TWO-LANE BLACKTOP/BD

Drag racing east from L.A. in a souped-up 55 Chevy are the wayward Driver and Mechanic (singer/songwriter James Taylor and the Beach BoysDennis Wilson, in their only acting roles), accompanied by a tagalong Girl (COCKFIGHTERs Laurie Bird). Along the way, they meet Warren Oatess Pontiac GTO driving wanderer and challenge him to a cross-country race the prize: their cars pink slips. But no summary can do justice to the existential punch of TWO-LANE BLACKTOP. With its gorgeous widescreen compositions and sophisticated look at American male obsession, this stripped-down narrative from maverick director Monte Hellman (THE SHOOTING) is one of the artistic high points of 1970s cinema, and possibly the greatest road movie ever made.

Drag racing east from L.A. in a souped-up '55 Chevy are the wayward Driver and Mechanic (singer/songwriter James Taylor and the Beach Boys'Dennis Wilson, in their only acting roles), accompanied by a tagalong Girl (COCKFIGHTER's Laurie Bird). Along the way, they meet Warren Oates's Pontiac GTO driving wanderer and challenge him to a cross-country race the prize: their cars' pink slips. But no summary can do justice to the existential punch of TWO-LANE BLACKTOP. With it's gorgeous widescreen compositions and sophisticated look at American male obsession, this stripped-down narrative from maverick director Monte Hellman (THE SHOOTING) is one of the artistic high points of 1970s cinema, and possibly the greatest road movie ever made.