Friday, May 05, 2017

Movie review - "Fast Charlie and the Moonbeam Rider" (1979) **

Little-known Roger Corman work, despite starring David Carradine and being directed by Steve Carver and co produced by Corman. It was made for Universal - maybe that's why it isn't well known, because it didn't come from New World stock. Universal were presumably were hoping for something like Smokey and the Bandit. I think that's what they were aiming for - I wasn't sure.

It's an odd movie. The main problem is tone - it's kind of a straight drama, but doesn't have enough action to be an action flick, or comedy to be fun, or sex to be exploitation. There's a kid in the film but not in a very big role so it's not a kid's movie.

Carradine is enjoyable as a shaggy dog lead. Brenda Vaccaro isn't bad as the widowed mum who comes along. But it takes far too long for the motorcycle action to get going - the film's half over. When it comes, it's pretty impressive, but there's not enough of it. I didn't think the back story of Carradine seeming to be a deserter worked either. We have these support characters set up, fellow veterans, but they don't seem to do much.

This is a period movie so there must have been a bit of a budget. It's a real neither fish nor fowl movie and I can kind of see why it's vanished. You might enjoy it more if you're into old motorcycles.

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