Genres: Drama, Road Trips, Cars / Automobiles, Auto Racing, Criterion Collection, 70s
Cast: James Taylor, Dennis Wilson, Laurie Bird, Warren Oates
Director: Monte Hellman
Synopsis: Drag racing east from L.A. in a souped-up '55 Chevy are the wayward Driver and Mechanic (singer/songwriter James Taylor and the Beach Boys'Dennis Wilson, in their only acting roles), accompanied by a tagalong Girl (Cockfighter's Laurie Bird). Along the way, they meet Warren Oates's Pontiac GTO–driving wanderer and challenge him to a cross-country race—the prize: their cars' pink slips. But no summary can do justice to the existential punch of TWO-LANE BLACKTOP. With its gorgeous widescreen compositions and sophisticated look at American male obsession, this stripped-down narrative from maverick director Monte Hellman (The Shooting) is one of the artistic high points of 1970s cinema, and possibly the greatest road movie ever made.
Language: English
Country of Origin: United States of America
Production Year: 1971
Reviews:
- "The quintessential road movie.", The Village Voice
- "Monte Hellman gets my vote as the cinema's most underappreciated great director.", Kent Jones, Film Comment
- Release Date: Jan 8th, 2013
- Catalog Number: CC2219BD
- UPC: 715515102414
- Rating: R
- Run Time: 103
- Color Format: Color
- Audio: DTS HD Master Audio 5.1
- Language: English
- 16:9: Yes
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of Discs: 1
- Closed Captions: No
- Subtitle: English
- Special Features:
Restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised by director Monte Hellman
Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack, supervised by Hellman
Two audio commentaries
Interviews with Hellman, actor James Taylor, and musician Kris Kristofferson
Screen test outtakes
Performance and Image, a look at the restoration of a '55 Chevy in the movie
Color Me Gone, photos and publicity from Two-Lane Blacktop
Trailer
PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Kent Jones and more!
- Release Date: Dec 11th, 2007
- Catalog Number: CC1729DDVD
- UPC: 715515026925
- Rating: R
- Run Time: 103
- Color Format: Color
- Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Language: English
- 16:9: Yes
- Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
- Number of Discs: 2
- Closed Captions: No
- Subtitle:
- Special Features:
Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack
New, restored high-definition digital transfer, approved by director Hellman
Audio commentary by Hellman and filmmaker Allison Anders
Audio commentary by screenwriter Rudy Wurlitzer and author David Meyer
Interviews with Hellman, musician Kris Kristofferson, producer Michael Laughlin
and production manager Walter Coblenz
Rare, never-before-seen screen test outtakes
Performance and Image, a look at the restoration of a '55 Chevy from the movie
Color Me Gone, photos and publicity from Two-Lane Blacktop
Original theatrical trailer
PLUS: Wurlitzer's screenplay, reprinted specially for this release
A new essay by Kent Jones; appreciations by Richard Linklater and Tom Waits
Reprint of 1970 Rolling Stone article "On Route 66, Filming Two-Lane Blacktop"
Exclusive interview with James Taylor by director Monte Hellman
