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Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary

Original title: Hands on a Hard Body: The Documentary
  • 1997
  • PG
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
2.6K
YOUR RATING
Hands on a Hardbody: The Documentary (1997)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer1:11
1 Video
16 Photos
ComedyDocumentaryDrama

Twenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the tr... Read allTwenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the truck wins. An absurd marketing gimmick at first glance, the contest proves to be much more.... Read allTwenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck. The last person to remain standing with his or her hand on the truck wins. An absurd marketing gimmick at first glance, the contest proves to be much more...

  • Director
    • S.R. Bindler
  • Stars
    • Sid Allen
    • Brent Baskin
    • Greg Cox
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    2.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • S.R. Bindler
    • Stars
      • Sid Allen
      • Brent Baskin
      • Greg Cox
    • 31User reviews
    • 23Critic reviews
    • 82Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:11
    Trailer

    Photos15

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    Top cast23

    Edit
    Sid Allen
    • Self (Longview Partnership)
    Brent Baskin
    • Contest Judge
    Greg Cox
    • Self (contestant)
    J.C. Crum
    • Self (Jack Long Nissan)
    Janis Curtis
    • Self (contestant)
    J.D. Drew
    J.D. Drew
    • Self (contestant)
    Tom Felker
    • Self (contestant)
    David Grotheim
    • Contest Judge
    Blake Long
    • Self (Jack Long Nissan)
    Kelli Mangrum
    • Self (contestant)
    Mike Marris
    • Self (judge)
    Raul Martinez
    • Self (contestant)
    Jan Maynard
    • Self (marketing director…
    Ronald McCowan
    • Self (contestant)
    Kerri Parker
    • Self (contestant)
    Benny Perkins
    • Self (1992 winner…
    Paul Prince
    • Self (contestant)
    Chris Stiles
    • Self
    • Director
      • S.R. Bindler
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews31

    7.62.6K
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    Featured reviews

    9jellopuke

    GREAT movie

    You'll see a bit of everything in this crazy story and it's all human. So many characters, so much drama, so much insanity. You won't believe it's real, but it is and it's glorious.
    9ken_mayer

    A funny visit to the extremes of the human condition

    An unexpected look at an apparently simple contest. This movie has tension, humor, insight, and heart. For so many Americans the divide between making it and failing is a working car. In a small town we see what some people will do to win a fully-loaded new pick-up truck.

    One person here commented that the film exploits the poor people in the contest. I disagree. The people are presented as rounded individuals and the film includes interviews with the main characters, showing their viewpoints and not in a condescending way. The audience will find them amusing, but the tension comes from taking the contest seriously, and therefore, we take the contestants seriously too. We laugh at the human condition.

    It's a shame this DVD is out of print. We still need this film!
    10mctheimer

    You don't have to be from Texas - or even the US - to enjoy this

    A number of the other reviews are from Texans who wonder if you have to be from Texas to appreciate this film. No, you don't! It's a fascinating slice of American life that I think is insightful to anyone. It would also be a great film for people from overseas to learn something about middle American culture.

    This movie follows 20 people in their attempt to win a pickup truck. What I loved about this film is that (a) even that there's no action sequences with special effects, the film has a wonderful sense of tension and suspense, due largely to (b) the fact that the director doesn't just turn the camera on and expect magic to happen, but managed to interview a number of the contestants before hand and really get into their heads via some well done interviewing and editing. This film has some wonderful psychological portraits, which make the suspense heightened as you wait to see how the contestants hold up over the very long wait.

    While I watched this, I was sort of reminded of the Dogma 95 resolution, to only use hand-held cameras and available situations, so that the story and the acting are what stand out, not "movie magic." By those standards, this film measures up quite well -- and it's not even fiction!
    9Joel I

    one of the year's 10 best

    I don't want to scare anyone away with the "D" word, so let's just say that this non-fiction gem is one of the year's best movies and worth begging your video store manager to stock. Using a no-frills action-and-interview technique, director S. R. Bindler follows the fate of 23 Texans who enter a bizarre annual promotional contest run by the local Nissan dealer. The contestants are to stand around a blue pickup truck, with one hand touching it at all times, and the last one left standing (70-80 hours later) wins the truck. Yes, I did say this was non-fiction! Fortunately for Bindler (or perhaps through his expert handling of them) the contestants turn out to be a colorful cross section, and you soon find yourself picking favorites and even rooting for them! The film manages as much suspense as any sporting event, with a lot more curiosity. Also, some profound themes start creeping in. This movie is sure to invite comparisons with those of Errol Morris, due to the eccentricity of its subject, and those who like Morris's work will surely like this. But Bindler deserves credit for forging his own less flashy style, and for giving us this one-of-a-kind, unforgettable experience.
    10typrat

    awesome - hysterical - hilarious!

    i bought this DVD on impulse based on all the ravingly positive user comments at amazon.com. ever skeptical i figured nothing could be that funny, but it was under $10 and so i thought what the hell, something with so many raves has to be at least worth a smile right? wrong!! its hysterical, rolling on the floor laughing your ass off funny. rarely have i watched something that made me laugh and laugh and laugh so hard. a whole bunch of rednecks going through some insane communal sleep deprivation exercise. and what a bunch of characters! i swear they will live with me forever. the smiley-happy black dude, his shoes and his snicker bars - just classic. it also has an ending/climax that couldn't have been better if an Oscar winning scriptwriter created it. the video quality is something awful, but in this case content rules! you really have to see this movie...really!

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 2005, the competition was halted after one of the contestants broke into a nearby Kmart, took a shotgun from the sporting goods section, and committed suicide, which occurred during one of the breaks in the contest.
    • Quotes

      Benny Perkins - 1992 Winner: I like to get down there earlier so my odds are higher.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Bernie (2011)

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    FAQ

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 10, 1998 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hands on a Hard Body
    • Filming locations
      • Longview, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Idea Entertainment
      • J.K. Livin Productions
      • Wessex Entertainment Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $563,482
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $7,607
      • Jul 12, 1998
    • Gross worldwide
      • $563,482
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo

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