Hot Rods to Hell

This movie continues to amuse me although I've seen it countless times. The straitlaced family plunged into a world of "hot rodding" teenagers "looking for kicks"...it can't get much better than this. Particularly fun are the overly dramatic performances of Dana Andrews (Tom) and Jeannie Crain (Peg) as the family sedan is chased by a carload of teenagers (one girl managing to sit up on the back and hang on the whole while). After the family arrives at the hotel that the father has just bought, they are horrified to realize that it's a roadhouse that caters to these same bored teenagers and others like them. Much to her parents' dismay, the daughter becomes infatuated with Duke, one of the hot rodders who earlier that day ran them off the road. The scenes inside the roadhouse are backgrounded with music by "Mickey Rooney Jr. and His Combo" which adds to the cheese factor. Still, you can't help loving it.

Hot Rods To Hell is one of those movies me and my buddies rode our Schwinn stingrays to the theatre to see on a saturday afternoon... Of course we all got thrown out before the film was over for getting too loud or dumping popcorn from the balcony! However over the years I,ve seen it several times on television and I have to appreciate the really campy style in which it portrays the "wild youth" of the latter 60,s....If you,re lookin for good acting and plot "forget this movie" But if you want to see a movie for sheer brainless fun...this is it!!! I absolutly love this movie.....

Given a title like this, it's a cinch no one will take this road movie seriously except for a few of us who hate seeing a decent family being harrassed by some mindless hot rodders intent on making dangerous moves in speeding cars for no apparent reason. Later, though, the script gives them a reason and the mayhem continues throughout with the man, wife and children being subjected to dangerous maneuvers by the teen-age punks until he manages to turn the tables on them in an unexpected way.

It's a pity Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain couldn't have found themselves a better script and story. By today's standards, the dialogue is rather unrealistic and corny--and the preachy element that Andrews is forced to utter to the kids seems a bit theatrical and pointless. It's the kind of movie you might expect to find as a B&W cheapie at a drive-in--but here it's wrapped up in MGM technicolor although modestly produced.

Not a serious indictment of hot rodders nor more than a standard melodrama that seems somewhat dated in its attitudes. Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain do what they can with stereotyped roles but neither is seen at their best. Crain is flatteringly photographed and looks as lovely as ever while Andrews seems to have gone through some hard times in his personal life that give his tight-lipped demeanor a worn look.

''Hot Rods To Hell is really a good look at late sixties culture. The acting by onetime stars Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain, is fine. They are well supported by Mimsy Farmer and Laurie Mock, both of whom would soon be seen in ''Riot On Sunset Strip'' that same year. The Sam Katzman production may be low budget, but it still looks decent. the Fred Karger score is suitably dramatic. The songs are...(oh well, you can't have everything) undoubtedly an oldster's idea of ''rock and roll'' though the authors also wrote material for Elvis! It moves pretty fast, both in the theatrical version which ran 90 minutes, and the 100 minute version first seen on ABC.TCM has the latter print, and shows it occasionally from time to time. Strangely enough, TNT used to run the theatrical one. One critic, in his review stated ''Jeanne Crain is still lovely to look at.'' She was, indeed. An enjoyable film.

After phoning to tell his family he will be home for Christmas, an jolly well inebriated Dana Andrews (as Tom Phillips) crashes his car. He yells, "That stupid drunken fool!" and survives with a bad back. Shapely raven-haired wife Jeanne Crain (as Peg) arranges for Mr. Andrews to enjoy rest and relaxation as the owner of a sleepy desert motel in California. Bored, horny daughter Laurie Mock (as Tina) and preteen son Tim Stafford (Jamie) are along for the ride. Driving to their new home, the family is terrorized by "Hot Rods to Hell"! dragsters full of sex-crazed, thrill-seeking teenagers. Unfasten your seat belts!

Swinging sixties punks Paul Bertoya (as Duke), Mimsy Farmer (as Gloria), and Gene Kirkwood (as Ernie) are awfully nice!

And, Andrews' daughter is ready for action! She may not know it, but is told, "Some girls like to be sneaked up on." Later, Ms. Crain adds, "There isn't a woman alive who doesn't want a man!" Yeah, right... Now, if Andrews and family survive the trip, they are in for a horrific surprise. The motel they bought turns out to be a boozy, smoke-filled dive populated with the same young hoodlums they met on the road. There, house band leader Mickey Rooney Jr. and his combo help keep tight, sweaty bodies in motion. The departing owner can barely keep it from getting raided before Andrews takes over... Lurid fun!

****** Hot Rods to Hell (1/27/67) John Brahm ~ Dana Andrews, Jeanne Crain, Mimsy Farmer, Mickey Rooney Jr.