Hot Rod Gang (1958)

That was an excellent one.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

For the final day of the 1958 best movie poll on ICM,I decided to look for one last title to view on YouTube. Looking down the YT page,I found a flick with a short & sweet run time,that led to me starting the hot rod up.The plot:Entering a street race, John Abernathy III runs into a puddle that splashes all over a man. Coming from the upper-class,Abernathy tries to hide as the police treat the puddle as a crime scene. As the police investigate the youth hang outs,Abernathy attempts to keep his driving and Rockabilly-singing identity secret. View on the film:Speeding by at 72 minutes, director Lew Landers & cinematographer Floyd Crosby give the flick an energetic slickness, with regular early Rock numbers being played with "happening" teen parties and limited Hot Rod racing. Kicking off all the trouble by John Abernathy III driving into a puddle (!) the screenplay by Lou Rusoff now has a sweet, sincere 50's innocence, due to the overreaction from the adults on Abernathy and the gang hanging out,now playing with a lightly comedic tone that sets the hot wheels off.

OK, was this a spoof, documentary, parody, comedy? I don't care, it's like some person 2 generations removed from the era used it for an excuse to write up every cliché for some subculture. It's just too hip, let's rumble, to cool Daddy O, to be cool, the moments of Father Knows Best revelations thrown in and you get vomit in the back of the throat.There is really no character development other then moron, senseless, self absorption. More then likely this what the movie was meant to be, I just don't find in interesting, humorous, nor entertaining, the music isn't that good.If you like the Beach Party movies you will like these series of movies, as for me, I kept watching my watch, wondering the run time.

Hot Rod Gang (1958) ** 1/2 (out of 4) Fun teen stuff from AIP has John Ashley playing John Abernathy III, a cool teen who drives a fast car and even manages to get the pretty new girl (Jody Fair) in town. However, trouble happens when his gang of friends are about to be thrown out of the place they hang out so they decide to use their band to make some money and they also get some help from Gene Vincent. If you're looking for a film that will change your life or change your views on certain topics then HOT ROD GANG certainly isn't for you. If you're just wanting some cheap fun from the 1950s drive-in craze then this film offers up a pretty good time. I thought the story was actually one good enough to where you could get wrapped up in what was going on. Yes, it's pretty far-fetched and you could argue that it was silly but in a teenage guys life is there anything more important than a girl, a car and a place to hang out? I thought director Lew Landers (THE RAVEN) did a very good job at keeping the film running at a nice pace and he also added in some nice touches with the supporting characters. I really liked how eccentric, weird and rather silly all of the adults were. This is something that happened in most of these films but here it's done in a way that was pretty funny to watch and especially the two aunts. The performances really weren't all that bad with Ashley once again playing the type he's best remembered for and he even gets to sing a couple songs. Fair made for a good love interest even though she wasn't all that energetic. Future Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gene Vincent gets to do a few tunes including his final hit Dance to the Bop. Again, HOT ROD GANG isn't going to change your life but it's fast and fun entertainment.

John Ashley is wanted by the law for driving recklessly through a puddle (no kidding). He is later framed for stealing hub-caps (no kidding). Incognito, he becomes a rock n' roll star with some help from 50's rockabilly legend Gene Vincent. In between, he meets a hip chick and gets into fistfights with some cool cats. Dig it, Daddy-o.