Dead End Drive-In (1986)

In the near future, a teenage couple are trapped in a drive-in theater which has become a concentration camp for social outcasts. The inmates are treated to drugs, exploitation films, junk food, and new wave music.

Director:

Brian Trenchard-Smith

Writers:

Peter Carey (story), Peter Smalley (screenplay)

Stars:

Ned Manning, Natalie McCurry, Peter Whitford

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ned Manning	...	Jimmy 'Crabs' Rossini
Natalie McCurry	...	Carmen
Peter Whitford	...	Thompson
Wilbur Wilde	...	Hazza
Dave Gibson	...	Dave
Sandie Lillingston	...	Beth
Ollie Hall	...	Frank
Lyn Collingwood	...	Fay
Nikki McWaters	...	Shirl
Melissa Davis	...	Narelle
Margi Di Ferranti	...	Jill
Desirée Smith	...	Tracey (as Desiree Smith)
Murray Fahey	...	Mickey
Jeremy Shadlow	...	Jeff
Brett Climo	...	Don

Storyline

In the near future, drive-in theatres are turned into concentration camps for the undesirable and unemployed. The prisoners don't really care to escape because they are fed and they have a place to live which is, in most cases, probably better than the outside. Crabs and his girlfriend Carmen are put into the camp and all Crabs wants to do is escape.

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Plot Keywords:

cricket bat | concentration camp | drive in theater | interrupted sex | red car | 

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Taglines:

The price of admission is the rest of your life.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 August 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dead End

Filming Locations:

Star Drive-in, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Springvale Productions, New South Wales Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film takes place in 1995.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Crabs: Beauty!

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Connections

Featured in Ozploitation Trailer Explosion (2014)

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Soundtracks

He's Got It
Composed by Ashley Henderson
Performed by Short Circuit
Produced by Trevor Courtney and John French
Engineered by John French and Dave Herzog
Recorded at Fast Forward and Quicklick Recorders
Published by Phantom Power Music

User Reviews

An explosive sci-fi thriller, above average.

I really enjoyed Dead End Drive In. This is a sci-fi film with great looking sets, decent acting and an illogical story line. Put it all together and add a few explosions and you have a fantastic ride.

The film tells the story of Crabs a young man who borrows his brother's car and goes to the drive in with a date. Then the government steals his tires and he is forced to live at the Drive In with about a hundred other teens who are also stuck there. It is never clearly explained WHY the government wants them to stay there (or even which government). Director Brian Trenchard-Smith makes the most of the story and pulls off some rather clever camera work. An aside from a racism subplot that is never really resolved, the story never drags. The sets are very extravagant and include some very funny touches (a poster for Rambo 8 hangs in one scene). Overall, the film is fun and is really good for anyone who likes futuristic, tongue in cheek sci-fi flicks.