Pit Stop(1969)

Arrow Blu Ray and DVD collection

A drag racer named Rick Bowman is bailed out of jail by a Figure Eight racing sponsor named Grant Willard. Throughout the film, we see the highs in Bowman's new-found fame, and the lows that show his true character.

The film stars Richard Davalos as Rick Bowman, Brian Donlevy as Grant Willard, Ellen Burstyn as Ellen McLeod, Sid Haig as Hawk Sidney, and Beverly Washburn as Jolene.

A large amount of B-Movies are technically bad films that the audience loves, but this picture beat that stereotype. "Pit Stop" is a brilliant early work by exploitation director Jack Hill. It has a really groovy blues soundtrack, awesome acting by Haig, Davalos, and Burstyn in particular, amazing scenes of racing and action, and a plot-line that is powerful and haunting at the same time. There is also a great balance between the humor and drama, which keeps the movie interesting throughout. I thought the black and white picture was a great idea for the film, because it showcased the vibe of a 50s drive-in movie. This also gave more grit to the atmosphere, which definitely wouldn't have been present in color. What stuck out to me most though was the ending of the film. There was such a deep and heartbreaking look at the person that Rick really is, and it left me with chills. I also liked how the conclusion left plot elements to the imagination, because it created a more realistic look at how the supporting characters would have felt. There wasn't really anything I disliked about "Pit Stop," because it was a brilliant and nearly flawless B-Movie that left me entertained the entire time.

Full view of the Arrow Release

Arrow Video's release of "Pit Stop" was an absolutely amazing collection, because it gave this little known film the release it deserved. The set includes both Blu Ray and DVD copies of the movie, which were approved by Hill himself. While the picture on the Blu Ray isn't flawless(there were occasional specs of dust and such), the transfer is still quite impressive being the available prints are most likely low quality. The extras in this set are much more extensive than any other release, and they include a booklet by critic Glenn Kenny and musicologist Gray Newell, a reversible sleeve, a featurette with Hill called "Crash and Burn," interviews with Sid Haig and Roger Corman, etc. This collection is one of the cheaper from Arrow, and it is definitely worth the money, because it gives a better experience of "Pit Stop" than ever before. 

"Pit Stop" may be an obscure film that most people haven't even heard of, but that does not mean that it should be passed up. I honestly feel that this movie is one of the finest in the underground, and it instantly has become a favorite of mine. There just weren't many films that could express so much in such a simple way, which shows its brilliance fully. I highly recommend "Pit Stop" to any cinephile, because it is a hidden treasure that needs to be found. 

Grade on a B-Movie: 10/10

Blu Ray Review: 9/10