ROADHOUSE 66

US, 1984, 90 minutes, Colour.
Judge Reinhold, Willem Dafoe, Kate Vernon, Stephen Elliot.
Directed by John Mark Robinson.

Roadhouse 66 is a piece of Americana, two young Americans on the road and in a small American town. Lifestyles, dangers, finding themselves. It is an early star vehicle for Judge Reinhold (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Beverly Hills Cop series) and Willem Dafoe (To Live and Die in LA and then his great success in Platoon, Last Temptation of Christ, Mississippi Burning).

The film is one of those geared for the youth audience, focusing on the road, cars, roadhouses, gangs, races. It is fairly inconsequential - typical of so many films of the '80s.

1. Enjoyable film about youth? The road? Small American town life?

2. The Arizona landscapes, towns? Stunts and special effects? The car race? Songs? Musical score?

3. The title, the road, the roadhouse, the lifestyle in the small town and on the road?

4. Beckman and his travels, his relationship to his father, his work, the shooting of the car? The encounter with Johnny? Trying to get the car fixed, stuck in the town? The meeting with Jessie and Melissa, the infatuation with Melissa? The gang and the confrontations? Old Sam and the cars, the discussions about life? Friendship with Johnny, Johnny leaving and coming back? The possibility of the race, getting the car fixed? In the race, the shots? Pushing the bully off the road? Winning? On his way again - and what he had learnt?

5. Johnny, the hitch-hiker, in the middle of the road, friends with Beckman, helping him with the tower, sleeping in the car, at the bar, the friendship with Jessie, the relationship? Old Sam? His wanting to go on the road again? The past and the band, singing with the band? His coming back, the race, winning? On the road again?

6. Jessie and Melissa, in the town, their different backgrounds? Jessie and her solemness to the men? Changing her mind with the ugly actions of the gang? Helping with the repair of the car? In love with Johnny? The race? Melissa and her studies background, friendship with Beckman, going off with him?

7. Thelma, the roadhouse and its lifestyle, bluff, happy, the band? Her advice? Old Sam, the cars, his advice?

8. The picture of the gang, the shooting, drinking, pool-playing, competitiveness, violence? In the race? Defeat?

9. The gathering together of so many conventions of the American youth film? How successfully? For the '80s?