Two Lane Blacktop

Sort of what happens when a studio thinks the actors are more important than the "idea" behind the movie. They also seemed to be tryiing to go for the existential crowd with that "minimal" dialogue.

I rather enjoyed the dialogue of the 4 speed, the V8 Exhaust, and that between the tires and the pavement...

I bought the DVD because it was cheap and because of the American Graffiti connection. Took me two attempts to watch it but I did actually quite enjoy it in the end.

Still prefer the original 'Vanishing Point', though. One of my favourite car movies.

ClemSparks wrote: I rather enjoyed the dialogue of the 4 speed, the V8 Exhaust, and that between the tires and the pavement...

Quoted for general awesomeness.

Ok, just watched it, and I gotta say it's not the worst piece of E36 M3 I've ever seen (think FnF2). I rather enjoyed the ending too, so I don't know, maybe it's one of those things that you love to hate. Or hate to love. Whichever way you want to look at it.

I watched Two Lane Blacktop recently. And I have to say, I...watched it.

BoxheadTim wrote: Took me two attempts to watch it but I did actually quite enjoy it in the end.

My end still hurts from it.

friedgreencorrado wrote:

stuart in mn wrote: Two Lane Blacktop is definitely a low budget, period piece. People either like it or hate it; I think it helps if you were around back in those days.

Yeah, it was definitely one of those 1970s "stream of conciousness" movies.

Great way to describe it. A strange, strange movie, indeed. I haven't seen it in well over 10 years.

I just loved how James Taylor was such a badass in that flick. Odd way to describe James Taylor, but he was definitely dark in that movie.

I think the word is "existentialism." Lots of late 60s and 70s flicks hard it as a theme. I know Vanishing Point was heavy into it, but so was Apocalypse Now. Yes, I put all those movies in the same realm, if not genre.

I need to count how many times Wilson changes the jets.

gamby wrote:

friedgreencorrado wrote:

stuart in mn wrote: Two Lane Blacktop is definitely a low budget, period piece. People either like it or hate it; I think it helps if you were around back in those days.

Yeah, it was definitely one of those 1970s "stream of conciousness" movies.

Great way to describe it. A strange, strange movie, indeed. I haven't seen it in well over 10 years.

Me, neither. I just remember when a lot of these B-movies were either really cheap, or in the public domain. They're what local TV stations used to show instead of infomercials.

gamby wrote: I just loved how James Taylor was such a badass in that flick. Odd way to describe James Taylor, but he was definitely dark in that movie.

Yeah, there's no "Sweet Baby James" about it, is there? I remember saying, "..that's James Taylor?.." to myself the first time I saw it.

littleturquoiseb wrote: I guess I fall into the I like it catagory ... I know I love this movie and it's not just about the cars .... This is a high art film that happens to also be a kick ass car flick. The film imho is about the bleak life of the people who have lost them selves in the bleakness of the 70's (post veitnam, post hippy, lost generation kinda deal). The Driver and Mechanic are as empy as their stripped out Chevy, and they don't care to be connected to each other or any other human for that matter.

Yeah, I kind of got that. I thought that's why the movie ended the way it did. It doesen't matter that James beat Warren...it didn't change a damn thing for him.

littleturquoiseb wrote: The girl is looking to be part of the past love generation and trying to find someone who will let her stay there, the GTO is trying to find a life by pretending to be a 'car guy', but the wold knows he's a poser.

Indeed. And from the "gearhead" POV, that hasn't changed. How many people do you see trying to buy their way to the front in our sport? Ironically IMO, GRM was started as a way to give regular people a little ammunition against folks like that.

littleturquoiseb wrote: See .. but I'm weird, I laugh at early John Waters, complain about how directors are still stealing camera angles from Leni Refinstal, love the progression of the 'clear vinyl' society that Terry Gilliam has gone through in his films, will watch any documentry anywhere about anything ... I watch weird E36 M3 and wish I went to fim school insted of Raido/TV.

When I first started woring in radio, the Program Director told me my wit was too dry for a "mass audience". When I switched to TV, I gave up making stuff to get into a bigger market and make a living wage. I might just be a Master Control Switcher these days...but at least doing the grunt work for a major player pays enough to play with my cars.

Weird thing is..I write better now than I did then, but no one will read it because I gave up the dream for the money. Go figure...

for years i've been meaning to watch it, but the local rental place didnt have it, and the blockbuster locally didnt either. i'm obsessed with american graffiti....

just put it on the new netflix que. vanishing point too. thanks for the reminders buddies! cant wait.