What, I wonder, prompted the filmmakers to think, “let’s have a character that can’t talk and mostly stands around doing nothing?”
Fun fact about Jeff Gillen (the actor who portrays Fats). Later in his career, he would appear in A Christmas Story as the Santa Claus who famously told Ralphy, “You’ll shoot yer eye out, kid.”
“The potential for crossover dollars is something we can’t ignore!”
I wouldn’t be surprised if the movie were a vehicle for a soundtrack first and foremost.
And Willie Pastrano, who we see as the high-strung Banjo, was a light heavyweight boxing champ. He even served as a sparring partner for Muhammad Ali during an earlier part of the latter’s career.
The bar where Steve sang his best song (cut from the mst3k version) was a place called Trader John’s in North Dade County, the house band was the Birdwatchers (who you see in the MST3K version).
I found this page where folks were talking about the bar, no photos for TJs, but they posted one under its previous name, the Carousel Lounge.
Episode-wise, Rebels is the only season 2 biker experiment I truly enjoy and can sit through without feeling grimy (though, yes, they are murdering dirt bags), the characters are colorful, and I get a lot of laughs - there’s a lot of quotable moments in both film and riff, (“My lunch goes BLEEH”, and “That square bugs me, he really bugs me!”)
BTW, we talked about the cut song here, if you want to hear it…
I’d definitely agree this is the best of the motorcycle flicks (with kicks!) This was one of the episodes my non-MSTie ex was more willing to sit through, because it “feels like an actual movie.” Plus, that intellectual biker gang host segment is top-tier for me.
“Richard Basehart?” “No, sorry, Gypsy.” “Oooh.” “Poor girl.”
If there’s one thing I wish they had kept in the modern GPC/GPC-2, it would be a deep and everlasting love for Richard Basehart.
One of three GPC appearances in the theater in the classic era, too!
The first of which is in Untamed Youth, where she helps to replicate the onscreen cotton.
The third being the most prominent example, Hercules and the Captive Women, where she begs to watch the movie, gets to do so, and then realizes that that might not be such a good idea.
We DO get to hear her voice in Soultaker as an offscreen Crow desperately begs her for some Visine.
Does anyone know what town stood in for Citrusville and where the lighthouse is (was)? Rumor has it that Jupiter, FL was the location. Anyone know anymore on this?
Another great scene, Rod’s impromptu auction on the hood of a car and the disappearing then reappearing guitar in the trailer.
High strung Banjo! I don’t if that pun was intentional or not but I love it!
Heh, I wish I could take credit for that, but I can’t! That’s a paraphrase of a riff within the episode itself.
I know I’ve mentioned before but these trio of Biker Movies in Season Two are among the toughest for me. That said, this is the one I like the most because, as said, it’s most engaging and action packed. If I want to give them another look again, this is the one I usually choose.
And this also has the standout Wild Rebels Cereal!
Me too. A defining trait of hers. Much like Crow and Kim Cattrrall, the obsession implied something about them.
Well done on the research Bruce! I’ve been to Florida on the Atlantic side many times but could never figure out where this was filmed!
I had a sneaky suspicion that Citrusville was indeed Jupiter but never could confirm it. The raceway was easier (it’s on the wall of the raceway). Still, I wish the lighthouse was still standing (I’m sure it’s not). Would have been awesome to see it.
Same. The lighthouse is what I fell for when I ran into Wild Rebels (1967). The astounding setpiece set around it blew my mind and burned into my head. That and the wacky score and top notch joking by Joel and the Bots.
I read that William Grefe made a couple of these movies. I’d love to see the others. Apparently he used alot of the same cast and crew.