Hot Rod Movies on TCM

[Richard Bartrop]

I just noticed that TCM is showing Hot Rod Gang and the Ghost of Drag Strip Hollow, for those of you who are into that sort of thing.

[Mike999]

Thanks, I meant to post a heads-up earlier today but got busy. 

If anyone is still up late and reading: you might want to set the DVR (or coffee maker) for TCM at 1:30 AM EST Wed. morning.  TCM is showing "The Fast & The Furious" from 1955. With John Ireland and Dorothy Malone, a combination of crime drama and sports-car racing movie.

Watch for producer Roger Corman in a bit part as one of the drivers.  Like most Corman movies, this one was shot quick (9 days) and cheap. It uses tons of stock footage from California road races in the early Fifties.  That means we get to see plenty of vintage Jaguars, Triumphs, MGs etc. tearing up the roads.

And yes, the producers of the 2001-up "Fast & Furious" franchise had to pay Roger Corman for title rights to the movie.  I have Corman's book "How I Made A Hundred Movies In Hollywood And Never Lost A Dime."  It's a great read. 

[Chuck Most]

^Corman is a minor god.

[THarrison351]

 No Cable

[Richard Bartrop]

Hot Rod Gang was entertaining, and starred a few famous rods, including the Ala Kart, and what looked like Ricky Nelson's '32 Roadster.

[Ramfins59]

Yeah, I watched Hot Rod and Hot Rod Gang...... Some cool old nostalgia Rods and 50's cars...

[Bucket T]

The first Hot Rod movie they showed last night was a Monogram Films production.  I wonder if it's related to the model company.

[cobraman]

They ran a bunch back to back so I saw that and have them all recorded. : )

[High octane]

I'm into enough model car and 1:1 car stuff already and don't have the time for cars on TV. Recently picked up the new The Fate of the Furious DVD a few weeks ago and still haven't watched it, even though I already saw the movie at the theater earlier this year. NO cars on TV for me, now if only I could stop watching baseball???

[Mike999]

The first Hot Rod movie they showed last night was a Monogram Films production.  I wonder if it's related to the model company.

Not likely. Monogram Pictures ceased to exist in 1953, when it became part of Allied Artists.  Many years ago I lived in Darkest Hollywood (between Sunset and Hollywood Blvds., near Western Ave.)  That was pretty close to the old "Gower Gulch" and "Poverty Row" areas, where many of the smaller movie studios like Monogram had their headquarters.  It was always fun walking around there and thinking, "If these streets could talk..."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monogram_Pictures

I thought "Hot Rod Gang" had too much nonsense and not enough hot-rod gangin'.  But I did enjoy the brief glimpses of the Ala Karte, and it was fun seeing Gene Vincent.

[Lunajammer]

I only caught the last 10-minutes of the Monogram film and had to leave before the next one started. Looked like a fun lineup of hot rod movies though. I give TCM creds for thinking outside the box a little bit.

[Richard Bartrop]

For some reason, probably licensing issues, u here they swapped out Hot Rod for Red Hot Wheels, but a 1935 film about auto racing is still good.