Lunch Wagon (1981)

Despise the presence of a bunch of Van Pattens (a stalwart of a lot of these teen-hijinks flicks), this is a pretty decent run-of-the-mill teen-exploitation flick. The big twist being the fact that ex-Frank Zappa drummer Tony Bozzio and his wonderfully beautiful wife at the time, Dale Bozzio (of previous Joe's Garage, Hustler, and Playboy fame), she of the squeaky voice and large talents, are both in the movie. The band, US Drag is credited, and they play the title track "Lunch Wagon Girls," Mental Hopscotch," and "Walking in LA". They of course were really Missing Persons. Not sure if they hadn't come up with the Missing Persons band name yet (MUCH better than US Drag), or if they were hiding the fact that they were in the movie in the first place (not sure why), but I remember seeing this on some late-night channel around 1988, hearing the songs, and thinking what the hell is Terry Bozzio doing in this?

A trio of lovely young ladies start their own lunch wagon business. The gals face serious opposition from no-count competitor Al Schmeckler (a perfectly hateful portrayal by Rick Podell). Moreover, things are further complicated by bumbling diamond thief the Turtle (a hilariously cranky and foul-mouthed Chuck McCann) and his gluttonous slob partner Ralph (the equally amusing Vic Dunlop). Director Ernest Pintoff, working from a blithely silly script by Terrie Maxine Frankle and Marshall Harvey, relates the cheerfully asinine shenanigans at a nonstop breakneck pace and maintains an infectiously good-natured tone throughout. The attractive and appealing cast tackle the admittedly inane material with great verve: Pamela Jean Bryant as the feisty Marcy, Rosanne Katon as the sassy Shannon, Candy Moore as brash, foxy body builder Diedre, James Van Patten as likable hunk Biff, Michael Tucci as nice bespectacled nerd Arnie, and the ever-adorable Louisa Moritz as bubbly blonde bimbo Sunshine. Rose Marie has a cool small part as the formidable Mrs. Schmeckler. This movie further benefits from a lively soundtrack of first-rate early 80's New Wave rock songs, with the dynamic "Mental Hopscotch" by Missing Persons rating as the definite stand-out track. Fred Lemler's sunny cinematography gives the picture a sparkling bright look. Despite a generous sprinkling of tasty female nudity and a sizable smattering of profanity, a certain sweet and even innocent charm somehow manages to pervade throughout this tremendously bouncy and upbeat romp. A totally breezy and enjoyable blast.

Lunch Wagon is a fun little comedy, about 3 girls trying to make it in the lunch wagon business, when they are pursued by a couple of bumbling jewel thieves. It has a new wave look about it, and never gets too goofy. Look for missing persons, and a lot of naked women...

For those of you who voted so lowly for this "new wave" concoction, I'm too ashamed to say why you've missed something that turned out as a pure delight. What's the problem with shorts as high as the buttocks, or rock music, or a movie that "looks" dated? Think, T-H-I-N-K, before and after you watch any movie that's been out for a long period of time! You might be surprised!Now that's been said and clear, I must say that LUNCH WAGON is the best "bimbo" flick yet in the exploitation comedy category, based on my viewings of hundreds of rental store tapes. Much of what I've seen before didn't impress me at all, but this one's exceptional in several departments. Not too long ago, I've watched GAS PUMP GIRLS, another good recommendation which was decent, but this one stands out better. It's better than most, really. You can discover that one of the three girls (almost resembling CLUELESS) in the cast has a unique personality of a bodybuilder, which is a nice gag. These girls take this movie seriously without an excuse for the "naked" truth every so often, with fine acting. The group doing the cool tunes on stage is the one-hit wonder 80s band Missing Persons. A clever plot and a lot of hilarity bodes pretty high with positive results. In other words, a nice soft, sweet, sexy exploitation comedy gem that stands straight and doesn't tip over the wall. The print quality is absolutely sharp, providing you search for the Media version. One thing I didn't like, though, and don't guess! BOOM MICS!!! At the bottom of your screen, they really show off! Aaaargh!!! But forget the common flaw that's occurred in several other drive-in films. LUNCH WAGON is a definite must that will make you want to "Come And Get It!".