Synopsis
The freeway isn't just a road... it's their way of life!
Gary and Shay are two happy-go-lucky flower children who hitchhike in the beautiful Big Sur-Monterey area of California.
Thumb Tripping
Cast
Director
Producers
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Casting
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Genre
Releases by Date
Theatrical
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USAR
01 Mar 1978
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Turkey
Releases by Country
Turkey
01 Mar 1978
- Theatrical
USA
01 Oct 1972
- TheatricalR
Popular reviews
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Two young people thumb it up the California coast after meeting cute in a paddy wagon. Following a chance liaison with two generous hippies on motorcycles, everyone they encounter has some sort of hang-up: disrespected, reactionary gearheads (the worst version of the Two-Lane Blacktop guys: Bruce Dern and Mr. Heckles from Friends); a harried, selfish, abusive single mom (Joyce Van Patten) who might as well be wearing 1972’s version of a MAGA hat; a leering, greasy trucker (character actor Michael Conrad) looking for a lay; and a drunk-driving couple (Burke Byrnes and Marianna Hill) on the wrong side of the generation gap, who serve as symbols for every other issue that wasn’t addressed in the previous vignettes. They share the…
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The "Hippie-Hitchhiker Drama" is not a genre I'm very familiar with, so I had trouble discerning between who was supposed to be a creepy asshole and who was just really high. I do know this definitely needed more Bruce Dern.
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An interesting snapshot of a time and place that was probably already a little dated by the time it was released. Watched it in a psychedelic cabin built by hippies who are probably the same age as the protagonists which lent an immersive effect to the experience. The sequence with Bruce Dern that seems to be steering the film into a "Last House on the Left" style situation is the most immediately memorable part, but I did enjoy the tangle of chaotic lust and hurt feelings near the end. I kinda respect Mr Diesel's 'swag'. I think the end of the film goes down better if you just accept the male lead is kind of a tool (or just too young) and you shouldn't credit his point-of-view too much.
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We really need a Good Samaritan to swoop in and restore this. It looks like someone took Vaseline and smeared it over my glasses and the spun me around 30x and then hit play. That being said, I still really liked it. The tone is perfect for what they are going for. Bruce Dern is great in his little bit
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"...they decide to hitch hike together, vowing to accept every possible ride along the way. Gary scolds Chay for shoplifting, and they eat bread in the grass together. Smitty (Bruce Dern) and his aptly-monnikered driver, Simp (Larry Hankin), make them regret their promise early on, speeding recklessly along, hogging the road in their yellow hot rod, while Smitty rambles wild-eyed, playing with his switchblade."-
wopsploitation.blogspot.com/2014/07/thumb-tripping-1972-d-quentin-masters.html
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Way better than I thought honestly. Bruce Dern’s small role kinda stole the show. Felt like we were on the trip with them.
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At first, the naive cheesiness of the young couple felt less than authentic and I thought I was in for a saccharine sweet, post-Easy Rider cash in. But as they stumble from ride to ride, meeting one dark character after another, the film revealed itself as something far more interesting. The couple’s wholesome outlook is slowly chipped away by the stark reality of American life, and it’s almost another “We blew it” moment as the road and its occupants beat them down and their well-meaning adventure turns sour. Not as devastating or as artful as Easy Rider, but this time capsule is definitely worth sitting through the poor quality VHS rip on YouTube. Blu ray please 🙏
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