[shmeeed]

Re: your last paragraph called to my mind the great french thriller "The Wages of Fear" from 1953, in which two trucks loaded with nitroglycerin need to cross rough terrain, and the viewer finds himself holding his breath quite a lot...

[genocidicbunny]

Also remade as a pretty good movie in 1977 -- Sorcerer. Had a great soundtrack by Tangerine Dream as well.