Two Lane Blacktop Receives Major Honor

[Jon Stebbins]

The Library Of Congress has included Two Lane Blacktop among its latest selections for preservation in the National Film Registry. This is a distinguished honor as these films are chosen for their "enduring importance to American culture". I like the idea of Dennis Wilson, in a completely non-Beach Boys role, having a piece of something that is lasting and important in the American tradition.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/breakfast-at-tiffanys-and-the-matrix-among-movies-added-to-national-film-registry/

[Kirk]

Excellent news and a well-deserved honor for Monte Hellman, James Taylor, Warren Oates, and Laurie Bird as well as Dennis. I remember when the movie was almost impossible to find before 2000. In fact, I remember only seeing it twice by pure accident, once on afternoon TV in Columbia, Missouri, in early 1989 (don't ask me what it was doing on an afternoon movie) and once on VH-1 in 97 or so. Still a completely egg-scrambling experience to watch it.

I'd love to hear other stories from folks about seeing it/hunting it down during its "lost years"....

[Jon Stebbins]

I saw it at the Drive-In in about 1973, completely unaware that Dennis was in it until that "mechanic" character had his first close-up on screen...that was a mindblower. TLB is one of those rare films that looks like one thing, feels like something else, and after multiple viewings evolves into something altogether different again. So cool that time has seen it go from a mostly ignored curiosity to a work that is considered a masterpiece of the existential road-movie genre.

[The Shift]

I taped it on VHS back inn the early 80s when it was shown on UK TV but lent the tape to a friends shortly after and… you know the rest. Had to wait decades before seeing it again.

Bloomin' great movie, great to see it honoured in this way.

[Steve Mayo]

i saw it in 1971 and have been scratching my head, wondering, since then...

[ontor pertawst]

I had a lot of fun digging through Monte Hellman's filmography, lots of quirky, interesting films to stumble on there... Plus: Warren Oates as a c*ckfighter... based on the Odyssey! It doesn't get any more 70s than that, and that's before Harry Dean Stanton lurches into frame.

[SMiLE Brian]

Warren Oates made this movie with his shape shifting character.

[Mike's Beard]

Watching Two Lane Blacktop, Vanishing Point or Easy Rider always make me wish I was somewhere in America in the early 70's, out in the middle of nowhere, travelling from one small town to the next one.

[SMiLE Brian]

Vanishing point is another classic that should be in the national film registry. Such a classic with my dream car ( white 1970 dodge challenger)

[Bean Bag]

I'm sure it's been mentioned... but Criterion is releasing this in Jan.  I'm all over this.  Never seen it... but looks cool...

[Pretty Funky]

 I'm all over this.  Never seen it... but looks cool...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksiORAgXr04

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Two-Lane Blacktop is infinitely superior to Easy Rider! Such a great film.

[rab2591]

I'm sure it's been mentioned... but Criterion is releasing this in Jan.  I'm all over this.  Never seen it... but looks cool...

Thanks for the info! I got this movie from my library a few years ago - really loved it. Putting this in my amazon shopping cart asap.

[?]

It's nice to see this film finally getting its due.  It wasn't so long ago that people were walking out of a screening at Cannes.  Now will someone tell me how the genius that made this could possibly end up directing Silent Night Deadly Night 3?

(I kind of like SNDN3, but you know...)

[DonnyL]

Ah this is good news ...

I put this movie up there with the BBS Productions movies of the late '60s-early '70s ... certainly worth checking out is this box:

http://www.amazon.com/America-Lost-Found-Criterion-Collection/dp/B003ZYU3SM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1355986094&sr=8-2&keywords=america+lost+and+found

if you're into Two Lane Blacktop. I can get lost in these movies for a long spell.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

It's nice to see this film finally getting its due.  It wasn't so long ago that people were walking out of a screening at Cannes.  Now will someone tell me how the genius that made this could possibly end up directing Silent Night Deadly Night 3?

(I kind of like SNDN3, but you know...)

You mean there's a Silent Night Deadly Night part three?? Surely it can't possibly be better than part 2, with that lead actors incredible dancing eyebrows?

[guitarfool2002]

Anyone in the US with Comcast "On Demand" service, I was just able to watch the film free of charge about 4-5 weeks ago by simply browsing through the "free movies" section while battling another bout of insomnia. And it was a very, very good print/transfer of the film as far as I could tell, better than what had been out there on VHS or dubbed copies before.

I was going to post here about a few thoughts and a revisiting of the movie, but then I though Nah - no one wants to read what someone might think when they can dial it up for free on Comcast and watch it themselves.

It's a totally captivating film, one which you can get a bit confused by at times, one which you need to think what just happened because the initial surface reaction would seem to miss it, and it's also one which you ultimately might come away thinking the whole film was about two guys who shut out everything else in their lives because they loved being around cars, but then you'd reconsider and say that's too easy and too simple to base an entire movie.

Two thoughts: Dennis Wilson was *superb* in this film, and I say this not as a fan but as someone judging his performance. He draws you in when he's on the screen, and you want to watch to see what he will say or do. A natural - and I think everyone would see this film and ask why didn't he do more?

For Los Angeles music trivia buffs, watch and listen very close near the beginning as they are driving in the car, and Dennis is trying to find a radio station. You'll hear the familiar "93 KHJ...." jingle on the radio. I love moments like that in film. There was a similar one with a late 60's film shot in New York where the kids are listening to Dan Ingram on WABC. Totally random but accurate.

[Mike's Beard]

Anyone in the US with Comcast "On Demand" service, I was just able to watch the film free of charge about 4-5 weeks ago by simply browsing through the "free movies" section while battling another bout of insomnia. And it was a very, very good print/transfer of the film as far as I could tell, better than what had been out there on VHS or dubbed copies before.

I was going to post here about a few thoughts and a revisiting of the movie, but then I though Nah - no one wants to read what someone might think when they can dial it up for free on Comcast and watch it themselves.

It's a totally captivating film, one which you can get a bit confused by at times, one which you need to think what just happened because the initial surface reaction would seem to miss it, and it's also one which you ultimately might come away thinking the whole film was about two guys who shut out everything else in their lives because they loved being around cars, but then you'd reconsider and say that's too easy and too simple to base an entire movie.

Two thoughts: Dennis Wilson was *superb* in this film, and I say this not as a fan but as someone judging his performance. He draws you in when he's on the screen, and you want to watch to see what he will say or do. A natural - and I think everyone would see this film and ask why didn't he do more?

For Los Angeles music trivia buffs, watch and listen very close near the beginning as they are driving in the car, and Dennis is trying to find a radio station. You'll hear the familiar "93 KHJ...." jingle on the radio. I love moments like that in film. There was a similar one with a late 60's film shot in New York where the kids are listening to Dan Ingram on WABC. Totally random but accurate.

Until you mentioned Dennis Wilson in the forth paragraph I honestly thought you were talking about Silent Night, Deadly Night 3.

[guitarfool2002]

Since the topic being discussed was Two Lane Blacktop, I don't understand the confusion. 

Tina Delgado is alive...

[?]

It's nice to see this film finally getting its due.  It wasn't so long ago that people were walking out of a screening at Cannes.  Now will someone tell me how the genius that made this could possibly end up directing Silent Night Deadly Night 3?

(I kind of like SNDN3, but you know...)

You mean there's a Silent Night Deadly Night part three?? Surely it can't possibly be better than part 2, with that lead actors incredible dancing eyebrows?

You know, in its own way it's even nuttier than part 2.  What's really crazy is it's somehow still recognizable as a Hellman film.  There are a few brief moments where it veers off into existential territory and just for a minute you forget what you're watching.

There is also a completely unrelated part 4, part 5 (starring Mickey Rooney of all people), and remake.

[MBE]

Very proud for Dennis. It's not my favorite movie but the music was very cool it was well shot, and Dennis has that certain "it" factor that makes someone a star.

[Steve Mayo]

i'm glad the film is getting this honor...i remember back in 1971, i believe it was in cashbox magazine, how dennis and others wanted to purchase the rights of the movie for 1 million dollars saying the movie was not being promoted right and not being shown in the right theaters (something like that). nice little article. too bad for me it was in the bag of material of the group under my bed that mom threw out when i went to college. moms...gotta love 'em!

[bgas]

Some nice excerpts of another 1971 article, courtesy of Dan Addington:   

http://www.danaddington.com/denny/mag.html

[Jason]

I'm sure it's been mentioned... but Criterion is releasing this in Jan.  I'm all over this.  Never seen it... but looks cool...

Criterion has had a DVD release of this for a few years. Good that it's coming to Blu-ray as well.

[guitarfool2002]

Listening to a radio show today that featured a film critic, they were discussing some great "sleeper" films to watch over the holiday week, tying it in with the preservation list mentioned in this thread. The critic specifically mentioned Two Lane Blacktop as a must-see film, and had high praise for it - and was glad to see it make the list, which is quite an honor.

He also mentioned a period article in Esquire magazine from the time the film was originally released, actually he said it was a cover story lavishing praise on the film, calling it one of the great films or something similar. I have not checked the print/magazine archive section here, but is that article posted or does anyone know of it or have it in their collection?