There’s no pit stop in this movie, which is based on figure 8 racing, which features a track that purposely intersects itself, increasing the risk of collisions. That inspired Jack Hill, who originally wanted to call this The Winner.
Rick is an amateur drag racer who is in a racing feud with Hawk Sidney (an impossibly young Sid Haig, who didn’t know how to drive a car!) over a sponsorship from Grant Willard. They’re also battling over the affections of the gorgeous Jolene (Beverly Washburn, who was Elizabeth in Spider Baby), but finally come to an understanding, even after Hawk destroys Rick’s car.
Rick’s next feud is with the champion, Ed McCleod, and his real conquest is that man’s neglected wife Ellen (Ellen Burstyn!). As they have a climactic race, there’s a big crash and old Ed walks away instead of being put on a stretcher. This manly act has broken his neck and cost him his life, but as Rick attempts to take his place in the spotlight, he loses the respect of everyone, ending the film as its villain instead of the hero.
Man, you can’t go wrong with Jack Hill. Whether you pick this movie, the aforementioned Spider Baby or grab Coffy, Switchblade Sisters, Foxy Brown or even Sorceress, you’re going to get something way better than you expect, which to me is the hallmark of a great talent.
The Sheriff Roy Childress (a bastardly-cool Vic Morrow) makes bank on how much the local judge can fine the unsuspecting visitors who go over the posted speed limit — even by 5 miles per hour. And those speedsters stupid enough that try to outrun ol’ Roy, well he just runs them off the road — over an errant cliff — if they attempt to make the state border. And it’s just not greed, but revenge: his wife and daughter were killed by a speeder. And all speeders must pay — or die if they don’t.
One of those victims is Michael McCord’s (Martin Sheen) brother who rides into town like a “man with no name” behind the wheel of a 1934 Ford Coupe hot rod. Another victim was the brother of Buzz Stafford (Nick Nolte), the local town mechanic. Along with the local waitress-cum-love interest (Michelle Phillips), they’re going to take down Childress and reform the corrupt town.
Director Richard T. Heflon worked his way up from directing episodes of Banacek (with George Peppard of Battle Beyond the Stars fame) and The Rockford Files, along with the forgotten (but cool) ’70s TV movies Locusts and Death Scream, to theatrical features with Future World and Outlaw Blues with Peter Fonda (Easy Rider).
You can watch this on You Tube. Do it. It’s the best 70-minutes you’ll ever spend in your life. Awesome!
About the Author: You can learn more about the writings of R.D Francis on Facebook. He also writes for B&S About Movies.
Don “The Snake” Prudhomme and Tom “The Mongoose” McEwen were gods to us kids in the ’70. We bought the racing magazines and ripped out the glossy spreads of their cars and persons and Scotch Taped ’em to our bedroom doors and walls — right next to our Runaways (duBeat-e-o) and Suzi Quatro (Suzi Q) posters, and Roger Decoster’s mag-rips of his daring motocross jumps.
When the ABC Wild World of Sports held one of Prudhomme and McEwen’s drag or funny car races on a Saturday afternoon, the neighborhood streets cleared and everyone sat in front of the TV. The Snake and Mongoose were matched only by Richard Petty and Evel Knievel. They were the “Muhammad Ali” of racing. Everyone loved them.
So, to commemorate those “Funny Car Summers” of those youthful days of yore, let’s fire up that silver screen under the stars!
Man, when this commercial came on TV . . . EVERYBODY went to see this documentary that chronicles a summer in the life of “Funny Car” racer Jim Dunn and his family.
The most popular, best known, and best-distributed film of the night — it is also the most disappointing (to those wee eyes of long ago) of the films of the night. You know how great Pawn Stars and American Chopper were when they first went on the air — then they turned into a Kardashians-styled sit(shite)com that’s all about Chum Lee and Corey Harrison bumblin’ about the shop and Junior and Senior fighting? Where’s the neat junk? Where’s the bikes? Where’s Frank and Mike? Who in the hell let Danielle, this Memphis blond chick, and Mike’s bumblin’ brother on the set? Where did the pickin’ go? This is American Pickers, right?
Well, that’s what watching this movie is like: all family drama and little vroom-vroom. Way to go marketing department and Mr. Distributor. You broke our little-tyke hearts — and pissed off our parents, who paid the drive-in fare, because we bitched from the backseat that we were bored — and watched 99 and 44/100% Dead (or was it The Exorcist) through the rear window, instead.
You can watch Funny Car Summer on You Tube HERE and HERE.
Wheels On Fire is a classic motor sports documentary — and also one of the most obscure and hard-to-find (as you can see, it’s even impossible to find a decent image of the theatrical one-sheet). But not in the land of Oz, since this was filmed in Liverpool, Sydney. This one kicks ass because of — before there were web-cam and fiber optics — has the first ever “race cam” strapped onto the drag car, which takes you behind the wheel at speeds above 300 kilometers (miles in the States) per hour.
Again, this one is near impossible to track down on VHS and DVD — and the DVDs are grey market VHS-rips. And there’s no trailer or clips . . . denied.
Intermission! The Snack Bar is Open! Check out our classic drag racing poster art gallery while you wait in line!
Not to be confused (and it is) with the “on” movie above, Wheels of Fire focuses on the lives of five major drag racers of the era: Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney, Richard Tharp and Billy Meyer, as they are each followed through a complete drag racing season. Yep. This is reality TV before Robert Kardashian had his first kid (I think; too lazy to check K-Dash B-Days), the very same kids who unleashed the ubiquitously-hated broadcasting format.
As with the oft-confused Wheels on Fire, there’s no online streams of this lost, classic drag racing film. It was on You Tube in several parts, but was removed. Only this 10:00 minute clip is available, which we’re posting in lieu of an official trailer (. . . and don’t be surprised if it also vanishes to grey screen; yep, it’s gone). The now out-of-print DVDs are available in the online marketplace from time to time (and, as you can see, it’s impossible to find a decent theatrical one-sheet). The NHRA web platform and their upper-tier cable channel rerun it from time to time.
Documentarian Les Blank of Burden of Dreams fame, which chronicled the making of Werner Herzog’s and Klaus Kinski’s Fitzcarraldo, made his docu-debut with this drag chronicle — its seeds (A Rubber Tree plant, ha-ha! ugh.) planted courtesy of his first behind-the-camera gig shooting drag racers in Long Beach, California.
This one has it all: Souped-up “Blower” Mercurys and Chevys (like in Two-Lane Blacktop), rails, and funny cars. While it chronicles other racers, this one is a showcase for Rick “The Iceman” Stewart as he attempts to grab the world’s record — as Los Angeles’ Canned Heat Blues Band provides the musical backing.
Les Blank has made this easily accessible as an Amazon Prime and Vimeo VOD that’s also available for purchase at Les Blanks.com and on eBay.
And so goes our “Fast and Furious Week: Part Deux.” Can you smell the rubber Big Daddy is cookin’, Dwayne? And, do you have a hankering for even MORE drag racing films? Then check out our first “Fast and Furious Week” reviews of Burnout and Fast Company.
Poster by Dennis Preston for “The Great Bed Race” in Lansing, Michigan on August 11, 1979/courtesy of Splatt Gallery Facebook.
Update: In May 2021, we went drag racing crazy and reviewed several more drag flicks as part of our “Drag Racing Week” theme-feature of the month. Image Courtesy of Vectezzy.
Another drag racing doc? You bet. During out two month “Cannon Month” blow out in July and August 2022, we discovered this Cannon-distributed ditty. Who knew?
In August and December of 2020, we had two “Fast and Furious” tribute weeks filled with the aromas of burning rubberand bubbling oil.
Mill Creek’s “Savage Cinema” 12-pack got us started as we reviewed over 40 filmsin August 2020.
Yeah, we did another week with another 40-plus films.
You say you need more racing films? You mean we haven’t covered enough? Well, then head on over to Demaras Racing under their “Fast Films” section for their reviews on car flicks. From Mickey Rooney in The Big Wheel to a discussion of Dustin Hoffman’s ride in The Graduate to the cars in THX 1138 — so many that we missed or never got around to reviewing — they’ve got you covered.
About the Author: You can learn more about the writings of R.D Francis on Facebook.He also writes forB&S About Movies.
Written in four days by co-directors Ronald C. Ross (who mostly did stuntwork, other than writing and directing 1987’s Burning Vengeance) and Mel Welles (who directed Lady Frankenstein) along with George ‘Buck’ Flower and John F. Goff (who also wrote Butterfly, Hundra and C.B. Hustlers), this is the story of two girls named Cindy (Sandy Alan, The Glove) and Leah (Leslie Ackerman).
They leave behind their abusive lives and hit the road, but on the way decide to rob Tank, a sleazy bankrobber. He’s played by screenwriter and co-director Welles, who was also Gravis Mushnick in the original Little Shop of Horrors. Driving away in his car, they soon realize that he has $2 million dollars in it and won’t stop hunting them.
It’s not great, but it does predate Thelma and Louise, which is a very similar tale with older heroines. Trust me, you can find better on the run movies.
The Bennett-Song family is about to learn the true meaning of the holidays as they solve a community crisis and adapt to big changes. Yes, if you love holiday films, you know what’s about to happen. There’s definitely an audience for these films, so if you enjoy them, you’ll enjoy this.
Harley Wallen, who also directed Eternal Code that we watched last year, made this from a script by Nancy Oswein. They also made the first film in this series, Bennett’s Song, together.
Fans of Saved by the Bell will be happy to see Dennis Haskins in the cast. Corbin Bernsen also appears and he’s really upped his profile, appearing in plenty of direct to streaming movies as of late.
Of course, this blended family has all manner of issues to deal with, but this is a Christmas movie. Things work out, don’t worry. If you want to get in the mood for the season, then this is a perfect film for a cold December night.
Oh for the era that Joe Don Baker was a sex symbol. Yes, it really happened, it was not an imaginary story. This 1977 film — which suggests the volcanic coupling of Baker and Tyne Daly — is evidence.
An insurance company calls in private investigator Pete Nobeck (Baker) to solve several car thefts that have baffled them. You have a decent cast on hand — Richard Jaeckel, Timothy Carey, Robert Loggia, Morgan Woodward (Cayman from Battle Beyond the Stars!), Lana Wood — and direction from Earl Bellamy, who mostly worked in TV but did also make Walking Tall Part 2.
This was released in Japan as the sequel to Gone In 60 Seconds from 1974, which makes no sense at all, as it has none of the same characters.
Also, speaking of Joe Don’s husky charms, there’s a scene where he as a one night stand with Lana Wood’s psychic character New Blossom. Originally, that character was named Mira and played by Dianne Marchal, who also sang the film’s theme song “Speedytrap.” For some reason — probably to get a PG rating in the U.S. — the Wood scenes are much more chaste. Foreign markets got the Dianne Marchal nudity that we never knew we were missing.
<In a deep “movie trailer” announcer’s voice>: Starring D.B Sweeney as Paul Walker and Charlie Sheen as Vin Diesel in an explosive tale about a cop infiltrating a street-racing car theft ring . . . in No Man’s Land . . . a tale about a rookie patrolman (that “doesn’t act like a cop”) assigned to an undercover job that utilizes his car skills. Also starring Randy Quaid as Ted Levine and Lara Harris as Jordana Brewster. Playing now on HBO and Showtime. Also available at your local mom n’ pop video store.
The best we got for a freebie online stream is a 12-part upload on You Tube, as it was pulled from TubiTV — and it is no longer offered as a free-with-ads stream on Vudu, either. The good news is that MGM has made this readily available as a DVD and VOD across multiple platforms. As they should: this is a classic. Seriously, this is an enjoyable Sheen-starrer from his Wall Street heydays. Watch it and enjoy its King of the Mountain (1981; yep, also reviewed this week week, look for it) vibes.
About the Author: You can learn more about the writings of R.D Francis on Facebook. He also writes for B&S About Movies.
I’m not saying that all movies should have William Smith in them, but I kind of am. This was the 17th highest grossing film in 1969, which sounds like hyperbole but I’d like it to be true. It also has a Tammy Wynette soundtrack, which is another way into my heart.
Smith plays Angel, a motorcycle gang member who sells the real story of what it’s like on the inside to a magazine for ten grand — about $70,000 today — and earns the anger of every biker in the world. The word gets out — Angel is to be killed.
Unlike most biker films where the hero gets worse and worse, Angel actually finds a sheep farmer who gives him a brief moment to live a normal life off the road. Unfortunately, the gangs are never far behind.
Director Jack Starrett does some amazing things in this, like some incredibly dangerous shots of the gang on the road, shooting them with a camera that moves from biker to biker in the days before when a drone would make such a shot simple. He’s also gone wild with multiple split screens and dropped out audio and made this a living, breathing comic book.
Starrett’s wife Valerie plays Angel’s old lady, while Dan Kemp plays the kind rancher and Margaret Markov is his probably doomed daughter. Markov lights up the screen in plenty of Corman-era movies like The Arena, Black Mama White Mama and The Hot Box.
I had a blast with this movie. It’s filled with drama and shot in a way that you totally won’t expect. Watch it and let me know what you think.
Ah, the memories. This and Alien (1979): Dad and I going to the duplex to see this together, as mom wanted no part of burning rubber (even with Ryan O’Neal from Love Story starring) or “gooey human-bug people,” (her words).
We named-dropped this film a few times during our “Exploring: The Clones of the Fast and the Furious,” as directors Nicolas Winding Refn and Edgar Wright both cite this seminal Walter Hill effort (The Warriors) as a major influence over their respective films Driver and Baby Driver. Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill: Volume 2 pinch shots from The Driver. Yeah, it’s that good.
As with Driver and Baby Driver: The Driver was an art film — not a Bronson, Eastwood, or McQueen action film. Overseas, the film was as a smash, due to its French “New Wave” style. And Americans stayed away in droves, but of course.
The plot, at its core, is a western: a tale of a cowboy that can’t be caught and the sheriff that thinks otherwise — with O’Neal’s getaway driver the bane of a detective played Bruce Dern. And as with Two-Lane Blacktop: character names are dispensed and they are known for who they are: Driver and Detective.
There’s no online streams — freebie or VOD — but if you hit You Tube and Google and search “The Driver 1978,” you’ll find a plethora of clips from the film. Here’s one of the car chases for you (darn you, embed elves!). You can easily purchase vintage VHS tapes, along with legal DVDs and Blus on Amazon.
I suggest The Driver and Two-Lane Blacktop, along with Vanishing Point for an existential night of car chaos. Toss Easy Rider on the grill, as well.
About the Author: You can learn more about the writings of R.D Francis on Facebook. He also writes for B&S About Movies.
The sequel to Dear God No takes the insanity of that film and goes beyond the limit to create a movie that pretty much takes every taboo and shoves it in your face to smell and taste it. It’s not for everyone — neither was the first film — but it’s an absolute thrill for those who are ready for it.
Jett has been resurrected from beyond the grave, but is now addicted to the substance that brought him and his gang back. Now, they’re forced to capture cryptids and be the errand boys for the Nazi scientists that hold the keys to keeping them all alive. Now, with every gang in the world — including Val, a one-eyed mankiller played by Tristan Risk — after him, as well as bounty hunters, a chainsaw-wielding priest, rival gangs and topless masked exotic dancers — nobody is getting out alive.
This goes a bit too long at 2 hours and 5 minutes, but that’s really my only complaint. There’s something here to excite and offend everyone, sometimes at the same time. And hey — Darcy the Mail Girl dances on stage at one point.
There’s enough in here for about ten movies, so if they ever make a third one, I have no idea what’s next. I enjoyed the journey that all of the gang took on this one, but this definitely feels like the end. Then again, they all got killed last time, too, as must happen in all good biker movies. No matter what happens, if there is a sequel, I’ll definitely be there for it. Probably drinking beer the whole time again, too.
After all, the world needs more perverted biker movies filled with drugs, mutilation, nudity, sex, gore, Bigfoot and one-eyed murder machines, right?
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