Customer Reviews

Corvette Summer [VHS]

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Yeah, that's right, I'll admit it: I've been waiting for this one to be released on DVD. Is that so wrong? Back in '78, this was Mark Hamill's first post-Star Wars project; we were excited to see "Luke Skywalker" again; even if he wasn't Luke here. We were also excited because Corvette Summer boasted one of the coolest custom 'vettes we'd ever seen, not to mention Annie Potts as a "working girl" This is a nice time capsule of the late 70's, I would recommend to anyone who grew up in that decade, Star Wars fans in particular.

Nostalgia aside this isn't a bad comic chase as Hamill ("Kenny" here) searches for his custom car, made by his own 2 hands, neither of which is robotic at this point, aided and hindered by Potts, as the love-right-in-front-of-his-eyes interest. Hamill's youthful overacting is a pleasure to watch in itself.

This film has aged well and has some really funny moments, like Hamill hitchhiking encounter with a lowrider fleet creeping to Vegas. Hamill and Potts are really in their prime here, Hamill maybe too much so, he was in an auto-accident following production which dramatically changed the looks preserved in "Summer." Take a look at "The Empire Strikes Back" and compare.

This is one of those great summer movies that you see as a kid and sticks with you all of your life. It's a very fun movie to watch that flows great, the movie really has stood the test of time but looking at the Corvette with today's standards the car looks really Cheesy, funny how it looked like the coolest thing when I was a kid but not anymore.
Great Movie though

I saw this at the drive-in when it came out. It's an easy movie to get totally lost in.

When I first saw it I completely empathized with Mark Hamill's character "Kenny" when his car / catharsis was stolen. The moment in the film when he first realizes he is looking at his stolen car at the car wash, the moment when the music inserts just enough of an orchestrated punctuation mark...that's magic. I am always very aware that I can't avoid a tremendous smile during that moment every time I watch this movie, just as I did when I first saw it.

I couldn't envision another actor in this film and have it work on the same level with the same impact as Mark Hamill. He always had a very likeable, sincere and positive energy throughout this film and wore his ideals with pride. A performance that leaves many of today's leading men looking like arrogant posers.

Many aspects of the 70's are encapsulated here as well, only sweetening a fantastic experience.

This is an underappreciated film with tremendous undertones: rise above your station, follow your values, never give up, fight for what you believe in and damn the torpedoes!

What would you do if something you put all your time and hard work into was suddenly gone? For Ken Dantley played by (Mark Hamill) he's about to do everything he possibly can to find his beloved Corvette.

It's not just a car! The DVD release of "Corvette Summer" has finally replaced my old worn out VHS copy taped from television. Kudos' to Warner Home Video for finally releasing this classic 70's car movie on DVD. It's a barebones release as far as DVD's go, but I'll take it just the way it is. The video transfer is really nice and the sound is really good. It's too bad the sound wasn't remastered in 5.1 Dolby Digital given its awesome soundtrack.

No matter how many times I see this movie, I still find it very entertaining and fun to watch. The story is ok and the interaction between Mark Hamill and Annie Potts characters is always hilarious no matter how many times I see it. I have to admit; watching Annie Potts play the part of a skinny wannabe hooker is completely outrageous and pretty hilarious. In the end this movie is really all about the car and what a car it is!

DVD Features:
Play Movie
Scene Selections
Theatrical Trailer
Languages: English & French
Subtitles: English, French & Spanish (Feature Film Only)

Well, I bought the DVD from Amazon (Thank You), and I realized I had forgotten a lot about this movie, which I hadn't seen in close to twenty years. Believe it or not, Mark Hamill is quite good as Kenny Dantley, a high school senior who rebuilds a junk Corvette in his auto-shop class, falls in love with it, and then loses it when it is stolen by the bad guys. Hamill actually conveys more emotion in this movie than "Star Wars", the film which made him famous. Annie Potts, best known for her TV work on "Designing Women",is Vanessa, the hooker Kenny meets in Las Vegas while searching for the stolen Corvette. They have a pleasant, believable chemistry between them. Of course, the Corvette is the real star of the show, though it looks a lot more modified than I'd remembered; so much in fact, the front end of the vehicle doesn't really look like a Corvette. This movie was rated PG when it was released in 1978, but if it were released today, it would probably carry a PG-13 thanks to a brief topless scene by Potts (I'm not complaining).

The DVD itself is no-frills, though it is in widescreen format and does include the trailer, which is in surprisingly good condition. The picture quality, in my opinion, is not bad, given the movie is from 1978 and probably not high on the film-restoration list at the studio. Some nighttime scenes are murky, but there are some daytime scenes which are remarkably crisp. The sound is good, particularly if you have a home theater system. The DVD is distributed by Warner Bros., though MGM was the studio that released the film to theaters.

"Corvette Summer" is a nice little movie that would probably never be made today. If you remember this movie from your childhood, re-visit it. For the price, it's well worth the money.

Corvette Summer may seem like a cheesy 70's made-for-tv movie, but it is, in fact, an enjoyable little film. Essentially, the story revolves around a car freak by the name of Kenny Dantley (played by Mark Hamill). He spends the entire summer tracking down a stolen Corvette that he helped build in his shop class. There are many familiar faces: Annie Potts from Designing Women (who received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance), Danny Bonaduce from The Partridge Family, etc...

70's preservationists as well as Las Vegas desert enthusiasts will be quite impressed. The story has a decent moral message as well. You may ask yourself through the film whether or not Kenny takes a real shower, but, overall, it's definitely at least a rental.

I remember when this movie was first released in the seventies. I couldn't believe this was the film that came out, just after Hamill's Star Wars debut.I remember scratching my head thinking,"why would a star like Hamill, do this little, nothing, car film?" Well, seeing this film again, over twenty years later, I realize what a hoot this gem of a film is.The movie is basically about a teenager searching for his stolen corvette and how he manages to fall in love with a goofy, wannabe hooker along the way. Its got everything from neat looking muscle cars to girls in halter tops and the guys sporting open shirts and blow dryed hair.Its a real pop culture treasure trove featuring energetic performances from both Hamill and a very young, 'Designing Women', Annie Potts.It isn't the greatest movie ever made, but it is two hours of seventies, retro fun.

I remember this movie well. First saw it on HBO in 1979 and it is one of my favorite coming of age movies. The Custom Corvette used in the film has been bashed by Corvette fans since this movie came out and with good reason, it is utterly hideous. Annie Potts is simply beautiful in this movie and although this was supposed to be Mark Hamil's post Star Wars debut, Potts, then an unknown, steals the movie. Our generation ( I was born in 65) will love this movie. Younger people will be puzzled by it.

Well, Iam a 70's movie and music buff, and corvette summer fits that bill! The movie was excellent because it takes you back to the 70's with the cool cars and the nice looking ladies! Mark Hamill and Anne Potts make a perfect pair in this movie! the acting was really well done. A lot of the other actors go on and make alot of other movies as well, you will pick them out while you watch.If you like the movie Dazed and Confused, and Detroit rock city then you will like this movie! I definately recommend this movie If your a gear head and like nice cars!,( also if you grew up in the 70's!)then this movie's for you!

I was 13 when this first came out, and I remember seeing it in theatres. Back then, everyone was hot on Hamill from Star Wars. But this film showed another side of him. I remember it being a bit risque in parts (the whole hooker stuff, etc. - but it was the 70's). I've always wanted to get it on DVD and was glad to finally pick it up. Watching it again - I was back to 1978 again and enjoying it. The movie pace keeps solid and its a tale that holds up pretty much with time. Except for the music and clothes and some of the references to salaries, the story is pretty timeless: boy makes car, boy loses car, boy looks for car, boy finds love and the car. It's a classic.