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Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)

Director: Monte Hellman

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1 review

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Hellman, as his later inactivity testifies, seems to have turned himself into box-office anathema by toying once too often with his beloved actes gratuites, so open-ended that they would delight even the most demanding existentialist. Here two young hot-rodders (Taylor, Wilson), making their way across America by picking up racing bets on the side, challenge (or are challenged by) the boastful middle-aged owner of a gleaming new Pontiac (Oates). As their mesmeric duel unfolds within a landscape that narrows down to a claustrophobic tunnel of highways, filling stations and roadside cafés, it soon becomes apparent that Hellman is less interested in allegory (class and generation conflicts as in Easy Rider) or in the race itself (which simply fizzles out), than in the mysterious process whereby a challenge is subtly metamorphosed into an obsession. Self-enclosed, self-absorbed, and self-destructive (as the last shot of the film catching in the projector and burning suggests), it's absolutely riveting.

Author: TM 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

Technoguy said...

Posted on Jan 10 2008 15:37 The title says it all.A stripped down,lean existentialist movie.Two cars race each other to Washington DC.But it's the journey rather than the destination or arrival that's important.The Driver and the mechanic,James Taylor and Dennis Wilson speak little dialogue but you see them a lot as they set themselves up as the Best taking on all other road racers usually on race tracks.They pick up a girl who hitches with them.Warren Oates provides the main competition and charismatic core of the film.He coninually talks and hustles and competes even for the girl.They develop a kind of respect and camaraderie with the older man , a spirit of the open road while still competing with him,the younger musicians become a foil to his superb acting master class.GTO(Oates) picks up different hitch hikers,subtly changing his story about his destination with each one,the troupers,the hippy,the molester,the old lady.His at one point gets stopped by police for speeding but carries on.
There are frequent stops for petrol,drinks etc. The randomness and gritty flavour of the road is real.The young girl hops off with a biker after having fired all the competitors up.This film has acquired a cult status due to being out of circulation for 30 years and also because of its undiminished excellence.At the end the celluloid seems to burn up summing up the whole philosophy of the film.
]
The title says it all.A stripped down,lean existentialist movie.Two cars race each other to Washington DC.But it's the journey rather than the destination or arrival that's important.The Driver and the mechanic,James Taylor and Dennis Wilson speak little dialogue but you see them a lot as they set themselves up as the Best taking on all other road racers usually on race tracks.They pick up a girl who hitches with them.Warren Oates provides the main competition and charismatic core of the film.He coninually talks and hustles and competes even for the girl.They develop a kind of respect and camaraderie with the older man , a spirit of the open road while still competing with him,the younger musicians become a foil to his superb acting master class.GTO(Oates) picks up different hitch hikers,subtly changing his story about his destination with each one,the troupers,the hippy,the molester,the old lady.His at one point gets stopped by police for speeding but carries on.
There are frequent stops for petrol,drinks etc. The randomness and gritty flavour of the road is real.The young girl hops off with a biker after having fired all the competitors up.This film has acquired a cult status due to being out of circulation for 30 years and also because of its undiminished excellence.At the end the celluloid seems to burn up summing up the whole philosophy of the film.
]
The title says it all.A stripped down,lean existentialist movie.Two cars race each other to Washington DC.But it's the journey rather than the destination or arrival that's important.The Driver and the mechanic,James Taylor and Dennis Wilson speak little dialogue but you see them a lot as they set themselves up as the Best taking on all other road racers usually on race tracks.They pick up a girl who hitches with them.Warren Oates provides the main competition and charismatic core of the film.He coninually talks and hustles and competes even for the girl.They develop a kind of respect and camaraderie with the older man , a spirit of the open road while still competing with him,the younger musicians become a foil to his superb acting master class.GTO(Oates) picks up different hitch hikers,subtly changing his story about his destination with each one,the troupers,the hippy,the molester,the old lady.His at one point gets stopped by police for speeding but carries on.
There are frequent stops for petrol,drinks etc. The randomness and gritty flavour of the road is real.The young girl hops off with a biker after having fired all the competitors up.This film has acquired a cult status due to being out of circulation for 30 years and also because of its undiminished excellence.At the end the celluloid seems to burn up summing up the whole philosophy of the film.
]
The title says it all.A stripped down,lean existentialist movie.Two cars race each other to Washington DC.But it's the journey rather than the destination or arrival that's important.The Driver and the mechanic,James Taylor and Dennis Wilson speak little dialogue but you see them a lot as they set themselves up as the Best taking on all other road racers usually on race tracks.They pick up a girl who hitches with them.Warren Oates provides the main competition and charismatic core of the film.He coninually talks and hustles and competes even for the girl.They develop a kind of respect and camaraderie with the older man , a spirit of the open road while still competing with him,the younger musicians become a foil to his superb acting master class.GTO(Oates) picks up different hitch hikers,subtly changing his story about his destination with each one,the troupers,the hippy,the molester,the old lady.His at one point gets stopped by police for speeding but carries on.
There are frequent stops for petrol,drinks etc. The randomness and gritty flavour of the road is real.The young girl hops off with a biker after having fired all the competitors up.This film has acquired a cult status due to being out of circulation for 30 years and also because of its undiminished excellence.At the end the celluloid seems to burn up summing up the whole philosophy of the film.
]

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