Winning that could net him a handsome cash prize, fame, glory, and the girl (Loughlin). See, it’s like this: dim-bulb teen Cru Jones (Allen) ain’t got no time for the SAT’s…not when the qualifying round to the big bike race is held on the same day (bogus!). What little artistry is on display here is relegated to a few fleeting shots of bikers doing stunts (gnar, dude!), but even those don’t exactly get the pulse pounding-all that bouncin’ and balancin’ may be impressive physical feats, but those shots get repetitive fast, and they have nothing to do with the actual “story,” which involves BMX racing, not tricks. If you go into a movie titled after a teen slang word, it’s your own fault if you were expecting high art. Starring Bill Allen, Lori Loughlin, Jack Weston, Alfie Wise, Bart Conner, Ray Walston, Talia Shire, Gordon Signer, Laura Jacoby, Jamie Clarke, Marta Kober, H. Haggerty, Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes.Directed by Hal Needham. Editing: Carl Kress.Ĭast: Bill Allen, Lori Loughlin, Talia Shire, Ray Walston, Alfie Wise, Jack Weston, Bart Conner, Marta Kober, Jamie Clarke, Laura Jacoby, H.B. Writers: Sam Bernard and Geoffrey Edwards. TriStar Pictures presents a Taliafilm II Productions film. A great cast plus some excellent BMX stunts make this truly a winner! ![]() Rad is truly one of the great underrated sports dramas of the eighties. They include Eddie Fiola, Martin Aparijo, and Travis Chipres, all whom served as core stunt doubles for the cast. The Helltrack race itself is amazing to watch as the film involves some of the top BMX racers. A major highlight of the film involves Allen and Loughlin doing what’s called a “bicycle boogie” at a dance, where they dance and perform moves on their bikes to the music. While the cast did get training for some of the basics, for some of the more difficult tricks, they were doubled. ![]() However, let’s face it, many wonder about the BMX stunts and action and they are nicely done. Ray Walston does well as one of the locals who invested in the race and makes a fateful decision once he sees how Cru is being treated, which leads to a bit of comic relief when it comes to a reaction towards the unscrupulous Best. Needham’s usual foil Alfie Wise truly plays perhaps one of his shadiest characters yet while Jack Weston truly plays Best as someone who only cares about winning and his rider and will do anything to get rid of the threat that is Cru. Talia Shire makes the most of her time as Cru’s mother, who tries to teach him that education is more important than bike riding, but ultimately relents when he makes a deal with her. However, for some reason, it works here as Conner plays Taylor as a two-sided figure, a little cocky but respectful of some competition. What many might find strange is how an Olympic gymnast, Bart Conner, plays the number one BMX rider in the nation. He meshes well with Lori Loughlin, who plays a pro rider who becomes Cru’s love interest and in ways, a guide to his dream of becoming a professional. Then came this film, which is truly an underrated underdog movie done only how former stuntman turned filmmaker Hal Needham could do it.īill Allen is a delight to watch as Cru, the local rider who has a passion for BMX so much that he is almost always seen on his bike doing all sorts of tricks and maneuvers. In the world of BMX riding, Australia’s BMX Bandits was one of the first to capitalize on the sport. The former had a following with films like 1986’s Thrashin’, 1987’s Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol, and 1988’s Gleaming the Cube. ![]() Perhaps the two biggest sports to capitalize in the world of films were skateboarding and BMX riding. Sports movies were becoming pretty popular in the eighties. Will Cru’s lifelong dream be crushed by big city capitalism or will he overcome the odds and begin the course of his dream to become a pro rider? Realizing Cru could be a threat to end Taylor’s run as number one, he attempts to destroy Cru by first making him get a sponsor and attempt to raise $50,000 before Helltrack begins. Best is also owner of Team Mongoose, whose top rider Bart Taylor is the number one rider in the nation. However, while he impresses the town when he qualifies, he finds some major competition in the track’s promoter, Duke Best. ![]() With the motivation and assistance of professional rider Christian, who becomes his girlfriend, Cru decides to follow his heart. However, the day of the qualifiers is the same day that he must take his SATs. When he learns that Helltrack, a major obstacle course for professional riders is coming to Cochran this year, he learns that local riders may be given an opportunity to qualify for the race. However, Cru has dreams to one day become a professional BMX rider. From the director of Smokey and the Bandit comes perhaps the greatest 1980’s film that capitalized on the sport of BMX biking.Ĭru Jones is a high school senior who works mornings as a newspaper delivery boy with best friends Becky and Luke in the small town of Cochran.
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