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Top 10 Road Movies |
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| Written by Trent Daniel | ||||||
| Wednesday, 08 July 2009 | ||||||
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In trying to decide on the Top 10 road movies, I inadvertently created a quite eclectic list, ranging from action to suspense to romance to high comedy to heartbreaking sadness. The only thing that truly ties them together is the open road (and with one notable exception, all take place in America). It Happened One Night (Frank Capra 1934) Though 75 years old, this gem remains fresh, funny and very entertaining. In telling the story about a runaway (actually kidnapped) bride and a reporter in search a story find each other, it was one of the first films that truly captured the America of diners, buses, highways and motels that most of us live near, yet rarely see on film. Furthermore, there is still genuine sexual chemistry between Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. The scene where they share a room together, separated by a makeshift barrier made from a clothesline and towel, while a thunderstorm beats against the window, is still one of the most romantic scenes in movie history. Vanishing Point (Richard C. Sarafian, 1971) Kowalski, a man haunted and on the run from his past, agrees to a virtually impossible bet: he will drive and deliver a 1970 Dodge Challenger from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hours. The cops try to stop him, but Kowalski is given a guardian angel by the name of Supersoul-a blind DJ with a radio scanner. Once Kowalski starts, the film never lets up as one spectacular chase scene after another is intermingled with bizarre, over-the-top scenes such as a church of snake-handlers, gay hitchhikers and a nude woman on a motorcycle. This film is a genuine cult classic and, not at all surprisingly, was influential on a Mr. Tarantino. Fandango (Kevin Reynolds 1985) This is probably one of the better films you have never seen. Set in 1971, this film concerns five frat brothers (including a young Kevin Costner and Judd Nelson) at the UT campus in Austin, Texas. Knowing that the real world of graduation, marriage and, for one, service in Vietnam will eventually separate them, the friends skip their graduation party and instead embark on a road trip to the desert near the Mexican border, where one has heard there is a bottle of Dom Perignon buried. The film is quite funny, yet also has s strong element of bittersweet nostalgia to it, as if the filmmakers were remembering a moment in time from their own young adulthood. It is also beautifully shot, especially near the end, as it captures the dusk setting on a small desert town. Planes Trains and Automobiles (John Hughes, 1987) Neal Page (Steve Martin) simply wants to get from New York to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, a snow storm closes the airport, causing him to try to get to Chicago by any means of travel possible. As luck would have it, he unwillingly finds himself traveling with shower curtain ring salesman Del Griffith (John Candy), as one obstacle after another impedes their path. Alternately hilarious (“Those aren’t pillows!”) and heartbreakingly sad, especially near the end, this is 80s maestro John Hughes’ best film. Duel (Dir. Steven Spielberg, 1971) David Mann (Dennis Weaver) as his name implies, is an everyman with a boring job and a lifeless marriage. While driving through the desert, however, he finds himself the target of an oil tanker truck that seems determined to kill him. This extremely suspenseful and often terrifying TV action thriller put a young director by the name of Steven Spielberg on the map and rightly so. The theory that he so masterfully applied to Jaws, namely, that nothing is as frightening as the unknown, is used to great effect here as well: the truck driver is never seen, thus making it seem that the truck itself is trying to kill David. Mad Max (George Miller 1979) In a post-Apocalyptic near-future, the barren highways of Australia are ruled by violent road gangs who rape and pillage any town or any person that crosses their path. Max, a hotheaded young policeman, has had enough of fighting the gangs, particularly after they savagely burn his partner Goose. However, when one of the gangs, led by a demonic leader named Toecutter, murders Max’s wife and son. Max takes the law into his own hands and all Hell breaks loose on the highways of the Outback. This ultra-violent but very exciting action thriller drew Hollywood’s attention, especially towards its star, a young actor named Mel Gibson. Smokey and the Bandit (Hal Needham, 1977) Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus (Jerry Reed) are two truck-driving buddies out of Atlanta who accept a nearly impossible wager: pick up a truckload of Coors beer in Texas and return it to Atlanta within 24 hours. Along the way, however, Bandit picks up a runaway bride by the name of Carrie (Sally Field), which leaves the jilted groom and his father, one Sherriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason), hot on their tail. Sure, this is the quintessential “redneck drive in” movie, but damned if it isn’t entertaining. The legendary Gleason is absolutely hysterical as the sheriff, while Burt is undeniably charming and funny as the Bandit. There is also great romantic chemistry between him and Field, not to mention a great chase scene in which tucks maneuver to “hide” Bandit from a patrol car in pursuit. Two-Lane Blacktop (Monte Hellman 1971) This movie, made in the same year, is in many ways the antithesis of Vanishing Point. Whereas Vanishing Point almost never takes its foot off the pedal, the tone of Two-Lane Blacktop is instead slow, moody and atmospheric, with rather strange, wooden performances by its two leads, musicians Dennis Wilson and James Taylor. What makes the film special is the now legendary performance of Warren Oats as GTO, a driver haunted and seemingly on the run from some traumatic incident in his life (never explained), trying to gain some “traction” or meaning back in his life. Easy Rider (Dennis Hopper 1969) Though this film, about two bikers riding from LA to New Orleans in search of “America,” has dated badly and is a bit pretentious, Easy Rider is still one of the key road movies. Its use of a modern rock soundtrack was groundbreaking at the time. Perhaps most important, it deserves credit for helping make a star out of a young Jack Nicholson (one of Nicholson’s first great scenes is when he rides behind Peter Fonda on the motorcycle while wearing a football helmet). Thelma and Louise (Ridley Scott 1991) This movie basically scared the shit out of men in 1991 and with good reason, as it presented a bond of sisterhood too strong for any man to break, as well as two women more than willing to push back when pushed by (generally male dominated) society. As a male, I must admit the film made me uncomfortable often (in particular because there is really only one sympathetic male character in the whole movie). Still, I cannot deny the film’s power or artistry, in particular the beautiful, often haunting shots captured by Ridley Scott.
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