I Saw a Film!

Filmed in Crash-O-Rama!

Some movies are just a lot of fun for the opportunity to see some old actors when they were young. Sid Haig with hair and rolling his eyeballs around as a wild racer, and Ellen Burstyn grinding cylinders (no, really) star in this black and white, nearly documentary-like portrayal of the gritty world of figure-eight racing. Dangerous, as we learn, from the fact that the track intersects itself and therefor cars must cross at high speed (no traffic lights).

But that’s not all, the ladies are attracted to these somewhat death-defying lugs, and we get some near-romance too. We get plenty of Beverley Washburn as Jolene, pixie-like and largely ignored (previously spotted on the original Star Trek), as a girlfriend switching from the looming Sid Haig over to the anti-hero of our tale Bowman, played by Richard Davalos (who I don’t remember at all, but I read he was in Cool Hand Luke).

Lots of vintage cars getting wrecked while some very nice guitar music plays, supplied by The Daily Flash. Though they were already defunct by the film’s release, they provide some folk, rock, and mad psychedelic lead riffing.

The story is kinda sorta leading one to understanding how the sponsors have a way of luring angst-ridden young men to their doom through the power of the money. This is mostly told through the ladies all crying and our protagonist being on his way to the next race. You get the idea!

This 90 mins is actually very enjoyable, if you can stomach the amount of racing you’re going to watch. And you get Sid in an early and prominent role. Plus it’s a freebie on Prime.