The best car chase scene ever
filmed was in the 1968 cop drama, Bullitt, starring Steve McQueen. Part of the
chase scene was filmed here on the street in the film.
McQueen, as inspector Frank
Bullitt drives a68 Ford Mustang GT fastback against a bad guys 68 Dodge Charger
R/T (driven by professional driver Bill Hickman)
Several cars were used and all of
them were modified and McQueen did most of his own driving through the streets
of San Francisco at over 110 mph. Camera were place low on the front bumper of
the following car, and no camera tricks were used to film the scene.
McQueen and his production company convinced
San Francisco's mayor to open up the city, allowing them use of the police
station, hospital, airport, and, of course, the streets.
In exchange, Solar
hired extras from poverty areas at full union scale. Warner Bros. didn't
appreciate the effort and ordered Solar back home during the first month of
production, suggesting that the rest of the movie, including the car chase,
could be duplicated on a Burbank back lot. McQueen refused, and the six-picture
deal suddenly became a one-picture deal.
One plan took the chase over the
Golden Gate Bridge, a trip the city denied. The 12-minute chase took two weeks
to film--one sixth of the entire shooting schedule.