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Post by london777 on May 14, 2020 3:14:10 GMT
Mac has set us a little task here. Examples may be thin on the ground, so we can stretch the definition a bit. Thieves' Highway (1949) dir: Jules Dassin  Le Salaire de la Peur (1953) dir: Henri-Georges Clouzot  Hell Drivers (1957) dir: Cy Enfield  Road Movie (1973) dir: Joseph Strick  Duel (1971) dir: Steven Spielberg 
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Post by Prime etc. on May 14, 2020 3:17:57 GMT
DUEL  |
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Post by mikef6 on May 14, 2020 4:38:02 GMT
They Drive By Night (1940).When they drive by night it is in a 1928 Sterling EB8 truck  Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, George Raft  ![]()
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Post by mikef6 on May 14, 2020 4:45:04 GMT
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Post by teleadm on May 14, 2020 6:15:16 GMT
A West-German trucker noir, Nachts auf den Strassen 1952 (aka The Mistress). Hans Albers as a married 50+ driver, helps a young hitchhiker (Hildegarde Kneff), who starts to flirt with him, and likes it, little knowing it's a trick to use his good name and blackmail him into smuggling, little knowing that she is doing the flirting for her husbands (Marius Goring) shady businesses...  Available on YT with English subtitles  It's a MAN Huber |
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Post by stefancrosscoe on May 14, 2020 9:57:26 GMT
Road Games (1981) by Richard Franklin "Madam, just because I drive a truck does not make me a truck driver."This fine aussie thriller by Richard Franklin, is quite a memorable ride and a very atmospheric one as well, which surely pays lots of homage and referances towards the classic work that of Alfred Hitchcock, but it is surely not the first or last time Franklin would do so, as he 2 years later on went on to bring back the Psycho franchise, with his own take on Psycho II (1983), which I always have enjoyed very much. However, back in 81, I guess you could say that, if you combined Rear Window (1954), Duel (1971) and the more stylish themes from the italian giallo genre, what you got is a very original and exciting thriller, which I guess suffered as it was probably very badly promoted, as yet "another slasher" title, but turned out to be something very different, and in my opinion, far better, both in in story, directing and acting, and where scream-queen Jamie Lee Curtis finally gets to do a little more than her usual slasher/horror stuff, and her chemistry with the always likeable Stacy Keach, is just fantastic. Keach really delivers a true great movie role here as the lonely american truck driver Patrick Quid, who in order to help him stay awake during the seemingly endless hours on the australian open roads, bring up a bit of playful games, and sometimes he wonders if he sees things, that makes him question if they really have happened, or if it is all in his imagination. This theme, is quite fascinating and thrilling, and the use of images, music, colorful and charming characters, black comedy and of course Keach stand out performance is all very much to do with why this one have over the years become a real a cult-classic.
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Post by wmcclain on May 14, 2020 11:13:00 GMT
The Long Haul (1957), directed by Ken Hughes. Another gritty, realistic looking trucks-roll-at-night story, this time in the UK. Victor Mature is an ex-GI driving for his uncle and fighting with racketeers. He gets involved with a kingpin's girlfriend, to their mutual regret. He tries to resist, but some femmes are just too fatale. The wife-and-family vs girlfriend drama is a bit overwrought, but the emotions are honest and the situations plausible. No Hollywood ending. The tough guys try to talk American. Good locations and some exciting mountain driving. The truck is a Leyland Octopus with four front wheels. They show it driving with one removed. Diana Dors was "the Marilyn Monroe of Britain". She looks more like Jayne Mansfield at times: a large-breasted blonde who might have been able to act, but now we'll never know. She's pretty good but it's hard to see her through the glamour allure. Mature is 54 here. His face is so expressive at times, but often just a mask. He had no illusions about his acting talent, much preferring the golf course. Sony DVD-R, available for rent from ClassicFlix. 
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Post by wmcclain on May 14, 2020 11:19:09 GMT
Sorcerer (1977), produced and directed by William Friedkin. A group of men, each hiding out in a remote South American village for reasons of his own (all involving death), sign up for the ultimate suicidal payday: driving junker heavy trucks carrying unstable nitroglycerin over crumbling mountain roads I wouldn't attempt with someone else's wheelbarrow. This is a kick-ass, unsentimental tough guy adventure film without a moment of cuteness. The scenes of driving on the decaying rope bridge over the flooding river is the stuff of nightmares. I couldn't believe they found actors willing to do it. Even now, knowing the bridges were specially constructed and the trucks tethered to keep them from tipping over: it still looks dangerous as hell. You know what separates real adventure stories from the wannabes? The emphasis on gear. Read H. Rider Haggard's account of how Alan Quaterman prepares for safari, the attention to detail. Here our crew -- apparently all expert mechanics and drivers -- assemble two usable trucks from junkyard parts. One of the trucks is called "Sorcerer", a needlessly obscure choice for the name of the film. When I saw this in the theater I was confused by who some of the characters were and what they were doing in the jungle village. It's clearer now with subtitles, but I'm still not sure what the assassin is doing there or why he wants to go on the suicide mission. Roy Scheider is a 70s favorite; I can't see enough of him. Ignored at the time ( Star Wars (1977) came out the same week) but fondly regarded since. The old DVD was cropped to 1.33 and the Blu-ray is very welcome. I'll have to see The Wages of Fear again someday before I can compare the two films. Available on Blu-ray with excellent color and detail, much finer than I ever expected to see for this obscure movie. Subtitles but otherwise bare-bones. A rumored commentary track did not appear. Digibook case with booklet. 
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Post by london777 on May 14, 2020 13:38:05 GMT
wmcclain said:
Actually, we do know. Watch Yield to the Night (1956) dir: J. Lee Thompson where she plays a Ruth Ellis clone.
Despite her brassy persona, a very decent and sensible person who could act, but was aware of her own limitations. Wrote two best-selling books (not ghosted), so not a dumb blonde.
Monroe should have been called "America's Diana Dors" as the Brit achieved stardom first. But, as you say, Dors was more like Jayne Mansfield.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on May 14, 2020 15:14:50 GMT
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Post by mattgarth on May 14, 2020 16:54:09 GMT
Mature is 54 here. His face is so expressive at times, but often just a mask. He had no illusions about his acting talent, much preferring the golf course.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
In his later years Vic tried to gain membership into the very exclusive Los Angeles Golf Club -- only to be rejected.
When told the reason why (they did not accept members of the acting profession), he told them:
"I am NOT an actor! And I have the critics reviews to prove it!"
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Post by mikef6 on May 14, 2020 17:41:50 GMT
Mature is 54 here. His face is so expressive at times, but often just a mask. He had no illusions about his acting talent, much preferring the golf course.
________________________________________________________________________________________________ In his later years Vic tried to gain membership into the very exclusive Los Angeles Golf Club -- only to be rejected. When told the reason why (they did not accept members of the acting profession), he told them: "I am NOT an actor! And I have the critics reviews to prove it!" Still, I think he (and many contemporary reviewers) greatly underestimated his own abilities.
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Post by london777 on May 14, 2020 18:29:11 GMT
What part of "we can stretch the definition a bit" did you not understand? 
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on May 15, 2020 0:06:54 GMT
What part of "we can stretch the definition a bit" did you not understand? Well being as you are an old crusty Brit like myself, I knew you would remember the show. I hope it made you smile.
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Post by hitchcockthelegend on May 15, 2020 0:10:10 GMT
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Post by manfromplanetx on May 15, 2020 0:36:10 GMT
Gas-oil aka Hijack Highway (1955) France Dir. Gilles Grangier The life of truck driver Jean Chape (Jean Gabin) is literally turned upside down when he encounters one dark and rainy night a body on the side of the road. The dead man had been involved in... say no more. Gas-oil is an entertaining crime drama set in the world of truckers operating in Central France, with great atmospheric direction, a great cast includes jeanne Moreau.  
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Post by london777 on May 15, 2020 2:08:48 GMT
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Post by jervistetch on May 15, 2020 2:27:14 GMT
WHITE LINE FEVER This is probably an example of stretching the topic of the thread. I remember seeing this film in the theater when it premiered. I thought it was the coolest movie I’d seen since the previous year’s DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY. It was one of those classic trashy 70’s movies that would include about 100 police cars flipping over and crashing while pursuing the antihero. I haven’t seen it since but I’m venturing to guess it would seem pretty preposterous today. I used to love Jan-Michael Vincent. The world was his oyster. It’s a tragedy how his career and life ended up.    |
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Post by Prime etc. on May 15, 2020 2:41:57 GMT
They Drive By Night (1940).When they drive by night it is in a 1928 Sterling EB8 truck Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, George Raft ![]() arrgh how could I miss this since it has a favorite Ida Lpuino performance as well.
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Post by Prime etc. on May 15, 2020 2:43:54 GMT
Whoops, now days later I realize I said Duel without seeing it already in the initial list.
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