1. TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. (1985)
Friedkin’s return to the streets of L.A. does not disappoint and also makes it into this reviewer’s top 5 films of all time. Realism is the key throughout and when our anti-heroes decide to drive up the freeway the ‘wrong way’ we are right there with them. No green-screen, no back projection, just some A-grade stunt driving and a topping of whiplash editing.

2. STRANGE DAYS (1995)
Another proven ‘leggy’ director, Kathryn Bigelow takes us on a thrilling point-of-view chase through future-town and up panic stairs and then kills us in a fatal fall, all during the first few minutes of her hard as nails sci-fi actioner. Putting that purpose-built lightweight camera from Point Break (1991) to good use once more.

3. DOLLARS aka $(1971)
Back when Goldie Hawn and Warren Beatty were cute instead of decrepit, their winning comedy partnership spawned this uber-cool heist movie. It’s a little-seen gem that brings new meaning to ‘cut to the chase’ as roughly two thirds of its running time are in fact uninterrupted pursuit. The car skidding across thin-ice is a chase highlight.

4. ONG-BAK aka Ong-bak: Mauy Thai Warrior (2003)
Not only is Ong-bak probably the best martial arts movie you’re likely to see (since CGI and wire-work ruined everything) but it also contains one corker of a tuktuk chase (a tucktuk being a three wheeled motorised taxi common in traffic heavy countries). If you haven’t seen this film, worry not as euro-taxi chase champ Luc Besson recently snapped up the rights, possibly due to the graffiti’d message ‘Luc Besson, we are waiting!’ that can be spotted on a wall near the climax of the sequence.

5. DEAD BANG (1989)
The wholly unofficial ‘Master of the Chase’ John Frankenheimer does it again with uncharacteristically low class. Don Johnson’s hung-over homicide cop leg-chases a suspect for what seems like a country mile until finally he rugby tackles him to the ground and promptly throws up over him. The bad guy in turn coughs up his information with a “What are you gonna do? Sh*t on me?”