AniInterview
Sorry, this movie sucks
InformationRap
This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
Scarlet
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
David_Brown
I have read some reviews of the film, and the word "Cheesy" is used. There are some very strong messages in the film that make it anything but that. Basically movie consists of three things: Those messages, a great car chase at the end of the film and Annie Potts (Vanessa). Mark Hamill is basically in this film for name value coming off of "Star Wars" the year before, anyone could have played Kenneth W. Dantley Jr. It really is about these two people who think they know life but are oblivious to its realities. Vanessa wants to become a prostitute, and Kenneth wants to design cars (He was the main one who built the Corvette in the shop). He idolizes his shop teacher Mr. McGrath (Eugene Roche), who turns out to be crooked (He allowed the car to be stolen by car thieves, and not knowing this, Kenneth decides to try and get it back). Spoilers: The best part of this film is when he finally gets the car back in Las Vegas, rushes into a hotel room and prevents Vanessa from giving up her virginity, and begins a chase against Wayne Lowry (Kim Milford), who stole the car, and wants to kill them. He finally wins and Lowry shoots up his own car after it blows an engine. He returns to school with the car and picks up his Diploma and as Vanessa, walks away he calls to her, and she essentially throws his diploma away, and they walk away to start a new life together. Two big points. 1: Not only are these two are not only made for each other, but they save each other from a path of destruction. Vanessa from becoming a prostitute, and Kenneth from the seduction of big money that can be made off on working on stolen cars. 2: The theme of Kenneth walking away from the comfort zone life he knows, to heading into the unknown with Vanessa, will be repeated three years later in "The Nights The Lights Went Out In Georgia". The big difference, is unlike 'Corvette Summer", there the Hamill character (Conrad),is not the talented one, Amanda (Kristy McNichol) is. Finally, Annie is adorable (She is hot in a swim suit), and has all of the film's best dialog. I give it 8 of 10 stars.
Bandit1974
I read several reviews about this movie before writing mine. I always do for some reason. The one common thread throughout a lot of the reviews is a point I definitely agree with. This movie oozes 70's cheese. Keep in mind, I happen to love the tackiness that only the 70's could offer.Aside from that, this is a fairly simple, yet entertaining movie. Does it break any new ground? Certainly not. But how many movies do? Our main character, Kenny Dantley, builds and falls in love with a custom Corvette in his high school shop class. Not long after it is built the car is stolen. The cops tell Dantley and the rest of his shop class that the car most likely will never be recovered. Dantley refuses to accept this and heads to where he heard the car was last seen. Vegas. Along the way he falls in love with Vanessa, a wannabe hooker headed to Vegas to "go pro".There is no doubt that this is a "B" grade drive in movie. That being said, if you are a "car guy" (as I am) this movie should prove to be worth watching. Anyone who has ever fallen in love with a car will understand Dantley's obsession. It's NOT "just" a car. Car guys know their obsessions are irrational, but that doesn't stop us. Call me crazy, but the attraction a car guy has to his favorite model isn't THAT much different than the one he feels to his dream girl.Corvette Summer offers a few laughs and a return to a part of the 70's a lot would like to forget. The disco van scene. There are some familiar faces from the era and a great chase scene at the end of the movie. Not every movie is Oscar bound. Let's not forget a movies most important purpose is to entertain.
Woodyanders
Mark Hamill, fresh from the astronomical success of "Star Wars," delivers an animated and thoroughly engaging performance as Kenneth W. Dantley, a guileless, but hot-blooded Los Angeles teenage automobile enthusiast who leads his high school autobody shop in restoring a '65 Corvette stingray back to its full pristine turbo-charged candy apple red glory. After the 'vette gets stolen, the extremely obsessive and determined Hamill heads off to Las Vegas to reclaim it. While fumbling and stumbling around Sin City Hamill hooks up with and eventually falls bum over teakettle in love with kooky, saucy, tenderhearted aspiring prostitute Vanessa (a wonderfully flaky and adorable Annie Potts, who's utterly disarming in her film debut).A winsome, spirited, perfectly enjoyable and infectiously good-natured seriocomic youth coming-of-age tale, "Corvette Summer" bristles along with an easy, carefree, unforced charm that's impossible to resist. Matthew Robbins, who also co-wrote the bright, insightful script with Hal Barwood (these two subsequently collaborated on the equally excellent fantasy treat "Dragonslayer"), directs with tremendous energy and agility, skillfully mixing a swift headlong pace, uniformly bang-up acting, laughs, romance, and such trenchantly examined themes as chasing after one's dreams (both literally and figuratively), joyful adolescent innocence being curdled into sour adult cynicism, staying true to one's beliefs, and one painful rite of passage -- the rude awakening to a harsh, jarring, not always fair reality with all its many disheartening foibles and inequities -- that we all must undergo into the taut, absorbing narrative. Technically, the film is every bit as shiny and attractive as its titular car star: Frank Stanley's lively, colorful, lustrous cinematography, Amy Jones' fluid, sharp editing and Craig Safan's swell, stirring score are all most impressive.Kudos to the top supporting cast: Eugene Roche as Hamill's friendly autoshop teacher, Danny Bonaduce and Wendy Jo Spurber as two of Hamill's fellow car-loving autoshop classmates, Kim Milford (the wimpy browbeaten kid hero of the enticingly chintzy sci-fi revenge potboiler "Laserblast") as the cocky, effeminate leader of a stolen car ring, Brion James as the jerk who gains illegal possession of Hamill's car, the ubiquitous Dick Miller as a genial, generous gambler, T.K. Carter as a carwash employee, and Phillip Bruns as a sleazy grifter gas station proprietor. A frenetic chase sequence between a bike-riding Hamill and a car-driving James constitutes as a definite thrilling highlight. The relationship between the naive Hamill and the more worldly Potts is quite amusing, affecting and endearing; they make for a nice, enchanting couple. The film's pretty bewitching as well, thanks to its relaxed, off-beat tone, quirky bits of humor, steady, but laid-back drive, affable leads, and general uplifting air of fresh-faced sweetness. A breezy, cheeky, hugely appealing and radiantly gleaming gem of a sleeper.
Ship_Captain_XplOrOrOr
I never saw this movie when it first came out. The adults in my life did start taking me to movies back in 1978, but I guess they didn't care to pay to see this one. I would see it YEARS later on Cable TV around age 14.This is a decent movie. Definatly the definition of a "sleeper". It's a solid 1970's Sleeper Classic/Classic Sleeper. A guy and his souped up car traveling around. A-la Sonny Crokett (of Miami Vice fame) and his earlier mid 1970's movie with Nick Nolte with them and their souped up car traveling around.Mark Hamill gives a decent performance, as do the rest of the cast. Nothing Oscar-nominating, but watchable. Just a nice, light, watchable, movie about a guy, his car, and his (mis)adventures. Nice California locations too! Nice little movie.
