Mag Wheels (1978) Online

MAG WHEELS isn't as downbeat and sleazy as the innocent-sounding MALIBU HIGH from 1979, but isn't as airy and cheerful as MALIBU BEACH (1978), either. It falls somewhere in between. There's everything you might expect from this kind of movie: Girls in bikinis, custom vans, pick-up trucks, teen hangouts, skateboarding (at the Boogie Bowl) + lecherous bosses and a singular lack of plot. (Not that anyone watches these kind of movies because they're 'plot-heavy'!).

The main female character in the movie, Anita, has a home life from Hell due to her complete jerk of a father. Her school life also takes an ugly turn after a fight in class with another girl and then finally she tries to stop a "drag-out" between rival factions of girls and boys at her school. That's it, you say? YES! And don't forget about the groovy tunes by the garage band "THE WORD", especially the 'Anita' song (which I still can't get out of my head . . . ). Remember, though, if you decide to watch this it isn't as light-hearted as the video box would lead you to believe. There is some definite darkness here and all in all the movie has a real mishmash of tone. But if you like '70's Drive-In Movies (I do!) then check it out. Also worth noting is that of all the movies I've ever watched -- and I've watched a lot of movies -- this has the singularly most screwed up "happy ending" I've ever seen.

Released in a BIG box by Active Home Video in 1985 under the re-title "SUMMER SCHOOL".

Endless love, pot and heavy petting amidst a battle of the sexes between two rival surfie van gangs. Director Buckajew has filmed his share of teen flesh helming 60s backwoods nudies (The Pigkeeper's Daughter, Country Cuzzins) for Harry Novak's Box Office International (who also had Mag Wheels producer Peter Perry, aka 'AP Sootsberry', on the payroll), but takes time out to include other teensploitation essentials - frisbees, pinball, lame-o skateboarding, and those whacking paddles they used in Dazed And Confused - all from that awkward cultural limbo between Alice Cooper and John Travolta. Good to see jocks are the heroes and the nerds are zeroes, and that Women's Liberation had progressed to lines like `I'm Rachel. Fly me.' John Laughlin (here billed as "McLaughlin"), cast years later as Kathleen Turner's sex toy in Crimes Of Passion, heads a gormless no-name roster.

This film is so inept, so awful that it is amazingly entertaining. Hack director Bethel Buckelew who made some money with sleazy drive-in hits like Pigkeeper's Daughter (where one wants to shower immediately after watching it)he decides to move to the beaches of Cal-y-fornia where there a busty babes, vans, pick up trucks, pot smoking, bad acting, endless scenes of frizzy haired teens skateboarding at the teen hang-out The Boogie Bowl and, oh yes, some very unpleasant rape scenes. The acting is hilariously off, flubbed lines, badly shot van chases and a rock score with songs that scream out "Lounge Act"!!! For fans who love trash and cheese, this one is for you.

Not as light-hearted as most of the '70s sun-and-sand teensploitation flicks of its time, MAG WHEELS (released on video as SUMMER SCHOOL) concentrates on the rivalries between the local high school van-drivin' dudes and the tough pickup truck-drivin' chicks. When studly van-drivin' Steve starts to get friendly with Anita, the new girl in town, his girlfriend Donna gets really p***ed off -- so p***ed off she's out for revenge. After a long night of waiting tables at the Boogie Bowl, the local skate park and hangout, Anita has to fight off her sleazy boss, only to be nearly run off the road on her way home by the vengeful Donna. Upon her return home, Anita is reproached by her father, who refuses to listen to any explanation as to why Anita is late, and takes away her car privileges. Further angered after seeing Steve with Anita at the Boogie Bowl, devious Donna suggests that Steve should cop some weed from her cousin, then secretly phones the police. After his near-arrest, Steve is convinced by Donna that the only person who could have alerted the police was the waitress (Anita), who had overheard their conversation. When Anita's pickup-drivin' friend, Jill, gives Anita a lift, they find they're being followed by all the van guys -- too many for them to escape! Jill uses her C.B. to radio for help from her pickup friends, but the vans cut them off before backup arrives. The guys force Jill and Anita out of the truck and attempt to rape them before the pickup chicks arrive and start kickin' a**. The next day at school, Donna starts a fight (Catfight!) with Anita, and Anita is expelled. Wanting to get revenge, Jill and Anita challenge the van guys to a "drag-out." When Anita learns that people may die or be seriously injured in the drag-out -- which is a game of tug-of-war using vans vs. pickup trucks over a deep ravine -- she tries to stop the proceedings... But will she be too late?

Poorly acted and made on what appears to be a shoestring budget, MAG WHEELS, sends out a mixed message to its viewers. While it seems to be in support of women's rights, there's also a subtext of misogyny. The tough truck-drivin' chicks are shown in a positive light -- they are able to take care of themselves, beat the guys in a drag race, and kick a** when necessary. And although the guys unflatteringly refer to them as "lezzies," this label is shown to be unfounded in one of the obligatory skin-baring scenes the genre requires. Yet it is the aggression against women (which is not shown to be unacceptable) that is most disturbing. After fighting off her sleazy boss one night, Anita (unbelievably) returns to work. And even though she is angry after Steve and his van buddies assault her and Jill, when Jill makes a slur against Steve, Anita says, "he's not that bad." Huh?!!! From would-be boyfriend to would-be-gang-rapist and HE'S NOT THAT BAD? Apparently Anita's father's constant berating has damaged his little girl's self-esteem.

In spite of its flaws, I actually liked MAG WHEELS. I love '70s movies with a capital L - O - V and E, and though this is certainly not the best of its genre, neither is it the worst. The story of two girls in rivalry over a guy may be played-out, but the van-drivin' dudes vs. pickup-drivin' chicks angle was new on me. On the upside there's an attractive young cast of unknowns, plenty of action, lots of bikinis (and the '70s bodies to fill 'em -- you know what I mean), beach-frolicking, drag racing, van-rockin', cat-fighting, and even a little skateboarding thrown in for good measure. Oh, and for you guys: yes, breasts-n-bottoms-baring aplenty! On the downside the the dialogue is bad, the acting worse, and characters' actions are too mean-spirited for a teen romp. I was also pretty put-off by the lame attempts at comic relief (which are neither comic nor a relief) involving a nerdy pledge being ordered around by the van dudes. Wait a minute... isn't this supposed to be high school? Are the van guys in some sort of van fraternity or secret van society? And if this nerd is really some kind of pledge to join the van club, shouldn't he be driving a van (preferably one with mag wheels!)? But if you like '70s low-to-no budget teen movies (You know who you are!), you'll probably dig this one, too! Others beware.

Anybody who use to watch USA Network's show UP ALL NIGHT in the late 1980's has probably seen this movie. I recently had the fortune of getting an original VHS copy.

This is a must see for anybody looking for a cheesy movie about teenagers who drive vans and pick-ups, hang out at the beach, skateboard at the Boogie Bowl and party at the lake. The story revolves around a new girl at school and the tension she causes when the local stud falls for her. The characters are completely addicted to using the phrase "shine it" and the best line of the movie comes from a tuff chick who after being put down emphatically says "I'm Jill, Fly Me!".

Directed by Southern skin flick legend Bethel Buckalew. Summer School does not appear to be the original title but a new name for the video release. After reading a review for Buckalew's film "Mag Wheels" they are the same movie and this is probably the original title.

Cool van-driving stud Steve (handsome John Laughlin in his film debut) gets the hots for Anita (gorgeously buxom and shapely knockout Shelly Horner), who's the new girl in town. However, this doesn't go over well with his bitchy and jealous girlfriend Donna (venomously played to the snarky hilt by the cute Verkina Flower, the daughter of the one and only George "Buck" Flower), who sets Steve up by telling the police that he's a cocaine dealer. Donna covers her tracks by claiming that Anita ratted Steve out to the cops. This incurs the wrath of Steve's fellow van-driving buddies. Writer/director Bethal Buckalew covers all the pleasingly low-rent teensploitation bases: Unruly and undisciplined adolescents smoking pot, swilling beer, and making out, a satisfying smattering of tasty bare distaff skin, hot babes in bikinis, a ferocious catfight between Anita and Donna, laughably terrible acting by a lame no-name cast (only Laughlin went on to have a pretty decent career in the wake of starring in this movie), raunchy humor, several surprisingly mean-spirited moments (there are a couple of truly nasty attempted rapes), a token Asian gal who busts some karate moves, lots of shockingly un-PC sexism and male chauvinism, tin-eared dialogue laced with hopelessly dated 70's slang ("I don't wanna rap -- I wanna talk!"), and a neat variant on the usual chicken race called a "Drag-Out" which consists of two automobiles tied together by ropes playing a deadly game of tug of war over a steep precipice. Moreover, this flick serves as a nifty time capsule of the 70's Californian van and skateboarding scenes. Both Bill Schereck's funky-throbbing score and a handful of groovy songs by The Word hit the right-on happening spot. The competent cinematography by Willie E. Hines provides an attractive sunny look. An absolute cruddy riot.

Hot '70s chicks,cool vans,Paradise Cove beach in Malibu,some pinball,some skateboarding,some good music and some boobs! And if you look hard enough you'll notice gas was .59 cents a gallon and you will see the Paradise Cove pier before it was destroyed a couple years after filming(from high surf and never rebuilt).

Not really a comedy and maybe less boobs than you'd like, but its good 'ol 70's fun (at least until the third act when there are a some not fun things) Would have liked to seen more of Shelly Horner,movie-wise and topless-wise.

Drive-In style fun with great 1970s vibe. If you've got 81 minutes to spare...check it out!

There I was, in the video shop, and here was a desperate pic as I couldn't find any others to watch. My friend watched it me. Twice, one time about thirty minutes into it, he said "This is f..ked", the other time as it's sudden end, he said "That was f..ked". I too shared his opinion somewhat. I happened to like John Laughlin as an actor, this his first film I'm pretty sure. That's the reason I hired it. I started taking an interest in this guy's acting after seeing him in Crimes of Passion, and most recently The Rock, which he was great. Here, the director was going just on his good looks. Also known as Summer School, not mistaking that Mark Harmon movie of 88, Mag Wheels is simply a story set at a Californian high school where Steve and his buddies, and their chicks, chill out at the beach. Steve lays his eyes on a new honey, Anita, which his current girlfriend's not too happy about. You know you're man's fixated on another girl, when he keeps repeating her name, after having just met her, and that doesn't sit well with his old lady. So her and her friends, decide to teach this new fish a lesson, by having Steve arrested for drugs, and setting her up as a fibber which has dramatic consequences for her, involving a rape and a near death at the end in a van dare on a canyon, where you find out Steve really cares for her. So, guys are only human right. The bitch fight scene, earlier, in the classroom, between the two girl enemies, also works to Anita's disadvantage. So it's proper they should write a song after her, also used in a montage, featuring Laughlin and her as they get to know each other better. So you got a crappy film that starts out as a comedy and ends quite dramatically. The first three minutes at the beach, with the guys and girls getting wet, playing volleyball over music is absolutely pointless, you might as have them improvising. There are funny parts to this movie, this older geek (Saul Rubinek looking guy) trying to fit in with Steve and his mates, forever belting out tunes on his guitar. In one scene while he's playing one of his songs, (this actor has quite a potent voice) a couple are doing it in a van, as it rolls back and forth. This scene, I loved. It's about the only dirty scene in the whole of this dry film. Mag Wheels as this film is better known, falls pretty weak, into a status that's pretty pathetic. It's has quite dramatic moments, here and there, that work, the rape scene a bit hard to take, but the whole affair is pretty fruitless. This piece of 70's American crap, that runs similar lines with that much higher quality flick, Malibu High, does have some funny moments too, but this is just a time waster of little substance. Keep this film where it belongs, at the drive in, it's existence in video stores, almost not worth the hassle.