Customer Reviews

The Wild Ride

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In only his second top-billed role, Jack Nicholson already shows some of the commanding presence that would eventually make him a star, playing Johnny Varron, smart-mouthed, arrogant punk and "top man" in a gang of would-be hot-rodders (an "anti-hero" ten years before they were popular?). In the first scene, Johnny's questioned by police at a party after 'chicken-running' a motorcycle cop (who later dies) into a tree. Johnny rules his gang with an iron hand, dictating activities, designating girlfriends as 'in' or 'out' ("She doesn't 'fit', man"), and scoring booze from a crooked liquor store owner for their makeout parties at the beach. When 'second lieutenant' Dave appears to be going "shallow" over his girl (because he "chickened" to an oncoming truck and ran his bomb off the road when she screamed) Johnny demands that he drop her ("First thing you know you're gonna be sittin' on a sofa watching TV, and that's the end, you might as well be dead.") Later, in his first legitimate race (featuring some actually quite decent track footage), he wins through dirty tactics and is immediately fired by his furious sponsor (the entire gang goes "on the town" with a twenty in winnings from a bet he had one of his boys place on him). Interestingly, the 'square' chick is the only person who dares to stand up to Johnny, labeling his win at the track "disgusting." Ultimately, his obsession with controlling the gang leads to a high-speed chase and ensuing tragedy. The Wild Ride is short (only 60 minutes) but sweet, featuring lots of groovy hep-talk (count how many times they use the word "man"); a reference to Marlon Brando in The Wild One; some way-cool wheels (gearheads will be drooling); and a nice'n'sleazy, jazzy score heavy on sax, vibes, flute, and bongos. If you're into the late-50s JD/Hot Rod/AIP scene, this should be on your must-see list, daddy-o.
Unfortunately, the source print does have some problems: it's a bit contrasty, and exhibits the usual light speckling and blemishing throughout, plus a few mild jump cuts, some sporadic blotching and lining, and noticeable grain. That said, the picture is bright enough, with generally very good tonal scale and shadow/highlight detail, and acceptably sharp. Basically a pretty solid 16mm TV print, eminently watchable, and benefiting from the superior resolution of DVD. There are a few points where it seems that some footage may be missing, but I noticed no major gaps in continuity. Overall, it blows away the other two Brentwood discs I've purchased: both Hot Rod Girl and T-Bird Gang suffer enormously in comparison, both looking very flat, faded, and dupey. Extras (Casper cartoon with terribly balanced, faded color; movie trivia quiz; DVD Dictionary) are negligible; buy this one for the feature. Besides Brentwood, only Sinister Cinema currently offers this movie on disc (in DVD-R format), and from the few SC DVD-Rs I've purchased I'm not exactly overwhelmed with their overall quality (at several times the cost of this commercial DVD). Since there appear to be no plans for legitimate DVD releases of the bulk of Corman's Filmgroup productions, I highly recommend this disc to JD/hot rod aficionados, especially at the dirt-cheap price.

Reminiscient of Marlon Brando's "The Wild Ones" and James Dean's "Rebel Without a Cause", fans of Jack Nicholson will want to include this early film in their collection. All of the elements are here...juvenile delinquents in trouble with the law, hot cars, alcohol, the "good girl", etc., and of cause Nicholson, who calls himself "the number one stud" in this film.

Juvenile Delinquent sees the error his ways. The wicked are punished in the never ending struggles of good over evil. Like many films from this era, it serves as a study in what was cool in the 1950s, with a moral reminder. Although it's a well put together budget film, the most enlightening part may come from the music and watching these kids dance? Don't go overboard on this one, or expect too much, but it just might be worth a spin.

amazing
the whole cast is amazing
the story is shocking, touching and amazing
a classic this shall stay for the next 90 years
I've watched it 2 times already and shall watch it more
count on it
the movie offers many insights on life, racing and other things. see what you can learn fellow movie goers

None of the reviewers I've read so far seem to mention the structure of this movie - they go right into Nicholson, love or hate him, and also the beatnik scene, love it or hate it. The structure alone is quite compelling, but I won't give it away.

The movie is a classic portrait of the demented combination of qualities that seems to have characterized the generation following the Beats, those heavily influenced by the slang and cool of "On The Road" but oblivious to most of the existential elements, but not to all of them. This is the heart of the message here. They don't read books or carry guns; they don't do DMT or LSD; homosexuality does not exist, but, and it's a big but, there is an intensity that emanates from conditions not unlike those faced by the hippies in the 60's and ethnic inner city gangs in the 90's: namely, absentee parenting, no meaningful work, weak enforcement of the "rules" and their accompanying arrogant desperation in which sudden death is no biggie: it's part of the scene.

Nicholson is the white Eddie Murphy here, with one exception: he doesn't need 300 years of slavery to give him a reason to humiliate white guys: it's youth out of control, at war with the world and with itself, in a pure form that alone makes this film very much worth seeing.

Jack Nicholson is not an actor. He is a punk. He is also an intellectual. His films that I've seen either portray him as pure evil, "Batman" or as a cracked egg that sooner or later gets cooked: "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest," About Schmitt, this film. The atonements are brief because Nicholson lacks patience if you've noticed. His acceptance of his fate is just as irreverent and cocky as his mocking of it and, oddly, this makes the moral of the story all the more powerful, even if JN can't stand the smell of it. Jean-Paul Sartre, get out of the way, you're blocking the action, man. This film is pure gold.

I could go on and on, but I think young people should watch this movie because they are going to be confronted, not by Jack Nicholson, but by the big, great question: There's a right way to live and a "dead scene." Basically no more than a shell game, you get to pick a shell. (You're free remember? Hopelessly, eternally free.) And there's simply no thumbing off Jean-Paul. Pick the wrong one and you're "history man, you don't exist." The only nonsense associated with this film is the negative criticism of the script by wannabe reviewers. The script is one of the slickest forms of satire I've ever seen and the structure of the film I alluded to at first takes full advantage of this virtue.

Our world currently is presented with this big question and is far less adept at addressing it than the juvenile delinquents in this movie: thumbing your nose or whining on and on about how bad things are is so "then" man. The answer is simple, though. You - yea You - stop stinkin up the place and get a life.

What a Waste! Jack N. is one of my faves, but he didn't hit his stride until The Last Detail & Five Easy Pieces & Carnal Knowledge. First off, the soundtrack is so horribly distracting it's pathetic. The 'Wild Youth' in this movie are anything but. They wear nice button down shirts and are clean shaved and nicely groomed. Their big parties include like two beers each and a pint and some of the lamest dancing around. Dialogue is cheesy. Like if they keep repeating the words crazy, man, and farout we're gonna believe they're cool. Jack N. is Top Stud, which includes browbeating, insulting, and controlling everyone around him. The racing footage gives you good glimpses of rotating tires and little else. Comparisons to Brando and Dean are laughable in their lame attempts to prop up this embarassment. And the Hot Rods are are nothing to speak about either. Basically just grandma cars. No sweet paint or fat tires or tricked out anything. I woulda gave it 2, but went with one to balance out this inexplicable praise being doled out to this clunker. Does anyone recognize good cinema?

Jack Nicholson is a staple of today's 'pop' culture. Today we see him at the Oscar's, being interviewed; like he has always been present. THE WILD RIDE is a step back BEFORE "EASY RIDER", the television westerns. I get the impression that his part in this film took very little effort to get into character. Car/hot rod buffs will enjoy what 1960's movie directors thought were the 'hot set-ups of the day. I would recommend this as an addition to round out your Nicholson collection, a early step in his development.

This movie is so exciting as there is plenty of action, pretty girls and a very early Jack Nicholson. Watching this movie is like watching the birth of a great movie star. It seems just like a time capsule. Very nice! Jack is in only his 2nd top-billed movie.

Fans of Jack Nicholson will want to include this budget DVD in their collection as if features young Jack in one of his earliest starring roles, circa 1960. While Nicholson is pretty good, I found the film more interesting as a cultural artifact, one of large number of low budget youth films done in the wake of Marlon Brando's "The Wild Ones" and James Dean's "Rebel Without A Cause." All of the ususal elements are here . . . juvenile delinquents in trouble with the law, hot cars, alcohol, the "good girl," etc. Nicholson refers to himself as "the Number One Stud."

Brentwood Communications' DVD checks in at around 59 minutes and I've seen one source that says the running time for this film is 63 minutes, suggesting that there is some missing footage. The New Concorde Home Video version possibly may be more complete, but it costs three times as much. Regardless, the short running time for this feature (originally released as part of a double feature) definitely works to the film's advantage; the story telling is concise and to the point. Brentwood also includes what appears to be the very first "Casper, the Friendly Ghost" cartoon in a washed out, but serviceable version, an interactive movie trivia game, a dictionary of DVD terms, and chapter stops for the main feature. All in all, not a bad package for a budget price.

Because my baby loves cars, especially police cars, I bought this. I have no reason to like this title, because I have seen this in Discovery Channel before. Video/Audio quality is virtually same as VHS, because most scences were edited from videotapes. However, my baby really loves this title. He is watching this DVD, while playing with his toy police car.