IMDb RATING
4.6/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
Bobby blows all his college savings on a van and tries to get the girl of his dreams. It's a wild time with Bobby and his friends.Bobby blows all his college savings on a van and tries to get the girl of his dreams. It's a wild time with Bobby and his friends.Bobby blows all his college savings on a van and tries to get the girl of his dreams. It's a wild time with Bobby and his friends.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
Stuart Goetz
- Bobby
- (as Stuart Getz)
Harry Morgan Moses
- Jack
- (as Harry Moses)
Steve Oliver
- Dugan
- (as Stephen Oliver)
Connie Hoffman
- Sally
- (as Connie Lisa Marie)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
The teen sexploitation comedy had its heyday in the early 1980's with movies like "Porky's" and a brief revival years later with "American Pie" (and perhaps we're experiencing another right one now with the new movie "Superbad"). But these movies can really be traced back into the 1970's,(and perhaps even earlier in a much tamer form). The 70's movies were a little different, however, in that it was never clear whether they were trying to "exploit" the actual teenage audience of the era or just exploit the bodies of the "teenage" characters (almost always played by older actors) for the benefit of perverts of all ages. (Just look, for instance, at all the 1970's movies about cheerleaders, babysitters, and sexy female hitch-hikers).
This movie is somewhat unique then because, though it certainly fulfills its quota for female nudity, it really does seem to be aimed at actual 70's teenagers. It has a believable (relatively) and likable (very relatively) protagonist with a (somewhat)realistic problem: he wants to improve his love life by buying a customized van. It doesn't work too well at first, but eventually he has some success although not in the way he planned. This movie is not particularly funny, nor is it exactly neo-realism, but it does capture the spirit of the times enough to achieve a kind of nostalgia (which certainly can't be said about stuff like "The Cheerleaders"). I was actually just a kid at this time, but I remember being disappointed when I reached adolescence in the "just say no" Reagan era that my female peers weren't quite as, uh, fun as my teenage babysitters seemed to be back in this era. (At least, I personally never owned a van with a waterbed, a mirrored ceiling, and, for some reason, a toaster).
I'm sure this isn't a totally realistic movie about being a teenager in the 1970's, but it's as close as THESE kind of movies are probably going to get.
This movie is somewhat unique then because, though it certainly fulfills its quota for female nudity, it really does seem to be aimed at actual 70's teenagers. It has a believable (relatively) and likable (very relatively) protagonist with a (somewhat)realistic problem: he wants to improve his love life by buying a customized van. It doesn't work too well at first, but eventually he has some success although not in the way he planned. This movie is not particularly funny, nor is it exactly neo-realism, but it does capture the spirit of the times enough to achieve a kind of nostalgia (which certainly can't be said about stuff like "The Cheerleaders"). I was actually just a kid at this time, but I remember being disappointed when I reached adolescence in the "just say no" Reagan era that my female peers weren't quite as, uh, fun as my teenage babysitters seemed to be back in this era. (At least, I personally never owned a van with a waterbed, a mirrored ceiling, and, for some reason, a toaster).
I'm sure this isn't a totally realistic movie about being a teenager in the 1970's, but it's as close as THESE kind of movies are probably going to get.
10dbatt06
In 1979, I was a boy of 12 years old, My parents had just got the home box office which was pretty new to our neighborhood. As a 12 year old boy, this was the first time I saw boobs on television. I will never forget the joy of those times. Racing vans, the total ass-wipe with the baddest van, the water bed, the smoking of herbs, the hot 70's chicks, the 'makin love in my Chevy van song, it was all so new to me. A complete movie with all of the memories you could hope for. I own it and enjoy it about once a year. When I watch this movie, it makes me want to get my skates, with 4 wheels, not in a strait line, go to the park and hunt down some babes with feathered hair. truly great memories of young adolescence!
It may seem like a dumb sex comedy from the 70's but it's more like a window to the decade of decadence.This movie has it all!Sex,pot smoking,a car wash,super-cool vans,cool clothes,a pimp,hookers,van racing,the continuous playing of Chevy Van and other Sammy Johns songs and more!If you want to know what people were really doing in the 70's,get this movie.It will make you want to go FUN TRUCKIN'.
this film is one of lifes little pleasures...................and it is a must see for fans of the street car flick, its about a teenager who blows his entire college savings on a coustom chevy van as a way to lure girls in for wild sex parties. there are 2 versions of this film the edited version and the original version, unfortunately the edited version is the only one that remains in circulation. the original version included several nudity scenes,and some pot smoking scenes. the re-released version has all those scenes removed. however there is some great 1970's music in this film - and its funny to watch --- I never knew Danny DeVito was ever that Young. this is a fun movie and its a perfect break(getaway)from the period dramas and war movies that I love so well. The most memoriable thing about this film is it's theme song. --- even if you dislike this film, you will still find yourself walking around for several days singing the theme song.
Let me start by saying that I saw this movie during its (short) original release. The drive-in had a couple dozen custom vans along the rear wall. I can only assume the shenanigans on the screen were being duplicated in the row of rolling bedrooms. Hey, it was the '70s.
This time I watched on Prime, some 56 years later. How the times have changed. While I still find the film amusing, some of it is a little hard to watch. What may have been considered acceptable by 1977 morals would never fly today. Apparently no didn't mean no, it meant "that's ok, keep trying, she'll come around eventually." That said, it's still an interesting piece of '70s culture. Custom vans, CB radios, 8-tracks and pot. Lots of pot. It was the end of the free love generation.
It's certainly not for everyone, but for those looking for an entertaining trip back to their own teen years it's worth a watch.
This time I watched on Prime, some 56 years later. How the times have changed. While I still find the film amusing, some of it is a little hard to watch. What may have been considered acceptable by 1977 morals would never fly today. Apparently no didn't mean no, it meant "that's ok, keep trying, she'll come around eventually." That said, it's still an interesting piece of '70s culture. Custom vans, CB radios, 8-tracks and pot. Lots of pot. It was the end of the free love generation.
It's certainly not for everyone, but for those looking for an entertaining trip back to their own teen years it's worth a watch.
Did you know
- TriviaDespite the song "Chevy Van" by Sammy Johns appearing throughout the soundtrack the titular "Van" is a 1976 Dodge B200 Tradesman van (which was prepared by legendary car customizer George Barris). The van, purchased at Claude Short Dodge in Santa Monica, California, is the extended version of the B200 Dodge, featuring a 360-ci "small block" Chrysler V8 engine, automatic transmission and air conditioning. The customization includes a four-foot circular window on the driver's side, a water bed, mirrored ceiling, carpeted and padded walls, drink rack, refrigerator, a TV, a table with a built-in toaster, captain's chairs and a CB radio and eight-track tape player. Two vans were built for the film. The primary van, which was used for all running and interior shots, featured all the customizations listed above. The stunt van (a 1972 Dodge cargo van dressed to look like the primary 1977 Dodge van) was used for the drag-racing scenes, and did not feature a full interior.
- GoofsWhen the two police officers take off after the yellow and green van when they are drag racing down the street, you can see the reflection of two crew members operating a camera and a third gentleman standing there watching the filming reflected in the rear passenger side window.
- Quotes
Dugan Hicks: NOBODY calls Dugan a TURD!
- ConnectionsFeatured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 2 (1996)
- How long is The Van?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Piège à nana
- Filming locations
- 7910 Katella Avenue, Stanton, California, USA(pizza place)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $352,000
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