at home.
The "Highway Patrol" TV series of the 1950s was a precursor of the car chase genre, as were some notable film noirs that elevated car pursuits as story lines i.e. High Sierra, White Heat. Agreed that Bullitt is exemplary, but don't forget The French Connection, Duel, Easy Rider, Two Lane Blacktop, and Vanishing Point and you have some great car/bike films of Bullitt's era. The hoaxy C'etait un Rendez-vous is likewise great if you don't do the time/distance math.
A lot of people aren't aware that the Cannonball Run was a real race long before it became a cheesy eighties movie.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannonball_Baker_Sea-To-Shining-Sea_Memorial_Trophy_Dash
There aren't any male seventies motor heads that were not excited by the idea of the race. Things had started to change in the seventies and it was the last final hurrah of the street race tradition that dates back to the nineteen twenties in America.
http://theoldmotor.com/?p=115758
My dad told me of seeing grainy copies of C'était un rendez-vous at antique car collector meetings. I keep a copy handy whenever I need to quicken my pulse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%27%C3%A9tait_un_rendez-vous
I remain hopeful that a future generation will break convention and begin street racing anew.