Stunt drivers who send cars through the motions for film productions have to be good. Stunt drivers who maneuver trucks through complex stunts and terrain have to be outstanding. So we thought we would compile a few of the best of the best.
1. Terminator 2: Judgement Day
In this action sequence, the upgraded Terminator model, the T-1000, has found his target – a young John Connor who barely escapes on some puny dirtbike, only to see that the T-1000 found a spare 1987 Freightliner FLA 9664 and is not at all concerned about the suspension system. As it so happens, one of the stunt truck drivers we like to feature, Mike Ryan, is the driver of the doomed Freightliner in this sequence.
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2. The Road Warrior
In this sequence, Max decides to help some peaceful settlers transport their storage of precious gasoline to a safer haven away from Lord Humungus and his band of oil pirates. The semi truck is a Mack tanker outfitted with protective spikes and some arrow shooting turrets mounted on the top of the payload. The entire scene comes to an end in a spectacular crash that nearly kills Max (and basically the rest of the movie budget).
[youtube url=”http://youtu.be/Bmf-HCCZYOg” playlist=”The Road Warrior Truck Stunt” title=”Truck%20Stunts%20on%20Film” width=”450″ height=”320″]
3. The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Joker road chase was especially difficult to pull off. First of all, it was done on a real viaduct off of the Chicago River, with low ceilings, tight lanes and difficult shooting angles. Secondly, there were tons of pyrotechnics to go with all the carnage. And third, well, they managed to upend an entire Peterbilt semi truck, payload and all. That’s some impressive stunt truck driving!
[youtube url=”http://youtu.be/mx31jPUFh5I” playlist=”The Dark Knight Truck Chase” title=”Truck%20Stunt%20Driving%20on%20Video” width=”450″ height=”320″]
4. Beverly Hills Cop
Here we have the opening action sequence that involves a 1980 GMC Aero Astro Cabover with a double trailer. Detective Axel Foley is trapped in the back payload of the runaway semi truck, and can only hold on to the security chains while the thug driving basically destroys about 22 cars within the three minute chase. The scene earned an Oscar nomination for stunt truck driver Eddy Donno.
[youtube url=”http://youtu.be/hk-_4vierus” playlist=”Beverly Hills Cop Truck Chase” title=”Truck%20Stunt%20Driving%20on%20Video” width=”450″ height=”320″]
5. License To Kill
Agent 007 James Bond usually has a great stunt or five up his sleeve for each new movie, and the tanker truck sequence on a mountainous road was the big centerpiece for 1989’s “License to Kill” starring Timothy Dalton. Agent 007 had hitched a ride on a tanker to escape the Columbian drug lord Franz Sanchez. He takes over the semi truck, but then has to do battle with two other Kenworth W900 tankers while dodging bullets. Whew.
[youtube url=”http://youtu.be/8Sg4K7KP5jE” playlist=”License to Kill Truck Chase” title=”Truck%20Stunt%20Driving%20on%20Film%20007″ width=”450″ height=”320″]