Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow

Obviously, any movie called GHOST OF DRAGSTRIP HOLLOW, can't be expected to be even remotely serious, and it's not. It is a lot of fun to watch, though! The rockin' music alone makes it worth a viewing or ten.

In addition, there are several beautiful women, an ultra-annoying parrot, a kooky old lady, and an amazing, sentient, talking car!

Annnd, a costume party in a haunted house!

Plot? Well, no, there isn't one of those. However, there is a band that not only plays their instruments, but also fires guns into the air at random intervals! Where else are you gonna see that?...

"Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow" was one of the many '50s movies about hot-rodding teens encountering the supernatural. In this case, the teens can't pay the rent for their hangout and get evicted. With nowhere else to go, they decide on an apparently haunted house. As you may have guessed, once they arrive, some weird things start happening. And there's a twist at the end.

There's nothing in this movie that you haven't seen in other movies, but it's nice entertainment nonetheless. My favorite character was the foul-mouthed parrot. Well, let me rephrase that: he didn't talk like a character in a Quentin Tarantino movie, but he said things that we don't expect out of a bird. The movie's pure hokum, but harmless.

Released in 1959 and shot in B&W, "Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow" chronicles the events of a group of hot rod drag racers who are forced to move into a deserted mansion as their new headquarters, which appears to be haunted. To celebrate their new home and make money, they throw a Halloween costume party. The festivities are interrupted by a monster who's hogging the dances with the best-looking gals!

This is an eminently entertaining 50's hot rod/non-horror movie highlighted by petite cutie Jody Fair as the main protagonist and, believe it or not, one of the top hot rodders; not to mention the stunning statuesque beauty, Sanita Pelkey, who appears to be around 6'2". Several of the girls have a slumber party at one point. As for the "horror" shenanigans, they're essentially the blueprint for the Scooby Doo, Where Are You! cartoon, which debuted a decade later.

The film runs 65 minutes and was shot in Southern California.

GRADE: B

This is my all time favorite 50s drive-in flick! If youre researching the 1950s, then this is the film you want to see! Even during the dance party, there are two "guest monsters" from other 50s drive-in films...see if you can spot them! My favorite part of this film is the girl drag racer/mechanic! In the days when women working on their own cars or racing their own cars was a HUGE no-no, this gal gets to do it all...a true pioneer! The music, the cars, the costumes, the clothes and even the pajama party certainly adds fun and flavor to this funny, spooky classic! But, if you dont watch this film for any other reason, you have GOT to watch it for that smart-alecky talking *bird*!! He'll have you rolling with laughter!

I guess my brain removal has finally kicked in, but I enjoyed this slice of teen-age nonsense. The r&r seldom stops along with the twirling teens catching the beat. Add the humorous asides from an array of eccentric characters, including a nerdy duo, a wacky spinster with a winged hat, and a parrot from heck. Sure there's no plot, just a blast in a haunted house with a monster in need of employment. But it's a good chance to catch up with the lingo and styles of the day. Of course, for some of us, it's also a tour down memory lane. The cast may be no-names, still they do well enough, even the killjoy dad (Smith). And, oh yeah, catch how the canny producers loaded the first part with dragsters and road racing. That's a good action hook, but turns out to be different from the rest. Then too, I'll bet Tommy Ivo's dragster he so proudly shows off was really his own since he was a dedicated drag racer and designer (IMDB). Anyhow, give your brain a rest and join the nonsensical fun of drive-in 1959.