Cannonball! (1976)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Paul Bartel

Writers:

Paul Bartel (writer)
Don Simpson (writer)

Release Date:

6 July 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The annual Trans-American outlaw road race - A cross country demolition derby without rules!

Plot:

Ex-con-turned-race car driver Coy "Cannonball" Buckman signs up for the annual Trans-American Grand Prix...

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | New York City | Road | Hitman | Carsploitation

Cast

David Carradine	...	Coy 'Cannonball' Buckman
Bill McKinney	...	Cade Redman
Veronica Hamel	...	Linda Maxwell
Gerrit Graham	...	Perman Waters
Robert Carradine	...	Jim Crandell
Belinda Balaski	...	Maryann
Judy Canova	...	Sharma Capri
Archie Hahn	...	Zippo Friedman
Carl Gottlieb	...	Terry McMillan
Mary Woronov	...	Sandy Harris, Girl in the Van #1
Diane Lee Hart	...	Wendy, Girl in the Van #2
Glynn Rubin	...	Ginny, Girl in the Van #3
James Keach	...	Wolf Messer
Dick Miller	...	Bennie Buckman
Stanley Bennett Clay	...	Beutell (as Stanley Clay)
David Arkin	...	TV Producer Anchorman
John Herzfeld	...	Sharpe
Louisa Moritz	...	Louisa
Patrick M. Wright	...	Brad Phillips (as Patrick Wright)
John Alderman	...	Ken Hooper
Deirdre Ardell	...	Older McMillan Daughter
Gretchen Ardell	...	Younger McMillan Daughter
Allan Arkush	...	Panama
Gary Austin	...	Len
Paul Bartel	...	Lester Marks
Wendy Bartel	...	Reporter at Finish Line
Linda Civitello	...	Piano Teacher
Jim Connors	...	Deke Scanton
Roger Corman	...	District Attorney
Peter Cornberg	...	Man in Blue Car
Joe Dante	...	Kid
Miller Drake	...	Reporter at Finish Line
Michael Finnell	...	Helicopter Pilot (as Mike Finnell)
Samuel W. Gelfman	...	Dr. Magritte
Paul Glickler	...	Arresting Officer
David N. Gottlieb	...	Brad Phillips' Aide
Lea Gould	...	Harriet McMillan
Glenn Johnson	...	Cameraman in Helicopter
Jonathan Kaplan	...	All-Night Gas Station Attendant
Aron Kincaid	...	David
Saul Krugman	...	Mr. Schulenberg
James Lashly	...	Desert Gas Station Attendant
Joseph McBride	...	Reporter at Finish Line
Todd McCarthy	...	Reporter at Finish Line
Keith Michl	...	Airplane Pilot
Read Morgan	...	Cop
Mary-Robin Redd	...	Mrs. Schulenberg
Martin Scorsese	...	Mafioso
Don Simpson	...	Assistant District Attorney (as Donald C. Simpson)
Joe Wong	...	Oriental Cop
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sylvester Stallone	...	Mafioso (uncredited)
George Wagner	...	Cameraman (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Bartel

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Paul Bartel		writer
Don Simpson		writer (as Donald C. Simpson)

Produced by
Gustave M. Berne	....	executive producer (as Gustav Berne)
Peter Cornberg	....	associate producer
Samuel W. Gelfman	....	producer
Run Run Shaw	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David A. Axelrod

Cinematography by
Tak Fujimoto

Film Editing by
Morton Tubor

Art Direction by
Michel Levesque

Makeup Department
Cheri Ruff	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Peter Cornberg	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan Gibbs	....	second unit director
Jan R. Lloyd	....	second assistant director
Catherine McCabe	....	assistant director (as Cathy McCabe)

Art Department
Keith Michl	....	property master

Sound Department
Michael Hilkene	....	sound editor
James M. McCann	....	sound (as Jim McCann)
D.G. Saarinen	....	boom operator (as DG Saarinen)
Nancy Schafer	....	sound
Alex Vanderkar	....	sound mixer (as Alex Van Der Kar)
Alex Van Der Kar	....	sound mixer
Peggy Ann Waggoner	....	boom operator (as Peggy Waggoner)
Peggy Ann Waggoner	....	boom operator (as Peggy Waggonner)

Special Effects by
Harry Woolman	....	special effects

Stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts
Alan Gibbs	....	stunt coordinator
Greg Walker	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ed Barger	....	camera operator
Robert E. Collins	....	director of photography: second unit (as Bob Collins)
Paul Dillingham	....	camera operator
Paul Hipp	....	gaffer
Ron Johnson	....	first assistant camera
Michael Katz	....	gaffer
Domenic Mastrippolito	....	camera operator (as Domenic Nicholas Mastrippolito)
Robert McVay	....	key grip (as Bob McVay)
Douglas Olivares	....	second assistant camera (as Doug Olivares)
Bruce Pearn	....	best boy
Chuck Record	....	key grip
Henning Schellerup	....	action photographer
Gary Strange	....	grip
Gerald B. Wolfe	....	still photographer (as Gerald Wolfe)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thomas Baxter	....	assistant costumer
Cheryl Beasley Blackwell	....	costumer (as Cheryl Beasley)
Hollis Trainer	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Margot Duxler	....	assistant editor
Bruce Green	....	assistant editor
Ron Horwitz	....	first assistant editor

Transportation Department
Gary Strange	....	driver

Other crew
Dick Bernstein	....	production assistant
Linda Civitello	....	production secretary
Michael Finnell	....	production assistant (as Mike Finnell)
Betty Goldberg	....	script supervisor
David N. Gottlieb	....	location manager (as David Gottlieb)
John Hale	....	on-set mechanic
Carson Parlan	....	production assistant
Edwin D. Rich	....	production accountant
Rebecca Ross	....	production assistant
Chuck Russell	....	production assistant: second unit
Richard Peter Schroer	....	production assistant (as Richard Schroer)
Katherine Wooten	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Cross Country
• Harbor Productions
• New World Pictures
• Shaw Brothers

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1979) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Astro Distribution (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Hemdale Film Distribution (UK)
• Interglobal Home Video (1986) (Canada) (VHS)
• International Film Distributors (Canada)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Monarex Hollywood Corporation (1995) (Germany) (video)
• Roadshow Home Video
• Roadshow Home Video (1984) (Australia) (VHS)
• Video Film Express (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video
• Zircon Vídeo (Brazil) (video)

Other Companies

• Metrocolor  color by
• Modern Film Effects  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Carquake (UK)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:93 min | USA:93 min | Portugal:90 min (TV version)

Country:

USA | Hong Kong

Language:

English | German

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Iceland:16 | West Germany:12 (TV version) | West Germany:18 (cinema release) | USA:R (original rating) | Australia:R | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG | UK:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Harbor Freeway, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cross Country

Trivia:

David Carradine plays a car racer named Cannonball Coy Buckman, who nearly dies in various crashes. In the race car film The Big Wheel (1949) there is a character we never see but mentioned often - a racer who died in a crash named Cannonball Coy.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the pile-up on the freeway, the same yellow Cadillac hits the pile twice.

Quotes:

[Coys enter a convience store and finds Cade drinking beer]
Cade Redman: Ahhhh. Best damn beer in the world. Better than spinach. Better than porburgers. Better than possom.
[He thurns around to Coy and offers him a drink, but coy shakes his head no]
Cade Redman: Better take some. you might need the energy.
Coy 'Cannonball' Buckman: [Smiling] No thanks. I just got a little light work to do

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Unleashing the Beast: Making 'The Howling' (2003) (V)

HIGH OCTANE FUN WITH CHEAP GAS PRICE

This film is proof positive that you do not need a large budget, an A-list cast, or a complex script to entertain. Some times ya just need Fast cars, beautiful girls, and quirky characters(some played way over the top). Cannonball delivers just that,and becomes a joyride of a film. One of the first two car films based on the real"CANNONBALL SEA-TO-SHINING SEA RACE",(the other being"THE GUMBALL RALLY")it is far better than Hal Needhams "CANNONBALL RUN" films. Where they are goofy,and unintresting, "CANNONBALL" and "GUMBALL RALLY" are funny, and entertaining.

The acting,and directing while not awe inspiring is consistent.(comon we have seen much worse). And I love the seventies(porno film) stock that this was shot on. Maybe im just too sentimental, but at two in the mornin,fix some hot pockets, open a cold beer, and start your engines. Unfortunately this film is not available on dvd, and even Amazon doesnt show a copy on vhs.