Eat My Dust

"Eat My Dust" was one of producer Roger Corman's biggest hits. Seeing the movie today, most likely you will wonder why. To be sure, top-billed star Ron Howard is a likable actor, but he doesn't get that much of a chance to shine in a movie that's basically centered around one big chase. Speaking of characters, the lead female character is so stuck up and snotty you will wonder why Howard's character is attracted to her. And I'm sure even younger viewers will question how the youths in the movie think that all the destruction they cause is hilarious. I am sure some viewers will dismiss these charges, thinking that they will still get plenty of entertainment from the many, many car chase sequences. Think again. Most of the time, the cars involved in the chase don't seem to be travelling at top speed, and the movie keeps cutting to the idiot sheriff and his dim-witted helpers in sequences that contain no laughs. This movie isn't aggressively bad, but it's flat and unmemorable.

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!

This is merely another one of those many 70s car-chase films. It's fun & mindless and features some beautiful rural California locations. Plus, how can you go wrong with the likable Ron Howard?

The film was a box-office success for producer Roger Corman, which naturally led to the demand for a sequel. But Ron Howard didn't want money to perform in the sequel, he just wanted the opportunity to write and direct it (not to mention act in it). Thus came the hugely popular "Grand Theft Auto," Howard's first REAL stab at directing. The rest is history.

This flick is merely okay, nothing special; what makes it worth purchasing for any red-blooded male is the supremely gorgeous Christopher Norris (yeah, it's a woman not a man). She's got some incredible God-given curves, to say the least, and she shows them off well in her skimpy hot-pants!

Of course, if you're a "Brokeback Mountain" fan there's always Ron Howard.

.....one of the best movies ever made. Period. I saw this film as a young teen and it inspired me to make movies which I have done for the past 20+ years. Eat My Dust is a hilarious action packed comedy that has to be seen to be believed. Roger Corman and Ron Howard have captured lightning in a bottle with this one. Charles B. Griffith had NEVER been given the credit he deserved. I have seen this film a few dozen times and it gets better with each viewing. Dave Grisman's score is unforgettable. Dave Madden is screamingly funny as "big Bubba Jones". Sh*t on a twisty stick EAT MY DUST is the perfect car action comedy of the 70s

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.