Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)

A story of two men drag-racing across the U.S. in a primer grey '55 Chevy. Dennis Wilson is the mechanic, James Taylor is the driver.

Director:

Monte Hellman

Writers:

Rudy Wurlitzer (screenplay) (as Rudolph Wurlitzer), Will Corry (screenplay)

Stars:

James Taylor, Warren Oates, Laurie Bird

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Taylor	...	The Driver
Warren Oates	...	G.T.O
Laurie Bird	...	The Girl
Dennis Wilson	...	The Mechanic
David Drake	...	Needles Station Attendant
Richard Ruth	...	Needles Station Mechanic
Rudy Wurlitzer	...	Hot Rod Driver (as Rudolph Wurlitzer)
Jaclyn Hellman	...	Driver's Girl
Bill Keller	...	Texas Hitchhiker
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Oklahoma Hitchhiker (as H.D. Stanton)
Don Samuels	...	Texas Policeman #1
Charles Moore	...	Texas Policeman #2
Tom Green	...	Boswell Attendant
W.H. Harrison	...	Parts Store Owner
Alan Vint	...	Man in Roadhouse

Storyline

The Driver and The Mechanic are two car freaks driving a 1955 Chevy throughout the southwestern U.S. looking for other cars to race. They are totally dedicated to The Car and converse with each other only when necessary. At a gas station, The Driver and The Mechanic, along with a girl who has ingratiated herself into their world, meet G.T.O., a middle-aged man who fabricates stories about his exploits. It is decided to have a race to Washington, D.C., where the winner will get the loser's car. Along the way, the race and the highway metaphorically depict the lives of these contestants as they struggle to their destination.

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Plot Keywords:

road movie | car movie | 1955 chevrolet | sex | car chase | 

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Taglines:

You can never go fast enough...

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 October 1972 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Fortare än döden

Filming Locations:

Mary's Cafe, 7169 US-89 Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$850,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Michael Laughlin Enterprises,Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min 105 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the director's commentary on the first DVD release, the reason the movie took so long to release on DVD was Jim Morrison. Two Lane Blacktop's sound track has scenes in the movie where Doors music is playing in the background. Monte Hellman and the producers had trouble initially securing permission from Morrison's estate to release the film with its original content of Doors music on to the medium of DVD. For obvious reasons, such DVD permission was not part of the original agreement with the Doors in 1972. Eventually, the studio got permission to use the Doors music again and the DVD was released.

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Goofs

The cost/gallons numbers on the gas pumps change several times during the gas station race set-up scene.

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Quotes

G.T.O.: [after being approached sexually by a male hitchhiker] I'm not into that!
Oklahoma hitchhiker: I just thought it might relax you while you drive.
G.T.O.: This is competition, man. I've got no time.

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Crazy Credits

The GTO ... 1970 Pontiac

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Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Venice Film Festival 2010 (2010)

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Soundtracks

Taylor Made (Instrumental)
(uncredited)
Music by Hal Mooney
[very brief opening cue]

User Reviews

A pure slice of Americana

Two Lane Blacktop is one of those movies that doesn't offer a lot of narrative and its characters don't have names, but it seduces us with its images of freedom and a seemingly constant nomadic cruise through beautiful landscapes. The four prominent characters consist of three car-enthusiasts and a hitchhiker. The brilliant Warren Oates is the star of the show as 'G.T.O', the driver of a bright yellow 1970 Pontiac G.T.O, who passes a 1955 Chevy driven by 'The Driver', musician James Taylor, who is accompanied by 'The Mechanic', former Beach Boy Dennis Wilson, and a hitchhiker they pick up 'The Girl', Laurie Bird. Later at a gas station they agree to a cross country race to Washington D.C. and we follow them on their way. G.T.O picks up some weird hitchhikers, or creeps as he calls them, including a homosexual who tries it on, played by Harry Dean Stanton. He tells these creeps some very exaggerated tall tales of his life and that is one of the resounding features of the film, with the ultimate statement being the one he tells to two soldiers he picks up near the end, which turns the film around from its outlook at the beginning. Also the other theme seems to be who can win the affection of 'The Girl'?, the old guy or the two young ones? But the film is memorable because of its rarity (it has never been released on video and is still unavailable, but has just been released on DVD) and its bizarre and infamous conclusion. But it is a film that you will want to watch again and again.