Dead End Drive-in Movie Review

Title: Dead End Drive-in

Format: DVD 

Year: 1986

Label: Arrow Video

Wow! This movie is more 80s than Purple Rain. And the music is better too.....well almost.

Although you would be mistaken for thinking that the 80s ingested it's self and spewed it's self back up causing a teenage mutant post-apocalyptic punk party - scratch that, you're probably right.

This movie is mental. And it works.

It's the distant future...maybe.....and the world ( or Australia ) is full of punks called cowboys who cause mayhem and destruction. The police are useless and dirty. A young jogger named Crabs takes his girlfriend to a drive in cinema. 

This is where the movie takes a crazy turn. Crabs and his girlfriend find themselves stranded after their car's wheels are stolen. It turns out that there are hundreds of people stranded in the drive-in and there is no escape. It reminds me of an abstract reworking of The Prisoner TV series, and it works pretty well.

All of the characters, costumes, props and locations are cool. There is only one gripe - the drive in is meant to be cut off from the world with only an S-road outside with miles to the next settlement - at least that's how I understood it, but you can clearly see houses outside of the walls when crane shots are used. Not a major flaw by any stretch.

Talking of crane shots - The direction is excellent. The camera movements, framing and pace are spot on.

As usual the Arrow video release is very good. The transfer looks great and the audio is excellent as too is the soundtrack.

All in all a quirky 80s Australian hidden gem and definitely worth checking out if you're an 80s fan.

UK Films Rating: 6.5/10
Release Rating: 8/10 - Excellent all round.
Did James like it? Yes