Loca escapada a Las Vegas

A young couple Sam and Paula are planning to be hitched, but when they confront Paula's influential parents about it. They won't have any of it, and beg her to marry the snobby, rich Colin. Instead she and Sam steal her father's Rolls Royce and head to Las Vegas to elope. From this a large road chase eventuates with Colin calling a radio station to announce a $25,000 reward for Paula. While on their tails, Colin's mother Vivian joins in with another $25,000 for his return. Soon Paula's father has got out the big guns to stop them, while plenty of nutty people join in chase for the doe and the local radio station DJ happens to be commentating the action in a hovering helicopter.

Just sit back, and soak it all up. Following the success of Ron Howard's starring vehicle "Eat My Dust". Another chance was on offer, and this follow up had Ron Howard kicking off his directorial debut under the watchful eye of producer Roger Corman and what we get is purely light-headed fun with non-stop bustle and chaos ensured. This tight budget drive-in, b-film is a madcap chase comedy all the way, which is ebulliently staged and provides such a rush due to Howard's concisely economical and desirable direction. The animatedly mindless screenplay, which is penned by Ron and his father Rance Howard crackles with plenty of freedom to cluster and stretch out the story with mini sub-plots, clever visual gags, highly witty dialogues and a circus show of colourful characters. The concept is simple, old-school and cartoonish, but Howard's knowledgeable timing and honest tailoring lets the film open up naturally with its crackerjack pacing that never lets the momentum slip and expansively robust and tightly choreographed stunts that lead onto a smash-a-thon of fast and stolen motor vehicles ending in flourish of explosions. Howard captures many well-displayed images. Helping out behind the scenes, is that of Joe Dante's airtight, sped-up editing to Gary Graver' sharply inventive cinematography and giving the film some heart is the casually, cosy music score that can spruce up when needed. Being shot on location in open desert back roads gave it a down 'n' dirty feel of authenticity. Attached to it are joyful performances from the entire cast who like to gesture a lot. Nancy Morgan shines excellently in a sprightly cheeky turn as Paula and Ron Howard amusedly sits on cruise control as Sam. The Corman-regulars that co-star on this one range from the eccentrically self-absorbed performance by a fantastic Don Steele, Clint Howard, Rance Howard and a minor appearance by Paul Bartel. Marion Ross and Paul Linke are a riot as Vivian and Collin Hedgeworth. Playing Paula's snotty parents are the enjoyably comic Elizabeth Rogers and Barry Cahill. Also Jim Ritz, Hoke Howell and Garry Marshall give capable, snappy and crazy support. Oh, they don't make 'em like this anymore. Man, these type of spirited features really put these wannabe shallow Hollywood dosh to shame. Something about these outings just seem to stay fresh.

"Grand Theft Auto" is a groovy, no-nonsense splurge into high-octane overload, which is considerably well executed with clarity and precision for what it is. So go ahead and floor it for one pleasurable and fulfilling genre romp.

Ron Howard's directorial debut (in which he also stars) is a pretty good piece of drive-in movie fun, with a silly but fast-paced story and enough car chases and crashes to keep those who go for this kind of thing plenty satisfied. A handful of familiar faces in amusing cameos add to the fun.

Nutty, non stop laughfest depicting 2 idealistic, love struck teens determined to make it to Vegas to be wed against the wishes of the bride's parents. This sets off a huge manhunt for the pair by any and every breed of looney, each intent on cashing in on the 25K reward. Never have I seen this many wrecks; dozens and dozens, maybe more. Kooky comedy at it's best.

GRAND THEFT AUTO (2+ outta 5 stars)

Pretty minor car crash movie from the peak of the car crash movie boom of the mid-to-late-70s. Notable as the directorial debut of star Ron Howard... so producer Roger Corman deserves some credit for the later *good* movies that Howard directed. Actually, this movie isn't bad at all... if you like this sort of thing... cornball plot about 2 young kids in love stealing a Rolls Royce and heading for Vegas to get hitched. Egged on by a loudmouth radio broadcaster who sees the ratings potential, the pair head west... followed by the law and an assortment of comical character actors who want to stop them. Last major film role for Ron Howard... who probably sensed that time was running out on his ability to keep playing these clean-cut teenager roles.

The big directors have to start somewhere.... From the Roger Corman school of filmmaking. As such, it's a solid product, IF you keep in mind PLENTY of 70's context. It's a fun drive-in movie which were once a staple of American cinema. Ah, simpler times... Read Ron and Clint Howard's co-written memoir {The Boys} before watching this. The back story helps to make sitting through this a little easier. Their dad and Ron wrote the screenplay, Clint has a supporting paet, character actors galore, some celebrity cameos and tons of sweet old cars meet their demise. So much car carnage... Fun, harmless and kitschy.