Hot Rods to Hell (1966) Reviews

• At Least It Moves Fairly Fast

  ccthemovieman-12009-11-18

  Well, I didn't find this is a "so-bad-it's great-film" to the degree I was hoping, but it still was fast-moving enough to keep my interest and laugh out a few times. Not one of the characters in here was anyone you could root for, mainly because they were just too stupid or a bit annoying. The cast is headed by two fairly-famous actors from the 1940s: Dana Andrews ("Laura,") and Jeanne Crain ("State Fair"). Halfway through the movie, we are "treated" to a couple of songs by Mickey Rooney and His Combo, who obviously got the gig because of his famous dad. Andrews was nearing 60 when he made the film. He had just finished serving three years as President of the Screen Actors Guild. He has a long resume, which includes film and television work, but not many memorable films outside of a few in his early days. Both he and Crain were in 1945's "State Fair," a film that put her "on the map," so to speak. In the same year, she had a good role in "Leave Her To Heaven," but after those two movies here notable films were very few. However, she retained her gorgeous looks and a lady over 40, as she was in this movie, she still looked darned good. The problem was, she wasn't much of an actress. Andrews does a far better job in here than Crain, who overacts or - in her defense - was directed to act hysterically and stupidly in parts of the story. Whatever, it was still interesting to see two "name" actors in this "B" movie. It also was a bit odd seeing "punks" who looked very clean-cut. Hey, I know by 1967, longer hair coming into style, thanks to the "British Invasion" (Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.) but these guys all looked straight out of the '50s, short hair, straight clothes, etc. In fact, all the major characters in this movie, looked extremely straight. The Philips family, the ones tormented by a couple of hot-rodders, was so straight they made "Ward and June Cleaver" look like pot-smoking hippies. Their daughter "Tina" (Laurie Mock) was hot; very sultry, but she wound up being all talk/no action and the little brother was an annoying "Larry Mondello" type (see "Leave It To Beaver"). They may not have been Bette Davis-like in acting talents but the three women in here: Crain, Mock and Mismey Farmer (one of the punks fickle girlfriends) - certainly had the looks and played people who got your attention....as did the film in general. Yes, the dialog is stupid, the characters even dumber and the storyline worse than the other two but, all in all, it's watchable. You don't get bored with it. That's about as kind as I can be about it.

• "The lights, the horns, Jingle Bells....the whole thing."

  Poseidon-32005-07-19

  Ah, the woeful late career roles of formerly popular stars... Andrews and Crain, who were paired up in several films prior to this one (most memorably in 1945's "State Fair") play a married couple with two children who have to make a move out west. Andrews, on his way home to celebrate Christmas, was nearly demolished in an auto accident and his brother devises a way for him to eke out a living despite the resultant back problems. So he, Crain and their two children pack up the car and start for a motel they've purchased, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Unfortunately, they manage to draw the attention of a trio of no-good, thrill-seeking teenagers who proceed to terrorize them during the last leg of their journey. Then when they finally reach their destination, the trouble doesn't cease! Andrews is forced to choose between giving up what could be his last chance for financial security or endangering his family and himself by staying and taking on the hoodlums. Andrews is forced to play a pretty dour and depressed character, one who is also very uptight and persnickety. This does make for a few unintentional chuckles along the way as he is outraged by the behavior of these kids. Crain looks smashing in her snug white skirt and sleeveless top. It's a shame that someone this put-together (she's in better shape than the daughter!) is slogging through such a tacky film. As lovely as she is, she overacts horribly many times in the film. The slightest event causes her to affect a torturous expression and/or moan or scream. Then she has the nerve to tell her daughter not to be too dramatic! Mock, as the daughter, does an okay job of conveying her burgeoning sexuality, but she sure has a lot of big hair and makeup for a 16 year-old (an age the actress clearly is NOT!) Bryon plays the marginally appealing son pretty well, not becoming too obnoxious as most cinematic children are. Bertoya (a sort of very poor man's John Derek) has a lot of intensity as the primary rabble-rouser. Kirkwood plays his slightly less nasty sidekick. Farmer is Bertoya's easy, but possessive, girlfriend. Hilariously, she rides on the top of the seats in their car, her hair plastered back from the wind, and when it pulls off the road, she suddenly has a huge, thick bouffant hairdo! Already a rather illogical film (kids that Andrews meets on the road just happen to hang out at a motel he bought 50 miles away? People drive these expansive, remote roads as if everything is close together like a neighborhood!) is made all the more ludicrous because of the lack of restraint during the action scenes. Members of the family cling to Andrews while he's driving as if they are about to drive off a mountain top. Anytime Crain is behind the wheel, it's a safe bet that she'll soon be hurtling herself all over the seat and dramatically grimacing and shaking her hair. What may have been troublesome then looks a bit like child's play now since the teen ruffians have neatly combed hair and trot around in pressed shirts and pants, clean t-shirts and so on! Most of the rotten apples look like church-going honor students compared to today! That's not to say that their actions aren't still pretty reprehensible. They just lack the really sickening menace that one might find out there nowadays. Originally intended for TV, this film does have an attractive look to it. It's clearly low budget, but looks a lot better than the TV films of the 70's. Many actors from this film wound up in the even more horrid "Riot on Sunset Strip". The live music in the film is provided by none other than Mickey Rooney's son! Andrews and Crain would not team up in another film, but, ironically, they would continue their career synergy by proceeding to appear in similar all-star projects. She was a white-knuckled airplane passenger in 1972's "Skyjacked" while he flew his private plane into a jumbo jet in "Airport 1975"!

• B-movie road trip suffers from witless script...

  Doylenf2003-06-17

  Given a title like this, it's a cinch no one will take this road movie seriously except for a few of us who hate seeing a decent family being harrassed by some mindless hot rodders intent on making dangerous moves in speeding cars for no apparent reason. Later, though, the script gives them a reason and the mayhem continues throughout with the man, wife and children being subjected to dangerous maneuvers by the teen-age punks until he manages to turn the tables on them in an unexpected way. It's a pity Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain couldn't have found themselves a better script and story. By today's standards, the dialogue is rather unrealistic and corny--and the preachy element that Andrews is forced to utter to the kids seems a bit theatrical and pointless. It's the kind of movie you might expect to find as a B&W cheapie at a drive-in--but here it's wrapped up in MGM technicolor although modestly produced. Not a serious indictment of hot rodders nor more than a standard melodrama that seems somewhat dated in its attitudes. Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain do what they can with stereotyped roles but neither is seen at their best. Crain is flatteringly photographed and looks as lovely as ever while Andrews seems to have gone through some hard times in his personal life that give his tight-lipped demeanor a worn look.

• ''Call Them Punks... Call Them Animals...'

  phillindholm2005-07-13

  ''Hot Rods To Hell is really a good look at late sixties culture. The acting by onetime stars Dana Andrews and Jeanne Crain, is fine. They are well supported by Mimsy Farmer and Laurie Mock, both of whom would soon be seen in ''Riot On Sunset Strip'' that same year. The Sam Katzman production may be low budget, but it still looks decent. the Fred Karger score is suitably dramatic. The songs are...(oh well, you can't have everything) undoubtedly an oldster's idea of ''rock and roll'' though the authors also wrote material for Elvis! It moves pretty fast, both in the theatrical version which ran 90 minutes, and the 100 minute version first seen on ABC.TCM has the latter print, and shows it occasionally from time to time. Strangely enough, TNT used to run the theatrical one. One critic, in his review stated ''Jeanne Crain is still lovely to look at.'' She was, indeed. An enjoyable film.

• Great B Movie

  Jreesing2001-08-03

  If you like the low class, B films (and I do) then this is a must see film. It's not a "bad" film like Plan 9 from Outer Space, but it is a corny late 50's style film that is great. I like to watch this film and "Panic in the Year Zero" which is another one of my favorite of this era. If you see it on the TV schedule, do yourself a favor and watch it, it isn't out on video.