The Last Chase (1981)

In a future United States, the only transport available to an individual is public transportation. Predicated on an assertion that "the oil has run out", an increasingly totalitarian ... See full summary »

Director:

Martyn Burke

Writers:

C.R. O'Christopher (story), C.R. O'Christopher (screenplay),

Stars:

Lee Majors, Burgess Meredith, Chris Makepeace

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lee Majors	...	Franklyn Hart
Burgess Meredith	...	Captain J.G. Williams
Chris Makepeace	...	Ring
Alexandra Stewart	...	Eudora
Diane D'Aquila	...	Santana
George Touliatos	...	Hawkins
Harvey Atkin	...	Jud
Ben Gordon	...	Morely
Hugh Webster	...	Fetch
Deborah Burgess	...	Miss Rawlston
Trudy Young	...	Mrs. Hart
Moses Znaimer	...	Reporter
Doug Lennox	...	Captain
Paul Amato	...	Soldier at Roadblock
Warren Van Evera	...	New York Cop (as Warren Van Evra)

Storyline

In a future United States, the only transport available to an individual is public transportation. Predicated on an assertion that "the oil has run out", an increasingly totalitarian central government has ordered all personal vehicles be impounded by law. One man, a former race car driver, yearns again for his ability to choose his own roads and destiny. He reassembles his race car hidden from confiscation, and sets out for "Free California" which has broken away from the new regime, aided by a young technically savvy teen who feels alienated from this "social" society. Agents of the new government must stop this man at any cost to destroy the symbology he represents, and the instability that such a desire for personal autonomy could mean to the society. An old Korean War veteran and his F-86 Sabre jet are called into service to chase down this dangerous man, and end his flouting of the will of the state. In the words of one of the government agents, "People going where they want to,...

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Plot Keywords:

government | race car | california | future | driver | 

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Taglines:

A FUTURISTIC GAME OF LIFE AND DEATH!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Canada USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

April 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Última Perseguição

Filming Locations:

Caledon, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$4,900,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Argosy Films, Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The car is a modified 1973 Porsche 917/30 CanAm Spyder.

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Goofs

While Capt. J.G. Williams flies his kite on the rooftop traffic noise is heard quite clearly in a world with no cars.

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Connections

Featured in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Last Chase (1989)

User Reviews

I actually kinda like it...

First of all, it has a great score by Gil Melle. He did cool synthesizer stuff with stuff like The Questor Tapes and Kolchak: The Night Stalker, and he doesn't disapppoint here. Even at the dullest moments, you can count on the score to give you a jolt or two.

The main problem is that everything in this movie is just...slightly off-key. Give it a better actor than Lee Majors as the "hero," and a better old fogey/jetfighter than hammy Burgess Meredith, and do a little more than just rehash Farenheit 451 with gas instead of books, and this might have worked. Chris Makepeace is okay (although the juvie bad boy/computer hacker stereotype was already overdone by '81), and the plane vs. car action sequences aren't too badly done.

*shrug* I liked it. It wasn't better than Cats, but otherwise it works for me.