It's one of those movies, that it's so bad, it's good. It always bugged me (among other things) that the engine noise overdub for the Corvette makes it sound like a British sports car. Somewhere in my collection, I have a compilation on two or three DVDs chocked full of B hot rod movies from the 30's-50's. I can't remember what it's called, my wife must've thrown it out when I wasn't looking.
Makes no sense other then the car casting call............and maybe the stunt driver sides sheets. Awesome......let's make a flick !
I thought it was pretty cool when I was 12. There was cool cars in it & stuff. Props for rarely seen footage of Mickey Rooney Jr. (& his combo) laying down some blues in the promo trailer.
I saw this movie for the first time when I was about 8 or 9 years old and thought it was really cool. Now I have a DVD of it and Have to laugh at how bad it is, but funny. However Dana Andrews was a fine actor, and did act in some very good movies.
It has to be the funniest movie ever. When I was growing up we always used the term Hot Rods To Hell! I still use it when talking about nothing with my hot rod friends. Best part of the movie back then was Laurie Mock and the dreams about her. You know the dreams I'm talking about. Thanks Ryan, you made my day!
There was a thread a few years ago by a HAMBer who now owns the T roadster from that movie. Somebody should link that here.
That movie is always so painful to watch. It's one of those things that the more you watch it the harder it is to turn away from. It just sucks you in.
Just an FYI ... The black '29 A roadster in that scene was owned & built by L.A. Roadsters member Sam Conrad ... @Old Rod now owns the car. Here's some (low-rez) stills from the scene: Also note that the green T roadster is the Gary Heliker car that appeared in the May 1962 issue of ROD&Custom:
FYI ... The title of that thread is a bit misleading ... it was determined (in post #23) that the roadster that @lucky_1974 owns was not the T in the movie (i.e., is not the "Gary Heliker T") ... but rather the "Mike Lopez / Ray Lisea Roadster".
"damn slant six, if you had let me order the 383 with a cross ram we would have left those punks in the dust"
I love how the in car shot shows the guy steering to the left, but the car going to the right then straight. Very realistic
""Sheesh what a waist of perfectly good cars"" That vett sure smoked alot and every car and driver ate tons of dirt...I was around 19 when I saw it, never saw it again except for what Ryan posted...Bout as much as I could take...
ha ha ha.I love Cornball Movies.Poor Dana Andrews… His Sci-Fi stuff was Classic. Village of the Giants was another…..funny …. Movie. George made all the cars in the flick...or organized them.Classic Saturday Laff Fest. Opie and Beau Bridges Star in the Flick….Music by Jack Nitzche rocking it out! Joy Harmon is the Hot Giant marauding teenager……… ha ha
Great... now I'm rethinking my retirement plan of fixing up that roadhouse-slash-motel in West Texas... seemed like a good idea before I read this thread...
I pity the fool in a T bucket or open early vette who thinks they will be harassing me in my full sized car. this movie would have been about 3 minutes long if I were driving.... it would look like one of those Robert Williams paintings with cars and bodies flying through the air.
Right after watching the trailer, the Jalopy Journal quit working. I believe it's a sign and not a good one!!
Saw the movie when I was a kid, loved it. Saw it again not too long ago ... Was thinking to myself, this cant be the same movie I thought was so cool can it? I have a shot of that T saved on my computer, I love that thing. Had no idea it was the one from the movie.
I remember "Village of the Giants". I saw it at the age of ten or so. Now there was a represssed memory that I could have done without. LOL
The Jalopy Journal
