CAR WASH

US, 1976, 98 minutes, Colour.
Franklyn Ajaye, Sully Boyar, George Carlin, Irwin Corey, Ivan Dixon, Bill Duke, Antonio Fargas, Richard Pryor.
Directed by Michael Schultz.

Car Wash is a day at a Los Angeles car wash, a group of African American employees telling their stories and dealing with some strange visitors, including Richard Pryor as an evangelical preacher. The film was written by Joel Schumacher, former makeup artist, who became a director in the 1980s and was very successful in the succeeding decades with films ranging from Batman films to adaptations of John Grisham and to The Phantom of the Opera. The film was directed by Michael Schultz, African American director who worked mainly in television but at this time made a number of feature films including Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

1. For what audience was the film made? Its impact on an American audience, black American audience, white? For non-Americans - theme, treatment, language? How comprehensible? Localised?

2. The film as a reflection of the style of the 70's? Nash and its irreverent treatment of people, incidents? The kaleidoscope of people and incidents as in Nashville?

3. The importance of the location, the atmosphere of a particular corner of a street in Los Angeles? The people of the place, belonging there, at home there? An authentic atmosphere for this presentation of people, attitudes?

4. The contribution of the music, the lyrics? The continual musical commentary? The irony of the dialogue, situations? The importance of visual puns and suggestions?

5. The structure for developing the plot and communicating it: one day at the car wash, the ordinary programming, of the day from arrival, through work and the various encounters, until the end of the day? The presentation of individuals and their interactions, the importance of editing and the building up of audience appreciation and response to the various characters? Audience response to long day at a car wash, expectations of how much could be communicated through the structure of one day?

6. The quality of the humour, how funny? How much laughing at the characters, how much laughing with them? The ingredients of' satire, parody, joy and ridicule? An important look at human beings with their foibles?

7. How humane was the film in the sentiments about the characters, their situations, the cownunication of feelings and values?

8. How real and authentic a cross-section of people in this part of Los Angeles? The small cross section as a microcosm of the United States? How accurate a comic picture of the United States in the 70s?

9. The personality of the owner, his style, his exasperation, money and business. his management of the car wash, his son and his exasperation with him, his exasperation with the assistant and wanting to date her, the importance of' his more serious encounter with Lonny? The fact that he was rights owned the car wash, had a right style? A critique of the white man? How much affections how much criticism?

10. The picture of his son, his trendy Maoism? His rivalry with his father, attitude towards the assistants his wanting to work, the men not wanting him with them, drugs, the language and vocabulary of pop? University students? Critique?

11. The assistant, her looks, her work, brains and lack of them, relationship with the owner, her date?

12. The humour of the prostitute in the taxi, going into the wash room, changing her clothes, hanging around the car wash all day, relationship with Hippo and the radio, her finally going off?

13. Lonny as a character? Audience attitude towards him at the beginning, suspicions, his gruffness? The gradual revelation of his character and experience - parole, the importance of the viait of his children? His encounter with Abdullah? His talk with him and a more serious tone to the ending of the film?

14. Duane as a serious character ? his serious approach to life, serious black issues of the 70s, his changing his name? His chip on his shoulder? His attempt to rob the car wash and the encounter with Lonny and believing him?

15. The humour of all the horsing around at the car wash, in the locker rooms, at their work? The dancers?

16. Lindy and the affectation of his effeminacy, language?

17. T C. and his trying to date the girl at the café, trying to win the disco tickets? His appearance, fashions, work? His being refused ? A final happy ending for him with the date?

18. The husband and wife leaving,? His spending the night away from her, her attacking him at the car wash, throwing, his luggage? A glimpse of an authentic marital conflict and problems? Justin and his frirl friend and their discussions about going to college?

19. The various visitors to the car wash and the humour, satire? the house, friends from the other suburbs, her sick son and his vomiting over the car? The mad bomber and the inappropriate identification and the humour of this? The man and the dog? The one on the roller skates?

20. The personalities of each of the minor characters and what they contributed to the overall picture of the car wash?

21. The satire on American religious situations and money with Daddy Rich and his phoney style?

22. A humorous human presentation of daily crises, work, joy, ordinary people?