Check out this video essay from the Matt Zoller Seitz’s Press Play site. It’s written & edited by Aaron Aradillas and Richard Seitz and looks at the classic car chases of the late 60′s, 70′s and 80′s.
This part covers three chases that are faves of mine, all from films produced by Philip D’Antoni; ‘BULLITT’ (1968), ‘THE FRENCH CONNECTION’ (1971) and ‘THE SEVEN UPS’ (1973). D’Antoni also directed the third of these and did an excellent job on the epic car chase that forms about 20 minutes of the movie.
If you don’t want these films completely spoiled for you, maybe don’t watch, but otherwise press play. Fans of screeching wheels and spinning hubcaps will enjoy.
On The Go Part 1 from Matt Zoller Seitz on Vimeo.
I’m looking forward to the next instalment and am going to wager the 1985 car chase will be Friedkin’s ‘To Live & Die In LA’.
Regular visitors to this site will know how much I love a good car chase, as I hope I made clear when I was a mere 19 years old and edited this on VHS. When I also did not own VHS of either ‘Bullitt’ or ‘Seven Ups’.
Not to mention making a whole video around the lead up to a car chase when I was 28 years old. This comes from 2002, with a pre ‘Mighty Boosh’ TV show Fielding & Barratt, a pre ‘Kill List’ Michael Smiley and a pre ‘Shaun’ Nick Frost.
A theme I may return to!
