Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Monte Hellman

Writers:

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

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:

Car | Mechanic | Driver | Drag Racing | Girl

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 (as Rudolph Wurlitzer)
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
Illa Ginnaven	...	Waitress in Roadhouse
George Mitchell	...	Truck Driver at Accident
A.J. Solari	...	Tennessee Hitchhiker
Katherine Squire	...	Old Woman
Melissa Hellman	...	Little Girl with Old Woman picked up by G.T.O.
Jay Wheatley	...	Man #1 at Race Track
James Mitchum	...	Man #2 at Race Track (as Jim Mitcham)
Kreag Caffey	...	Boy with Motorcycle
Tom Witenbarger	...	Pickup Truck Driver
Glen Rogers	...	Soldier #1

Directed by
Monte Hellman

Writing credits
Will Corry		(story)
Rudy Wurlitzer		(writer) (as Rudolph Wurlitzer) and
Will Corry		(writer)
Floyd Mutrux		uncredited

Produced by
Gary Kurtz	....	associate producer
Michael Laughlin	....	producer (as Michael S. Laughlin)

Original Music by
Billy James		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Jack Deerson		(director of photography)
Gregory Sandor		(uncredited)

Film Editing by
Monte Hellman

Casting by
Fred Roos
Jennifer Shull

Costume Design by
Richard Bruno

Production Management
Walter Coblenz	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ken Swor	....	assistant director

Art Department
H. Alan Deglin	....	custom auto design and construction
William Kincheloe	....	custom auto design and construction
Richard Ruth	....	custom auto design and construction

Sound Department
Charles T. Knight	....	production sound (as Charles Knight)
Howard S. Wollman	....	sound re-recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Gregory Sandor	....	cinematographic advisor
John Bailey	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Earl C. Williman	....	lamp operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Billy James	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Jaclyn Hellman	....	dialogue coach
Bonnie Prendergast	....	script supervisor
Marion Sampler	....	title designer
Lee Wenner	....	assistant to producer
Jay Wheatley	....	technical advisor
Steven Henschel	....	location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Michael Laughlin Productions
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Atalanta Filmes (Portugal)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Edit-Rite  sound editing
• Synchrofilm Inc.  music editing
• Universal Title  titles and opticals

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 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:Btl | USA:R | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Athens, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Michael Laughlin Productions

Trivia:

Dennis Wilson's watch used to time the race is a Rolex Daytona.

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: Say, which way we going?
The Mechanic: East.
The Girl: That's cool. I never been East.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Schwarze Erdbeeren (2005)

Soundtrack:

Stealin'

last great film of the sixties even though filmed in 1971

First off Monte Hellman is a genius. Secondly Two Lane Blacktop is one of the greatest "road" films of all time. In the film, like most road movies, the land becomes a character within itself, and Hellman creates that here. Like that of Rio Bravo with Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson, Hellman chooses two individuals out of there element in selecting Dennis Wilson and James Taylor. One might say that the two men don't say much, but when they do it is to the point, and in fact it is what they don't say that matters. Not to leave out Warren Oates, quite possibly the real lead in the film. Oates gives a top notch performance in all the films he graces, but here as GTO he really out does himself. Those who love films such as Easy Rider, and later Vanishing Point, will chalk this up, not only as one of the greatest "road" movies of all time, but as one of the lasts attempts at true"American" freedom.