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As Canberra gears up to be the location this week for a series of key car chase sequences in the $43 million Hollywood movie Blacklight starring Liam Neeson, it inevitably will spark the contentious debate about the best Hollywood car chases of all time. And as film buffs know, there’s been some absolute rippers down through the years. From The Blues Brothers on their “mission from God” careering run through a shopping mall, to Baby’s extraordinary Subaru antics in the opening sequence to Baby Driver, any of the Mad Max movies, the low-flying 1968 Ford Mustang GT in Bullitt, and the Minis causing chaos in Turin during The Italian Job, everyone has their favourite. The details around the car chases and stunt sequences for Blacklight are being kept under wraps but several of the key cars, including a Porsche 911 and a Dodge Challenger, have been sourced in left-hand drive so as to maintain continuity. The Porsche is destined for a nasty end. Several roads will be closed down in the city for the scenes, which have all been digitally “choreographed” on a complex software package so that every tiny detail is predictable, for safety and realism purposes, and overlayed with computer generated imagery (CGI) as required in post production. Location details are scarce but there is a crash involving a garbage truck, together with a tunnel driving sequence which appears, given the guide to upcoming road closures on the Canberra City Services website, to be inside the Acton tunnel on Parkes Way. London Circuit and William Clemens Street in the city also appear to be earmarked for use. The shoot will generate jobs for up to 60 local crew and should bring more than $1.5 million into the local economy. Canberra has been used before for TV series such as Secret City and The Code and most recently, the horror film Sissy. Northern Irish actor and action movie star Liam Neeson won’t be taking part. Much of the filming for his role has already been completed in Melbourne. The Canberra sequence will involve stunt doubles, with Australian Guy Norris, whose stunt credits date back to Mad Max 2 in 1981, as the second unit director for the upcoming sequences. As the interest swells around Canberra’s new-found elevation as a potential location for future Hollywood films, here’s a snapshot of our five favourite car chases and why they rev our engine, with a warning that a few of these choices are certain to be contentious: Starring the “King of Cool”, the late Steve McQueen (who died 10 years ago and was a bona fide motorcycle and sports car racer) a Ford Mustang GT was launched through the streets of San Francisco in a manner which, to this day, rates as one of the best non-CGI car chase sequences in film industry history. McQueen and legendary Hollywood stunt driver Bud Ekins shared the driving. The cars – original Mini Coopers – became the stars of the film even though the cast was packed full of great talent including a very young Michael Caine, Noel Coward and British funnyman Benny Hill. Filmed in the streets of Turin, the “Job” centred around a gold heist with an exceedingly well-planned escape route. There were 18 Minis used in the film and only a few survived. Watch and you’ll understand why. Not the easiest storyline to follow but worth it just for the eight minute car chase involving a V8 Mercedes, a nitrous oxide-charged Audi S8, BMW M5 and Peugeot 406. Robert De Niro and the always watchable Jean Reno were in the cars when some of the sequences were filmed, which is most unusual. Around 150 stunt drivers were involved. Just watch the opening six minutes and you’ve basically got the best bit covered off. One song basically provides the full opening soundtrack as Baby, the wheelman, uses a red Subaru WRX – an eclectic choice of getaway car which adds to the visual attraction – to escape after a bank robbery. Over 70 cars were destroyed during the making of the outlandish, hilarious John Landis film. Features the infamous “Bluesmobile”, an apparently indestructible 1974 Dodge Monaco. But there were 13 different Bluesmobiles used in the film – and spoiler alert – one of them was specially engineered to fall apart in seconds when it was finally parked at the Cook County building.
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And as film buffs know, there’s been some absolute rippers down through the years.
From The Blues Brothers on their “mission from God” careering run through a shopping mall, to Baby’s extraordinary Subaru antics in the opening sequence to Baby Driver, any of the Mad Max movies, the low-flying 1968 Ford Mustang GT in Bullitt, and the Minis causing chaos in Turin during The Italian Job, everyone has their favourite.
The details around the car chases and stunt sequences for Blacklight are being kept under wraps but several of the key cars, including a Porsche 911 and a Dodge Challenger, have been sourced in left-hand drive so as to maintain continuity. The Porsche is destined for a nasty end.
Several roads will be closed down in the city for the scenes, which have all been digitally “choreographed” on a complex software package so that every tiny detail is predictable, for safety and realism purposes, and overlayed with computer generated imagery (CGI) as required in post production.
Location details are scarce but there is a crash involving a garbage truck, together with a tunnel driving sequence which appears, given the guide to upcoming road closures on the Canberra City Services website, to be inside the Acton tunnel on Parkes Way. London Circuit and William Clemens Street in the city also appear to be earmarked for use.
The shoot will generate jobs for up to 60 local crew and should bring more than $1.5 million into the local economy. Canberra has been used before for TV series such as Secret City and The Code and most recently, the horror film Sissy.
Northern Irish actor and action movie star Liam Neeson won’t be taking part. Much of the filming for his role has already been completed in Melbourne.
The Canberra sequence will involve stunt doubles, with Australian Guy Norris, whose stunt credits date back to Mad Max 2 in 1981, as the second unit director for the upcoming sequences.
The mayhem which resulted in the wake of the famous Minis racing their heisted gold bullion through the streets and sewers of Turin in The Italian Job. Picture: Getty Images
As the interest swells around Canberra’s new-found elevation as a potential location for future Hollywood films, here’s a snapshot of our five favourite car chases and why they rev our engine, with a warning that a few of these choices are certain to be contentious:
Starring the “King of Cool”, the late Steve McQueen (who died 10 years ago and was a bona fide motorcycle and sports car racer) a Ford Mustang GT was launched through the streets of San Francisco in a manner which, to this day, rates as one of the best non-CGI car chase sequences in film industry history. McQueen and legendary Hollywood stunt driver Bud Ekins shared the driving.
2. The Italian Job (1969)
The cars – original Mini Coopers – became the stars of the film even though the cast was packed full of great talent including a very young Michael Caine, Noel Coward and British funnyman Benny Hill. Filmed in the streets of Turin, the “Job” centred around a gold heist with an exceedingly well-planned escape route. There were 18 Minis used in the film and only a few survived. Watch and you’ll understand why.
Not the easiest storyline to follow but worth it just for the eight minute car chase involving a V8 Mercedes, a nitrous oxide-charged Audi S8, BMW M5 and Peugeot 406. Robert De Niro and the always watchable Jean Reno were in the cars when some of the sequences were filmed, which is most unusual. Around 150 stunt drivers were involved.
Just watch the opening six minutes and you’ve basically got the best bit covered off. One song basically provides the full opening soundtrack as Baby, the wheelman, uses a red Subaru WRX – an eclectic choice of getaway car which adds to the visual attraction – to escape after a bank robbery.
5. The Blues Brothers (1980)
Over 70 cars were destroyed during the making of the outlandish, hilarious John Landis film. Features the infamous “Bluesmobile”, an apparently indestructible 1974 Dodge Monaco. But there were 13 different Bluesmobiles used in the film – and spoiler alert – one of them was specially engineered to fall apart in seconds when it was finally parked at the Cook County building.
