CORVETTE SUMMER
US, 1978, 108 minutes, Colour.
Mark Hamill, Annie Potts, Eugene Roche.
Directed by Matthew Robbins.
Corvette Summer is one of the many films about cars from the 1970s, an era when there were many, many road movies.
This was written by the young team of Matthew Robinson, Hal Barwood, who wrote a number of films during the 1980s, directed by Robbins. They include Dragonslayer, The Legend of Billie Jean and batteries not included.
They are obviously enthusiastic about cars. Mark Hamill portrays a young college student who loves Corvettes, is a mechanic, builds an ideal car which is then stolen. He sets out for Las Vegas to recover it and comes across a van set up as a brothel with a young teenager, played by Annie Potts.
They are both over their heads in their quest, have a great deal of adventures, experience some violence – before the inevitable happy ending.
Annie Potts won a Golden Globe for best newcomer of the year. Mark Hamill had just made an impression the year before as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars.
1. The focus of the title? Care and their predominance? A summer story? The focus on youth? For what audience was the film made. with what appeal? Its success?
2. The importance of the colour photography the musical score and the songs, the glossy surface? Los Angeles, the focus on care and machines, the Californian desert and Nevada, the world of Las Vegas and its look? The atmosphere of gambling, criminals, prostitutes, work?
3. The importance of cars in the contemporary world, the love of cars? The hero and his knowledge, love of building, pride? The opening sequences at the car disposal and the choice of the Corvette? The images and their comment on the world of cars, use and disposability? Criteria for selection? The energy with which the car was rebuilt? The importance of the school and the community contribution to the building? The atmosphere and pride of the car, the celebration? The emotional impact of its being stolen? The hero and his mission to recover the car, the lengths to which he would go, the happy ending?
4. How attractive a young man was the hero? In himself, personality, knowledge and love of cars, his work? His home in Los Angeles? Shy, dating? His mother and her offhand manner with the caravan and her leaving him with only a message? The reaction to the loss of the car, his decision to go to Las Vegas? The newspaper, the photo, his naive enterprise in setting out? The humour of the hitchhiking, for example, the blacks in the elaborate and slow car? The encounter with Vanessa and her van? The contrast with the bizarre world of fantasy and reality with Vanessa and the hero's realism in finding his car? His arrival in Las Vegas, poverty, sleeping. work?
5. His alertness to the car, notification of the police, chasing it, visiting the casinos and making mistakes? The importance of the chase after the car on the pushbike? The encounter with the criminals and the beating? His continued communication with Mr. McGrath? and the sending of the postcards? The irony of McGrath’s? being involved in the racket? The proposition for wealth and work and his succumbing to this? The hypocrisy of the criminals being friendly with him after their bashing him? The build-up of his enjoyment of wealth and Vanessa’s reaction, his pride and his taking back of the car? The drama of the chase and the rejoicing in his return? His sense of achievement? His disillusionment, especially with Mr. McGrath?
6. Vanessa and her place in the film, her van, ambitions to be a hooker, the way that she spoke, her attitudes towards work, sexuality, money? Her black eye and failure as a hooker? The various jobs, hair styling, hamburgers and fast food? Her friendliness with the hero, taking him into the van and looking after him? A growing love for him? Her annoyance and going back to Rosalie as a hooker and wealthy? The hero's taking her away from this and her participation in the recovery of the car and her happiness at the end?
7. The character sketch of Mr. McGrath? and his contribution to the building, as a contact for the hero, his kindness to his mother, his involvement in the deals. presence in Las Vegas, his explanation of his reasons the cover of respectability his tears and the hero letting him off at the end?
8. The portrait of Las Vegas criminals, violence? The elaborate car pursuit and evasion?
9. A particular glimpse of American life in the seventies? how accurate a sketch of people, situations? How well could the audience identify, enjoy?
