Hot Rod Movie Night #7

“Hot Rod Movie Night : Volume 7” is the seventh DVD in our series featuring full length
films from the 40’s to the 70’s. In “Volume 7” we feature drag racing themed movies!
We use dual-layer discs in order to get 3 full length movies on one DVD without
 any loss in quality, and like all our discs, they are burned in an NTSC format,
and will play on all DVD players around the world.

Bikini Beach (1964) – 93 min
School is out and the teenagers head for the beach. All is well until a millionaire comes around, convinced that the
beachgoers are so senselessly obsessed with sex that their mentality is below that of a primate – especially that of his
pet chimp Clyde, who can surf, drive, and watusi better than anyone on the beach. Meanwhile, a British moptop named
“The Potato Bug” (played by Frankie Avalon in a dual role), has taken up residence on Bikini Beach. Annoyed by
Frankie’s reluctance to start their relationship towards marriage, Dee Dee becomes receptive to Potato Bug’s advances.
In a jealous rage, Frankie challenges The Potato Bug to a drag race, in hopes of winning Dee Dee back. The dragsters
used in the drag racing scenes (shot at Pomona Raceway) were very popular and successful at the time. They include:
Dean Jeffries’ “Manta Ray”, Larry Stellings’ “Britannica”, the Greer, Black and Prudhomme fuel dragster “Freida” – driven
by Don Prudhomme, ‘TV’ Tommy Ivo’s fuel dragster and four-Buick-engined “Showboat” dragster – the one Clyde drives
to a new speed record. Ivo was also a technical advisor for the film, as well as go-kart champ Von Deming – billed in the
credits with the title, “West Coast Go-Kart Champion”. (Condition – EXCELLENT – Letterbox Format)

Burnout (1978) – 85 min
A classic ‘B’ movie, filled with bad acting and a vanilla script, but this 1978 movie is a treasure trove of great drag racing
footage. The plot line of this movie is a standard one; a young kid, with feathered hair, wants to race a dragster, but dad
won’t let him because it’s too dangerous. He eventually has a dragster built, and of course wins an event. On the way,
we see some rare footage of Donovan Racing Engines, various tracks like Irwindale, Formoso, Pomona, and even
footage of Race Car Specialties in California. Lots of great Funny Cars and Top Fuelers shown, including the Pisano &
Matsubara car, Gary Densham, Raymond Beadle, Frank Bradley, and many more. This movie was done with the
cooperation of the NHRA, and we hear track announcer Steve Evans at times, as well as getting a cameo by Linda
Vaughn and the Hurst Girls. (Condition – Very Good, but source was an old VHS tape)

Fast Company (1979) – 93 min
Another classic B-movie from the late 1970’s, this movie was directed by David Cronenberg, who would also direct
“Scanners” (1981) and many other feature films. The story involves a race car champion Lonnie Johnson, portrayed by
actor William Smith, a veteran of many low-budget cycle flicks. Claudia Jennings, Playboy Playmate Of The Year in 1970,
is the co-star. The film offers a lot of great drag racing scenes from the 1978-1979 season, and our hero’s funny car is a
Pontiac Trans Am. The film is an indictment against corporate sponsors who tend to squeeze drivers like Lonnie Johnson
dry of all their saleability. NOTE : There is some gratuitous nudity (not gratuitous sex) in this film, the type you’d
expect from a late 1970’s movie to get the popular “R” rating at the time. (Condition – EXCELLENT – Letterbox Format)