Mechanic Advisor

The 10 Best Car Movies Of All Time

Posted August 07, 2014 by Ken Kupchik



Car enthusiasts don't just put aside their passion when it comes time to go to the movies or rent a DVD to watch at home. Usually if you ask a car lover for their favorite flick, it'll be one with a car somehow involved in the plot line. We've come up with a list of the most famous, and best, car movies of all time. Let us know if you agree, or if you'd like to change the order.

10) American Graffiti - Released in 1973, this coming-of-age movie was written by Star Wars creator George Lucas and captures the cruising and rock and roll culture of the post WW2 era. Telling the story of a group of teenagers in one night, the movie is considered a classic by car lovers, featuring Suzanne Sommers as the blonde in the T-Bird.



9) The Italian Job -
The original version of the movie was a 1969 British caper that is actually considered one of the greatest British movies of all time. Best known for bringing the Mini Cooper international fame, the story of a heist orchestrated by an ex-convict and his crew was remade as an American film starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron, but the original is still the best.



8) Rush -
Released in 2013, Rush is a biographical film that tells of the famous rivalry between Ferrari driver Niki Lauda, and McLaren driver James Hunt during the 1976 Formula One racing season. After being badly injured, a scarred Lauda has to decide whether to get back into his car to go after the championship or to let his arch-rival Hunt win.



7) Gone In 60 Seconds -
Starring Nicholas Cage, Gone in 60 Seconds is the story of a massive car heist, involving dozens of amazing cars, criminals, and Angelina Jolie. The best part about the entire movie, aside from Nicholas Cage's always entertaining antics is the never ending stream of exotic cars that you get to see throughout the film.



6) Days of Thunder -
This 1990 movie is definitely a good representation of what movies were like at the time, complete with inspirational music and Tom Cruise. But for car lovers, especially NASCAR fans, this film is iconic in its portrayal of an up-and-coming racer named Cole Trickle with a goal to win the Indianapolis 500, and get the girl, played by Cruise's eventual off-screen wife Nicole Kidman.



5) Christine -
One of the most famous horror movies of all time also happens to be a car movie. Christine was originally a Stephen King book, but was adapted for the big screen in this tale of a beautiful red car that seems to literally have a mind of her own. The creepy main character adds to the overall tension of this awesome flick, and any car lover will cringe at some of the things that happen.



4) Bullitt -
Bullitt came out in 1968 and stars American icon Steve McQueen. Based on a novel, this action movie features one of the most famous car-chase and crash scenes of all time, and was so pivotal in the continued popularity of the Ford Mustang GT, that the Ford Motor Co. actually released several versions of the Bullitt Edition Ford Mustang GT in 2001 and 2008.



3) The Fast and the Furious (series) -
This movie series was so popular that there appeared to be no end in site, with studios churning out sequel after sequel until the star of the movie, Paul Walker's recent death. The plot lines are varied, but always have a central point of highly-modified street cars in various racing situations, creating not only a cult following, but spurring millions of young people around the world to get involved in car culture.



2) Cannonball Run -
This 1981 comedy film stars some famous actors, including Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, and Dom DeLuise. One of the most successful movies at the box office that year, Cannonball Run is about a cross-country race, with all of the usual trappings of a great American adventure comedy. Considered a classic by most movie critics, this car movie inspired a sequel and a permanent place in car movie history.



1) Smokey and the Bandit -
Smokey and the Bandit had everything; car chases, an ornery sheriff, Sally Field, a gorgeous Trans-Am, and even a basset hound. What makes this movie so great, aside from the back-road chases and innuendo throughout, is that it portrayed fast car enthusiasts as outlaws, personified by Burt Reynolds as a bandit helping his partner smuggle booze from Texarkana, Texas to Georgia while chased by the law ("Smokey"). The now-immortal "Bandit" which Reynolds so perfectly played, is no doubt in the mind of countless drivers who have seen the movie, and dream of living life on their own terms.

 

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