Grand Theft Auto

Original movie poster.

After some time away from computers I decided to review another classic car movie. Grand Theft Auto (as in the crime, or the popular videogame series) was also known in Spanish as Loca Escapada a Las Vegas & in Italian as Attenti a quella pazza Rolls Royce. The film was released some time around in 1977, and it's considered to date by many movie enthusiasts as the king of car crash films. 

Probably the movie title could be a little misleading to the actual story, but that's why I write on this blog, to let you know if this film is worth enough to be considered a part of your B movies home library. Basically the film develops a traditional idea: A rich girl who is soon to be married to a guy she doesn't give a damn about, and, of course about the guy she really loves, which is the guy her family doesn't want.

Alternate movie poster.

Our starring couple in daddy's Rolls Royce.

No cellphones, but car phones.

You can't phone while driving!

So, the movie is about a young couple (Sam and Paula) who are planning to be hitched, but when they confront Paula's influential parents about it. They won't have any of it, and beg her to marry rich guy Colin. Instead she and Sam steal her father's Rolls Royce and head to Las Vegas to elope. From this a large road chase eventuates with Colin calling a radio station to announce a $25,000 reward for Paula. While on their tails, Colin's mother Vivian joins in with another $25,000 for his return. Soon Paula's father has got out the big guns to stop them, while plenty of nutty people join in chase for the doe and the local radio station DJ happens to be commentating the action in a hovering helicopter.

Hipsters.

Spoiled.

Crash!

So long Porsche!

Burn motherfucker!

Just sit back, and soak it all up. Following the success of Ron Howard's starring vehicle "Eat My Dust". Another chance was on offer, and this follow up had Ron Howard kicking off his directorial debut under the watchful eye of producer Roger Corman and what we get is purely light-headed fun with non-stop bustle and chaos ensured. This tight budget drive-in, b-film is a madcap chase comedy all the way, which is ebulliently staged and provides such a rush due to Howard's concisely economical and desirable direction. The animatedly mindless screenplay, which is penned by Ron and his father Rance Howard crackles with plenty of freedom to cluster and stretch out the story with mini sub-plots, clever visual gags, highly witty dialogues and a circus show of colourful characters. 

How about I give you the finger officer?

this movie is intense dude.

The concept is simple, old-school and cartoonish, but Howard's knowledgeable timing and honest tailoring lets the film open up naturally with its crackerjack pacing that never lets the momentum slip and expansively robust and tightly choreographed stunts that lead onto a smash-a-thon of fast and stolen motor vehicles ending in flourish of explosions. Howard captures many well-displayed images. Helping out behind the scenes, is that of Joe Dante's airtight, sped-up editing to Gary Graver' sharply inventive cinematography and giving the film some heart is the casually, cosy music score that can spruce up when needed. Being shot on location in open desert back roads gave it a down 'n' dirty feel of authenticity. Attached to it are joyful performances from the entire cast who like to gesture a lot. Nancy Morgan shines excellently in a sprightly cheeky turn as Paula and Ron Howard amusedly sits on cruise control as Sam. The Corman-regulars that co-star on this one range from the eccentrically self-absorbed performance by a fantastic Don Steele, Clint Howard, Rance Howard and a minor appearance by Paul Bartel. Marion Ross and Paul Linke are a riot as Vivian and Collin Hedgeworth. Playing Paula's snotty parents are the enjoyably comic Elizabeth Rogers and Barry Cahill. Also Jim Ritz, Hoke Howell and Garry Marshall give capable, snappy and crazy support. Oh, they don't make 'em like this anymore. Man, these type of spirited features really put these wannabe shallow Hollywood dosh to shame. Something about these outings just seem to stay fresh.

"Grand Theft Auto" is a groovy, no-nonsense splurge into high-octane overload, which is considerably well executed with clarity and precision for what it is. So go ahead and floor it for one pleasurable and fulfilling genre romp. 

Next review will be about some hotter stuff by Andy Sidaris, the idea is to cover each of the twelve movies Sidaris filmed based on the Girls, Guns & G-Strings idea.

Here is the movie trailer as usual, take care buddies.

And as a bonus for online movie lovers I give you the whole film courtesy of YouTube: