Highway 61 (1991)

A small-town barber goes on a road trip from Thunder Bay to New Orleans with an unpredictable woman and a coffin.

Director:

Bruce McDonald

Writers:

Allan Magee, Bruce McDonald

Stars:

Don McKellar, Valerie Buhagiar, Earl Pastko

3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Valerie Buhagiar	...	Jackie Bangs
Don McKellar	...	Pokey Jones
Earl Pastko	...	Mr. Skin (a.k.a. Satan)
Peter Breck	...	Mr. Watson
Art Bergmann	...	Otto
Jello Biafra	...	Customs Agent #1
Hadley Obodiac	...	Customs Agent #2
Tav Falco	...	Motorcycle Gang Leader
Tracy Wright	...	Margo
Johnny Askwith	...	Claude
Namir Khan	...	Funeral Director
Steve Fall	...	Jeffrey The Corpse
Larry Hudson	...	Nathan - Manservant
Elizabeth Pritchard	...	Louise Watson
Chantal Ettles	...	Missie Watson

Storyline

A naive Canadian barber who knows US popular culture inside and out meets a flamboyant roadie who needs someone to drive her and her "brother's" corpse to New Orleans. Chaos ensues after the barber agrees to drive her, the corpse, and the drugs stashed within all the way.

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Plot Keywords:

barber | roadie | drugs | new orleans louisiana | trumpet | 

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Taglines:

The most twisted part of this road is the people on it.

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Genres:

Comedy | Music

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Iggy Pop was originally set to play Otto before Art Bergmann got the part.

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Goofs

The characters pass by Mammy's Cupboard, a restaurant that looks like a giant southern African-American woman. It is seen soon after the characters leave the Canada-Minnesota border. In reality, the restaurant is located near the opposite end of highway 61, in southern Mississippi.

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Quotes

Louise Watson: I'm going on tour this year until I get a record contract, then I'm going to make a video. Then they're going to make a video of us and we're going to be famous. Then Mommy's going to come back and live with us. And when I grow up I'm going to do solo projects and get married to someone famous but I'm not sure who exactly.
Mr. Skin (A.K.A. Satan): Who told you all this?
Louise Watson: My Daddy.
Mr. Skin a.k.a. Satan: You're Daddy's lying. None of this is going to happen. You know why? Because you're ugly. I'm sorry to say it, but you're an ugly little girl. ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Mr. Skin can be heard speaking over the very end of the closing credits.

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Connections

Followed by Trigger (2010)

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Soundtracks

Hard Ball
Written and Performed by Blackglama

User Reviews

A hilarious and fun road movie with classic scenes!

Surprisingly had only two written comments on this film, and then I can't help myself! This film has got some scenes which you'll simply never forget. A road movie with everything you want from one of it's kind.

It all starts off when a local Canadian barber one morning is asked by a strange woman if he can drive her and her dead brother, lying in a wooden casket, down from Canada into the U.S. - But is it really her dead brother??? On the way they meet all kinds of strange people.

This film contains so much - like the most fantastic bingo-scene in film ever, the devil's hijacking of a little girl's soul, and what about indoor chicken hunt with guns, or the dream of having U2 to play in your wedding!?

I can't wait to see this movie again, and I understand it's now on DVD. So go buy it, never mind the price! This is hilarious fun with death on the back wheels! Don't miss it! The best Canadian film I ever saw!

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Highway 61

Filming Locations:

Duluth, Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$291,645

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cineplex Odeon Films, Shadow Shows

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1