Le convoi des casseurs

Producer Roger Corman had decided to recycle car chase footage from previous films he was involved in and edited them together in this romp from the latter days of New World Pictures. Jimmy McNichol and Janet Julian are likable enough as the cute young couple on the run from bumbling, but no-nonsense sheriff (Walter Barnes) and a slew of other characters. Even Dick Miller shows up as the angry owner of a car that the two steal right in front of him and spends the rest of his screen time chasing after them in a helicopter. The rest of the plot is rather flimsy, including three so-called Sheiks who try to trick a local moonshiner and various cars speeding, chasing, and crashing.

Smokey Bits The Dust got inflicted on the movie going public in 1981. And after two viewings of it I can't even tell you what the plot is of this mess.

Jimmy McNichol plays the local bad boy in this neck of the Ozark woods who just likes to race cars and wreck as many as he can because it's good clean fun. He's got the hots for the sheriff's daughter, Janet Julian, and on Homecoming Day he kidnaps her.

After this the whole film is one mindless 80 minute or so car chase in which law from other jurisdictions including some Arabs get involved. To be honest I actually tried figuring out what the plot was and couldn't.

Roger Corman produced this mess and shame on him.

OK, sure the movie pretty much sucks, but it's definitely worth it to see some cool car chases if you are a car chase fan. After realizing how many precious classic Dodge Chargers were destroyed during the "Dukes of Hazzard" TV run, it's also kinda sad to see a hot '57 Chevy banged up in chases (watch the disappearing dents, they used more than one of course) but the highlight definitely is that great crash by the '57 through the roof (where of course, McNichol simply keeps driving after the car lands). This chase, with the '57 Chevy, just may be one of the greatest car chases ever put on film actually, it's just too bad it's in a comedy and not a 'serious' film.

The comedy is definitely bad, with maybe the funniest scene probably being the truck driver who backs in McNichols' way in an alley, who says "nooo!" with a hilarious look on his face. So hey, pick this one up off ebay for the chases, and watch with the volume turned off when you can to avoid the painful dialogue.

220406: Read, comprehend and then react. This film is not for those seeking logical, well thought out entertainment. But, if you're a car person who loves stunts and humour, this action-packed story is nearly perfect; once one adjusts (ride out the first twenty minutes and you'll see). Full of classic rides, some neat collisions and subtile jokes this film is great for the right audience, like me. "Smokey" features a young William Forsythe and many, what are now high dollar and desirable, muscle cars. I can't imagine what it would cost to be created in today's economy but someone should really consider a remake of this film? Please don't use any of the remaining classic muscle though. Some need to be preserved and protected, as proven here, from the often destructive entertainment industry. Besides, there are many modern muscle cars that can be wrecked instead and car people, like me, are going to love seeing that. Enjoy!

This movies' thin excuse for a story: shameless car thief / speed demon / obnoxious punk Roscoe Wilton (Jimmy McNichol, "Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker") kidnaps homecoming queen Peggy Sue Turner (Janet Julian, "Humongous") and spends the majority of the movie outwitting and out-driving her flustered sheriff father (Walter Barnes, "The Big Gundown"). Naturally, many others get involved in the chase, too.

The price paid for the success of "Smokey and the Bandit" was indeed a steep one, as we once again get a cartoon with frenetic over-acting and mostly lame comedy. (That said, there is an occasional inspired gag.) The action is definitely preferable to the comedy, although, even so, a lot of the highlights are actually *lifted* from earlier Roger Corman productions "Eat My Dust!", "Grand Theft Auto", "Thunder and Lightning", and "Moving Violation".

The movie is passable overall; if you're not too judgmental and just want to put your brain in neutral for an hour and a half, you may be adequately entertained. Certainly this is a lively affair, with a breakneck pace and a cheerful "everything but the kitchen sink" approach; this leads to an admittedly amusing finale with a donnybrook involving multiple parties.

Other familiar faces you'll see include the always welcome Dick Miller ("Gremlins"), Kedric Wolfe and Charles Howerton from the directors' previous monster movie "Up from the Depths", William Forsythe ("The Devils' Rejects"), in one of his earliest feature film appearances, Kari Lizer ("Private School"), Mel Welles ("The Little Shop of Horrors"), Michael Greene ("To Live and Die in L. A."), Beach Dickerson ("Creature from the Haunted Sea"), Rance Howard ("Chinatown"), Nancy Parsons ("Motel Hell"), Angelo Rossitto ("Freaks"), and Tony Cox ("Bad Santa"). Director Charles B. Griffith appears on screen as the "mellow rabbi".

This may play like a "greatest hits" package of New World vehicular mayhem, but doubtless that some viewers will have few complaints. At least it's all relatively harmless.

Gale Anne Hurd was the co-producer.

Five out of 10.