Hot Rods to Hell (1967)

Actually a pretty good movie and the acting is not all that bad. With the exception of overacting from Jeanne Crain, Mimsy Farmer and Laurie Mock, the others do a good job. Several classic character actors here. Quite suspenseful. As soon as you think of a movie as a movie, and don't get lost in it, you take all the fun out of it anyhow. Not bad for a 21 day shoot. Fun movie to have on hand when in the mood for it. Anyone know the filming location of the picnic scenes? I remember seeing this when it was first on TV. Peter Oliphant played Freddie Helper on Dick Van Dyke Show

As holiday songs play for both Dana Andrews and his waiting family, tragedy occurs as he drives home for a festive Christmas. He's left a shell of himself, a weakened businessman who needs to vegetate before he can return to his career. As his family heads to their new destination, a group of speeding teens begin surrounding them, bringing fear to the seemingly cookie cutter family. Dad Andrews and mom Jeanne Crain have two children, but unfortunately, their teenaged daughter Laurie Mock looks more like a much older "B" girl with her "groovy" frizzy black hairdo than the actual "B" girl accompanying the collegiate looking thugs.What essentially seems like an hour long episode of some mid 1960's trashy T.V. show has been lengthened by extended car chases, extremely bad dancing and a genuinely tacky atmosphere. Poor Andrews and Crain seem truly embarrassed by being in this movie which ain't no "State Fair". It's obvious that there's more to the harassment by these animalistic jerks than what's on the surface, and that revelation is pretty lame. Also really ridiculous is the conclusion where Andrews plays a wonderfully dirty trick on his harassers then basically wraps things up by playing the martyr. I don't think anybody in this situation would do society the favor by turning the other cheek. That would be dangerous in 1967 and certainly deadly today in 2014.This reminded me of another "normal citizen in danger" movie, "Lady in a Cage", the 1964 movie where Olivia de Havilland dealt with thugs who broke into her house and robbed her while she watched them from her elevator. Both films contain subject matter that is very disturbing to see, but in the case of "Lady in a Cage", the film was more successful because of the way the narrative played out and the fact that there really was nothing she could do. In "Hot Rods to Hell", Andrews pretty much does nothing. Most men his age would simply buy a gun and retaliate when their entire family is put in jeopardy. So therefore, the three part tragedies are his accident which leaves him weakened, the family's harassment and the script which pretty much destroys any sense of reality by letting these thugs get away with what their doing rather than allowing the hero to do what any red-blooded American father would do. I say blow these animals off the road and off the planet, 'cause it's obvious that they would continue to be a menace to society no matter how Andrews resolves the situation.

Yes "66, not "67 as IMDb says. 1966 gave us all the classics, "Dr. Goldfoot & The Girl Bombs", "Modesty Blaise', "Ghosts In The Invisible Bikini", "Faster Pussycat Kill Kill" and of course "Hot Rods To Hell." I hadn't seen this film in 25 years and suddenly there it was in front of me, a DVD, with the original movie poster artwork right on the case. Dana Andrews gives a serious performance as a old school dad who ends his suburban life and heads out to face some unexpected "animals." Animals being the teenagers who harass his family in hot rods while on the sun lit deserted desert roads of California.Dads at a distance by phone as we're introduced to the main characters who show their cute family affections at home during Christmas. Mom, played by an under-rated Jeanne Crain, daughter Tina played by the gorgeous Laurie Mock, and seemingly 12 year old spunky son Jamie played by a second tier credited Tim Stafford. Dad gets a bit morose after a near fatal car accident on his return home to the family. This induces a semi reluctant property deal of Uncle Bill's to buy a motel in no mans land. The family packs and off they go.Nothing like the teeth gritting smiles and wide eyed looks of a mid sixties teenager to charge you up. Enter Duke, the hot rod king and mega sixties siren Mimsy Farmer who plays Gloria, Dukes brassy mouthed flunky. They and the gang do the chasing while dear old dad is just about to crack. One close encounter after another gets dads already frayed nerves to the boiling point while in route to supposed peace. Pops wisely takes a detour into a picnic area for refuge where Duke tries to sneak up and work some "magic" on daughter Tina.A worthwhile side story involving an arrogant pedal heavy dad and his son at the picnic area works while the real driving force of Dana Andrews carries on with his cranky fed up demeanor. Arriving at the wild atmospheric motel which they intend to purchase, dad rescues Tina from the clutches of Duke with murderous rage. Some jumping sounds emit from the motel bar courtesy of Micky Rooney Jr. And His Combo strumming some nice electrics. Moms always there, never disappointing with her plucky supportive dialog, especially as Tina stokes her ire on the evils of boys. As we race towards hopeful survival some harrowing techniques by dad end up relaying what he was really made of. Duke and the gang turn out to be the punks the teens of that generation thought were hip ,while Daddy O is pretty cool after all.Hot Rods To Hell epitomizes the 1966 era. I always believed that Laurie Mock should have gone further in films with her natural style and good looks. The generic sixties soundtrack throughout keeps time and pace. The small missing dialog between Duke and Tina is a downer and inexplicable but having the film available at all compensates. Hot Rods To Hell is a classic because of its family focusing universal effectiveness. It rises above the mockery of it's meager means. It's time for a definitive release containing extras, baby, extras!

Hot Rods to Hell (1967) ** 1/2 (out of 4) John Brahm (The Undying Monster, The Lodger) directs this outrageous film that tries to be hip but comes off as realistic as Reefer Madness. An old man (Dana Andrews) takes his wife and two children from Boston to Arizona so that they can open a motel but along the way they run into hot rod's with a gang who is constantly terrorizing them. Warner recently released this as part of their "Camp Classics" line and camp isn't strong enough of a word to fit this film. Everything in this movie is so over blown that you can't help but laugh your ass off from one scene to another. The performances are among the worst I've ever seen and you have to wonder what the hell Andrews was doing in a film like this. He comes off so-so but Jeanne Crain as his wife delivers quite possibly the worst performance I've ever seen by someone who has talent. From her fake tears to her trying to be scared, every single second of her performance brings laughter. The supporting cast isn't any better but Mimsy Farmer steals the show as one of the hot rods who gets horny with speed. Some might remember her later Italian horror films including Lucio Fulci's The Black Cat. This is certainly a film that's so bad it's good so cult movie fans should eat it up. Others beware. Oh yeah, Mickey Rooney, Jr. does the soundtrack.