The featured "Hot Rod to Hell" is a modified 1958 Chevrolet Corvette. Modifications include the removal of the front grille and bumper and the addition of the roll bar and Halibrand mag wheels. The amount of blue smoke trailing the car in many of the shots suggests the engine was burning oil and close to failure.
This film was originally announced by MGM in July 1955 as another juvenile delinquent drama to follow up on the box-office success of Blackboard Jungle (1955). The studio had purchased the short story "The Red Car" by Alex Gaby prior to its publication (as "Fifty-Two Miles to Terror") in the January 14, 1956, issue of "The Saturday Evening Post". The January 20, 1956, New York Times reported that Richard Thorpe was set to direct the screenplay by Rod Serling, with studio head Dore Schary personally producing the picture. On March 24 the Times reported that the project was "postponed indefinitely" and "casting difficulties were cited as the reason for the decision to halt preparations."
Laurie Mock, who plays Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain's good girl daughter, is a bad girl hippie in the same years' counter-culture exploitation flick, Riot on Sunset Strip in which this movies' bad girl, Mimsy Farmer, plays the good girl daughter of another veteran actor, Aldo Ray. Also, Gene Kirkwood, who plays Laurie Mock's bad boy guy-friend in Riot, is Mimsy's bad boy guy friend in this movie. And Tim Rooney, Mickey Rooney's son, co-stars with all three in Riot. Meanwhile, in this movie, Tim's brother, Mickey Rooney Jr. (both sons of Mickey Rooney) provides the third act's live soundtrack.
Originally made for television in 1966, but released first in theaters and drive-ins instead.
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