Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)

Director:

Monte Hellman

Writers:

Will Corry (story)
Rudy Wurlitzer (writer) ...

Release Date:

28 October 1972 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

You can never go fast enough...

Plot:

Story of two men drag racing across the USA in a primer grey 55 chevy. Wilson is the mechanic, James Taylor is the driver.

Plot Keywords:

Very Little Dialogue | Automobile | Rivalry | Road | Cult Favorite

Cast

James Taylor	...	The Driver
Warren Oates	...	G.T.O
Laurie Bird	...	The Girl
Dennis Wilson	...	The Mechanic
David Drake	...	Needles station attendant
Richard Ruth	...	Needles station mechanic
Rudy Wurlitzer	...	Hot rod driver
Jaclyn Hellman	...	Driver's girl
Bill Keller	...	Texas hitchhiker
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Oklahoma hitchhiker (as H.D. Stanton)
Don Samuels	...	Texas policeman #1
Charles Moore	...	Texas policeman #2
Tom Green	...	Boswell attendant
W.H. Harrison	...	Parts store owner
Alan Vint	...	Man in roadhouse

Runtime:

102 min | Argentina:105 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X | UK:15 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:Btl | USA:R | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Boswell, Oklahoma, USA

Company:

Michael Laughlin Productions

Trivia:

A drummer for the rock band The Beach Boys, Dennis Wilson gave his only acting performance in this film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the G.T.O pulls into the gas station it's extremely shiny and clean considering it's just driven across 3 States!

Quotes:

The Girl: You guys aren't like the Zodiac killers or anything, right?
The Mechanic: Nope. Just passin' through.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Schwarze Erdbeeren (2005)

Soundtrack:

Me and Bobby McGee

Even though "Easy Rider" came earlier and was much more successful, "Two Lane Blacktop" is a far superior film

I am now convinced Monte Hellman is one of America's most unjustly overlooked filmmakers. "Cockfighter" was good (easially the best hicksploitation film ever made), "The Shooting" was great, and "Two Lane Blacktop" is simply put a masterpiece. Even though "Easy Rider" came earlier and was much more successful, "Two Lane Blacktop" is a far superior film. The films minimalist style is engrossing throughout, and despite the slow pacing your interest never waivers. Its also the greatest road movie ever made because its thematically interesting unlike many other car films. To call this a car film is akin to calling "2001" a sci-fi film or "The Seven Samurai" an action film.

What makes it work so well? For one, the stark minimalism of it all. Hellman proves you don't need flashy effects or a big budget to make a great motion picture (something which Hollywood's school of music video directors hasn't caught on to). Everything is very low key, especially the performances of James Taylor, Laurie Bird, and Dennis Wilson. It perfectly captures the lack of meaning to their lives. Unlike many other counter culture heroes, they seem to be rebelling against nothing except life itself. Secondly, Warren Oates makes the film. Oates is one of the most tragically underrated actors of all time, and this is next to only "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia" as his best film. In both, he manages to take a desperate and pathetic man and make him all too human. Its a shame that this is so hard to find as its one of the best films of the decade. (10/10)