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The year 1980 was a remarkable year for comedic features with the release of such films as, in no particular order, Caddyshack, The Blues Brothers, Airplane!, Cheech and Chong's Next Movie, Any Which Way You Can, Hollywood Knights, and this one, titled Used Cars, which, in my opinion, sort of slipped through the cracks and never really got the attention it deserved primarily due to the fact Columbia Pictures, which released the film, did a shoddy job on promoting it when originally released to theaters. Produced by Steven Spielberg (Jaws) and John Milius (Conan the Barbarian), the film was directed by Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), who also co-wrote with Bob Gale (1941, Back to the Future), and stars Kurt Russell (Escape from New York), Jack Warden (Heaven Can Wait), in a dual role, and Deborah Harmon (Bachelor Party). Also appearing is Gerrit Graham (Phantom of the Paradise), Frank McRae (*batteries not included), Joe Flaherty ("SCTV"), Michael McKean (This Is Spinal Tap), David L. Lander aka Squiggy ("Laverne & Shirley"), Alfonso `El Guapo' Arau (¡Three Amigos!), and Al `Grandpa' Lewis ("The Munsters").
Russell plays Rudolph 'Rudy' Russo, a sleazy used car salesman who works in a dusty, dilapidated lot and has aspirations in becoming a politician. As it turns out, there's an opening available in the state senate, if he can only come up with the contribution funds required by the nomination committee. To this end Rudy uses all kinds of scams and schemes to push lemons on the public, some of which don't sit well with his boss Luke Fuchs (Warden), but it appears Luke has bigger problems in that his opportunistic brother Roy L. Fuchs (also played by Warden), who happens to run a used car dealership right across the street, has designs on Luke's lot primarily because he's got inside knowledge that a new freeway access ramp is about to be built through his own lot, so he needs his brother's property to stay in business. Roy L., knowing of his brother's bum ticker, sets in motion a series of events that result in Luke croaking (in the hopes he'll inherit his brother's lot), but Rudy and his co-workers, including fellow salesman Jeff (Graham) and Jim (McRae), the mechanic, cover up Luke's death by hiding the body (Rudy's eulogy is a riot) and claiming he went on vacation to Miami. With Luke gone Rudy's got free reign and initiates some gonzo promotional events, including hiring a couple pirate broadcasters (played by McKean and Lander) to steal television air time to illegally broadcast commercials, all of which heats up the competition between the competing lots. Matters get complicated once Luke's long lost daughter Barbara (Harmon) makes the scene...as far as what happens next, best not to say too much, but eventually circumstances lead to a spectacular car chase sequence involving some 200 automobiles speeding across the southwestern desert.
This may mot have been the funniest comedy to come out in 1980 (Caddyshack gets that honor, in my opinion), but it's definitely in my top five for that year. One of the aspects that makes this film so great is the dialogue, along with the dead on deliver by the performers. Below are some of the more memorable lines that occur throughout the film...
`The prestige alone of owning a Buick Centurion convertible can't even be measured in terms of dollars and cents.'
`Shall we examine the spacious interior of this luxury automobile?" (in reference to what appears to be a very used, late model Ford Pinto)
`Well old man, for 2,400 bucks it better run like a wet dream.'
`Fifty bucks never killed anybody."
`Jeeesus Palomino!'
One should know there's plenty more, but most of them contain some form of profanity not suitable for posting here. One of the funniest lines for me occurs when Jeff, who's extremely superstitious, is explaining how Rudy, who's in dire need of funds, should place a particular bet based purely on a series of events that happened to Jeff just prior, to which Jim, the big African American mechanic, sez `That's the dumbest f-----g s--t I've ever heard!'. The line is funny, but it works primarily due to the delivery. And you really have to check out Jim's salesman techniques, once he's recruited later in the film to sell cars. Some of the best scenes for me involved two illegal broadcast commercials, the first involving a wardrobe malfunction with a busty, blonde model and the second featuring Rudy and crew exacting a little revenge on Roy L. after the latter effectively disrupted their business. I thought all the performances were strong and straightforward, especially those by Russell and Warden, who played duel roles (his Roy L. character was the best). The comedy does get pretty crude at times but laughs are consistent and the story moves along at a decent pace. The characters are distinctive and memorable (check out Alfonso Arau as a sleazy, south of the border car dealer), as are many of the situations that occur throughout. All in all I thought this an extremely funny and entertaining film, and one definitely worth checking out. The film is rated R for language and some fine nekkidness, so it wouldn't be appropriate for younger viewers.
The picture, presented in widescreen anamorphic (the DVD case gives an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 but it looks closer to 1.78:1 to me), looks sharp and clean, and the Dolby Digital audio, available in English, French, and Portuguese, comes through very well. Extras include subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai, an entertaining and informative audio commentary track with Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale (who was also a producer on the film), and star Kurt Russell, outtakes, a promotional still gallery from the film, talent files, production notes, filmographies, a TV spot, eight radio spots including a radio interview with Russell, and previews for the films So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993), Multiplicity (1996), and Groundhog Day (1993).
Cookieman108
By the way, when watching the film, pay attention to the scene with the strippers. The one with the rabbit ears is actress/director/producer Betty Thomas (The Brady Bunch Movie, Howard Stern's Private Parts).
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Love it, had to buy the DVD
This is one of my all time movies. Love it, had to buy the DVD.
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