Two-Lane Blacktop
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| Two-Lane Blacktop | |
 Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Monte Hellman |
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| Produced by | Michael Laughlin |
| Written by | Rudolph Wurlitzer Will Corry (also story) |
| Starring | James Taylor Warren Oates Laurie Bird Dennis Wilson |
| Music by | Billy James |
| Cinematography | Jack Deerson |
| Editing by | Monte Hellman |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | July 7, 1971 |
| Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | US$850 000 |
Two-Lane Blacktop is a 1971 road movie directed by Monte Hellman, starring singer-songwriter James Taylor, Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson, Warren Oates, and Laurie Bird. Esquire magazine declared the film its movie of the year for 1971, and even published the entire screenplay in its April, 1971 issue, but the film was not a commercial success.[1] The film has since become a cult classic.[2] Brock Yates, organizer of the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash (better known as the Cannonball Run) cites Two-Lane Blacktop as one source of inspiration for the creation of the race, and commented on it in his Car and Driver column announcing the first Cannonball.
Two-Lane Blacktop is notable as a time capsule film of U.S. Route 66 during the pre-Interstate Highway era, and for its stark footage and minimal dialogue. As such it has become popular with fans of Route 66. Two-Lane Blacktop has been compared to similar road movies with an existentialist message from the era, such as Vanishing Point, Easy Rider, and Electra Glide in Blue.
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[edit] Plot
The premise involves two drag racers (played by Taylor and Wilson) who live on the road in their 1955 Chevy 150 (One-Fifty) and drift from town to town, making their only income challenging local residents to races. The movie follows them driving east on Route 66 from Needles, California. They pick up a hitchhiker in Flagstaff, Arizona (played by Bird). In New Mexico, they encounter another drag racing drifter (played by Oates, driving an "Orbit Orange" 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge) and challenge him to a race. Oates suggests a cross-country race to Washington, D.C. and Taylor counters with the offer that it be for "for pinks," or legal ownership of the loser's car. Characters are never identified by name in the movie; instead they are named "The Driver," "The Mechanic," "GTO," and "The Girl". The movie follows the group east through small towns in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee. No character makes it to Washington D.C. within the scope of the film.
After sleeping with both the Driver and the Mechanic during the winding course of the journey, The Girl disappoints both the Driver and the Mechanic when she abruptly leaves with the GTO while they are competing at a local racetrack in Arkansas. The Driver pursues them intently, finding them at a diner where the Girl has just rejected the GTO's idea to visit Chicago. The Driver proposes going to Columbus, Ohio to pick up some parts, but the Girl immediately rejects him. She hops on the back of a long-haired stranger's motorcycle, dropping her bag in the parking lot. The three men abruptly depart from the diner in their respective cars. The driver of the GTO, who has told a different story about himself to each of the many hitchhikers he picked up, stops for two soldiers. He tells his passengers that he has won the car while driving a home-built '55 Chevy, emphasizing the circular theme of the film. The film ends during a drag race at an airstrip in East Tennessee. As the Driver speeds down the runway, first the sound drops out, then the film seems to slow until the actual frames of the film seem to catch in the projector's gate, burning the film itself.
[edit] Production
Will Corry's script was bought by producer Michael Laughlin and he asked Hellman to direct it. The filmmaker liked the basic idea but agreed to make the film only if another screenwriter was hired to rewrite the script. Laughlin agreed and they hired Rudy Wurlitzer.[1] Hellman and Wurlitzer worked closely on the script. Hellman saw a picture of James Taylor on a billboard on the Sunset Strip and asked the musician to come and do a screen test. Dennis Wilson was the last actor cast.[1]
This film was considered a low budget film at the time of its production. It only cost an estimated US$850 000 to complete. A Rolling Stone article written on location a full year before the film's release proclaimed the film an "instant classic" about "road racers and their women, cross-country adventure, the Great God Speed."[3] Coupled with Esquire magazine's equally enthusiastic response, Universal Pictures was initially excited to promote the film. However, Lew Wasserman, then head of the studio, saw the film and hated it.[1] He refused to promote it and when it opened in New York City on the July Fourth weekend, there was not one single newspaper ad promoting it.[1] In its initial release, it was expected to make the rounds through the then thriving Drive-in theater market, where low budget and B-movies found a thriving audience. Instead, the film was not successful at the box office.[3]
[edit] Soundtrack
Unlike other Existential road movies of the time (such as "Easy Rider", and "Vanishing Point"), Two-Lane Blacktop does not rely heavily on music, nor was a soundtrack album released. The music featured in the film covers many genres, including Rock, Folk, Blues, Country, Bluegrass, and R&B. James Taylor and Dennis Wilson did not contribute any music.
However, there are some notable tracks featured in the film, including "Moonlight Drive" by The Doors, the traditional folk tune "Stealin'" performed by Arlo Guthrie, and the original version of "Me and Bobby McGee" performed by the song's author Kris Kristofferson.
[edit] DVD
Anchor Bay Entertainment released a limited edition of the movie on October 24, 2000, with only 15 000 copies made. The disc was housed in a metal tin and extras included a 48-page booklet featuring behind-the-scenes photographs and liner notes about director Monte Hellman, a 5" X 7" theatrical poster replica, and a die-struck miniature car key chain. Anchor Bay released a regular edition on October 19, 1999, without the poster and key chain.
At a July 2007 screening of the film, Hellman revealed that the Criterion Collection was releasing a two-disc special edition DVD that featured a new documentary made by Hellman that included an interview with Kristofferson about how "Me and Bobby McGee" has become so closely associated with the film.[4] This DVD set was released on December 11, 2007.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Savlov, Marc (March 10, 2000). "Cars and Speed and Flight". Austin Chronicle. http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A76217. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
- ^ Peary, Danny. Cult Movies, Delta Books, 1981. ISBN 0-517-20185-2
- ^ a b Webb, Adam. "No Beginning, No End, No Speed Limit". Dennis Wilson: Dreamer. http://www.danaddington.com/denny/webb.html. Retrieved on 2007-09-18.
- ^ Rabinowitz, Mark (July 2, 2007). "Festival iPOPs". indieWIRE. http://www.indiewire.com/ipop/2007/07/karlovy_vary_07_1.html. Retrieved on 2007-07-19.
Nashville session guitarist Bill Hullett released an all-instrumental album entitled "Two Lane Blacktop".
[edit] External links
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