This movie is terrible. The only reason I watched it is because I like AC/DC. It was so boring and tedious - the premise was good, the execution useless.
Hehehe! Soda Machine of Death! Steam Roller of Doom! Green Goblin Truck of . . . Running Over People! The first act of this movie is 100% pure classic. The other 2/3, however, get to be boring and repetative. AC/DC was supremely suited to provide the soundtrack to this wonderful p.o.s. Wasn't Curt played by a youngish Timothy Busfield? Timothy Busfield was also in the horrible remake of this: "Trucks." Poor guy.
I can tell I'm alone on this one, but I love this
film. It's one of thoes "so bad it's good" films.
The fact that AC/DC,one of my all time favorite
bands,did the soundtrack also helps. I agree
somewhat with Warren H. on this one,this movie
begins off pretty good,ya know like an actual
decent movie,but then about half way through it
just kinda runs out of ideas and it just stalls(no
pun intended) for enough time until it gets to the
ending(which is pretty damn lame,they sail off to
an island,weeeeee!). Still,even though it does
peter out about half way through and most of the
excellent AC/DC songs are misused(why the hell is
"For Thoes About To Rock" playing while they go
through a sewer system and what does "You Shook Me
All Night Long" have to do with sailing to an
island? Although other songs like "Who Made Who"
and "Hells Bells" are actually used at fitting
moments),I still watch this movie any time it's on
TV and also ocassionally rent it. BTW,this movie
also responsible for one of the all time worst
lines in horror/sci-fi history: "Imagine you're a
race of aliens." Wooowee,I sure hope that line
wasn't written to be the deep questi
You know that Green Joker Truck. Actually it's face is that of the oldn Spider-Man foe the Green Goblin who killed Spidey's girlfriend and was behind the mind bendingly stupidclone storyline.
THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE IN THE WORLD
Sorry folks, but this movie is truly a stinker and waste of celluloid! Granted, Stephan King is a master of what he does, which is writing the world's best horror novels. But as a director, he just couldn't cut it sad to say. And thats an understatement! The worst thing about this atrocity is all the bad acting and dialogue, not one bit of it is believable. Like everyone else who posted here, I agree the beginning starts out great and with alot of potential, but from there it goes straight downhill without brakes! And like alot of others, AC/DC is also one of my favs but even they couldn't help this trash. After a while of watching this, I got very bored and was actually rooting for all the machines to kill those idiots! Especially that inane moron Yeardley Smith, better known as the voice of Lisa on the Simpson's. I only feel sorry that Mr. King's directoral debut had to be this stinker! Is it any wonder why he never directed any more movies? You figure it out...
I can't believe no one listed the most famous bad line in the entire movie. The one where Curtis manages to dodge the old truck that tries to hit him and Connie says "Curtis, are you dayd?". Actually this is one of my favorite flicks. Sure its a bad movie but its so much fun to watch.
Code Zombie
I love this movie so mucking fuch! It was my favorite release of 1986 (beating out The Fly and Aliens, yes I am a very sick puppy). I was estatic to learn that it is finally coming out on DVD in a letterboxed edition. I contacted Anchor Bay to see if they were going to include a commentary track by King and they said they were certainly trying to. The listing at Amazon does not say one is included, but then again it might be too early to tell.
The softball scene alone is worth the price of admission. But I do have to admit that the first half of the movie is the best, the rest of it kind of sits there and dies.
Also, the bible salesman does die. His nasty death scene (where is head splits open like a ripe cantalope) was cut to get that much desired R rating, as were some other rather nasty demises that were a bit too heavy on the sauce.
I guess I'm alone here when I say that not only did I like this film, I liked it all the way through. The scene there the boy, Deke rides through the neighborhood of dead people, (and a wordless AC/DC piece is playing,) the car chase on the highway, with Curt & Connie being persued by one of the many driverless trucks, (again accompanied by another wordless AC/DC music piece,) the part where the jukebox blows up, the part where Deke finds the bible salesman laying in a ditch, the scene where the military vehicle is shooting up the Dixie Boy, and right afterwards when the people are refilling the trucks to the tune of,"Hells Bells", the scene where the trucks make a direct attack on the Dixie Boy while "Shake Your Foundations" plays, the scene at the abadoned diner, and the final confrontation between Billy and one of the trucks, I loved it all. Oh, well. That's just me.
holy god stephen king can make a b movie! this was great (or horrible). emelio was best in repo man though
I love this movie. Its true: its corny, repetetive, full of fake gore, the acting is terrible (especially by Laura Harrington, Brett). This is what makes this film so great. It's campy. Cheesy. This is a classic cult horror flick, I can watch again and again. Who can help but laugh when the electric knife "bites" Wanda June, or the video game "hypnotizes" the kid, just before it electrocutes him. I love this movie, Bubba.
Not being a stephen king fan but liking emilio (hotty!) I bought this little gem. the only suspense in this bomb is if you can make it to the end of the movie without oxygen. There are very few watchable minutes in this overlong, overblown,overhyped mishmash of a movie.
I saw this movie today but only half of it but It was not bad of a movie. I give it 4 slime drops.
This is my fav movie of all time. I was like six when it came out and I have loved if ever since. The errr 'troll truck' is kick A$$. The best movie ever. I give a big hell yea 2 who ever likes this movie!!!
I liked this movie. . . When I was six. As I have aged, it's become quite drab. The evil elf head on the truck is still cool. And the opening scene on the bridge is brutally wicked. Good stuff. There are some memorable scenes in this one, but I haven't made an effort to watch it since, oh, 1997 or so. Maybe it's about that time again. . . Oh, and when's the last time anyone rented a movie just because Emilio Estevez was in it???
Come on guys, this movie is a violent work of art. I love this film because of the over the top violence. Trucks that kill because of the green s**t! Good enough for me. Plus its got AC/DC music. All this movie needed was some tits, and it would have been perfect. Kill, Kill, Kill!!!!!!!!!
This is one of the greatest movies of all time. I love cheap 80's movies and Emilio!! All that blood and gore rocks, too!
I loved this move.I could not stop laughed about the
pop-machine for so long.I realy like the steemroler part
only it would have bin more funy if it happend to
somewon who deserved it like Mr.Hendershot,the creepy salesmen or my Jr.High principal.AC/DC did a good
music-track but than agan thay always ROCK!
I read the short story and was disappointed in the movie translation. However, when one does NOT expect Gone With The Wind one can have much more fun with a film like this. Campy, cheezy, should've been riffed by Mike (or Joel) and the bots!
I really like the movie I like the mask on the truck!!!! :)
Come on dudes, this movie is priceless. The violence is so fake and gratuitous that you can't help but laugh. The cameo by Stephen King was pretty good. I got a kick out of some guy being killed by a clock. The movie wasn't supposed to be serious! It's a comedy diguised as a horror flick. The AC/DC tunes were an added bonus. I agree, the steamroller and the pop machine were sheer genius. ^_^
Truly one of the most misguided movies ever made. But, in a strange way, oddly compelling.Kinda like watching neighbors fight, you know you shouldnt, you know its wrong, but you just cant help yourself. As a movie, its a piece of crap. As a guilty pleasure, A MASTERPIECE!!!!!
I love this classic. Great soundtrack by AC/DC. This is a true bad classic from the 80's.
'Who made me!'
Truly a classic among great horror movies. I truly fell in love with the violence and suspense of this movie, and yet it was such a low quality it provided comedy at the same time. Surely one of the movies i can watch over and over again.
I love this movie....My fav of all time...
Not to mention AC/DC Music
Awesome movie!!! I have the original Green Goblin head used in the movie!! To check it out visit my site: www.hollywoodpropcollector.com !!
Maybe I need to get a life, but....
1. the reason the cars didn't turn against the people is cuz cars in the 80's weren't electronic. Rhea-M (the comet) was an electromagnetic frequency.
2. yes, the toy truck had the Green Goblin's face, also, inside the truck was a Green Goblin jack-in-a-box.
3. why didn't anyone question what was going on? they all just accepted it, just as they accept we have to breathe to live. "oh, well, there's an alien comet taking over our electronics b/c their planet has no resources left and they need to kill us. RUN!" no questions asked.
4. did you notice they went to save the creepy salesman & then just left him there anyway when they found the kid?
5. this movie shows how naive humans really are, the trucks spared the people's lives in Dixie Boys so they could have someone to feed them, and when the people gave them their last drop of fuel, the trucks attacked. stupid idiots.
6. did anyone notice the jet crashed into the school bus? that was awesome! almost as cool as the steamrolled kid!
With AC/DC , Yeadly Smith, killer electric knives and pin ball games, fat guy on a toilet, how can you wrong. Take the movie for what it is. Loved it.
This movie might of dragged on at parts, but it had a little bit of something for every part of me. I love bad movies, Stephen King, ACDC, The Simpsons (Yeardley Smith)- not to mention the amount of stuff I won't see in any other film (steamrolled kids and projectile vending machines: sweeeet)!
This is too awesome for words. Death by electric knife? Soda machine? Toy car? Arcade game? f**king cool!
OK now as i sit and watch this and notice that the cars dont do crazy s**t and as someone oh here said that was because back then they were not electronic, but when teh kid is going down the street u clearly see a pizza car rammed into a tree. oh well, the movie still kicks ass, 4 a low grade one and King is da man
BEST FRIGGING MOVIE EVER! I have it on DVD and I watch it every day.
That score by AC/DC that goes "cha cha cha cha cha cha" was pretty good.
I admit the coke machine and other things were funny but the best machines were the ice cream truck which seemed so innocent and the military mule with the machine gun attached to it. The movie would have been a lot better if it showed the military base and what the machines did to it pluse where did the catapilar come from and why were the two togather. They should have added a couple police vehicles or an radio controlled helicopter to it chasing the gym teacher or something to give it a kick higher in the funny rating they could have even showed the airplane going after people and was the school bus alive or not.
Quote from: Jeska on November 25, 2006, 04:10:12 PM
Maybe I need to get a life, but....
1. the reason the cars didn't turn against the people is cuz cars in the 80's weren't electronic. Rhea-M (the comet) was an electromagnetic frequency.
2. yes, the toy truck had the Green Goblin's face, also, inside the truck was a Green Goblin jack-in-a-box.
3. why didn't anyone question what was going on? they all just accepted it, just as they accept we have to breathe to live. "oh, well, there's an alien comet taking over our electronics b/c their planet has no resources left and they need to kill us. RUN!" no questions asked.
4. did you notice they went to save the creepy salesman & then just left him there anyway when they found the kid?
5. this movie shows how naive humans really are, the trucks spared the people's lives in Dixie Boys so they could have someone to feed them, and when the people gave them their last drop of fuel, the trucks attacked. stupid idiots.
6. did anyone notice the jet crashed into the school bus? that was awesome! almost as cool as the steamrolled kid!
I thought this was a really cool B flick! I saw it the theatre on its initial release,and I LOVED it! Being a metal head(no..not hair band "metal",I'm talking METAL,man!) during the 70's and 8o's, the AC/DC soundtrack is enuff for me to watch it anytime it's on TV.
I always seem to remember that kid falling off his bike and the steamroller rolling over him. :buggedout:
I haven't seen Maximum Overdrive in years.
Might have to pick that one up. :thumbup:
I'm NOT alone in this, I can see, but I'm ganna throw out my own thoughts:
I love this movie. I've always loved this movie. As a matter of fact, this movie continues to be my favorite movie of all time. Oh, yes, its totally campy, but its all around a damn fun b-flick, and that's all there is to it.
Also, adding to the 'fun moments' of the movie: the pile of broken down cars that still flash their lights; the can-to-nut shot; talking s**t to the truck as it gets filled up...
Its coming to DVD? Sweeeeeet....
I enjoyed this movie, but I remember there was a movie or rather at least two movies in a series that had a similar plot, but released around 1982/1983 - 1984 at the latest - on what was First Choice SuperChannel in Canada- I was quite young at the time, but I remember there were more machines - a full tennis ball machine that fired balls at somebody until it was empty. Things like irons and other kitchen appliances attacking people. It was a wide spread epidemic.
The movies were so similar to Maximum Overdrive and I have been wondering why no one seems to mention (or remember) the older versions. I was too young to have such a vivid and violent imagination, so I know they exist somewhere. I wish someone could remember the title of these movies cause they kinda traumatized me and I would like to watch them again as an adult to get them out of my head!
This movie was bad, but its also one of my favorites. AC/DC's album Who Made Who is the soundtrack, and its pretty damn good. And Stephen King even said this is "a moron's horror movie" when he made it. Still I think this movie kicks ass, just because someone found a rocket launcher in their christmas stocking, bubba.
this is the best movie ever made
i've been a fan 15 yrs now and it still doesn't bore me
for the ones who like MO should visit my website
www.murdermachines.com
and too my friend's website
www.greengoblinhead.com
he is the owner of the green goblin head used in the movie
keep MO alive!!!
I would pay to see seven heroic samurai defending a village from a flock of flying piranha. (//http://)
You are not alone. I'm sure everyone on this site would pay top money to see that! You know what? Let's bring this idea to the guys at Sy-Fy Channel and it'll be a sure fired hit!
I actually read the original Stephen King story in the past and I remember that the trucks wanted the people to stay alive so they can be their slaves and constantly repair them or something. It's been a while.
I love this movie that it is just creepy, but it is still a good o' classic case of KILLER MACHINES! forget the killer humans, Killer machines are the best type of Killers out there.
i love bad movies, but this was a real clunker....i saw it at a preview....it was offered to patrons who had just seen, believe it or not, a woody allen dramady (i for get the name)....when the lights came on after the movie, a pretentious dude in a suit appeared at the front of the theatre, and said, momentuously, that dino d laurentis invited us all to stay and see his latest production...so we stayed....
well, not for long...most of the audience had walked out by the time it was over...i stayed to the bitter end....i remember filling out a comment card and saying that instead of using so much of the budget blowing up tractor trailers, they should have spent a few bucks on a writer, who could write a coherent script. i told them their movie was nothing but puerile claptrap....
i felt sorry for poor pat hingle...i don't think it was ever on his resume....
this movie compared very poorly with george zucco's or rondo hatton's little epics from the 1940s.
Your high school lunch room had a jukebox?
On a related matter, I wonder how jukeboxes were affected. Probably played Lawrence Welk nonstop.
I just can't get enough of this movie. Sure, it's a poorly written, directed and acted hunk of cinematic trash, but something about it just keeps things rolling along. Maybe it's the killer soundtrack, maybe it's the flashes of Stephen King genius (the dialog in the sewer is very well written and delivered) or maybe it's just watching a lot of mayhem and violence due to massive truck trauma.
Whatever the reason, this movie somehow elevates itself to cult status. Don't ask how, just kick back, crack open a beer (or whatever your beverage of choice might be) and enjoy!
Maybe somebody has mentioned this by now, but the comet that turns big machines murderous was totally ripped off from Killdozer. Which can be watched on YouTube, search under "Killdozer 1974".
I just watched the clip and had the same thought I had watching the movie years ago. "How much would you have loved to be one of the grips who got to throw cans at a mob of fleeing softball players?"
QuoteStephan King is a master of what he does, which is writing the world's best horror novels.
sorry, please shoot me down but just want to raise this minor point that has nothing to do with the movie... you mis-spelt "Stephan King" ... should be spelt "H. P. Lovecraft"...
He left the Epilog ,Wherein it states a armed,killer satellite(it may say whose) shoots down a UFO that was hidden in the comets trail and that shortly after ,the machines go back to being normal.
See, The whole thing is ET's fault!!! :wink:
Quote from: Ken Begg on September 02, 2010, 07:49:30 AM
Maybe somebody has mentioned this by now, but the comet that turns big machines murderous was totally ripped off from Killdozer. Which can be watched on YouTube, search under "Killdozer 1974".
both were King's stories, so there's no need to fret. :wink:
Bah hahahaha! im sorry but that face on the ruck looks totaly out of place, and i love it. im gunna check this movie out just for that truck
Yeah, that looks exactly like the Green Goblin. SPeaking of Spider-man and the clone saga. They should just issue an apology for the last three years of horrible comics and maybe just bring in Ben Reilly again. Those Ben Reilly solo books weren't too bad.
This was one of the first bad movies I ever watched. I bought the DVD from the $5 bin at Wal-Mart and I knew, from that moment onward, that I was destined to watch cheesy movies. Best movie ever!
I have always found Maximum Overdrive to be a great late night movie to watch and I'm not afraid to say it. I remember watching it on TNT back in the day. What's not to love? AC/DC soundtrack...Directed by Stephen King...Killer coke machines.......I AM In!
For true fans of the film, you got to check out the Monstervision/Joe Bob Briggs episode of this, it makes the movie 25% better