A Zemeckis Double Feature

With the opening of The Wire this week, I thought I take a look back at two of my favorite, but forgotten, Robert Zemeckis pictures.

First up is 1980's Used Cars. Kurt Russell stars as Rudy Russo, a sleazy but likable used cars salesman who will use any underhand tactic to get a customer into whatever lemon he has on the lot. If it means rolling back the mileage, airing a tire with fix a flat, or covering up a windshield crack with a sign, he will do it. Rudy has loftier ambitions and wants to put his crooked ways to use as a senator. His boss Luke Fuchs, Jack Warden, agrees to make a huge donation to Rudy's campaign as long as he helps keep the business afloat. Luke's twin brother Roy, also played by Warden, wants to see his brother's business demolished so a freeway can go in and bring more business to his competing used car dealership across the street. Knowing that Luke has a weak heart, Roy sends a mechanic over to give him a scare, sending him to have a heart attack. When Rudy and his coworkers, Gerrit Graham and Frank McRae, find the body, they bury it and pretend that Luke went on vacation.

Further complications arise when Luke's estranged daughter Barbera Jane, Deborah Harmon, arrives to make ammends with her dad. It doesn't sit right with Barabera Jane since her and Luke had made plans for her visit right before he died, so Rudy and the boys dig him up and stage a car accident making it look like he died that way. Barbera Jane decides to take over the family business but she doesn't have the right amount of sleaze it takes to be in the used cars game. It's up to Rudy to save the day.

Kurt Russell is so much fun in this movie. After years of playing squeeky clean types in Disney fare, he has a blast dirtying up his image, and it shows. Jack Warden is also great playing both roles. This was was kind of a chance for him to go more blue as well. Playing a cranky, curising older man kind of became a staple for him later in his career, and he was so good at it. Gerrit Graham, who plays Rudy's coworker Jeff, is also great as a sleazy and superstitious salesman.

It surprises me that this one isn't mentioned more. It's a funny film that desrves more attention.

Another one of Zemeckis' that gets even less attention is 1978's I Wanna Hold Your Hand.

It's 1964, and The Beatles are coming to America for the first time to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. And a group of teenage girls, led by Nancy Allen, make it a mission to meet them. With the help of their friend Larry, Marc McClure, they use a limo from his dad's business to pick up the band. They drive to the hotel that The Beatles are staying at and sneak in. Grace, Theresa Saldana, and Rosie, Wendy Jo Sperber, use the service elevator while Pam, Allen, hides in a food cart. They take different floors. Rosie gets caught and meets fellow Beatles fan Ringo, Eddie Deezen. Grace is mistaken for a prostitute and Larry comes to her rescue. Pam actually gets into their room via the food cart but is caught. Even though their plans backfire, they still hope to get tickets to see them live on Sullivan.

This is a fun, fast paced movie that shows how insane and infectious Beatlemania was. I wasn't alive then, but I can see how easy it would've been to be swept up in it. The young cast is great, especially Sperber and Deezen, who seem to have a lot of fun in their roles.

This one really needs to be rediscovered.

Interesting side note, both of these films were produced by Steven Spielberg.