Welcome to the Wednesday Night Drags! Tonight's real gone flick is "Hot-Rod Girl!" I didn't realize it when I rented it from Netflix, but this film can be downloaded for free at the good ole
Internet Archive! Once again, The Archive never ceases to amaze me!!
Lori (REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, DAY THE WORLD ENDED) Nelson
IS Lisa Vernon, the "Hot-Rod Girl!" The funny thing is that this movie isn't really about her that much!!
"Hot-Rod Girl" literally screams 1956, and no matter what, I still like 1950's movies the best!!
Is that an MG she's smoking on the line? I don't think that import stood a chance in the quarter mile versus her souped up Thunderbird!
For me, it's hard to tell since it's a convertible whether this is a 1952, 53, 54, or 55 T-Bird! I'm sure one of you purists will let me know! They didn't really change much through those years! Beautiful car no matter what the year!
Chuck (THE RIFLEMAN) Connors is the local cop in charge of trying to keep the crazy kids in line!
One of the best impressionists of all time, Frank (THE RIDDLER) Gorshin is allowed to do some of his schtick in his role as Flat Top! One of the funniest things I ever saw on The Ed Sullivan Show was Frank Gorshin doing his impersonation of Frankenstein bowling!!
One of the gang, Del Erikson as Steve Northrup gets goaded into a street race! The final straw was when the guy in the white hot rod got in front of him and purposely backed his car into Steve's! Do people still do that kind of crap? I had a car full of weirdos run into me at a stoplight one time when I was in high school just looking for a fight, but that was back when we had metal bumpers!! Try that today, and you might total your car!
Steve dies in an accident and his brother Jeff is ruined since he was the mechanic responsible for hopping up his brother's rod! Jeff was played by John Smith who had a nice career in TV westerns as Deputy Lane Temple in 26 episodes of "Cimmaron City," and as Slim Sherman in 126 episodes of "Laramie!"
Speaking of hopped up,
the killer music in "Hot-Rod Girl" was played by an all-star band of L.A. jazz and studio musicians that included names like Bud Shank, Dave Pell, Pete Candoli, Maynard Ferguson, Frank Rosolino, Barney Kessel, and Milt Holland!!! And speaking of stars, the music in "Hot-Rod Girl" was composed by the none other than Alexander Courage, the man who composed the theme for "Star Trek!!!"
And while we're on the subject of music, this gal was known as L.P. as in long-playing record, because every time she says something, she totally runs off at the mouth! The lovely L.P. was played by Roxanne (SON OF SINBAD, THE LOVED ONE) Arlen!
Every time L.P. comes up with some brilliant statement, it has this kind of effect on the other kids!
The new kid in town, Mark (CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT) Andrews as Bronc Talbott is a troublemaker! What is he, like 24?
Bronc immediately tries to make a play for Lisa, but she's holding out for Jeff to pull out of his blue funk!
So when Flat Top tries to tell Bronc to cool down, Bronc challenges him to a game of 'Chicken!'
Tough guy Bronc prevails and Flat Top gets the crap scared out of him, and swears he'll never play 'chicken' again, but the local authorities find out about the game and start putting pressure on the kids again!
In a fit of jealousy, Bronc runs Jeff and Lisa off the road, and a kid on a bicycle gets hit, and the blame goes on Jeff even though he's innocent!
When Chuck Connors presses Bronc for the truth after finding some paint off the kid's bicycle on Bronc's bumper, Bronc conks him on the head with a bottle and tries to escape, but Jeff shows up and kicks Bronc's ass, and saves his own in the process!! It's the perfect ending for a perfect movie!!
