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The next big thing for teenage films is protest. Teenagers empathize with protest because they are in revolt against their parents... These films represent a protest against society. These will be moral tales, there will be good guys and bad guys. But we will show the reasons for young people going
276:
After a driver, Joey, is killed during a run, Dave and
Leander agree to team up to investigate the accident. They discover that it was caused by someone placing a huge mirror across the road. It turns out that Martha's moonshining partner, Charlie Bigg, was solely responsible for the murder of Joey
510:
said the film "leaves
American International's beach formula pretty much intact despite William Asher's attempt to inject some sophistication into his story" but thought it was "always easy to watch" with "a brisk tempo, a stylish verve that leaps over large holes in the story." Bosley Crowther of
269:
Martha persuades Dave to drive in a cross country night race, not telling him he is actually smuggling moonshine. She and her partner, Charlie Bigg, are pleased with Dave's results. Leander, who runs his own still and smuggling operation, is impressed with Dave's success, but this does not change
265:
Stock car racer "Fireball" Dave Owens from
California goes to race in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he intends on competing against local champ Sonny Leander Fox. Dave beats Leander in a race, impressing the latter's girlfriend, Jane, and the wealthy Martha Brian.
406:, with a standard 273 cubic inch V-8 engine that develops 275 h.p. At one point in the film, the car is referred to as the Batmobile, prompting Frankie Avalon's character to quip, "I had mine first.” Barris also built the
429:. When making the film AIP would hire a race car driver and install cameras in the front and rear of his car to obtain shots. The film is notable for its depiction of the inherently dangerous
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The movie was part of a conscious attempt on AIP to move away from beach party movies, which were losing popularity, and go towards youth rebellion films such as
704:
BOSLEY CROWTHER. (Nov 24, 1966). "Screen: Dean Martin in 'Texas Across the River': Weak
Western Spoof Has Local Premiere 2 Other Movies Open at Theaters Here".
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Dave wins the big race but
Leander is badly burned. Jane helps him recover and Dave drives off into the sunset with Martha.
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the fact that he wants to beat Dave on the track, even challenging him to a dangerous figure-8 race which ends in a draw.
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Agents from the IRS threaten to send Dave to six months in jail unless he helps them bust the local moonshine ring.
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Funicello and Fabian starred together again (without Avalon) the following year in AIP's follow-up feature,
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and also tried to kill Dave because he was jealous that the young
California driver is sleeping with her.
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Fabian signed a multi picture deal with AIP in late 1965 and this was the first movie he made for them.
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by
William Asher, it tells the story of Dave Owens (Avalon), a stock car racer forced to run
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557:, 3 January 1968 p 25 puts this figure at $ 1.5 million. Please note these figures refer to
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Thomas, Bob (Feb 12, 1966). "Tide
Running Out for Beach Films, In for Protest Movies".
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called it "a real turkey... one old bird that should have been cremated, not cooked."
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but this movie would be specifically told from the teenagers point of view.
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It was the first movie
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In July 1966 it was announced Burt Topper would produce a follow-up,
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Martin, Betty (June 10, 1966). "'Grand Prix' Starters Named".
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Martin, Betty (Nov 29, 1965). "'Bloomer Girl' on 20th Slate".
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The film was shot in early 1966. The "Fireball 500" is a 1966
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p. 428. New York: Penguin/New
American Library, 2006.
689:
Thomas, Kevin. (Sep 9, 1966). "'FIREBAL' IN BRISK TEMPO".
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Funicello, Annette; Bashe, Patricia Romanowski (1994).
553:, 4 January 1967 p 8. NB "Big Rental Films of 1967",
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676:A dream is a wish your heart makes : my story
416:television show which premiered in January 1966.
381:Stock car racing had already been the subject of
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734:"American International Expanding Operations".
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661:"Burt Topper (SPACE MONSTER, THE STRANGLER)"
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571:"Dodgers' Vin Sully Calls 'Fireball 500'".
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960:I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later
493:Annette Funicello sings "Step Right Up."
372:. AIP executive Deke Heyward said that:
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1365:American International Pictures films
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214:$ 2 million (est. US/ Canada rentals)
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559:rentals accruing to the distributors
457:, and features six songs written by
1112:Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine
636:"George Barris' site at Barris.com"
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753:Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide 2006,
472:"My Way" (not to be confused with
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1077:The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
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601:Vagg, Stephen (26 August 2019).
1375:Films directed by William Asher
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944:Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
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549:"Big Rental Pictures of 1966",
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146:American International Pictures
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1390:Films produced by Burt Topper
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806:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
575:. Aug 26, 1966. p. c19.
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453:The film's soundtrack is by
233:genre. A vehicle for stars
7:
1385:Films set in South Carolina
738:. May 4, 1966. p. e13.
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10:
1416:
1380:Films scored by Les Baxter
1370:American auto racing films
1069:How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
928:How to Stuff a Wild Bikini
355:as The Narrator (prologue)
16:1966 film by William Asher
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678:. Hyperion. p. 154.
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402:, heavily customized by
292:as Dave "Fireball" Owens
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229:film, blended with the
603:"The Cinema of Fabian"
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249:and Leo Townsend, and
170:June 7, 1966
119:Fred R. Feitshans, Jr.
968:Return to Green Acres
374:
1400:1960s American films
952:Movers & Shakers
506:Kevin Thomas of the
304:as Sonny Leander Fox
1319:Wild in the Streets
1061:Beach Blanket Bingo
920:Beach Blanket Bingo
489:"Country Carnival."
343:Ed Garner as Herman
1355:1960s sports films
1287:Space Probe Taurus
1037:Muscle Beach Party
904:Muscle Beach Party
842:Films directed by
794:TCM Movie Database
400:Plymouth Barracuda
62:James H. Nicholson
1395:Beach party films
1337:
1336:
1162:
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1154:Beach party films
1136:Back to the Beach
1104:Sergeant Deadhead
978:
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736:Los Angeles Times
721:Los Angeles Times
691:Los Angeles Times
622:Los Angeles Times
588:Los Angeles Times
573:Los Angeles Times
508:Los Angeles Times
332:Douglas Henderson
328:as Race Announcer
316:as Big Jaw Harris
296:Annette Funicello
239:Annette Funicello
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84:Annette Funicello
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227:stock car racing
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1327:C.H.O.M.P.S.
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1295:Fireball 500
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1268:Soul Hustler
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1120:Fireball 500
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880:The 27th Day
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800:Fireball 500
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767:Fireball 500
766:
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747:Bibliography
735:
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669:
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644:. Retrieved
640:the original
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463:Jerry Styner
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426:The Love Bug
424:
421:Fireball 500
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222:Fireball 500
221:
220:
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186:Running time
163:Release date
110:Floyd Crosby
53:Leo Townsend
22:Fireball 500
1236:War Is Hell
1204:As director
1197:Burt Topper
1029:Beach Party
1013:Beach Party
896:Johnny Cool
888:Beach Party
334:as Hastings
314:Chill Wills
92:Chill Wills
70:Burt Topper
58:Produced by
36:Directed by
1350:1966 films
1344:Categories
1212:Hell Squad
864:Mobs, Inc.
646:2009-08-04
607:Diabolique
537:References
525:Malibu 500
459:Guy Hemric
455:Les Baxter
353:Vin Scully
347:Mike Nader
340:as Bronson
326:Sandy Reed
225:is a 1966
211:Box office
190:92 minutes
174:1966-06-07
139:Production
132:Les Baxter
122:Eve Newman
46:Written by
1096:Ski Party
497:Reception
408:Batmobile
255:moonshine
116:Edited by
1147:See also
783:AllMovie
502:Critical
474:the song
410:for the
394:Shooting
251:directed
203:Language
128:Music by
76:Starring
1088:Related
803:at the
792:at the
555:Variety
551:Variety
349:as Joey
206:English
195:Country
172: (
141:company
1330:(1979)
1322:(1968)
1314:(1967)
1306:(1967)
1298:(1966)
1290:(1965)
1271:(1976)
1263:(1971)
1255:(1969)
1247:(1964)
1239:(1963)
1231:(1959)
1223:(1959)
1215:(1958)
1139:(1987)
1131:(1967)
1123:(1966)
1115:(1965)
1107:(1965)
1099:(1965)
1080:(1966)
1072:(1965)
1064:(1965)
1056:(1964)
1048:(1964)
1040:(1964)
1032:(1963)
971:(1990)
963:(1985)
955:(1985)
947:(1981)
939:(1966)
931:(1965)
923:(1965)
915:(1964)
907:(1964)
899:(1963)
891:(1963)
883:(1957)
875:(1957)
867:(1956)
859:(1948)
519:Sequel
413:Batman
302:Fabian
243:Fabian
241:, and
88:Fabian
1021:Films
449:Music
772:IMDb
511:The
461:and
368:and
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