Easy Rider

with Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson, Tita Colorado, Warren Finnerty.
Phil Spector

Academy Award winner Jack Nicholson stars with Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper (who also directs) in this unconventional classic which Time hails as "one of the ten most important pictures of the decade." Experience the real, uncensored ‘60s counterculture in this compelling mixture of drugs, sex and armchair politics. In the role that catapulted him to stardom, Jack Nicholson portrays an alcoholic attorney who hooks up with two part-time, drug-dealing motorcyclists (Fonda and Hopper) in search of their "American Dream."

Heading from California to New Orleans, they sample the highs and lows of America the Beautiful in a stoned-out quest for life's true meaning. Nominated for an Academy Award (1969) for Best Screenplay (written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Terry Southern), Easy Rider continues to touch a chord with audiences of all ages. Includes Making-Of Featurette: Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage featuring new interviews with Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and more.

(1969) Color, 95 min.

Gone in 60 Seconds

with H. B. Halicki, Marion Busia, Jerry Daugirda, James Mcintyre, George Cole

You’ve seen all the chase films–now see the one that started it all. A runaway theatrical hit in 1974, Gone In 60 Seconds defined the genre of the car chase film and became an instant classic. Now it’s back, fully restored and digitally remastered. The Assignment: to steal 48 luxury cars and sport vehicles. The Challenge: avoid getting caught! When the cops finally catch up with master thief Pace Maindrain, he rocks them through a 40-minute full-throttle chase wrecking half of Los Angeles making his escape.

With unstoppable action and edge-of-your-seat suspense, Gone In 60 Seconds slams you on a rocket ride you’ll never forget! Written directed by and starring: H.B. "Toby" Halicki, this is the original!

(1974) Color, 98 min.

Hot Rod
(a.k.a. Rebel of the Road)

with Gregg Henry, Pernell Roberts, Robin Mattson, Grant Goodeve, Robert Culp,
Ed Begley Jr.

The plot in this one has our hero Brian Addison (Henry) heading to the fictional Munn's Rootbeer Drag Race Nationals held in Lyons, California (the racing scenes were filmed at Fremont, CA). Addison is driving a 1965 Plymouth that is short on looks but is filled with a fire-breathing 426-Hemi. Meanwhile, papa-Munn (Culp) has the drag races fixed so that his kid, Sonny Munn (Goodeve), will win the races and go on to certain fame-and-fortune. How does he do that? Every competitor that doesn't run a Munn's decal on his car gets harassed by the local corrupt cops. Addison immediately develops an adversarial relationship with Sonny Munn, who drives a hopped-up 1969 Olds Cutlass. Their first confrontation in a street race results in Addison's Plymouth being destroyed in a crash. A sympathetic junkyard owner gives Addison a 1941 Willys if he promises to beat the hated Munns. The speed-shop owner throws in a 6-71 GMC blower just for kicks, and Brian installs the Hemi engine from the Plymouth into the Willys. Well, alright! Sonny Munn, with the cops’ help, then steals the Willys and blows the Hemi by over-revving it. Brian's only hope is to steal another Hemi engine out of a local police car so that he can continue to race. Lyons, CA, apparently is the only place on the planet with Hemi-engined AMC Matador police cars, but don't get sidetracked with details… Does he eventually defeat Sonny Munn in the Nationals to preserve the honor of good guys everywhere? Do you have to ask? The story is preposterous, the acting is horrible, and the writing is ridiculous, but this one is still a must-see!

(1979) Color

Last American Hero
(a.k.a. Hard Driver)

with Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Ned Beatty, Gary Busey

This is 5 stars if you are a true race fan. Otherwise, it's still an interesting story. This film is loosely based on Tom Wolfe's essay about the younger days of Junior Johnson, although for some reason they changed his name for the film. (Notice, though, that Junior himself was a paid racing consultant on the film.) The race footage is very well done and there is some good footage from the old Southern 500. Bridges and Busey are a lot of fun to watch together as well. If you like stock car racing and wonder what the old days were like when the sport was still developing, you'll love this film.

(1973) Color, 95 min.

Lions  – THE GREATEST DRAG STRIP
(Part One/1955-'62)

with C.J. Hart, John Force, Ed Iskenderian, Tommy Ivo, Jack Chrisman

This is part one (of the three-part) quintessential video documentary on the sport of drag racing's most historic quarter-mile facilities, Lions Drag Strip. It took veteran photojournalist Don Gillespie in excess of four years to compile hundreds of photos, films, research, and interviews from more than 30 individuals.

The nearly two-hour production details the Long Beach, CA-based track's inception in 1955 (with Mickey Thompson as its first manager), through the lifting of the "fuel ban" in early '62. Through Thompson, Lions was the first to use electronic starting lights, was LA-based which resulted in giant crowds, and played host to some of the largest meets in history, especially at a time when the sport was in its early, pioneering stages. A must-have for all who raced or attended an event there, or simply ever heard about arguably the most mystic of all straight-line facilities.

This is a definite keeper for lovers of nostalgia, who long for a well-done trip back to racing's yesteryear. Incredible film footage includes sport's first ever "live" TV broadcast on KTTV, including interviews with racers Allen "Lefty" Mudersbach, Jack Chrisman, Tom McEwen, Don Prudhomme, with Thompson and Bill Welch as emcees.

Color, 114 min.

Redline 7000

with James Caan, Laura Devon, Gail Hire, Charlene Holt, John Robert Crawford

The story of three racing drivers and the three women who constantly have to worry for the lives of their boyfriends. Jim Loomis and Mike Marsh drive for Pat Cassarian. Jim is expecting his fiancée Holly, but before she arrives, he dies in a race. Since she hasn't got the money to travel back, she stays. The young and very ambitious talent Ned Arp joins the team and immediately starts wooing Pat's sister Julie. Third in the team is womanizer Dan McCall, who brings with him his current girlfriend Gabrielle from Paris. So the basic theme of this soap is "Who with whom?"

(1965) Color, 110 min.

The California Kid

with Nick Nolte, Michelle Phillips, Stuart Margolin, Vic Morrow, Martin Sheen

A forgotten action gem about a young man (Sheen) who faces off against the sinister sheriff (Morrow) who killed his brother. Featuring the most daring and amazing car chases this side of Bullitt, The California Kid burns rubber with a dynamite cast, including Academy Award nominee Nick Nolte. Vic Morrow turns in one of his finest performances as the twisted sheriff, a man with nasty habits that must be seen to be believed. A wonderful, action-packed film, filled with exotic antique cars and beautiful mountain vistas.

(1974) Color, 74 min.

Thunder in Carolina

With Rory Calhoun, Alan Hale, Connie Hines

A legendary stock car racer (Rory Calhoun) is fast on the track and faster with the women in his life, leading to action on and off the speedway. Calhoun is forced to retire after a nasty crash that left one leg permanently injured. With nothing much to do, Calhoun takes a young garage owner, John Gentry, under his wing and teaches the eager mechanic how to race. Gentry soon becomes obsessed with racing and practically forces his beautiful wife, Connie Hines (Mister Ed), into Calhoun’s arms after he (Gentry) has become smitten with a racetrack groupie. Realizing that he has made a mistake, Calhoun cooks up a plan to snap Gentry back to reality, and reunite him with his wife. Alan Hale Jr. (Gilligan s Island’s beloved The Skipper) is the happy-go-lucky mechanic.

Filmed on the same South Carolina track as Tom Cruise’s Days of Thunder thirty years later, the Southern 500 was considered the World Series of Stock Car Racing. Appearances by Buck Baker, Joe Caspolich, Neil Castles, Sr., Joe Eubanks, Shep Langdon, Francis Thompson, Curtis Turner, Joe Weatherly.

(1963) Color, 92 min.

Thunder Road

with Robert Mitchum, Gene Barry, Jacques Aubuchon, Keely Smith

Transporting illegal alcohol over dark two-lane mountain highways, Lucas Doolin (Robert Mitchum) races wildly through the night, crashing road blocks and outrunning ambushes, defying anyone who tries to stop him. A man has a right to do anything, he says, including making whiskey, as long as he makes it on his own land. But when ruthless racketeers muscle in on Doolin's territory and kill one of his men in the process, the Kentucky bootlegger declares war, fiercely determined to maintain his hard-won business and independence...even if it costs him his life.

Boasting breathtaking auto chase scenes and a superb performance from Robert Mitchum, Thunder Road is breathtaking excitement, the most exhilarating road thriller of them all.

(1958) B&W, 92 min.

Vanishing Point

with Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, Dean Jagger, Victoria Medlin, Paul Koslo

Kowalski, the hero of the story, works for a car delivery service. He takes delivery of a supercharged 1970 Dodge Challenger to take from Colorado to Frisco, California. Shortly after pickup, he takes a bet to get the car there in less than 15 hours. After a few run-ins with motorcycle cops and highway patrol they start a chase to bring him into custody.

Along the way, Kowalski is guided by Supersoul - a blind DJ with a police radio scanner. Throw in lots of chase scenes, gay hitchhikers, a naked woman riding a motorbike, lots of Mopar and you've got a great cult hit from the early 70s.

 (1971) Color, 99 min.