GHOST OF DRAGSTRIP HOLLOW (director: William Hole; screenwriter: Lou Russoff; cinematographer: Gil Warrenton; editors: Frank P. Kelle/Edward Sampson; music: Ron Stein; cast: Jody Fair (Lois Cavendish), Paul Blaisdell (She-Creature), Martin Braddock (Stan), Tommy Ivo (Tommy), Henry McCann (Dave), Leon Tyler (Bonzo), Russ Bender (Tom Hendry), Jack Ging (Tony), Nancy Anderson (Nita), Elaine Dupont (Rhoda), Dorothy Neumann (Anastasia Abernathy), Sanita Pelkey (Amelia), Harrison Lewis (Frenchie), Kirby Smith (Wesley Cavendish), Jean Tatum (Alice Cavendish), Beverley Scott (Hazel), (); Runtime: 75; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Lou Russoff; Orion (MGM); 1959)
“This one stinks even for AIP.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
A dreadful hot rod teen comedy for the drive-in crowd. This one stinks even for AIP. James H. Nicholson and Samuel Z. Arkoff founded in 1954 the indie AIP. It became a mecca for cheaply made films. William Hole (“Hell Bound”/”Speed Crazy”/”Twist all Night”) is not a good director. Lou Russoff is not a good writer. The humor is cornball. The hipster 1950s teen slang dialogue is a riot, that has lines like “He’s got static in his attic.” The acting is unbearable. The story-line is drivel.
In LA, the square teen Zenith hot rod club are visited by magazine writer Mr. Hendry (Russ Bender). The serious club leader, Stan (Martin Braddock), introduces him to mechanical-minded and law-abiding members Lois Cavendish (Jody Fair), Dave (Henry McCann), Bonzo (Leon Tyler), Rhoda (Elaine Dupont), Tommy (Tommy Ivo) and Amelia (Sanita Pelkey). The writer’s impressed with their mechanical ability and their vow not to rumble or drag race in the street. He finds it curious that girls are also hot rodders. Hendry invites himself to hang around the club while writing his story, which he entitles “The Restless Breed.”
At the club several of the girls are rock singers in a band to raise money. Stan tells Hendry they are being evicted from their garage club because they can’t pay the rent. But they get to stay in a haunted rundown mansion, donated by Anastasia Abernathy (Dorothy Neumann). She’s the visiting wealthy eccentric old maid aunt of Lois’s uptight dad (Kirby Smith). The club gives a Halloween party and discovers an unemployed actor (Paul Blaisdell) is haunting the house in his ridiculous She-Creature costume because Hollywood refuses to employ him as an extra. That’s what goes for plot, and is as senseless as everything else about this drag.
REVIEWED ON 5/10/2016 GRADE: D
Dennis Schwartz: “Ozus’ World Movie Reviews”
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