CANNONBALL

US/Hong Kong, 1976, 93 minutes, Colour.
David Carradine, Bill Mc Kinney, Veronica Hamel, Gerrit Graham, Robert Carradine, Belinda Balaski, Judy Canova, Carl Gottlieb, David Arkin, James Keach, Roger Corman, Joe Dante, Jonathan Kaplan, Martin Scorsese, Paul Bartel.
Directed by Paul Bartel.

Cannonball and Cannonball Run were both films about the Transamerican Grand Prix, a coast-to-coast race, which is frowned on by authorities and the police but is available for all drivers - and there are no rules. This theme has been has been taken for many films - e.g the Gumball Rally. Cannonball was directed by Paul Bartel, maker of the imaginative fantasy equivalent of Cannonball, Death Race 2000. While there was an emphasis on cars, action and violence, there was also science fantasy criticism of the present in the form of a critique of future society.

David Carradine was the star. He also stars much more straightforwardly in this film - an ace driver who has been on parole since an accident in which his girlfriend was killed. There is the usual range of fellow drivers: thugs, country singers and their mothers, hippy couples, a black driver driving for a wealthy couple etc. There is the usual emphasis on speed, slick special effects and editing and spectacular action and crashes. The film is no better, no worse than its equals. However it has an interesting cast led by Carradine and his brother Robert. There are guest appearances by Roger Corman and by directors Bartel himself, Jonathan Kaplan, Joe Dante and Martin Scorsese who all worked for Corman. The film raises questions about the role of cars in our society, the obsession with speed and winning, the
attitude towards law and order and law enforcement.