Dragstrip Girl

Year of Release: 1994
Genre: Teen / Romance
Rating: R for language and sexuality.
Director: Mary Lambert
Starring: Mark Dacascos, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Traci Lords, Raymond Cruz, Richard Portnow, Frederick Coffin

Date Of Review: March 2008

“Dragstrip Girl” is a made for TV throwback to 1950s teen movies and hot rod flicks. In fact “Dragstrip Girl” is a road that has already been traveled, way back in 1957 when American International released the B-movie cheapie of the same name. The original film starred John Ashley (“Beach Blanket Bingo”) and Fay Spain (“Hercules And The Captive Women”) and created a buzz with teens on the cinema and drive-in circuit. The only upgrade with this 90s remake is its coarse language and a few raunchy bedroom scenes (former adult film star Traci Lords pops up as a hooker), not to mention this new version is in living technicolor. Made in 1994 and set in the 1950s it is not unlike any other JD film of a bygone era. It has just what you would expect, a low-budget, good looking teens, some period flavor and hot rod cars. What this new version also has is a weak script, lackluster performances, dingy back-lot sets and poor lighting.  In fact some of the acting is bordering on abysmal. You could almost say that “Dragstrip Girl” is only interesting when the film’s lead Mark Dacascos is on the screen and that’s saying something!

Kung Fu star Mark Dacascos ("Double Dragon") and Natasha Gregson Wagner make a cute on-screen couple in this “Rebel Without A Cause” knockoff but unfortunately the film goes nowhere fast and the script doesn’t give them much to do. It’s interesting to see Mark Dacascos in a non-martial arts role but even he can’t save the film. Dacascos is out of his element in a straight teen drama but he still gives it his best shot doing a James Dean imitation. The big mistake this film makes is that it’s just not convincing seeing Dacascos getting beaten to a pulp by a couple of two-bit high school hoods when you know that he’s a martial arts expert who has starred in his own series of Kung Fu films. It just doesn’t work. It’s like putting soccer legend Pele in a film and making out he can’t kick a goal. It’s just not convincing. Natalie Wood’s daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner (Robert Wagner’s adopted step-daughter), is well-cast as the female lead and tries very hard to recapture the essence of her mother’s most famous role in the classic “Rebel Without A Cause” but this film will never be a classic and sadly Wagner is let down by the poor characterization on offer . Amazingly, Wagner has an uncanny resemblance to a young Diane Lane and reminded me more of Lane in “The Outsiders” than of Wood in “Rebel Without A Cause”.

Also, you know something is wrong when the filmmakers decide to make a period piece and then can’t even get the soundtrack right. Yes, “Dragstip Girl” has possibly the poorest selection of 1950s rock n roll songs ever assembled for a JD film. It certainly doesn’t live up to its title either as there is not really much drag strip action in the film. The run-ins Dacascos has with his girlfriend’s former boyfriend do generate some tension but it’s all half-baked and ultimately not a real lot happens. There is another character that Dacascos has conflict with, that does raise some interest, but that’s only because he looks like a dodgy cross-between a white Snoop Doggy Dogg (“Starsky And Hutch”) and a goatee-clad Lee Van Cleef (“The Good The Bad And The Ugly”).  We do eventually get a drag race finale that attempts to emulate the chicken-run scene from “Rebel Without A Cause” but it’s just not exciting at all. To cap it off the race has a pathetic, depressing ending to boot. You would not believe it, but they even kill-off Dacascos’ wheel-chair bound little brother. A bum-note if ever there was one. 

Finally, it states in the end credits that the filmmakers had to get permission from American International to use the title but I am sure if American International had any idea about the quality of the finished product they may have thought twice about coughing up the rights.  Sadly “Dragstrip Girl”, lacks energy and plods along like a hot rod with a busted radiator. It’s no more than cheap teen melodrama with wooden performances and very few thrills. I give this flick one star and that’s just for the hot rods and Mark Dacascos’ hairstyle.  Unless you have to see every Mark Dacascos film ever made or every hot rod flick ever made avoid this at all costs. Actually, some people like bad movies and if you are one of those people then you will certainly get unintentional laughs and some entertainment value from this one.

© Copyright Pick Of The Flicks. All rights reserved.

Mark Dacascos DVD Collection - Now Available:
Click here for Mark Dacascos Movies on DVD

Natasha Wagner DVD Collection - Now Available:
Click here for Natasha Gregson Wagner Movies on DVD

Pick Of The Flicks - Recommended Links:
Mark Dacascos at Hollywood Cult Movies
Kung Fu Masters at Hollywood Cult Movies

Teen Movies Of The 90s at Hollywood Teen Movies
Tony's Cult Movies, Blockbusters & Classics

Pick Of The Flicks Blog Spot / Messageboard:
Click here to have your say or see what others are saying

Use the search bars below to search our site, find your favorite movie or find your favorite poster:

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.pickoftheflicks.com