Hands on a Hard Body: The Documentary (1997)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

S.R. Bindler

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

When you lose your mind, you lose the contest.

Plot:

Twenty-four contestants compete in an endurance/sleep deprivation contest in order to win a brand new Nissan Hardbody truck...

Plot Keywords:

Contest | Truck | Texas | Motor Car Dealer | Publicity Stunt

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Sid Allen	...	Himself (Longview Partnership)
Brent Baskin	...	Contest Judge
Greg Cox	...	Himself (contestant)
J.C. Crum	...	Himself (Jack Long Nissan)
Janis Curtis	...	Herself (contestant)
J.D. Drew	...	Himself (contestant)
Tom Felker	...	Himself (contestant)
David Grotheim	...	Contest Judge
Blake Long	...	Himself (Jack Long Nissan)
Kelli Mangrum	...	Herself (contestant)
Mike Marris	...	Himself (judge)
Raul Martinez	...	Himself (contestant)
Jan Maynard	...	Herself (marketing director / contest supervisor)
Ronald McCowan	...	Himself (contestant)
Kerri Parker	...	Herself (contestant)
Benny Perkins	...	Himself (1992 winner / contestant)
Paul Prince	...	Himself (contestant)
Chris Stiles	...	Himself
David Sullivan	...	Contest Judge
David Sullivan	...	Contest Judge
Angie Turner	...	Herself (contestant)
Norma Valverde	...	Herself (contestant)
Russell Welch	...	Himself - Contestant

Also Known As:

Hands on a Hard Body (USA) (short title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some brief language.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Longview, Texas, USA

Company:

Idea Entertainment

Trivia:

In 2005, the competition was halted after one of the contestants broke into a nearby Kmart, took a shotgun from the sporting goods section, and committed suicide, which occurred during one of the breaks in the contest.

Movie Connections:

References Highlander (1986)

one of the year's 10 best

I don't want to scare anyone away with the "D" word, so let's just say that this non-fiction gem is one of the year's best movies and worth begging your video store manager to stock. Using a no-frills action-and-interview technique, director S. R. Bindler follows the fate of 23 Texans who enter a bizarre annual promotional contest run by the local Nissan dealer. The contestants are to stand around a blue pickup truck, with one hand touching it at all times, and the last one left standing (70-80 hours later) wins the truck. Yes, I did say this was non-fiction! Fortunately for Bindler (or perhaps through his expert handling of them) the contestants turn out to be a colorful cross section, and you soon find yourself picking favorites and even rooting for them! The film manages as much suspense as any sporting event, with a lot more curiosity. Also, some profound themes start creeping in. This movie is sure to invite comparisons with those of Errol Morris, due to the eccentricity of its subject, and those who like Morris's work will surely like this. But Bindler deserves credit for forging his own less flashy style, and for giving us this one-of-a-kind, unforgettable experience.