Human Highway

Those aren't spaceships, those are nuclear missiles ...

A treat for Devo fans, as well. This came out at the time that Neil Young was experimenting with the New Wave musical style himself with his album "Trans", several tracks of which can be heard in the film.

This film displays a very unselfconscious Punk/New Wave aesthetic. Sure, it's disjointed and nonsensical, but everyone's obviously having a lot of fun, and the set design is quite effective, and some of the special effects are interesting as artifacts of the time it was filmed.

Can you identify the four cast members who have also appeared in David Lynch films?

Why don't they make movies like this any more? Sure it's a stupid movie. Sure, it's pointless too. But damn, if it isn't cool. Best part is forced perspective set and Devo deconstructing "My My Hey Hey!" Plus, look for Neil doing a one of a kind "shovel dance!"

I'm watching this movie in anticipation of catching my two favorite actors, Dean Stockwell & Dennis Hopper, in a couple of offbeat roles....but wait, is that Devo? And who is the weird character in the doll's mask? And why is the art direction so...arty? And Neil Young, with buck teeth and thick glasses, acting like a kid brother of Jerry Lewis....hold on, this ain't no offbeat movie - this movie is so OFF the beat, it's incredibly hip! I couldn't stop watching the damn thing....yep, Neil is really singing "Tonight" from West Side Story while wiping the windshield, 'cause, you see, Russ Tamblyn is his buddy, and, oh forget it.....Then, to find out Dean Stockwell and Russ Tamblyn helped write this production...and, what, you say Stockwell directed it? I'm in love. And I will never put down Neil Young, either.

One of the most unusual movies I have ever seen. Makes the three stooges look like total normalcy. Neil Young and the Devo members are in this a lot. This is a musical comedy, but not like one you have ever seen. Imagine an apocalyptic LSD trip after OD-ing on candycane and reading a playboy. No, that's not it either. Well, this is totally indescribable, but I will try. Imagine an alternate history where sometime in the 1960s or 70s, the world has gone gung-ho full blown nuclear everything. Kind of like Iran wants to be now. Just imagine the whole world like that- especially the USA. Most of the action or story takes place in a small combination gas station-diner. Yes, combination gas-station diner. Dean Stockwell is the owner. He is the straight man in the film, and is a hoot. Dennis Hopper plays two or three different characters. But the main focus is on Neil Young as a goofy, not too bright, very incompetent auto-mechanic. Yes, I forgot to mention there is a car repair garage at this combination gas station-diner. Walk inside the diner, and it looks bigger on the inside- like a full blown regular diner with sexy waitresses and a grumpy but amenable cook (Dennis Hopper) and all the usual eclectic customers. The band Devo works and plays music at the local Nuclear Power Plant down the street from the diner-gas station-garage. They wear day-glow radiation orange work clothes and strange looking nose tubes instead of masks. They play guitars with thick rubber gloves. OK-well that's enough description for now. Please-please if you do not have a very strange sense of humor, do not watch this movie. For some strange reasons I can hardly fathom (not), this film has not been available except on a rare laserdisc or OOP VHS not usually seen around much. However, this can be found in DVD form if you search hard enough on the internet.

When you've got movies like this to watch! This is one of the oddest things you'll ever see. Seems like Young, Stockwell and co. had ideas for several movies but decided to put them all into this one. Part musical, part comedy, part fantasy, part anti-nuke message film, all filmed on a stylised set somewhere between Pee Wee's Playhouse, One From The Heart and The Wizard Of Oz. You've got Neil Young with goofy teeth, and a supporting cast of solid cult types like Stockwell, Hopper, Kirkland and Tamblyn, plus Mary from Eraserhead and DEVO! Can you dig it? If you can pick up a copy of Neil's unfairly maligned album Trans too. The guy isn't just a folksy singer-songwriter and the Godfather of Grunge, he's a freakin' VISIONARY people. Well if not a visionary, a wacko with a loony sense of humour.