Mania Grade: B+
Disc Grade: B+
Reviewed Format: DVD
Rated: R
Stars: Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Gerritt Graham, Deborah Harmon, Frank McRae
Writers: Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Video
Original Year of Release: 1980
Retail Price: $19.95
Extras: widescreen anamorphic; commentary; trailer; radio ads; deleted scenes; outtakes; Kurt Russell radio interview; filmographies; seven subtitles options

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USED CARS

USED CARS flopped in its original theatrical release in 1980, but it's hard to imagine why today. This is a laugh-out-loud comedy, which holds nothing sacred and boasts a cast operating at the top of their craft. Kurt Russell, who had only recently left Disney after a string of family comedies (and had just played ELVIS in John Carpenter's TV movie), plays Rudy, a charming used car salesman whose only real fault is a total lack of morals. Also working on the same run-down lot is Jeff, played by the manic Gerrit Graham (a few years after his triumph in DePalma's PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE), another charming con man with a knack for the ladies and a near debilitating belief in omens of good and bad luck. The lot's mechanic is Jim (Frank McRae of BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED) a generally gentle giant of a man with a short fuse thanks to his days in Vietnam. Last but not least there's the adorable little dog who may be the smartest life form on the lot. Overseeing this motley crew is Luke Fuchs (Jack Warden), a run-down old man who's in worse shape than his lot or his junker cars.

Situated directly across the street from Luke's lot is that of his brother, Roy L. Fuchs, a highly successful car dealer who is WAY more unscrupulous than his brother or his employees. Roy needs desperately to get his hands on his brother's land before a new freeway comes through and makes it the most valuable spot in the state. Meanwhile, Rudy is trying to raise the money to buy the state senatorial nomination so he can take his talents for deceit and larceny to a higher level (he has a picture of the White House prominently displayed in his trailer park home). Now, as if there wasn't enough going on, Luke's long estranged, naïve and scrupulously honest daughter (Deborah Harmon) is on her way for a visit. Oh yeah. There's one more thing. In what may be the film's funniest and most memorable sequence, Luke drops dead from a heart attack.

Now, if you can't imagine how anybody can get laughs out of a broke old man's painful death, well you haven't seen USED CARS, and that scene less than thirty minutes into the film is the litmus test for whether you'll join the cult who think this is one of the funniest films ever made, or whether you'll be sending me threats for having recommended it. Russell, who seems capable of playing absolutely anything (compare his Snake Plissken character to his sympathetic psychologist in VANILLA SKY for an example of his range), has never displayed his gift for comedy any better than he does here, and this is certainly the highpoint of Graham's notoriously erratic career. Even veteran character actor Warden is at his best in his dual roles here, and I challenge you to find anybody who was ever better at playing a corpse since, while Luke may be dead, he's still got a couple more scenes to do before departing.

I'm hesitant to relate any of this movie's many moments of hilarity, as I hate to rob any of you of the pleasures of experiencing them. Suffice it to say that several friends and I caught this at the theaters over twenty years ago and we still use several of its catch-phrases notably "Fifty bucks never killed anybody" and "That's too f***ing high"  as part of our personal vernacular. Amazingly, the film seems as fresh as it did when first released simply because its themes of American excesses and greed, plus corporate, governmental and judicial corruption are as valid today (maybe more so) as they ever were. The film also benefits from not trying in the least to be part of whatever the "hip" elements of its time were, saving it (outside of a glimpse of Jimmy Carter on the TV, a brief bit of disco music and Russell's haircut) from seeming the product of a past era.

Nearly as fun as the film itself is the commentary track featuring Russell, Zemeckis and Zemeckis' frequent writing partner, Bob Gale. This trio clearly like each other a lot and have great memories of the making of the film only the second directorial job of Zemeckis' now remarkable career. Each of the participants is frequently fighting for time to tell a particular anecdote, leaving the feeling that they could probably do another commentary of all new material. Zemeckis and Gale marvel at some of the risky stunts performed on camera (including Russell himself climbing over cars speeding along a stretch of desert during the film's climactic caravan of over two hundred used cars) and chide themselves for ever being so foolish as to have attempted them in a film. The trio also shares a story that demonstrates the naiveté of their friend Steven Spielberg (who executive produced this film), tales of on set cocaine abuse, what went wrong with the film's release and more. Honestly, considering the great commentaries Russell has done with his buddy John Carpenter, I'm starting to think he ought to be on every commentary, even for films he's not in.

The DVD visual quality is excellent with strong audio tracks that let one enjoy Patrick Williams' lively score. Beyond the excellent commentary track, the disc also boasts a trailer, a series of radio commercials, deleted scenes and outtakes. If you love films like CADDYSHACK, ANIMAL HOUSE, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and others of that ilk, you should do yourself a favor and go shopping for USED CARS.