I can watch American Graffiti, LeMans, and Grand Prix over and over at any time. I, too, was told how great 2 Lane was, so I got stoked and watched it...It was all I could do to get through it. I dig the cars, and the "promise" of racing, but the actual racing was few and far between. The inane and constant comments about the jets were annoying. I wanted and expected a depiction of street racing at the time, but it was a traveling buddy pic with generally odd behavior by all the characters and nowhere near enough actual racing. Put me in the "Doesn't Get It" group
Any low 10 second '55 that hits 130+ in a 1/4 is all I need in a movie...And being the same car that was in American Graffiti dont hurt either... If you dont get this movie, you never will. Its either a boring movie or a great movie. And I found it to be great, same as Hot Rod with the Willys...
It's humorous. I have read many threads about Two Lane. Members either were bored, didn't get it and think it sucked or they relish the lack of depth, love the Muncie and watch it often. There seems to be no middle ground. I am in the latter group. I own a VHS version. I also like it because I can see what travelling America was like 40 years ago. Much has changed. I have friends in their sixties that traveled back then and it is enlightening to see the world as they saw it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
I saw it in 74 at the drive-in in a 57 chevy with my soon to be wife. Still have both. I guess you had to live it. It's about the cars, Man. Now go watch Easyrider maybe you can understand it.
Someone said it before, but it bears repeating; helps a LOT if you're a little stoned... There are a bunch of classic movies from that period I've seen that all seem a bit strange. Like it was the cool thing to do to make a movie with little dialouge. Even "Bullit" is more of McQueen looking into the camera than auctually talking.
What about the gas station attendant wearing the "Glendale Speed Center" T-Shirt with Fred Flintstone throwing a bowling ball? Anyone know if that was a real speed shop? Love that shirt
The gas station attendant wearing the Glendale Speed Center Tshirt is racer Richard Ruth. He built the three 55s used for filming, and that is him making a cameo. The hero 55 was actually based on a 56 that Ruth was racing at the time. This movie has been talked about a few times before on here, and all the threads look the same. Just do a search, and you can find all the info a person would ever care for. And personally, if you don't get the end scene... you'd probably be better off over at a Hyundai forum. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=315913
I love the way the girl just jumped in the back of the car. there's no seat, and the two guys don't say anything. Like it happens all the time to them. That never happens to me and I have a back seat. and how do they get those slicks , a jack plus a tool box to fit in the trunk?
best movie ever made about the dark empty hole thats left after the 'old america' dissappeared. GTO is the 'new' america..the consumer america...skilless bullshitters.the guys in the 55 are the 'old' america...cowboys...high plains drifters that just have to keep moving to new horizons.....self reliant... the 'chick' represents the 'lost hippies'...clueless victims stuck in the middle, taking whatver road is the easiest.
I had heard that the 55 was supposed to wreck but wouldn't. Seems the stunt car did the same thing in American Graffitti. They ended up rolling a 4 door 55 by hand because the car wouldn't slide and flip. Guess that 55 didn't want to die.
Best part was the donut in the intersection, with ''welcome back my friends to the show that never ends'' playing as background music.
this movie was an instant favorite for me, i love the way the road is presented, and what the characters await from it... ok, i kept messing up on who's the driver and who's mechanic, but they both had their eyes on the horizon juust the same way - and there wasn't anything more than the same old road behind it.
I saw it at the drive-in when it first came out loved it. Couldn't wait for it to be released on VHS, still watch it all the time.
The cars, I mean car is awesome. It is most likely the reason 55 chev's are heading to pre-war Willys prices, but don't feel bad it's hard for me to sit through so I just skip to the car scenes.