User reviews

I read several reviews about this movie before writing mine. I always do for some reason. The one common thread throughout a lot of the reviews is a point I definitely agree with. This movie oozes 70's cheese. Keep in mind, I happen to love the tackiness that only the 70's could offer.

Aside from that, this is a fairly simple, yet entertaining movie. Does it break any new ground? Certainly not. But how many movies do? Our main character, Kenny Dantley, builds and falls in love with a custom Corvette in his high school shop class. Not long after it is built the car is stolen. The cops tell Dantley and the rest of his shop class that the car most likely will never be recovered. Dantley refuses to accept this and heads to where he heard the car was last seen. Vegas. Along the way he falls in love with Vanessa, a wannabe hooker headed to Vegas to "go pro".

There is no doubt that this is a "B" grade drive in movie. That being said, if you are a "car guy" (as I am) this movie should prove to be worth watching. Anyone who has ever fallen in love with a car will understand Dantley's obsession. It's NOT "just" a car. Car guys know their obsessions are irrational, but that doesn't stop us. Call me crazy, but the attraction a car guy has to his favorite model isn't THAT much different than the one he feels to his dream girl.

Corvette Summer offers a few laughs and a return to a part of the 70's a lot would like to forget. The disco van scene. There are some familiar faces from the era and a great chase scene at the end of the movie. Not every movie is Oscar bound. Let's not forget a movies most important purpose is to entertain.

The gas tank is either half full or half empty depending on how you view CORVETTE SUMMER. One could justly call it forced in its humor, directionless, repetitive and overlong. Others will see a likable, innocent coming-of-age adventure. It depends on your mood and, more prominently, your aversion to '70s cheese and ability to forgive silver screen shortcomings.

Kenny Dantley is a freshly-minted high school grad who has more time for cars than girls (he's played by a distinctly non-high school aged Mark Hamill, but bear with us). To say he loves the blazing red Stingray he and his shop classmates restored doesn't go far enough in describing the relationship. When the Corvette is swiped by evildoers, our hero swoops into action to track it down on the mean streets of Nevada, intent on ensuring that what was stolen and brought to Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas. He finds an unlikely ally in Vanessa (Annie Potts), an aspiring hooker with a heart of gold and an affinity for car-obsessed teenagers.

I have a special attachment to CORVETTE SUMMER. It was one of the first movies I saw late at night when I was 13 and allowed to stay home alone on the weekends while the folks went camping. TBS's NITE FLIX (oh, how we miss NITE FLIX... so much better than RUSH HOUR 2 played thrice in a row) carried it at 2 a.m., and I had a blast. Recently, I rented it after all these years and found that while it wasn't the masterpiece I remembered, it is amusing and at times quite absorbing, though it starts to lay more than rubber in the second half. Hamill and Potts are no George and Gracie, but they suffice, and the supporting cast, including Eugene Roche (as Mr. McGrath) and Kim Milford (the villainous Wayne Lowry), hold up their end of the bargain.

CORVETTE SUMMER has an awful reputation; it has even been mocked in MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000 (as the characters mocked another film). I'm sure there are those who still blame it for the utter failure of Mark Hamill's post-STAR WARS career. But it is what it is, an imperfect though fun ride back into the late '70s. It's recommended, but only for certain tastes in the mood for something different.

This is a charm piece that depends on the chemistry and skill of Mark Hamill and Annie Potts. Corvette Summer never quite found an audience in 1978, but today it is a cult-classic among car enthusiasts, as well as Star Wars fans who are curious about what Mark Hamill was doing between Luke Skywalker gigs. Hamill plays a high school senior who falls in love with a car he's restored. The car is stolen, and he hears it's in Las Vegas. He hitchhikes to Vegas, and along the way meets Annie Potts. Her character is determined to make a career--whatever it may be--in Vegas. Hamill is funny as someone who's a know-it-all about cars, but naive about everything else. Potts is very funny as a girl who hides her brains and feelings behind an ever-changing mask and a series of one-liners.

The film features a parade of colorful characters, including a memorable performance by the late Eugene Roche as a downtrodden school teacher. However the actors take a back seat (pun intended) to the film's non-human stars, namely the candy-apple 1973 Stingray and the city of Las Vegas itself, which serves as the film's glittery backdrop. Recommended.

Yes, I grew up in the generation of original Star Wars fanatics. Yes, I only saw Corvette Summer because of Mark Hamill. Yes, it's a very cheesy & kitschy film. On a lark, I recently picked it up on video at a supermarket for about $5. Having not seen it for many years, I gotta say, however, that it's a total riot! Without a doubt, this film is probably going to hold greater interest to those who either have fond memories of the 70s, or, at least, a passing interest in the decade when tacky was king. Those who have no understanding of the era will likely come away totally bewildered. Reasons you want? Well, please allow me...

1. I love Stingrays. Besides, it's great to see Hamill become obsessed about cars in a way only teenagers can (once girls enter the picture - for real - this love affair changes forever, as it does in the film).

2. As much as I share the love for Stingrays, I equally love 70s ideas of hipness. Hamill is given total freedom to build his "dream car" and what does he do? He cranks out a custom discomobile - a glitter vette that would make any purist cringe. Insane! Oh, and let's not forget Potts' customized van (with waterbed, natch).

3. Favorite moments: a) Hamill briefly gets money & therefore a HUGE head to go with it; b) a guy who earlier attacks Hamill with a chain makes a hysterically insincere apology ("hey man, I'm real sorry about that thing, you know, with the chain thing...I'm sorry about that."); c) Hamill kicks Danny Bonaduce's butt (and Cokes go flyin'!); d) the leader to a convoy of Chicano low riders explains his notion of "class"; e) Bonaduce, again, goes for the 70s knockout punch with his limited, but memorable, dialogue ("I know...let's do a dune buggy!!" and, his personal best delivered over CB radio no less, "Breaker, breaker, Shop Class One! Honk if you love Corvettes! This is the Top Hat in the Dragon Wagon. Dig it boys & girls!")

4. The great b-movie actor Dick Miller pops up with a two dollar bill ("just call me Gladstone Duck!), as does a menacing Brion James. The film, therefore, can't be all THAT bad.

5. Cornball aside, Potts and Hamill are extremely likable, have great chemistry together and do a lot with their stock character roles. For example, here's a twist: although Potts plays a hooker with a heart of gold (Yawn...), she's actually only a "trainee" with a heart of gold (Redemption!!). So she's can be kooky without being morally corrupt, and plays it with just the right amount of edge that makes it okay to like, and not pity, her (not that I condone hookers-in-training mind you). As for Hamill, we never question his loyalty to his car. Check out the glint in his eye when he talks shop with- who else? - his shop teacher, "you're right. It IS perfect."

6. Even though there is plenty of unintended humor, which also adds to the fun, the movie IS actually pretty funny apart from that!

"Corvette Summer" is a coming-of-age story, but it runs pretty rough (I know, I know, I'll watch it with the car puns). It hits the right notes for such a movie, and the right characters get what they're meant to have in the end, but it's a surprisingly somber affair. Mark Hamill (looking particularly squalid) spends a great deal of time sulking through the streets of Sin City in search of his stolen hot rod, and that character just seems to sap the life outta this thing. Stick with it and there's that appropriate ending and even an eleventh-hour car chase.

But here's why this movie is worth a watch: Annie Potts. Charming, warm and unbelievably attractive, she's the reason "Corvette Summer" has any life at all. It's the kind of performance that makes you look forward to her next scene.

She's something else.

6/10

This is a rare young Mark Hamill leading man role and he, while dorky as heck, manages to pull it off quite well. Annie Potts is the real star here in a great performance, but it's a car movie full of random coincidences that make the story have no drive (pun intended) BUT it's charming and breezy and a pleasant enough curiosity for anyone who wants to see 70's Las Vegas and young Mark Hamill before the facial scarring.

The summer of 1979, when this flick was a staple on that new movie medium called HBO, was Gas Line Summer & Iranian Hostage Crisis Summer. A change of mood was about to end low-budget, loner-on-a-mission car films, although "Smokey & the Bandit" kept need-for-speed flicks going as live-action Roadrunner cartoons for a few more years. "Corvette Summer" is as quirky as any earlier movie like "Vanishing Point" or "Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry," if lighter & sexier than most. Just-graduated, high-school automotive genius Kenneth (Hamill) hitchhikes to Vegas in pursuit of the car theft ring that ripped off his Shop Class masterpiece, a super-custom, right-hand-drive Vette. In the spiritual limbo of the I-15 desert (see "Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas") he gets into a custom van (yes, this was the tail end of the van craze, too) tricked out as a mobile bordello & driven by sassy, aspiring hooker Vanessa (Potts), on her way to Sin City to make her, well, whatever it is ambitious hookers make. VANessa, get it? Shy, innocent Kenneth is in way over his head in Vegas, with only his all-American resolve & his new friend to help him, although the hard-edged young call girl is predictably less world-wise than she first seems. Why, in the "I am Woman" age, Vanessa invested her talents, money & future in the world's oldest but least dignified profession over, say, college or even hairdressing, can be explained by young men who'd like to think that all women at least consider the joys of that career path. Remember the target audience, right? Hamill is a good choice for the whitebread Kenneth (the car doesn't even belong to him personally, but to his school), who won't be deterred from his goal by violence, money or even love--until he finds out why the car was really stolen. Potts acts with style & energy but Vanessa is too incredible for any but the most credulous testosterone machine to buy into. The bad guys are made surprisingly human, especially by the always-fine Brion James. But there's not much action & this isn't the kind of movie that can be carried by dialog, plot twists or Heavy Themes. You could always reach up, turn the TV dial & plug in your "Pong" console. The similar but meaner Chris Mitchum vehicle "Stingray," which appeared at about the same time, featured lamer acting but more skin, speed & mayhem. The best features of each film might have produced a Vette movie worth remembering. Thus the Trans Am was left to rule the box-office muscle car showroom. Another forgotten car movie brought back from the dead by "Speed Channel's" fine weekend series, Lost Drive-in.

Have seen a lot of road movies, mostly classics I never heard of this one. But due watching Fast And Loud I ran into an episode were the Corvette used in this flick was bought by Gasmonkey Garage. so the hunt for this flick was on, easy to find o DVD.

The first thing that I found awkward was the main lead done by Mark Hamill who just came out of Star Wars (1977) as Luke Skywalker. It's so strange to see him come from a blockbuster to this drive-in flick.

The story is rather simple, a Corvette re-build by Kenneth (Mark). Once the Corvette is stolen he goes out to find it and come across Vanessa (Annie Potts) who is a hooker. together they go after the missing Corvette. Story wise it isn't that special but what makes it worth seeing are all the muscle cars passing by and of course old Vegas with casinos long gone like Stardust and Dunes. Not only that, you will see Fremont street with the original cowboy.

Another thing is the fact that you will see billboards all over Las Vegas promoting Dean martin, on the other hand you will see Brion James at the start of his career. So worth picking up and still enjoyable for all those reasons.

Gore 0/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 0/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0,5/5

I'd love to see a show where actors take questions and answers about their experience and thoughts on their past films that quickly ended up becoming obscure, or collecting dust at Blockbusters. I mean, in 2003 we have available to us on DVD every nuance of every film made from the mid-80's on. I suspect "Corvette Summer" will never quite get that amount of respect. Indeed, it shouldn't. Mark Hamill looks tired in this flik. As unwilling as he is to have sex with Annie Potts it seems so was his enthusiasm to play in this role. Still, if nothing else, the film does bring back memories of a now bygone era. I also (surprisingly) found myself being quite entertained by this movie, expect for the drawn out and unnessary car chase scenes at the end, the movie held my interest. Most appealing was the acting of Annie Potts and the on screen chemistry between her and Hamill. She undergoes some physical transformations here, all of them cutesy. It was also interesting to notice that bike helmets and H2O bottles (for bikes) were on the market back in '78, my wife and I didn't recall that these products were available during this era. Anyhow, in summary, this is a very light but fun film that unintentionally evokes some chuckles and is worth checking out. Just seeing that late 70's Corvette (and that groovy van!) is worth the price of admission, not to mention Danny Partridge before his DJ/VJ days!

Annie Potts is the only highlight in this truly dull film. Mark Hamill plays a teenager who is really really really upset that someone stole the Corvette he and his classmates turned into a hotrod (quite possibly the ugliest looking car to be featured in a movie), and heads off to Las Vegas with Annie to track down the evil genius who has stolen his pride and joy.

I would have plucked out my eyes after watching this if it wasn't for the fun of watching Annie Potts in a very early role, and it's too bad for Hamill that he didn't take a few acting lessons from her. Danny Bonaduce also makes a goofy cameo.

If you are a Star Wars fan, it is interesting to see Mark Hamill in this movie, second only to The Big Red One as non Star Wars performances go.

Annie Potts of Ghostbusters and Designing Women fame is great. I personally have nothing against Hamill and would like to see him do more movies and choose better scripts. Look for this film from the same creative team as Dragonslayer (another underrated film, which Ally McBeal fans should seek to see Peter MacNichol in a slightly different light).

It is well worth it. It won't change your life, but it's not a rip-off. It's good summer fun.

Kenny Dantley Jr. (Mark Hamill) is on a school trip to the junkyard when he rescues a trashed Corvette. He brings it back to his L.A. school. The students fix it up and trick it out with the help of shop teacher Ed McGrath (Eugene Roche). The class takes it out for a ride when it gets stolen. Everybody including the cops write it off and then a traveling salesman tells him about seeing it in Las Vegas. He hitches a ride from Vanessa (Annie Potts) who is going to Vegas to go pro as a hooker.

This is a fun little film with plenty of 70s kitsch, car-obsession, and an early Annie Potts. She's the fun that keeps the movie interesting and more than a flat B-movie. It's Hamill's first film after his unexpected stardom from Star Wars and probably filmed before that. He's a cute leading man but he's a bit overshadowed by the outrageous Potts. She's cute, funny, and a compelling character. At least, I care about her much more than the car.

In line with the many vehicle and racing films of the late 1970s, Matthew Robbins wrote and directed this coming-of-age / car movie composite starring a fresh faced Mark Hamill, who had just made his big breakthrough with Star Wars the year before. Here he plays a high school senior (!) whose big graduate project is restoring a 1973 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray from junk to a piece of beauty. Then the car is stolen, and Hamill goes to Vegas looking for it, like an infatuated, heartbroken kid. The heart of the story, besides Hamill's love for his car, is the relation he strikes up with the young "prostitute trainee" Vanessa in Vegas, played by a spunky Annie Potts. It's in their scenes the film transcends its otherwise perfunctory story and touches upon some real truths. The main storyline, on the other hand, is mostly about fun and action, like a poor man's Smokey and the Bandit. The late Kim Milford is immaculate-looking and quite enjoyable as the antagonist. But Robbins is no Hal Needham when directing the action sequences, and the film immediately starts to drag once the car racing kicks into gear. Also with Eugene Roche as Hamill's well-meaning mentor. Ms. Potts was rewarded with a Golden Globe nomination for her efforts.

Less than a dozen comments, none in the past couple of months: meets my criteria for throwing in my two cents... I found this to be an okay movie: not dreadful; but not great, either. I'm not a car fanatic, so, I suppose that THAT decreases one's rating right there. Mark Hamill's physique also failed to convince me that, as the film asks us to believe, he is a just-graduated high schooler. I did the math and concluded that, at the time, he was at least 26! Otherwise, it's fairly interest-holding and inoffensive. The premise is that the auto-body-class's project was the restoration of a Sting Ray, which gets stolen. Hamill's passion is to recover it. Eventually he tracks down the thieves, and, along the way, he develops a relationship with a gal who attempts a number of careers, including the world's oldest profession. Also central to the storyline is Hamill's teacher, who he looks up to. All in all, it's an okay expenditure of time and/or (a reasonable amount of) money.

I came across this curio on TCM the other night. I had never heard of "Corvette Summer" before but I watched since I knew the cast. I'm glad I did watch this unique movie; it held my attention and told an interesting story even if somewhat silly. Luke Skywalker, err I mean Mark Hamill pursues his shop class's car across state lines and unwittingly stumbles upon a helpful woman and a crime ring. Annie Potts plays her usual character -- cute, funny, ingratiating yet also somewhat annoying. Mark looks very young and messy, his parents are absentee and he puts his energy into cars. But he also grows some and matures by the end. A good film, my rating 7/10, but be forewarned that this is very much a '70's movie, in that the loose morals and cynical mindset of that time period are very apparent. The rampant inflation led to people doing whatever they must to survive, everyone seems to have a con or scam, (much like today?).

Detailed budget breakdown for "Corvette Summer": Film - $10,000. One awesome car - $200,000. Paint jobs for the awesome car - $50,000. Marijuana for the writers - $30,000. Hospital bill for resuscitating the writers after they passed out - $25,000. Cocaine for the director - $100,000. Cocaine for Mark Hamill - $250,000. Cocaine for Annie Potts - $250,000. Salaries for all of the other actors - $200,000.

This is some of the weirdest writing I've ever seen and the story relies WAY too much on insane coincidences and chance happenings to work. Hamill and Potts both portray their characters as over-the-top crazed.

Nice car, though, even if you don't see it very much.

Here we have Mark Hamill at 27 years old playing a brat teenager after the successful Star Wars, in this movie he plays a skilled custom-car on restoring an old Corvette for its school for improves yours score to grab a so awaited degree, suddenly the flaming red Corvette is stolen ending up at Las Vegas, willing to recover the car he meets the nutty girl Annie Potts at road toward Las Vegas which he takes a ridding, oddly enough she offers to him a sex night as first costumer due she hereinafer is an applicant for hooker on training.

Actually Mark Hamill really likes a virgin juvenile guy at first glance, he often is dirty, a kind of stinker guy usually sleeping at gas station park lot meanwhile looking for his stolen red Corvette, in other hand Annie never has a nerve to became an easy girl whatsoever, instead she aids him to locate the missing car, after ups and downs also appears several colorful characters in the meantime unfold the funny storyline.

The skinny and free-spirit Annie Potts stolen the picture on astonishing performance, sadly the fine actor Kim Milford from LASERBLAST went to die ten year after, what a great lost, some old acquaintance were invited to compound the cast as Brion Jones, Dick Miller and T. K. Carter, let it see easily!!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2024 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.

The thing that still sticks out in my mind most from this movie from 'way back then', was Annie Potts and her framed dollar bill hanging on the wall of her trailer. It was the dollar that Mark Hamill had given her for 'services she was supposed to render' or something like that. I haven't seen the movie since it's original release. I think that it would be fun to see today! Mark Hamill was on his way to Star Wars fame and Annie Potts was on her way to Designing Women. From this movie, who would have known the success that they would have found. Danny Bonaduce had already achieved his fame with "The Partridge Family" when this movie was released. It would be fun to see him in this movie, as well. I believe I saw this as a 'double-feature' at the drive-in with the movie "Lifeguard". That movie starred the 'soon to be famous' Sam Elliott as a lifeguard being hounded on the beach by a young teeny bop-per (Kathleen Quinlan). It also starred Anne Archer.

I missed "Corvette Summer" when it came out in the theaters. I wasn't interested in it for some reason. Shame on me. It took me many years to catch up with it. I'm glad I finally did. It's a fun movie. It has beautiful location photography. It has very good performances from the entire cast. It's story is unusual and takes several turns that I did not expect. It has quite a few exciting moments. Even the disco style music is fun. They certainly don't make them like this anymore and that's too bad. "Corvette Summer" always hits the spot.

I've known about this movie for decades, but for some reason never sat down and watched it, I'm not sure why. Just thought I wouldn't like it I guess. But they showed it on TCM recently and so I finally did. It took me by surprise. It's full of charm, mainly because of Mark Hamill and Annie Pots, who both give lively and at times adorable performances. The story itself is not that interesting. A teenager builds his dream car, a custom Corvette. He does it with the help of his teacher and classmates. It very quickly gets stolen. He tries to find it. Sounds kind of dull, doesn't it? But that's just the plot structure. The real movie is the two lead actors. They are much better than the script. That's called talent, folks. And they've got it.

One thing you see a lot when people review movies and TV shows from the 1970's is the word "cheesy". I hate that word. Especially when people accuse the 70's on the whole of being "cheesy". When I grew up in the 70's we all thought that the 40's, 50's, and 60's were cheesy. And then we thought the 80's and 90's were cheesy, too. It's all relative, folks. People in the future are going to see 2022 as cheesy, too. Let that word go. It's useless. It's meaningless.

Early in the movie there's a very sensual kiss between mother and son that has all kinds of psychological possibilities that are never explored, but psychologists would have a field day discussing it. Personally, I thought it was a lovely touch.

The custom Corvette is supposed to be super cool, but it just looks kind of tacky to me. I don't like the color or the custom design much. That's beside the point though, because the main character loves it and that's all that matters.

I'm glad I finally watched this movie. I'm sure I'll watch it again. It's silly and goofy and fun. It's about finding something to love. A woman, a man, or a Corvette. Just find something to love. "You better find somebody to love!" -Jefferson Airplane.

This would probably make a good double-feature with "Used Cars", the Kurt Russell comedy cult classic.

I'm watching the credits role right now as I'm typing this....that's about all I got. See ya.

"Corvette Summer" might not be a perfect film, but it's a breezy, occasionally funny sleeper...the type of movie that used to pack them in at drive-ins all the time. Today, there's the added value of seeing Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill and Annie "Designing Women" Potts in very early roles before they became big stars. There's even an appearance by Danny (Partridge) Bonaduce. Good summertime entertainment!