paperhose I've seen Two-Lane over 50 times. It's my favorite film. I like late '80s East German movies a lot, especially documentaries by Helke Misselwitz.
It's used in the scene were Warren Oates -- who really provides the relief in the film cuz Laurie Bird doesn't go down easy -- is setting up the stakes with Wilson and Taylor at that gas station in New Mexico.
The movie got made cuz of Easy Rider. The screenwriter is a genius -- Rudy Wurlitzer.
There's no real point to the film. I'm not trying to get deep here -- that's what Wurlitzer has said. The film is just a snapshot of people moving through space. There's no start or end, so to speak. Wurlitzer had never written a film script before and most of the people in the film, outside of Oates and Harry Dean and some extras, had never acted. It's shot and looks like Bill Eggleston's photos -- or Stephen Shore. It's more Southwest.
I worked at a hot rod shop and I've built cars. I've always had cars from the '50s, being from Los Angeles. That car was built by Richard Ruth and what adds to the film is that it's the real deal. 454, Muncie 4, custom headers, gasser with rear disc brakes in '71. Most of those films used cars cobbled together that looked the part. Hellman actually had a real car built by a respected LA hot rodder.
It captures the essence of the early '70s. Golden age of capitalism ending, Vietnam was clearly a disaster and there seemed to be little point to anything -- especially for people who didn't agree with New Left politics or the Wallace crowd. Five Easy Pieces was the same, just a little more ham-fisted. It's just an important film that appeals to different segments of people -- hot rodders, film people, etc. -- for very different reasons.
