Behind the wheel and Two-Lane Blacktop

The first time I saw Two-Lane Blacktop, about 3 years ago, it washed over me like a summer afternoon rainstorm. I appreciated some of the imagery and ideas behind it, but was also somewhat put off by it. It was unlike anything I'd seen. I had a friend over (Nathan who's also into film), who watched it with me. He didn't seem very moved by it so I don't recall speaking much about it and we quickly moved on to the rest of our day.

It wasn't until about 2 years later when I was staying with my parents for the summer working construction for my brother's company, pretty bored, the movie came rushing back into my conscience. I hadn't seen it, read about it, much less heard about it in that window of time but all the sudden it was firmly planted into my mind. And I'd seen other road movies and ones from that time: Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces, Badlands, Motorcycle Diaries, Bonnie and Clyde, Y Tu Mama Tambien, just to name a few. So why this one? And why now, right?

Well, first of all, to back track a bit, I decided to sublet my room at my apartment in Austin for the summer for a few reasons: A) I needed/wanted to save up some money to put down on a new (newer used) car. B) A buddy of mine had sorta asked me if he could stay there because he wanted to stay in Austin one last summer before he moved away to law school so it was also a favor to him. C) A couple buddies from back home got a nice place in a good part of town in Baton Rouge and were doing a lot of partying and it sounded fun and I could stay with them whenever I wanted especially when I got tired of being at the 'rents. D) And finally because I had been chatting it up with a couple special lady friends that I figured I could spent some quality time with.

So with all that in mind it made sense and seemed like a worthwhile venture. My car then, a 1996 Honda Accord with 265,000 miles on it was showing its age finally. It was time for a new one. I began my search for local used cars. I searched far and wide. Test drove many cars - which even included an 80 mile ride one-way out to Slidell to look at a particular one. I finally settled on the exact equivalent of my old car, just 11 years newer. Same color and everything. During this thorough search I got grasp of what I was looking for in a vehicle - for a budget of course: Make, model, trim, color, mileage, engine, aftermarket parts, accessories- leather vs. cloth, aluminum vs. alloy, 5 spoke vs. 10 spoke, sunroof vs. moonroof, CD player vs. 6 disc changer, 4 cylinder vs. 6 cylinder, coupe vs. sedan (vs. SUV), older model vs. newer model, on and on. You get the point.

So now I got my car and I'm ready to party. I call up my buddies, but now all the sudden they're busy and can't go hang out with me tonight. They up and got girlfriends. The two single friends I had left. I hit up those other gals and they're busy - doing God knows what - washing their hair, re-lacing old shoes, whatever. So I'm on my own. Which is fine. I'm used to it by now. And I gotta go to work early in the morning anyway. I get to see my older brother, work outside, do manly stuff, shoot the shit and sample all the lunches in town - like we used to. Except now I only see him briefly in the morning - he points me to certain menial tasks and he's off to check on other million-dollar jobs he's in charge of. Not to mention, it's June, in south Louisiana. It's 96 in the shade with 100% humidity. That sort of sweat and strife can do weird things to a psyche. And I found often times during work hours wanting just to hop in my car and take off down the winding back country roads - just driving, wandering, to no where, aimless. And when I was driving home or anywhere I preferred to take the scenic route. There was a movie I had seen once that reminded me of these thoughts and feelings...and it hit me. Two-Lane Blacktop.

It's strange how these things can creep up on you. Things you can't even articulate. And that was a quality I could still feel in my initial screening of the film. I didn't really remember much detail about the movie otherwise. Mainly how the 2 main characters didn't talk much. There were no specific names for the characters. It was simply 'the driver,' the mechanic,''GTO,' and 'the gir.' They were more metaphorical. They got their thrills driving down the highway looking for car races. And living off their winnings. The character that intrigued me most was 'The Driver' (played by James Taylor).

There was a DVD sale going on so I decided to go ahead and buy it. I watched it for the 2nd time and it was an entirely new experience (sorta like Fight Club was the 2nd time around years later). I could relate to all the characters now and was particularly intrigued by Warren Oates' character 'GTO.' He was the most interesting and complex and entertaining. And the movie re-defined the 'road movie.' It seemed to transcend the genre. Reading some of the reviews for it and listening to the commentaries (on Criterion's release) for the film, I realized the road movie, or at least the notion of 'the road' was something that was intrinsic in me, and likely everyone else too - that's human. Hence the popularity of the genre. I thought of all the road movies I had seen and ones that could arguably be considered road movies. Less obvious ones like: Dumb and Dumber, La Strada (that one should be obvious I know), Little Miss Sunshine, Paris, Texas, The Searchers, Stand By Me, Wizard of Oz, etc.- almost an endless list. (here's a good one that includes 276 titles http://www.listal.com/list/road-movies-htsun) Which even included a film I made - a very personal one - my thesis film - it begins and ends 'on the road.' The thought had never occurred to me before.

And now I sit here before you taking a break from penning a script - another near and dear - I've had in mind for the past 2 years - revising several drafts - that begins and ultimately ends 'on the road.' Also I felt the need to revisit 'Two Lane Blacktop' again today. The unspoken dialogue between the three young leads didn't bother me anymore. I noticed the little nuances in the performances. Although at times rather amateurish, those little imperfections add to the general sincerity of the film. This time around, oddly 'the girl' caught my attention. She remains in the background of all the machismo games - yet she's the driving force (pun intended) behind them. And she gets her kicks being bantered (irony) about till finally she grows tired of all their ideas for destinations and decides this other stranger might have new and better ideas and rides off with him. And when she goes, she leaves all her stuff behind. In that moment she's freer than the 3 male leads and they appear trapped and bewildered. Evidence of them seemingly calling off the big race once she leaves. I also noticed all the bits of Americana in it, that existed then and only then (many locations which are no longer there)- creating an ephemeral quality about it, as well as capturing the time and place (on film) cementing it into historical context - and cinema lore. It's difficult to articulate entirely what it is about this film that's so special - but I know it's resonating with a few many people who have seen it and allowed themselves to be swept up in it. The ambiguity of it all. Where they going? "East." What are they doing here? "Just passin' through." It seems often times these characters - like such in Easy Rider - are from the West, are enlightened and are travelling east to no where in particular other than to see the sights and try to avoid those who are threatened by their obvious emblazoned freedom.

I believe the road movie speaks to our inner spirit. A calling, to the wild nature ingrained in ourselves. Inviting us to explore the wide open horizon - in our metal machines on wheels - going full throttle. Because, as GTO would tell us, "those satisfactions are permanent."


Footnote: To add some anecdotal evidence to the mix, during a recent trip to the video store (Vulcan) I asked the clerks there for some recommendations for road movies, especially 70's and the first one mentioned was Two-Lane Blacktop. I told them I'd seen it, liked it a lot, and they should use it as the basis for their recommendations for me.

final note: Sorry this ran a little long, but I felt the back story was important. And life is in the details. And besides, brevity is overrated.