Eat My Dust

Hoover Niebold (Ron Howard) is a car-nerd, and a prankster with his friends. His daddy is the law. They're at the car race. Snooty hot girl Darlene Kurtz is willing to ride with him if only he gets the red race car. So he steals the car and they go on a joy ride.

Ron Howard wanted to direct his own movie and Roger Corman required him to star in this movie before giving him his directorial debut, Grand Theft Auto (1977). This is a thin script. I don't particularly care about any of these characters. Ron Howard is still a good lead. The rest can be left behind. There are some fun car action but that's the only good aspect. It's a B-movie with a named actor.

One of many fun Roger Corman car chase movies. This one stars Ron Howard, a rebel, who steals the fastest race car in town to impress a girl. To make things even worse, his father is the town sheriff. You won't find any deep meaning or hidden themes in this movie, but if you want a fun 70s car chase movie, this movie does the job. This is the movie that is indirectly responsible for launching Ron Howard's directing career on his next movie, Grand Theft Auto. Eat My Dust was a box office success for Roger Corman, so automatically they wanted a sequel. Instead of asking for more money, Ron Howard asked for the opportunity to write and direct the movie. The rest is history. Not a lot of big names in this movie, but Ron's brother and father are in it...as well as an unrecognizable Corbin Bernsen as the slow-witted gas station attendant.

**1/2 (Out of 4)

Hoover is a real speed freak and he steals the fastest race-car at a racetrack to impress Darlene. Who by the way has a thing for fast cars and whoever's behind the wheel. So Hoover takes her (and some unwanted passengers) on a cross-country trip with his father, Sheriff Harry and the rest of the police force hot on their heels.

Lets burn rubber in this tooting and yahoo of an outgoing car chase romp! This Roger Corman produced drive-in feature was a big hit for him and really did launch actor Ron Howard's filming career afterwards. The accelerating story is as simple as the outline suggests with a roller coaster-like ride that transcends into a domino effect of chaotic accidents and humorous outcomes. The elastically joyous script is streamlined with extremely witty one-liners and always snappy and colourful characters. Charles B. Griffith (Death Race 2000) wrote and directed this top-gear feature with a sprightly combination of amazingly smoking action and reckless fun, which does come together to equal quite a speed rush with a nice dose of irony. It never seems to take a back-step, even when it does run out of gas. Giving the flick a real lift was a pleasantly, rousing country music score and energetically crisp camera-work with inventive framing and show-stopping images. As with most Corman flicks, an all-studded cult support cast was on hand in small parts. With the likes Clint Howard, Paul Bartel and Corbin Bernson. Ron Howard fitted perfectly as the gawky, but charismatic Hoover and Christopher Norris is great as the speed buxom Darlene. Though the best of the lot would have to be Warren J. Kemmerling as Hoover's cranky and always uptight father, Sheriff Harry Niebold.

Just sit back and take it all in, while you listen to the engines purr in this boot-kicking and spun-out trip!

"Eat My Dust" is a broad, cartoony action comedy from the Roger Corman hit factory. Just one of a number of car chase / car crash movies he made during this period, it stars ever likable Ron Howard, at the height of his 'Happy Days' fame. Ron plays Hoover Niebold, a young man who's determined to impress a sexy rich girl, Darlene Kurtz (luscious blonde Christopher Norris). So he steals "Mabel", the prized vehicle of race car driver Big Bubba Jones (Dave Madden of 'The Partridge Family'). He, Darlene, and his entourage (including Rons' younger brother Clint) then partake in an epic pursuit that takes up most of the hour and a half long run time.

People who love high speeds, lots of energy, impressive camera work, and grand scale vehicular mayhem are certain to have a fine time with this one. It's not for you if you're looking for depth, meaning, character development, and a really meaty story. Fortunately, writer / director Charles B. Griffith, a longtime Corman collaborator, knows how to satisfy the target audience, and gives "Eat My Dust" quite a bit of humor as well. It definitely has a chaotic feel to it at times, and characters often don't so much speak their dialogue as yell it. David Grisman composed the infectious, flavorful music score, serving as the perfect accompaniment. The stunt work is first rate, with Barbara Peeters ("Humanoids from the Deep") and the second unit giving it 100% percent.

Many of the performances are appropriately broad. With so many of the adult characters coming off as boobs, it's not too hard to root for Hoover and company. Warren J. Kemmerling plays Hoovers' lawman father, and there's a fair amount of familiar faces among the supporting cast: Brad David, Peter Isacksen, Rons' actor father Rance (as one of the deputies), Paul Bartel, Corbin Bernsen (as a slow witted gas station attendant), and Beach Dickerson. Ron is as engaging as he's ever been, and Norris is tantalizing as the object of his lust.

Overall, "Eat My Dust" is good of its type.

Seven out of 10.

Ron Howard (fresh off of Happy Days) was offered a two-picture deal with producer Roger Corman for New World Pictures, Howard agreed only if his next film would be a film he would direct himself and the deal was made.

The movie itself is a standard low-brow car chase comedy and often too silly, but the script and direction by Charles Griffith is pretty good. The cinematography catches the car sequences impressively and the acting is good throughout, particularly by Warren Kemmerling as the cranky local sheriff.