The Love Bug (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Director:

Peyton Reed

Writers (WGA):

Gordon Buford (earlier story)
Bill Walsh (earlier screenplay) ...

Release Date:

30 November 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Herbie's Back In A Brand-New Movie!

Plot:

Herbie, the magical Volkswagen Beetle, is passed on to a new owner. Together, they must battle a dastardly racer and his devil-car "Horace"...

Plot Keywords:

Volkswagen Beetle | Volkswagen | Animate Car | Smart Car | Remake

Cast

Bruce Campbell	...	Hank Cooper
John Hannah	...	Simon Moore III
Alexandra Wentworth	...	Alex Davis
Kevin J. O'Connor	...	Roddy Martel
Dana Gould	...	Rupert
Harold Gould	...	Dr. Gustav Stumpfel
Micky Dolenz	...	Donny Shotz
Burton Gilliam	...	Mecanic Race Announcer
Clarence Williams III	...	Chuck
Dean Jones	...	Jim Douglas
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Burch	...	Tow Truck Driver
Jeff Garlin	...	Highway Patrolman
Alecia Guzman	...	Bride Model
Rich Hall
Christin Hinojosa	...	Trendy Gal
Andy Houts	...	1st Mechanic
Doug McCallie	...	Cocky Mechanic
Earl McDaniel III
Peter Spears	...	Young Dr. Stumpfel
Andrew Woodworth	...	Trendy Guy

Runtime:

88 min | Argentina:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:G | UK:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Television

Trivia:

Herbie The Love Bug was a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle deluxe ragtop sedan painted in Volkswagen L87 pearl white. Under normal circumstances, the interior would be a matching white. However, Herbie's interior was painted a special non-reflective grey color so the camera and studio lights would not reflect.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the end of the "dueling race", Alex takes off her helmet twice.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Troldspejlet: (#35.1)" (2006)

Call me a wussy

I wanted to say "Hail to the king", but it's not Bruce Campbell that impressed me in this movie. Bruce was okay, not great. The thing with this particular movie was: it made me cry. Now, you see, as an adult with a fable for "hardcore" horror movies like Evil Dead and stuff, that is quite embarrassing. And it's not the quality of the movie, that made me cry.

It could have, because it was pretty poor in some way, but the whole thing reminded me of the original Love Bug. And my childhood.

*Sniff*

Sorry for that. Let's face it, nobody wanted to know Herbies origin (which idea was very very ... way off) and the special effects were just basic (although they convinced me in the half-driving sequence). The scene my eyes gone wet was of course ol' Jim Douglas reunited with our pal Herbie. Aaaaaooowwwwwwhhhhhh! Joy.

The score by Shirley Walker and Kristopher Carter (Batman Beyond(!)) was alright, although I wished to have this whistle theme from the original included.

Anyway, as one of the other reviewers said: a cute film. Or was it remake?

The race could have been faster... that's for sure!