HOT CAR GIRL (1958)
June Kenney (TEENAGE DOLL) plays nice girl Margaret "Peg" Dale, who finds out that getting involved with bad guy Walter "Duke" Willis (Richard Bakalyan) was not the most advisable life decision. After a routine date at the local juke box hangout, where Duke has secretly spiked her soft drink, Duke takes Peg back to his place and seduces her. Having given up her virginity, Peg ends up on the fast track to complete social degradation. Before she even knows what's hit her, she's lying to her mother and assisting Duke with his successful endeavors into criminal activity. (Duke is part of a ring that steals car parts and sells them.) True, Peg has certain misgivings. But apparently the sex is terrific, because she does whatever Duke tells her to do. Eventually, however, Duke starts killing people, and this causes Peg to have serious second thoughts. As a result, she starts nagging Duke to give himself up to the cops. He's not having it, and the two of them manage to wind up trapped in a cave surrounded by law enforcement personnel. It ends badly.
This is yet another low budget juvenile delinquent gem of the period. Richard Bakalyan was born to play in films like this, and he starred in quite a few, such as JUVENILE JUNGLE and THE COOL AND THE CRAZY, both in 1958. Also featured are John Brinkley (HOT ROD RUMBLE, 1957), Bruno Vesota (DEMENTIA, 1955 and THE CHOPPERS, 1961), Jack Lambert, Sheila McKay and Ed Nelson. The director was Bernard L. Kowalski, who was responsible for ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES, also starring Vesota along with genre queen Yvette Vickers. The producer was Gene Corman, brother of Roger Corman. One of the best things about the film is the wonderful jazz score composed by Cal Tjader. Released by Allied Artists.
DRAGSTRIP GIRL (1957)
From American-International Pictures, that bastion of teenage turbulence, this epic was directed by Edward L. Cahn. Hot rod heroine Fay Spain, new in town and anxious for kicks, uses her ample cleavage to drive a big wedge between not-so-friendly race car drivers, Steve Terrell (poor, honest, good guy) and John Ashley (rich, arrogant, bad guy). In no time at all, everyone's engine is revved up over something or other (usually Miss Spain's cleavage), pistons are firing out of control, and adolescent angst is in high gear. It all comes to a riveting climax at the Big Stock Car Race. Meanwhile, there are several fist fights, a tragic accident, and lots of wild rock and roll dancing at the local pizza palace. Also featuring Frank Gorshin and Tommy Ivo. Mr. Ivo would eventually give up acting to become a real race car driver. Life imitates art!
A typical AIP flick of the period with all of the teenagers portrayed by 25 year old actors. Great fun from the starting gun to the finish line.
No comments:
Post a Comment