Grand Theft Auto

I've never considered Howard much of a director - and I only rented this, his debut feature, because I've been on a 'grindhouse' kick ever since I watched the recent Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino homage! Made for Roger Corman's low-budget outfit (he explains how it all came about in the accompanying interview), this road movie on the lines of VANISHING POINT (1971) and THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS (1974) evolves into one uninterrupted chase along the American midwest. It's undeniably enjoyable on a non-think level, relying on an endless stream of energetic stunts (mostly gratuitous car crashes and explosions) to carry its thin plot as far as it can go. Howard also took the lead role and co-wrote the script with his father Rance; fellow cast members from Howard's popular HAPPY DAYS TV series also put in appearances…and there's even a cameo by director Paul Bartel! The technical crew holds some surprise: Allan Arkush (who later helmed the Corman-produced ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL [1979]) served as second-unit director, Gary Graver (best-known for his collaborations with Orson Welles) was the cinematographer, and Joe Dante (even after having started his own directorial career) edited the film!

Forget Smokey and the Bandit, check out Grand Theft Auto if you want a car-chase movie in the comedy genre! This was also Ron Howard's directorial debut. And everyone knows him as Opie from The Andy Griffith Show, and Richie from Happy Days. It's about these teenagers who go joyriding in stolen cars, and they get into the most deliriously funny situations anyone could imagine in a car-chase movie!

I don't care if this movie didn't get any good reviews or if it wasn't considered 'cool', but hey, after all it was Ron Howard's first movie he ever produced. The movie may have lowbrow humor, but it's still an awesome movie worth watching! I saw this movie for the first time when I was a preteen, and to this day I still find it to be outrageously funny! If you're in the mood for a serious car-chase movie, rent something like Bullitt or The French Connection. If you want to see a funny one, rent this movie! IMHO, I think it's the funniest movie of 1977!

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.

I did buy the DVD of this film because it was a Ron Howard's first movie. Since the film he has made a few good films and few really bad Hollywood entertaining films.

With Roger Corman producing this has always been considered as an "B" film. Well, it certainly isn't that. It is a funny action comedy with good cast, good director and good writers. And what a name for the film!

If you're looking for fun, non-boring, happy and even romantic film, you should definitely get this.

7 of 10

"Grand Theft Auto" is Ron Howard's second attempt at a car chase n' crash movie. It is a lot better than his first, "Eat my Dust", but it still isn't the best. The plot is that a girl runs away to Las Vegas with a guy she likes, and is being Chased down by her parents, a jealous lover, cops, and many other randos trying to collect a bounty on them. The script writing wasn't the best. It starts off good enough, then downgraded to just being jam packed with stuff, and by stuff I mean excuses to put car crashes and stunts. The car action was really nice, but it gets old after a while. Near the end, a lot of sense in writing and direction is lost, rather just being cars mindlessly crashing into each other. There are some pros to the script, as every once in a while you'll get a funny joke. The the cast of characters participating in the chase Aren't the best people. They aren't really fleshed out, and there's way too many of them. By the end, over 20 people are chasing and racing against each other, and after a while I just stopped keeping track of them. The acting saved this film a bit. Overall, a wild car action comedy, jam packed with cars, crashes, and explosions.