Car Wash (1976)

Car Wash is about a close-knit group of employees who one day have all manner of strange visitors coming onto their forecourt, including Richard Pryor as a preaching 'wonder-man' who is ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Schultz

Writer:

Joel Schumacher

Stars:

Darrow Igus, Otis Day, Richard Pryor

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Darrow Igus	...	Floyd
Otis Day	...	Lloyd (as De Wayne Jessie)
James Spinks	...	Hippo
Antonio Fargas	...	Lindy
The Pointer Sisters	...	The Wilson Sisters
Richard Pryor	...	Daddy Rich
George Carlin	...	The Taxi Driver
Clarence Muse	...	Snapper
Franklyn Ajaye	...	T.C.
Tracy Reed	...	Mona
Bill Duke	...	Duane - Abdullah
Ivan Dixon	...	Lonnie
Henry Kingi	...	Goody
Pepe Serna	...	Chuco
Ray Vitte	...	Geronimo

Storyline

Car Wash is about a close-knit group of employees who one day have all manner of strange visitors coming onto their forecourt, including Richard Pryor as a preaching 'wonder-man' who is loved by most but loathed by one, and a man who looks like a thief by the way he is holding his bottle, but it is really his urine sample as he is off to the hospital. T.C's love life takes a turn for the better and the songs keep coming.

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Plot Keywords:

car wash | cult film | inside a car in a car wash | reference to richard pryor | black american | 

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Taglines:

Hey, it's a '70s thing! [Video Title]

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

22 October 1976 (USA)

Also Known As:

Car Wash - Der ausgeflippte Waschsalon

Filming Locations:

Dog House - 2614 West 6th Street - Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

DVD and home video cassette covers claim that this was the first ever disco movie. This is due to the movie's soundtrack as its not a disco dance picture as such. One of the DVD covers declares that it is the "first 'disco slacker' movie".

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Quotes

[repeated line]
The Taxi Driver: Did you happen to see a big, tall, black, blonde chick here?

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Crazy Credits

The principal cast members credits at the end of the film are spoken out loud by one of the radio deejays.

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Connections

References Gone with the Wind (1939)

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Soundtracks

"Car Wash"
Written by Norman Whitfield
Performed by Rose Royce

User Reviews

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Following American Graffiti, a bunch of slice of life movies were made. Car Wash is a look at a day in the life of average Joes who have to work for a living. It looks at people who's dreams can't be wrapped up in their 8 to 6 minimum wage job. Their life, is their cars, their families, their politics, their music. They come to work and try to find ways to make the days bearable. Like Sisyphus pushing his rock ever uphill, the only satisfaction, comes at the end of the movie; at the end of the day. The drive for the top has a great beat driven by Rose Royce and punctuation by the pointer sisters. I love the tempo of this little movie and its always satisfied me.