Hoover is a real speed freak and he steals the fastest race-car at a racetrack to impress Darlene. Who by the way has a thing for fast cars and whoever's behind the wheel. So Hoover takes her (and some unwanted passengers) on a cross-country trip with his father, Sheriff Harry and the rest of the police force hot on their heels.
Lets burn rubber in this tooting and yahoo of an outgoing car chase romp! This Roger Corman produced drive-in feature was a big hit for him and really did launch actor Ron Howard's filming career afterwards. The accelerating story is as simple as the outline suggests with a roller coaster-like ride that transcends into a domino effect of chaotic accidents and humorous outcomes. The elastically joyous script is streamlined with extremely witty one-liners and always snappy and colourful characters. Charles B. Griffith (Death Race 2000) wrote and directed this top-gear feature with a sprightly combination of amazingly smoking action and reckless fun, which does come together to equal quite a speed rush with a nice dose of irony. It never seems to take a back-step, even when it does run out of gas. Giving the flick a real lift was a pleasantly, rousing country music score and energetically crisp camera-work with inventive framing and show-stopping images. As with most Corman flicks, an all-studded cult support cast was on hand in small parts. With the likes Clint Howard, Paul Bartel and Corbin Bernson. Ron Howard fitted perfectly as the gawky, but charismatic Hoover and Christopher Norris is great as the speed buxom Darlene. Though the best of the lot would have to be Warren J. Kemmerling as Hoover's cranky and always uptight father, Sheriff Harry Niebold.
Just sit back and take it all in, while you listen to the engines purr in this boot-kicking and spun-out trip!
