Grand Theft Auto (1977) or, Crash Bam Boom!

1/10/2021

Grand Theft Auto (1977) or, Crash Bam Boom!

♥♥

Eye-popping auto destruction and speed-loving youths are promised on this dramatic poster for Ron Howard's Grand Theft Auto

A young couple wants to get hitched in Las Vegas, but her rich parents are furiously set against it, so they run off in her father's Rolls Royce. The father however sends his agents out after them, and through the radio bounties get put on their heads.

Grand Theft Auto is written by Rance Howard (The Flintstones (1964-65)) and his son, co-writer/director/star Ron Howard (The Missing (2003)), whose debut it is.

The film starts really well with lots of youthful charm and fun bits, and Grand Theft Auto is made with a child-like, rascally sense of humor. But not far into the flick, it runs out of material, and after the somewhat formulaic 'crisis' for the couple, one begins to be bored. Because Grand Theft Auto mostly consists of windows breaking in extreme slow motion and cars that drive ahead very fast due to being manipulated with fast forward editing, an effect that's used over-zealously throughout this minor vehicle.

Related posts:

Ron Howard: Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011) - Stapleton's Corman doc. is among the year's best films (interview subject)

2008 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2008 in films - according to Film Excess
Frost/Nixon (2008) - Howard's political drama is gripping, superiorly acted
The Da Vinci Code (2006) - Howard's first Brown adaptation is a popcorn thriller hoot

2001 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
Top 10: The best biopic movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
A Beautiful Mind (2001) - John Nash given the Epic Treatment
EDtv (1999) - Phenomenal cast shine in Howard's witty mega-flop

Far and Away (1992) - Howard, Hollywood's sweethearts visit the old West with dull result (co-writer/director)
Backdraft (1991) - Howard's giant, stupid Chicago-set firefighter movie
American Graffiti (1973) or, Cruisin' Modesto '62 (actor)

Watch a TV-spot for the film here

Cost: 602k $

Box office: 15 mil. $

= Mega-hit (returned 24.91 times its cost)

[Grand Theft Auto was released 16 June (USA) and runs 84 minutes. The film was devised as an unofficial follow-up to the similar major hit with Howard starring, Eat My Dust (1976). Shooting took place in California and Las Vegas, Nevada around March 1977. The film grossed impressive 15 mil. $ worldwide. Roger Ebert gave the film a 2/4 star review, in line with this one. Howard returned with 3 TV movies prior to his theatrical return with Night Shift (1982). As an actor he returned in More American Graffiti (1979). Grand Theft Auto is rotten at 23 % with a 4.84/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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Donald Sutherland has passed away

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1/10/2021

Grand Theft Auto (1977) or, Crash Bam Boom!

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