Gas! -Or- It Became Necessary to Destroy the World in Order to Save It. (1971)

User Rating:

3.0/10   

Director:

Roger Corman

Writer:

George Armitage (writer)

Release Date:

21 September 1972 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Invite a few friends over to watch the end of the world!

Plot:

A gas is let loose upon the world that kills anyone over 25 years old. |

Plot Keywords:

Turning Thirty | Marshal | Generation Gap | End Of The World | Texas USA

Cast

Bob Corff	...	Coel (as Robert Corff)
Elaine Giftos	...	Cilla
Talia Shire	...	Coralee (as Tally Coppola)
Ben Vereen	...	Carlos
Cindy Williams	...	Marissa
Alex Wilson	...	Jason
Lou Procopio	...	Marshal McLuhan
Phil Borneo	...	Quant
Alan Braunstein	...	Dr. Drake
Jackie Farley	...	Ginny
David Osterhout	...	Texas Ranger
Juretta Taylor	...	Zoe
Michael D. Castle	...	Burroughs
Alan DeWitt	...	Dr. Murder
Bruce Karcher	...	Edgar Allen
Stephen White	...	Sergeant Sentry Collar
Ray Birk	...	Mort Catafalque
George Armitage	...	Billy the Kid
Abe Santillanes	...	Na Wanka
Gary Caplan	...	Raincoat Harry
Country Joe McDonald	...	AM Radio
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bud Cort	...	Hooper
Pat Patterson	...	Demeter
Lennie Weinrib	...	Various Voices (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Roger Corman

Writing credits
George Armitage		(writer)

Produced by
George Armitage	....	associate producer
Roger Corman	....	producer
Francis Doel	....	assistant producer

Original Music by
Barry Melton

Cinematography by
Ron Dexter

Film Editing by
George Van Noy

Art Direction by
David Nichols

Set Decoration by
Stephan Graham

Makeup Department
Dean Cundey	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Paul Rapp	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Dijoux	....	assistant director

Art Department
Peter Fain	....	property master

Sound Department
James M. Tanenbaum	....	sound

Special Effects by
Conrad Rothmann	....	special effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric Maxwell	....	key grip
John C. Murray	....	electrician (as John Murray)

Casting Department
Jeanne Swain	....	casting: New Mexico

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vana Carroll	....	wardrober

Other crew
David Osterhout	....	location manager
Stephanie Rothman	....	production executive
Charles S. Swartz	....	production executive

Production Companies

• San Jacinto Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lightning Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Beat (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Murakami-Wolf Productions  titles

Also Known As:

Gas! (UK) (TV title)
Gas-s-s-s (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some language, sexuality and drug content. (2003 re-rating)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | Australia:M | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:R (re-rating) (2003)

Filming Locations:

Acoma Indian Reservation, New Mexico, USA

Company:

San Jacinto Productions

Trivia:

This was the last film that Roger Corman directed for American International.

Goofs:

Continuity: After breaking a road barrier, the car of the main character has 3 out 4 headlights broken, later they are intact, while it does not seem probable they would be repaired.

Quotes:

Marshal's man: I say we run them out of town
Marshal McLuhan: That's not the American way! Underneath those ridiculous clothes and destructive attitudes there beats a heart crying: Give me another chance! Who knows, they may be just around a dog lick from... good citizenship.

Movie Connections:

References The Singing Nun (1966)

Bizarre

I think if you are into the sixties kind of thing, as I am, you are obligated to waste about 80 minutes of your life watching this barely watchable trainwreck. The saving graces of this oddity include a surprisingly apt social commentary on sixties values along with a number of relatively well known actors caught in early (and embarrassing) footage. It's as if the producers of Laugh-In sat down and decided to write a full length film, covering all the high points (and more) of the issues between the flower children and the establishment, then put it in the hands of a couple of hippies and gave them about a $10,000 budget to complete it. Hardly a classic, but in its own way it does capture how truly strange that time was, the silliness, the over-idealism, and the uptightness of the establishment. Clearly not for everyone.