Parkers' favourite car films encompass both stories about cars, and great stories where cars feature prominently.
To us, car films encompass any piece of cinema where cars play a central role. That sounds blindingly obvious, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are films about cars. Scroll down and you’ll see what we mean.
Without further ado, and in no particular order or ranking, here are some of our favourite car films. No spoilers are made.
Parkers’ favourite car films:
A Steve McQueen classic where the ultimate movie star is trying to fulfil his usual obsession with authenticity. Focuses on the 24 Hours of Le Mans race from 1970.
A Hollywood epic with sensational racing scenes created by a master – John Frankenheimer.
A fun-to-watch, cheerful cult classic with a string of superb characters.
Bullitt is Steve McQueen being Steve McQueen.
This is a based-on-a-true-story epic with, as one can tell from the cast, a budget to match.
As a cinematic exercise, it's beaten by the 2000 remake. But the original has better cars.
There is something so satisfying about the physical box set.
Set in New Zealand, this is the greatest road trip movie you’ve never heard of.
The 1870s Ford Falcon coupe and Holden Sandman panel van are arguably the greatest things to come from Australia, and both are cast in this dark antipodean masterpiece.
A very different flavour to Mad Max, but just as good.
A wonderful film with little dialogue and superb cinematography.
A Hollywood epic from Ron Howard that turns a racing rivalry into an exciting drama.
Eric Banau's film epitomises the petrolhead-machine relationship.
A dark study of humanity where the car plays as big a part as De Niro.
A ridiculously excellent car race across America.
Ayrton Senna was a genuinely interesting figure, which is why this documentary is so thoroughly engrossing.
Ridley Scott creates one of the best road trip films.
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