Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1) - io9 Comments

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

chromey — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:05:57 PST

THX 1138 definitely has a car chase and it's pretty great. Should been on this list, altho I get the feeling this was more for laughs than anything else.

chromey

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

SayAhh — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:16:01 PST

Forgot to add: the longest chase I can think of was Dennis Weaver by that truck/trucker in Steven Spielberg's Duel. A classic.

SayAhh

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

SayAhh — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:14:46 PST

I loved it when I was a kid, so here's my suggestion (though by no means the best by any stretch of the imagination): first car chase scene in the movie Condorman, in which the awesome chair goes down from the truck into the coupe and then each go on their separate way :)

SayAhh

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

beercheck — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 13:33:23 PST

"The Last Chase".

Rent it, and repent.

beercheck

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

CybaDelic — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:22:04 PST

@couche-couche: Haven't seen the movie... but it's one of the first George Lucas ever made... (His THX sound is a homage to that film). Not sure if there were car chases... time to fire up wikipedia.

CybaDelic

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Mileron — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:22:46 PST

What about the car chase in Super Mario Brothers, after Mario and Luigi escape the police detention area and get "sneezed" out of the city's exit tunnel?

Mileron

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

TR3-A — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:08:00 PST

@aedwards000: I was thinking of 'Island' as well. They tear up a lot of machinery in that flick.

The sci-fi films have been covered well here. So I'd like to throw in what is my favorite car chase ever, without catagory: 'The Blue Brothers'. I actually worked with the guy who had been technical director in that film. He had some great stories. He said that they had a body shop running three shifts just to keep enough cars on the road for filming.

TR3-A

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

sorensilk — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:02:16 PST

In no particular order:

Matrix Reloaded freeway scene
Fifth Element cab scene
Children of men forest scene

sorensilk

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

kristofer — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:51:47 PST

I don't see The Transporter on this list? or Transporter 2 - while not sci-fi, still good car chases

kristofer

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

jwolfcale — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:42:00 PST

I remember parts of Freejack being filmed here in Atlanta near CNN center, and it turns out the film is surprisingly profetic. That kind of thing happens here all the time now.

jwolfcale

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Elhigh — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:53:28 PST

Hey, I forgot one: Cobra, where Stallone discovers shooting forwards while driving backwards.

Of course, the rearend in that thing would've popped the engine right out of the hood if he'd actually done it at speed, but hey...that's Hollywood! Suspend all your disbelief.

Elhigh

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

DSTRYA — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:03:56 PST

...and can we at least think about considering the opening motorcycle fight from AKIRA? or a separate post of motorcycle chases/fights? cuz we could also get the light-cycle sequence from TRON in there.

DSTRYA

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

JantheMan — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:20:47 PST

You forgot...

[www.youtube.com]

Just the sound of the beauties

JantheMan

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

lollygags — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:47:59 PST

Come on now, how we can we forget the big semi from Maximum Overdrive chasing everyone and everything. I always hoped when I was a kid that I'd see that big truck with the green face pull up behind us when we were driving down the road!

lollygags

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

joneez — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:01:30 PST

THX-1138 wasn't a great chase but it had one of the sickest non CGI motorcycle wrecks next to Evel Knevil (R.I.P) But the Fifth Element vertical chase is one of the best in scifi.

joneez

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

tetracycloide — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:20:58 PST

i think everyone is forgetting the chariot chase scene from a funny thing happened on the way to the forum.

tetracycloide

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Sanfam — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:56:30 PST

I simply cannot believe the opening chase from The Fifth Element has not been mentioned for the best of the nineties. Once you've seen it, nothing more needs to be said. If it's not on the list tomorrow..I'll be just a little bit peeved.

Sanfam

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

DSTRYA — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:43:54 PST

that truck-chase in Terminator2 is pretty dope-- i have fond memories of watching on laser disc in surround sound many moons ago.

but may i suggest the Tom Selleck vehicle RUNAWAY? it has that cool little remote control bomb-car... and although that may not be a car chase by this board's technical standards, the film does feature Mister GENE SIMMONS.
[www.youtube.com]

DSTRYA

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Evil Tortie's Mom — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:15:56 PST

In non-SF, I have a great fondness for the oft-forgot chase in "To Live and Die in LA". On the freeway, going the wrong direction, and awesome effects that have NO CGI. REAL big rigs jacknifing. Take that, new flicks.

Evil Tortie's Mom

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

shenanigans — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:16:07 PST

The best chase scenes in my opinion.(not in order):
Matrix Reloaded(highway scene), Transformers(where they're transforming at 80 mph), The Island(the first chase with the jet bike, and the second chase with the Cadillac Cien supercar), Terminator 3 Rise of the machines(where the TX is chasing them with a huge boom truck),all of the Bourne movies, Liscene to Drive(80s comedy; not really a chase, but the 16 year old kid with no license has to drive his in-labor mom along with the rest of the family to the hospital BACKWARDS because he destroyed the transmission of his grandfather's caddy the night before while he snuck out with it.)Oh yeah, let's not forget Bad Boys 2 ( Michael Bay is insane).

shenanigans

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Kuang — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:26:24 PST

It's not quite a car chase, more a (kind of) car being chased, but the short scene in Aliens where they're hammering the APC out of the complex rocks bells. I think everyone has wanted to leave a car park full of muppets like that at some point..

Kuang

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

tetracycloide — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:09:37 PST

@doctor_cos: must be hard to appreciate any works of science fiction if anything derivative can't make it through your impressive filter of elitesm. the pod race was fun to watch, period.

tetracycloide

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

cde — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:02:45 PST

HOw bout BoneCrusher Body Checking a Bus?

cde

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

doctor_cos — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:57:48 PST

@tetracycloide: If the pod race from episode dumb was not scene for scene ripped off from the chariot race in "Ben-Hur"....
That steaming pile would have sucked 0.0000001% less.
Real sci-fi fans do not own/watch/glance at those.

doctor_cos

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

ccc40821 — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:55:55 PST

Death Race 2000.

ccc40821

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Garrison Dean, King Awesome — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:45:08 PST

Say what you will about Mssr. Bay but the hover bike thingy chase in "The Island" was pretty dope.

Garrison Dean, King Awesome

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

fartron — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:28:25 PST

Terminator 2 came out before both Cybertracker and Freejack. And you'd have to include the scene when Arnie crashes the tractor trailer into the foundry as well as the LA sewer chase to do justice.

fartron

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

TheAstronot — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:21:16 PST

@Trotskyite: I don't remember much about the THX-1138 chase except that the cars were from a manufacturer named Lola.

The Matrix reloaded chase is probably one of the best chases ever. I like old chases too but the matrix was very satisfying.

TheAstronot

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Lotusmonger — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:09:07 PST

@GenXCub:

Gristle McThornBody

Lotusmonger

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Eac_o_System — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:43:52 PST

@GenXCub: Close. In Space Mutiny, I like the scene where the hero goes into a garage to get a new car, but that car flips over right after he drives it out!!! What the heck was that about?!?

Also, when you were choosing your favorite car chase scenes, what were the rules you used? If there were none, I think it's time to huddle up and do like the spoiler overreaction thing. KThnxBye.

Eac_o_System

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

tetracycloide — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:38:51 PST

roll fizzlebeef

tetracycloide

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

tetracycloide — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:37:09 PST

@GenXCub: thick mc runfast

tetracycloide

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

GenXCub — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:34:11 PST

@eli:

Big McLargeHuge!

GenXCub

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

eli — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:30:59 PST

@GenXCub: You stole mine! That chase was awesome.

"We'll be needing BOTH horsepowers!!"

eli

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Mokers — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:27:44 PST

Not technically a car chase, but I would add Tron here as well. And I enjoyed the scene in Jurassic park when the T. Rex was chasing the jeep.

Mokers

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

GenXCub — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:21:46 PST

The "floor polisher" race in Space Mutiny. It's officially the best Mike episode of MST3K.

Servo: If I drop the waxing compound I can get this puppy up to 3!

GenXCub

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

aspiringexpatriate — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:08:35 PST

@Garrison Dean: Yes, dubbed Mel Gibson. Cause he's too Aussie. Got to love it.

And Terminator 2 car chase scene has to be a given that it's included, no?

aspiringexpatriate

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

aspiringexpatriate — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:07:48 PST

@PriorMarcus: I wasn't arguing for this list, I was arguing for "90s and onwards" as she said "tell us your favourites."

Eh, Batman Begins didn't end logically, so I wouldn't count it. The Skiff scene would be nice, but I just love the foot/car/chase scene in Children Of Men. Because really, who knew pushing a car down a hill could be so intense?

aspiringexpatriate

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Garrison Dean, King Awesome — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:04:27 PST

@housermag:

For me its because I want to like Mad Max more, but for the longest time we only had it with terrible images and then dubbed into "American" because the accents were too hard to hear I guess. It made it very bad and cheesy. But that is not the movie's fault. They're both great.

Garrison Dean, King Awesome

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Elhigh — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:02:13 PST

The car/motorcycle scene is from Terminator 2, which I think was a 90's title.

Elhigh

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Elhigh — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:01:38 PST

Terminator, with the glaring red eye in the cab of the truck. Creepy.

Elhigh

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

goldfarb — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:00:46 PST

Terminator had a good car/motorcycle scene...

goldfarb

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Marcus117 — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:46:38 PST

@aspiringexpatriate: Is from 2006. But I'd certainly count it on the future 00's list. Along with the skiff chase from Serenity (anything that resembles a car counts in my opinion) and the highway chase/battle in Transformers. 28 Weeks Later would also get my vote for the excellent Helicopter chase, despite it's lack of realism, and the fact it isn't only cars. Plus Batman Begins.

Marcus117

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

aspiringexpatriate — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:42:17 PST

@housermag: Because Mad Max isn't post-apocalyptic enough for them. And it's all about the lone hero with no past. Americans love that impossible lone hero with a personal code of honour. Mad Max is about the slow descent into madness of an otherwise good man. And that's why it bloody well rocks.

aspiringexpatriate

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Macloserboy — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:42:02 PST

@gina64: I was going to point out its omission but apparently there's a time frame to this list not indicated by the title. It's without a doubt #2 behind The Road Warrior which is the best.

Macloserboy

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

couche-couche — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:41:59 PST

thx 1138?

couche-couche

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

aspiringexpatriate — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:40:45 PST

CHILDREN OF MEN!

aspiringexpatriate

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Marcus117 — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:39:33 PST

@charliejane: Isn't that just needless filler? And why is Death Race up here?

Marcus117

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

nuklor — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:34:56 PST

"Car-chase" immediately brought my mind to Ronin. Silly me to ignore the "science fiction" bit.
But how's about Sly in Demolition Man?
'Brake now, you, Mickey Mouse piece of sh*t!'

nuklor

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

SundaySunday — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:28:20 PST

What? No love for "Ice Pirates"?

SundaySunday

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

nuklor — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:27:43 PST

Ronin.
And since Sly is up there already: Driven (groan)

nuklor

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Phrugus — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:27:21 PST

Matrix Reloaded Car chase scene is 17 min long so it's in 2 parts:

part 1:[www.youtube.com]

part 2:[www.youtube.com]

Phrugus

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

korbendallas — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:13:10 PST

Well that's easy: FIFTH ELEMENT taxi ride ....

korbendallas

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Rringriil — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:11:54 PST

Don't forget Repo Man (also including Emilio Estevez,
coincidentally)...

Rringriil

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Solo_Racer — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:08:18 PST

JohnnyCab almost sounds like Jonny Cat. Plus, the idiotic response to "Shit, Shit!" And the capper, "Sue me, dickhead!"

Solo_Racer

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

tetracycloide — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:06:11 PST

@charliejane: if racing is different why is death race on this list already?

tetracycloide

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

ManchuCandidate — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:02:35 PST

Hey, what about RoboCop's beginning scene?

"Bobby, can you fly?"

ManchuCandidate

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

wishnevsky — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:59:25 PST

Mad Max: Road Warrior by a dusty mile.

wishnevsky

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Charlie Jane Anders — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:59:16 PST

@tetracycloide: You know, I thought about the pod race... is that really a car chase though? Racing is different... We might have to do a separate post about races.

Charlie Jane Anders

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Charlie Jane Anders — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:58:50 PST

@gina64: Matrix: Reloaded car chase is totally coming tomorrow. It rules!

Charlie Jane Anders

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

Trotskyite — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:57:43 PST

I always thought THX-1138 chase was pretty cool. What were those anyway? Chaperrals?

Trotskyite

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

VonPinto — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:55:39 PST

I know Tango and Cash isn't technically Sci-Fi, but c'mon, they totally hoon out that customized Chevy Pickup...

Maybe you're saving that little nugget for Homoerotic Movie Car Chase Scenes of the '80's day? I bet that's what it is...

VonPinto

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

housermag — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:52:32 PST

I'll never understand America's (and the internet's, for that matter) preference for "Road Warrior" over "Mad Max".

housermag

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

ManchuCandidate — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:51:17 PST

Ahhh Mad Max. Before the Jeebusury when he played deranged blokes looking out for his self interest and killing hockey pad wearing punks of ambiguous sexuality. Makes me almost want to wear parachute pants and red leather ties. Almost.

ManchuCandidate

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

DeeJayQueue — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:46:52 PST

-the cab chase from the 5th element.

-I want to say the highway scene from Matrix Reloaded just because of what that woman can do with a Ducati, but it was ruined by the super-cheesy accordion/semi truck smash at the end of it. CGI for the loss.

DeeJayQueue

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

tetracycloide — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:39:49 PST

if the pod race from episode one doesn't make it into the mid-90s onward bracket list i will be sorely dissapointed.

tetracycloide

Greatest Car Chases In Science Fiction (Part 1)

gina64 — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:28:27 PST

I absolutely LOVE the car chase in The Matrix: Reloaded. It almost makes the movie worth watching.

gina64