Two-Lane Blacktop The Criterion Collection Blu-ray

Less dated than Easy Rider, this early 70's time capsule is an existential masterpiece. What the hell does that mean? It means the film is full of space. It's about absolute nothing, or everything, or somewhere in between. It's a poem that doesn't deliver what an audience expects but is utterly faithful to it's idea. It doesn't have an emotional pay-off, but instead finds a stylish way to cinematically burn rubber and fade away. It's characters are called Driver, Mechanic, GTO and Girl. Its stars are James Taylor (yeah the pop singer), Dennis Wilson (yeah the late Beach Boy), Warren Oates (in perhaps his finest performances) and Laura Bird (most won't know her, she's good). Driver and Mechanic are the original slackers. They love racing, and hustling people to keep racing and their supercharged '55 Chevy. They are not hippies, but car junkies. The meet a loud mouth middle aged guy driving a newer sportier GTO who wants to race them for pink slips. Eventually they agree to what amounts to a gentlemen's type race from New Mexico to the East Coast. There's not a lot of suspense to the race, and the film is about. . . well whatever you want it to be about. GTO pretends to be someone else everytime he picks up a new hitch-hiker. He's amusing himself with his creative imagination and re-inventing himself to escape the middle age blues. Eventually there's a little bit of a competition over a young female hitchhiker. The film was filmed on location as cast and crew drove across the country. The bare-bones script is by Rudolph Wurlitzer and Will Curry. The film becomes more and more abstract as it moves along. The story matters less and less. A circle eventually forms and we realize we've been riding along on a very unique, one of a kind film. There's a wonderful example of an utterly open ended final shot. Some are going to find this film very dull and wonder what there is to admire and respect about it. Others are going to 'discover' all sorts of things that are of course not actually present in the film itself, but are thoughts and reactions the film has sparked and triggered within them as they watched the film. Other's will enjoy the muscle cars, and late 60's cars that make sporadic appearances or rev up their engines on occassion. It's a film you watch many times and find different subtexts, moods, ideas and space within. It's a film that requires the viewer to both observe, accept and participate in, like one would a living sculpture. It's the kind of art film you would never expect from a director who made two quirky Westerns for Roger Corman in the mid 60's (The Shooting and Ride the Whirlwind --with Nicholson right before Jack became a star with Easy Rider). Hellman also went on to make the very interesting Cockfigher with Warren Oates. He's appreciated by a small, growing cult of afficianado's and you'll find Hellman's name more recently as executive producer of Reservoir Dogs. For something really unique I suggest you find a way to watch the DVD of Two-Lane Blacktop. The film was long out of circulation because of disputes over music rights. They were resolved and the film has been beautifully transferred to DVD and actually looks better than it ever did since the contrasts in light were carefully boosted during the DVD transfer. Chris Jarmick Author of The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder - A steamy cyber thriller available January 2001. Please order it today. Thank You Read more

for motor reving , axle twisting, tire burning, fun fun fun. good old movie..just to chk the old cars out. grab a 6 pack before watching.. Read more

Great movie! Warren Oates is so good in this movie! Read more

This was an excellent film about two guys drag racing to pay their way state to state. If you’re into real cars with real drivers, no CGI then this is a must for your collection. Read more

A laid back road movie, with good character study. Not really much in the way of action here, but wonder where it's all gonna end. Not to blow it all for you if you haven't seen it, but seems to end up pretty much where it begins. You already know who the "stars" are, with Warren Oates a standout. And the two rock legends in their own little world. So as far as the disc goes, it's Criterion, cream of the crop. What else can be said? Read more

This cult film captures the sounds and spirit of the American muscle car craze of the 60' and 70's. Too bad James Taylor and Dennis Wilson don't perform a song or two. The director's comments are super-interesting and likely will interest movie buffs. Spoiler****I would have cast Duane or Greg Allman as the young man who spirits away Girl near the end. Read more

Awesome Read more

VHS version of TWO LANE BLACKTOP - purchased online through Amazon.com Amazon.com has never let us down. A Buyer can trust in the fact that Amazon.com only allows top quality Sellers, and for that we thank them! The copy we received was, apparently, a collector's item. Even better. We appreciated the fact that there were NO FLAWS in this recording, and that must be why--because it was NOT a video store copy. FILM REVIEW: Excellent film! If you are from that era and were a teenager in the late 1960s, or, therefore, a young adult in the early 1970s, you will feel that this film is SO right-on. If you are not from the era but are interested in the culture of that time period, then you should watch this film. Either way, it is, indeed, a Cult Film. The ending was a little mystifying, but I believe it seemed that way, only because there was probably meant to be a Part 2. Production was excellent; characters were excellent. One who is not from that era might find it all a bit strange, especially the non-communicative attitude of James Taylor's role. But, that is so much how guys were then. And, even the girl who decided to hit the road. She was beautifully played. That is exactly how it happened for many a young person then. Whatever happened to that actress? Even Warren Oates' character, as an older person, sort of washed up and lost, was right-on of the time period. He was a little older, and had some savy that the others did not, and he had some money, or the capability of getting some more money (that's how he ended up with the girl). It was all done very well. Also, if one is not interested in the culture of the time period with respect to individuals and their emotions and the games they played, and how hard it was to find a place in the world, it happens to be an excellent portrayal of all the small townsfolk along the way, and just how ready they were to drag-race with anybody "driving through their territory in a hot car." It was an unwritten challenge; everyone felt THEIR ride was the best! Read more