Joyride (1977)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Joseph Ruben

Writers:

Peter Rainer (writer)
Joseph Ruben (writer)

Release Date:

June 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

It was fun... while it lasted!

Plot:

Four teenagers leave Los Angeles and drive north, wind up breaking into a house in Alaska. |

Plot Keywords:

Alaska | Female Nudity | Poverty | Money | Robbery

Cast

Desi Arnaz Jr.	...	Scott
Robert Carradine	...	John
Melanie Griffith	...	Susie
Anne Lockhart	...	Cindy Young
Tom Ligon	...	Sanders
Cliff Lenz	...	Henderson
Robert Loper	...	Simon Williams
Diana Grayf	...	Rhonda
Diane O'Mack	...	Debbie
Susan Ludlow	...	Personnel Lady
Ted D'Arms	...	Site Manager
Gail Rosella	...	Cashier
Richard Mazzola	...	Car Salesman
Michael O'Neill	...	Henderson's Assistant
Duncan Maclean	...	Diner Owner
Richard Riehle	...	Bartender
Richard Tietjen	...	Sam
Paul Fleming	...	Big Ed
James Hamer	...	Gas Station Owner
Spike Africa	...	Old Man
Dean Melang	...	Camera Store Owner
William Buck	...	Border Guard
Ralph Steadman	...	New Tenant
William A. McDonald	...	Police Officer
Robert Jett Barkley	...	Police Officer
Peter Fisher	...	Oil Executive
Richard Arnold	...	Oil Executive
Donald Einarsen	...	Union Executive (as Don Einarson)
John Vandevanter	...	Union Executive
Norman Newkirk	...	Reporter
Denise Frisino	...	Reporter
Adam Ezrine	...	Reporter
Robert Dietrich	...	Pipeline Worker
Merritt Olsen	...	Pipeline Worker
Tee Dennard	...	Truck Driver
Leif Bentsen	...	Truck Driver
Matt Donovick	...	Truck Driver
Charlie Watters	...	Mid-West Man
Mike DeMott	...	Mid-West Man
Betty Charleston	...	Car Lot Customer
Wayne Lee	...	Car Lot Customer

Directed by
Joseph Ruben

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Peter Rainer		writer
Joseph Ruben		writer

Produced by
Bruce Cohn Curtis	....	producer
Hal Landers	....	executive producer
Eugene Mazzola	....	co-producer
Bobby Roberts	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jimmie Haskell

Cinematography by
Stephen M. Katz

Film Editing by
Bill Butler

Production Management
Eugene Mazzola	....	production manager
Chuck Russell	....	unit production manager

Sound Department
Lee Alexander	....	sound mixer
Marvin Kerner	....	sound effects editor

Stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts
Chuck Parkison Jr.	....	stunt driver
Chuck Parkison Jr.	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Doherty	....	dolly grip
John LeBlanc	....	first assistant camera
Melton Maxwell	....	gaffer
Richard Mazzola	....	key grip
Marty Oppenheimer	....	second assistant camera
Randall Robinson	....	camera operator

Other crew
Kathleen Long	....	production coordinator
Ana Maria Quintana	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Chuck Parkison Jr.	....	film dedicated to

Production Companies

• Joyride Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Vestron Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)

Runtime:

Argentina:93 min | Germany:90 min | USA:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Hood Canal Bridge, Washington, USA

Company:

Joyride Productions

Soundtrack:

Rockaria!

Aimless youth, Aimless movie.

A pre-Nerd Robert Carradine, a pre-Automan Desi Arnaz Jr., and an almost pre-pubescent Melanie Griffith take to the road and head for Alaska with romantic dreams of becoming wealthy salmon fishers. Well, their dream is about as exciting as this lackluster youth road movie. They aren't particularly interesting, and the film doesn't exactly have much of a point, beyond `We got together the spawn of some famous people and made a low budget film about their misadventures.' Out of the cannon of 60's and 70's road films and rebel youth films, this one is mediocre, under developed, uninvolving characters, not much wit, not much freshness to the story, which is as bland as the films muddy landscape.

But, for those who care- They head to Alaska, and apparently Alaska was like the Wild West in the 70's because everyone carries a gun and is rough and tumble. Robert Carradine says charming things like `I hope we can find a shower, my nuts sure itch.' (And he's the one with Melanie Griffith!) They are quickly robbed and forced to take jobs, and the local bigwig, their employer, puts the moves on Melanie and eventually fires Desi for not being corrupt. That's when they aren't smart and do not leave town, opting instead to eat dog food or go hungry, get beat up by the guys goons, and then take a joyride in the bigwigs car. The final half of the film abandons the evil bigwig as the trio commit a robbery, go on the run, and hatch a kidnapping scheme, and so forth. The film just sort of ends, annoyingly and ambiguously, but seeing as how they didn't bother to have much character development and story in the first place, its rather appropriate. Worth a look if you are really into low budget 70's fare, but ultimately pretty forgettable.