The teen pictures of the 50s are great fun, as anew genre finds it's way. This one, originally known rather optimistically as "Dragstrip Riot", contains the basic plot conflicts that would later be twisted into "Beach Party".
There is no drag strip appearing in this movie, more of a race track, and lot of '57 Corvette does show up.The kids appearing in this movie is supposed to be kind of delinquents, but they look very innocent by today's standards.
Relatively new in town, a teenager by the name of "Rick Martin" (Gary Clarke) has taken up drag-racing with some friends and has spent a lot of time getting ready for an upcoming race. Just prior to this race he also becomes romantically involved with a beautiful young lady named "Janet Pearson" (Yvonne Lime).
An almost-endearing product of its time, now notable mainly for the cars, the teen slang, and appearances by veteran Fay Wray and newcomer Connie Stevens (who quickly erased this title from her resume). After a rumble with bikers over at the local malt shop, clean-looking teen Gary Clarke, a sports car enthusiast with bleached blond hair, defies Mom and Gramps by entering a race down at the track.
This is an entertaining snapshot of Americana, in black and white and circa '58. This film supposedly was about "teen culture" in the US, yet within a short few years (and or course, during The Sixties!
This is a film that must have seemed very hip and tough back in the day, but when you watch it now you can't help but giggle at all the macho posturing. It's a movie all about a rivalry between some spoiled rich kids whose parents bought them Corvettes and, later, some tough looking bikers.
