Freddy Cannon Movies

H.B. Halicki, who wrote and directed the car chase classic Gone in 60 Seconds, returned with this action-comedy, in which Halicki claimed to have wrecked no fewer than 150 cars onscreen (a record confirmed by the Guinness Book of World Records). Harlan Hollis (H.B. Halicki) is a former junkyard owner whose knowledge of cars has helped him to move up in the world, becoming a well-known auto stuntman and film director. However, Hollis has made an enemy of one of his partners in the movie game, and as he hits the road to attend a James Dean memorial festival in Indiana, Hollis discovers a number of people are out to kill him, using guns, automobiles, airplanes, and anything else that's handy. Can Hollis find out who's after him and turn the tables before his luck runs out? Along with those 150 cars, The Junkman stars Christopher Stone, Lynda Day George, and Freddy Cannon. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Based on the same H.G. Wells story as his later Food of the Gods, this silly but good-looking fantasy from Bert I. Gordon is among his more entertaining films. The young Ron Howard plays Genius, who develops a substance which causes animals to grow to monstrous size. After eight kids (led by Beau Bridges and Tisha Sterling) crash their car in the mud, they dance and get drunk, then steal some food containing the growth-gunk, causing them to attain huge physical size as well. It's up to the good teens of the town (including Tommy Kirk, Johnny Crawford from The Rifleman, and "Mickey" crooner Toni Basil) to set things right. That involves a gas-like antidote and a lot of subpar musical numbers from the likes of Freddy Cannon and the Beau Brummels. Joseph Turkel and Rance Howard are also in the cast, and a jokey ending features a number of midgets including Felix Silla, best known as Cousin Itt on TV's The Addams Family. The first in a projected 13-picture production deal with Joseph E. Levine, Gordon followed this with the William Castle-inspired Picture Mommy Dead. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide