Review of Two-Lane Blacktop (1971) by Jason C — 14 Dec 2009

There is something very hypnotic about this film. With its nameless characters and basically plotless construction it would be easy to see it as simply a movie about cars, but it really is a lot more. In particular I found the way director Monte Hellman juxtaposed the beautiful scenery with the characters complete disinterest in it very intriguing. Here these guys are, cruising through gorgeous landscape after gorgeous landscape and they never even seem to realize it or care in the slightest. They're only concern being how well the car is running and where they can find the next race so they can have money to eat. In a strange way it reminded me of 2001: A Space Odyssey where the majesty of space was ignored by the human characters who were only concerned with forward progress. Here that forward motion is literal. Also like in Kubrick's film, this film shows how dependent men (or MAN in the earlier film) areon their machines as a marker of identity. Witness the scene where G.T.O. (played by the great Warren Oates) finds out that his car doesn't stand a chance against the Chevy driven by the leads; immediately he is deflated and the layers of bullshit that he has built around himself come crashing down as he begins to tell The Driver (James Taylor) his sad life story (although Taylor stops him and doesn't want to hear it). It's an incredible scene that goes by quick.

I could spend an equal amount of time on Hellman's odd, nearly transcendent, editorial decisions but I'll spare you all. Just go watch this film.