Car Chase Scene from "The Master Touch"

The husband and I were simultaneously cheering, howling and choking at this six minute-long car chase from The Master Touch (aka: Un Uomo da Rispettare, dir: Michael Lupo, 1972), where a peppy Giuliano Gemma leads a fist-shaking, mammoth-nosed Romano Puppo on a squealing wheels trail through the streets of Hamburg. It's arguably the centerpiece of the film itself; an excellently stylish Italian crime drama featuring Kirk Douglas traipsing adequately through typically snazzy cinematography, 70s modern architecture porn and a spine-chilling score by Ennio Morricone (Italio-horror buffs may also recognize co-star Gemma from Dario Argento's Tenebre). "Best film car chase scene ever" discussions are treacherous debate territory, and often precede film nerd fist-fights (and actual film nerd car chases themselves?) But I think we can all smile through grinding teeth and agree on this wheel-y stunner (turn volume up LOUD). Damn cardboard boxes...

Comments

[P. Dent Tree]

I know I'm an anorak, but the gray and white car changes from a two-door 1958 Plymouth Belvedere into a four-door 1960 Dodge Dart, back to the Plymouth, back to the Dodge, back to the Plymouth.

And they really don't look much alike. (It's a little distracting.)

Also, everybody complains about Detroit, but when they needed to film a punishing car chase, they went for a Chrysler product and a General Motors product (I'm pretty sure the blue car is an Opel Diplomat). The Renaults and Citroens became fodder for crashes.

We may not build efficient cars, but we sure do build cars that take a lickin'.

Sorry, I'll get me hat ...

[WmMBerger]

Whoa! I love the way Gemma honks so the schoolgirls can get out of the way...so European! It's remarkable what directors could come up with before they all had CGI and a team of crack South Korean animators at their disposal. Mark, you need to post more often....

[Michael]

Seriously, this is brilliant. Possibly the best I've ever seen.

[Dale]

I thought it was a DeSoto at first. This reminds me of when CHiPS was on in reruns a couple of years ago. I'd go nuts when they'd destroy a rust free 50s pickup or Econoline van or toilet seat-deck Valiant. Even those plain Jane's are special today. It takes real skill to drive one of these heavy old cars with drum brakes and not kill someone or yourself. Kudos.

[boil]

So great. Thanks for the post.

[Jeff Jobson]

The Plymouth/Dodge switchoff was indeed pretty obvious, but I did notice they grafted on the older car's fins to at least try to make them look the same. I would imagine there weren't too many 1958 Belevederes in Hamburg in 1972 to work with! It does make me wonder what happened to that first car during the shoot!

[Wax]

Ahhh... A chestnut from the days when you could actually follow the action in an action film... I want one of them thar cars that doesn't die no matter how hard you try to kill it...