One of the coolest crime thriller movies ever is on TV tonight

It was one of the main influences on the 2011 modern classic Drive.

It centres on a driver (played in an ice-cool performance by the late Ryan O'Neal, Barry Lyndon, Love Story) renowned amongst criminals in Los Angeles for his getaway skills.

However, he comes to find himself the target of a tenacious detective (a live wire Bruce Dern, The Hateful Eight) and must get help from a mysterious woman (a striking Isabelle Adjani, Possession) to survive.

While it was a critical and commercial disappointment upon release, The Driver has grown in popularity in the decades since thanks to its visceral car chases, its mean and lean storytelling, its gritty yet stylish depiction of nighttime LA and its terrific performances.

It has been cited as an influence on the work of filmmakers like Edgar Wright, Quentin Tarantino and Nicolas Winding Refn, particularly the latter's similar in tone Ryan Gosling-starring movie Drive.

The Driver is airing on TV tonight on the channel Legend at 11.45pm. It is also available to rent on Apple TV and the Sky Store.

You can check out a very cool trailer for the movie made for its recent 4K restoration below.

Here are the other movies airing on TV tonight

Prey - Film4 - 9pm

This excellent most recent entry in the acclaimed sci-fi action horror franchise Predator takes the series to the 18th century.

The Day of the Jackal - Legend - 9pm

The legendary '70s political thriller which recently got a hit TV reboot starring Eddie Redmayne.

Everest - ITV4 - 9pm

The 2015 biographical survival adventure film with an ensemble cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin and Keira Knightley.

Pixels - Comedy Central - 9pm

The Adam Sandler comedy about aliens that attack Earth, using old classic arcade games as models for their invasion.

Simulant - Sky Sci-Fi - 9pm

This Canadian sci-fi from 2023 has a decent cast including Jordana Brewster, Robbie Amell, Sam Worthington and Simu Liu.

Blind Fury - Legend Xtra - 9pm

Rutger Hauer stars as a blind, sword-wielding Vietnam War veteran in this ’80s action comedy.

Victoria & Abdul - BBC Four - 9.55pm

This biographical historical drama centres on the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and her Indian servant Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal).

The Last of the Mohicans - Film4 - 10.55pm

The incredible epic historical action drama starring Daniel Day-Lewis.

Die Hard with a Vengeance - BBC One - 11.40pm

The brilliant third Die Hard movie and the first one not set at Christmas.

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