My favorites are:
-the sound effects of burning rubber on asphalt and the guys are driving on dirt
- When Dana Andrews drops the keys in the phone booth and the camera focuses on it as if it will be a crucial plot point. Then he simpy bends over and picks them up and goes back to the car.
- Daley wants out of the Arena because he is sick of these kids - then in the next scene he is doing the frug with some 16 year old.
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Wow, too many to even name...lol.
A few off the top of my head:
1) Tina's near-orgasmic frenzy, lying in bed, as she hears the sounds wafting in from the Arena.
2) Peg's "terror-filled" cries of anguish throughout the movie, as the "frightened" kids look on wide-eyed from the back seat - an obvious set of camp moments. In fact, Jeanne Crain's 1940's-style acting affectations throughout the flick deserve a thread of their own!
3) The three pounds of make-up, hair-dye and lip rouge that Dana Andrews is wearing in order to mask the fact that he was really 16 years older than Jeanne in real life (and 57 years old at the time!).
4) Stone-faced Officer Bill's cautionary sermons.
BTW, I absolutely love this movie - fascinated by its charms ever since I saw it on late-night TBS over 20 years ago. In fact, Sam Katzman's '67 trilogy (i.e. The Love-Ins, Riot On The Sunset Strip and HRTH) all are must-views IMO for people who love this type of cinema! :)
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Yep, it's a doosy...lol.
TBS used to have this one in their late-night rotation, years ago, as well.
Here's a couple of YouTube clips from it (The Love-Ins):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqDhiqBULHg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bHxg7Wd_bk
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All of the above for me, but I'll add a couple of general comments:
1) The Corvette. Clearly, the soundtrack of the engine used is a six cylinder European sportscar of some type. The '58 Corvette was a V8, which is easily recognizable to a car buff. And, the 'Vette was blowing so much oil smoke, it was clear the car was on it's last legs.
2) The Cop. He's so deadpan, he's great. Did a great job as the heavy in "Bullitt" the following year.
3) Mimsy Farmer. Ahh, yes. Mimsy Farmer. Where to begin? Her facial expressions are priceless. She does several strange things with her tongue throughout (right after she kisses Ernie by the lake for one). Also, there is that pair of bizarre close ups when she and Ernie are dancing at The Arena (around the same time that the song "Backstreet" drives Tina into a rolling thunder of an orgasm). All that being said, Mimsy Farmer is smoking hot in this movie...
"It's people..."
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The scene at the lake when Duke surprises Tina.
Tina: Do you always sneak up on people like that?
Duke: Some girls like to be sneaked up on!
Mickey Rooney Jr and his "combo". They're so cool. SO hip. So never going to have a career in music. The over-the-top drunk who races his car through the park like Fireball Roberts, and no one goes over to tell him to stop acting like a moron and threatening the lives of every person there. The way "Tina" is actually the slutty looking girl and Gloria has wholesome, girl next door looks. Miscasting at its finest. Tight a$$ Dad not realizing that when shuts down the fun, the motel will no longer turn a profit.
shareTo this day, the scene I use to describe this movie is the one after Dana and family are first terrorized by the teenagers in their cars, and he describes his flashback to his Christmastime accident. Forgive me if this isn't word perfect, but you know the scene:
It all came back to me, the headlights, the screeching tires, JINGLES BELLS, IT WAS HORRIBLE!"
Everyone picked some great and memorable moments. This movie is VERY entertaining.
- The highway patrol police officer, driving a car...wearing a motorcycle helmet !
- The ugly outfit Tina puts on to go to the Arena...it looks like a cheerleaders outfit.
- Duke to Tina "Go Baby" !
- Lank Dailey, need I say more ?
- Duke and Ernie as the bad guys...in button-down shirts.
20-20 said:
-the sound effects of burning rubber on asphalt and the guys are driving on dirt
20, you may not believe me, as I didn't believe it myself, but I have squealed tires on dirt.
I may post more later, but I'm in the middle of watching it.
The family is being harassed by the hot rodders, and the wife says:
Maybe you can speed up and lose them!
Husband: well, I'm going 55!
I have been watching this gem since I was a kid about the age of the son in the movie. Must've been a couple years after it came out.
The only line that has stayed with me over the years is "run 'em off the road, Duke! Run 'em off the road!
They only charge $1.50 to change a tire and he doesn't even give the old guy two bucks?
At the end, before the wreck, they say "there he is" like there couldn't possibly be another car on the highway and they don't notice that he isn't moving?
jeanne craigs over the top reaction to every near collision (screaming, head flailing)...actually her entire performance is over the top...
shareWhen the family, exhausted by being terrorized by hot rodders all day and still fearful, decide they can't stay at the well-lit and populated motel one more second and MUST leave in the dead of the night for yet another stretch of desert road. And the icing on the cake is when they see speeding headlights behind them and Peg says: "So nice to know there is another car on the road" LOL!
shareGloria : You think all girls are alike. Duke : No i don't they're names are different
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