Fast Company (1979) User Reviews

Not too shabby for a beginner, don't you think?

[JHENKER · 6/10 · 29 July 2005]

AN AWESOME MUSEUM PIECE OF 70'S DRAG RACING "B" DRIVE-IN MOVIE HISTORY!

As other reviewers have said, this is not Cronenberg's best movie, but you need to understand even though it came out in 1979, it was shot way before that, and was one of his first movies of this commercial nature, actually his first movie with a budget of over a million dollars. So? So lighten up a bit, and look at what is there, not what lacking!

Yes, I agree with the blackxmas review above, but beg you all to view this as a "moment in time", in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Spokane, Washington, USA. You have to, otherwise it won't stand up to criticism using current movie criteria. In other words, do not buy this movie if you want an intriguing plot and award-winning acting! LOL But if you know a person who went to these two drag strips back in the 70s, make their day with this one!

I am not going to add any more film criticism here, but wanted to make the point that it is rare movie because of the age of this famous film maker, because few VHS copies were ever released and because it is a Northern-made drive in movie made by a young Canadian film maker. Yes, Canadian. LOL And, oh yes---- a certain November 1969 Playboy model named Claudia Jennings was featured in this movie, and tragically, and perhaps ironically, lost her life in a car accident shortly after. So, yes, I think Fatss Company is a collector's movie.

**Canada had just started offering incentives to U.S. film makers to come up north, so David was in the right place at the right time. A long string of very famous movies have been shot here in Alberta, and Brad Pitt is getting ready to star in a movie about Jesse James--right here--- as I am typing this.

One last thing: If you look VERY carefully in the stands near the crash scene, you may be able to see me in my Mopar ball cap----yes, I was there. Hey Honey--we're out of popcorn! See you at the movies!

An Incredibly Dull Film by Cronenberg

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 26 January 2016]

The famous drag racer Lonnie 'Lucky Man' Johnson (William Smith) is the star of the Fast Company, managed by the corrupt Phil Adamson (John Saxon) Lonnie is the mentor of the promising funny car racer Billy 'The Kid' Brocker (Nicholas Campbell). When Adamson makes a deal with Lonnie's competitor Gary 'The Blacksmith' Black (Cedric Smith), he takes the funny car from Lonnie and Billy. But they decide to steal the car and run independently in the next race. But Adamson intends to use any means to stop Loonie.

"Fast Company" is an incredibly dull film by David Cronenberg. The film is indicated only for fans of this great director that want to know his complete filmography and fans of drag racing. This film is the last one for the gorgeous Claudia Jennings that ironically died in a car accident in the same year. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Escuderia do Poder" ("Motor-Racing Team of the Power")

Cronenberg drag racing?

[lost-in-limbo · 6/10 · 23 April 2006]

Lonnie "Lucky Man" Johnson is an veteran drag racer and head honcho of his race team that's sponsored by FastCo Oil. Their business man Phil Adamson thinks only of the sponsorships than winning and when Lonnie's hotrod explodes Phil isn't too happy. Seeing that Lonnie is the one who draws the crowds, Phil gets Lonnie to take over Bill "The Kid" Broker's car, which doesn't go down to well with Bill. Their rival team led by Gary " The Blacksmith" Black would like the chance to beat Lonnie and things do heat up when Adamson decides he wants to make some changes.

When you think of the name David Cronenberg, does drag racing come straight to mind? Most definitely not, but on this occasion he has churned out a rather normal, exploitation flick on the sport. You don't always associated the word normal to his name, but even though its an entertaining piece, it's really nothing much out of the ordinary. That's probably the best reason why it flies under radar, well it won't escape the fans' of the director's work, though. Cronenberg's excursion into "Fast Company" is pretty much a low-budgeted film that's marketed for a more mainstream audience. I didn't really know about this film that pretty much came out of the blue when I found out it was directed by Cronenberg. So I've been itching to get my hands on it and I gladly came across the 2 disc special edition release at my local library. I'm no revhead fan, but I couldn't help but get drawn into the thick of the action thanks largely to Mark Irwin's cinematography. I actually didn't mind this little picture, but you still call it a rather a hot and cold detour. The film looked great with it's semi-documentary style, where there were a lot of creative angel shots that caught the action superbly and the beautiful Canadian landscape that fills the frame also leaves a mark in your mind. Cronenberg manages to stage the set-pieces involving the dragsters quite well, as you watch some burning rubber along with the crowd. It's just like the real deal! But when it wasn't focusing on the racing it becomes the usual the good guys v bad guys theme, where it becomes morally hounded and predictable. You feel the tension between the teams and the plot shows the manipulative nature of sponsorship deals taking over the show. But the drama element runs low on fuel. It just feels leaden with a simple script that doesn't really seem to go anywhere with some underwritten plot details, but still there's a nice amount of sharp humour evident. The film's conclusion might be exciting, but still it's rather illogical you could say. The howling rock soundtrack that surrounds the film felt overly tacky and got a bit repetitious. The performances from the main two leads lifts most of the acting out of the standard mould. William Smith and John Saxon make the most out of their character's material. Saxon is a great character actor and he steals the film as the slimly sponsor adviser Phil Adamson. Smith adds a steady head to the veteran driver Lonnie Johnson. Also in the supporting roles is the gorgeous Claudia Jennings as Lonnie's love interest Sammy, Nicholas Campbell plays the up and coming youngster Bill Broker and Cedric Smith plays the competition Gary 'The Blacksmith' Black. There's definitely a lot of stunning gals in this picture. Well, cars and girls go down rather nicely don't they.

Rather a middling affair that has it's perks. When it's close to the action that's when it hits it's strides by making you feel like you're there. It's nothing overly showy, but it's a mildly entertaining romp for the undemanding.

if you want a movie about Canadian drag racing this is it...

[mrenaut · 13 February 2005]

Okay it's not the world's greatest movie, or even the greatest movie ever made about drag racing (that would probably be 'Heart Like A Wheel') but it does have its moments and there was a lot of effort put in to ensure the technical side of things was correct. Filmed entirely in Canada around Canadian dragstrips there is a sense of what life on the road is really like. Yes the characters are rather one dimensional - good guys wear white, bad guys wear black and snarl a lot, and the stunts do look like the camera was over-cranked but any true car fan will find it holds their interest, the first time anyway. Especially if you think of it more as a documentary than a movie. Plus the cars and female leads look great. I agree the ending is lousy though.

Stupefyingly dull

[gridoon2024 · 4/10 · 21 July 2015]

"Fast Company" would be a dull movie anyway, but having been directed by the acclaimed David Cronenberg makes it an inexplicable disappointment. There is very little action, and what action there is mostly elicits yawns; either the sport of drag racing is uncinematic, or Cronenberg fails to make it cinematic (the only big stunts, at the very end, are spoiled by sloppy continuity). The story is nothing worth mentioning, and the long scenes of people fixing cars and the even longer scenes of people getting in and out of cars or the scenes of planes taking off and landing are mind-numbingly dull. It's also a shame that Claudia Jennings' final film role turned out to be so insignificant. Even if you are a Cronenberg completist, watch Burt Reynolds' "Hooper" instead - it does this sort of thing much better. *1/2 out of 4.

David Cronenberg's Fast Company!

[Captain_Couth · 7/10 · 13 October 2004]

Fast Company (1979) is an interesting film by David Cronenberg. He took a departure from his clinical horror films and made a quasi mainstream film dealing with hot rods and the sleazy sideshow aspect of them. Unlike most films of this genre, Cronenberg takes a look at the shady business that the promoters of the drivers do to try a make a buck whenever they can. Most times at the expense of the driver's safety and welfare. I wasn't expecting much from this movie but I was quite surprised at the results. All-American tough guy William Smith plays the lead whilst John Saxon co-stars as his shady promoter/ manager.

In the hands of any other director, this movie wouldn't have been that watchable. But Cronenberg works with what he has and creates a visually appealing movie. The inside shots of the driver was very well done. In some scenes the driver looks as if he's part of the machine! The camera catches the action and you can feel yourself being dragged along at 200 plus miles an hour. The film follows these drivers as the go from one small town to another performing in front of small crowds. This movie neither glamorizes or denegrate the "sport". It just documents it.

Like I said in the beginning, I wasn't expecting much (maybe because this movie wasn't widely released if at all in the U.S.A.) but I was surprisingly pleased with the end results. I would have to recommend this film for Cronenberg and William Smith fans.

B+

Depends on what you're looking for

[latherzap · 5/10 · 7 March 2005]

Viewers who have a passion for drag racing will probably get more out of this than the average person. Myself, I've never sat through the whole thing in one sitting. It's a pretty generic story about good guy and bad guy drag racers competing. The corporate sponsors of the cars only care about money, etc. I even thought the soundtrack (sounding like a Seger/Springsteen combo) was pretty lame. In fact, I was actually a little bummed to hear Cronenberg say on the audio commentary that he really enjoyed the music! Yeah, I know, I'm being a little picky there.

On the bright side, John Saxon is fun to watch. And if you're a die-hard Cronenberg fan I would recommend checking out the double-disc edition so you can watch his early films Stereo and Crimes of the Future.

Fast Company

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 4 May 2011]

What I found interesting about FAST COMPANY is how it doesn't fit so neatly within Cronenberg's resume and is more similar to something Roger Corman might produce. The film is essentially an insider look at drag/funny car racing, although it seems that some experts consider it inaccurate regarding the sponsorship side (or, at least, that's what actor John Saxon says in an interview for the movie) of things. William Smith, known primarily for his memorable heavies, plays against type as a racing legend whose crew is managed by a vindictive sonofabitch (John Saxon) out to make money, not to win. Saxon wants Smith, not known to race funny cars, to take over for Billy, a young buck with a ton of potential, because of his name recognition which might lead to more sales of his Fastco motor oil. Saxon, who isn't amused with Smith's stubbornness regarding racing Billy's car, decides to seek another race car driver to take the "over the hill" racer's place on the Fastco team. It's a battle of wills, but Saxon is willing to cheat at all costs to see his business enterprise in the sport succeed, no matter if it even leads to serious injury or death as a result. Nicholas Campbell is the spunky Billy "The Kid" Brocker, who, when not driving the funny car, helps on the crew for Smith's Lonnie "Lucky Man" Johnson. Cedric Smith has a nice part as a rival of both Lonnie and Billy's, Gary "The Blacksmith" Black, not the typical scoundrel one might be accustomed to. Gary's sacrifice at the end, and his general competitive swagger (not to mention, his dead serious attitude about winning not by nefarious means, unlike his sneaky mechanic Meatball (George Buza), who becomes Saxon's Phil Adamson's go-to guy for tampering with the Fastco car or the racetrack if necessary) set him apart from what is considered the usual nemesis the viewer is supposed to root against. Judy Foster is adorable as Billy's lover Candy, quite a knockout with a wattage smile. Claudia Jennings also leaves an impression as Sammy, Lonnie's devoted girlfriend, who would prefer him to settle down with her in Seattle, Washington, but is content to spend time with her man when he isn't on the road. Cronenberg allows the film to meander, to tell you the truth, and doesn't particularly let the story get in any hurry. The movie is ultimately a feud between owner and driver, the illegal tactics of one to derail the future of the other. Saxon's Adamson is a real piece of work; a backstabber and a liar with a serious superiority complex. Some nudity and fast cars—Cronenberg genuinely shows an interest in the inner workings of the drag racing industry, especially in the auto body shop where the likes of Don Francks and Robert Haley work on the car, preparing it for the big race, but finds time to let two hitckhiking bimbos screw around with Billy prior to his blossoming romance with Candy. We see how Lonnie's crew suffer due to their owner's lack of initiative regarding winning, and how their unwillingness to let him get the better of them results in tragic consequences when Adamson and Meatball attempt to help Gary gain an edge over the competition. Cronenberg's rabid fanbase might find this movie interesting, but I felt that most of them will consider this a minor diversion not part and parcel with his horror classic(k)s. While I admit that FAST COMPANY shows a different side to William Smith, a perennial villain, he seems to struggle a bit, the sweet and principled character with a moral code is a role he doesn't look comfortable in. I liked his character, though, and was happy to see him in a change-of-pace part even if he prefers to play bad guys.

Cronenberg strays

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 15 December 2021]

A misfire from David Cronenberg, best known for his excellent body horror films, whereas this is a staid and sedate car racing drama. It's saddled with dull young leads, stereotypical sex interest blondes, and cult stars John Saxon and William Smith doing the best with the thin characters they're given. No evidence of Cronenberg's prowess elsewhere here, and the whole thing is largely tiresome.

not your average Cronenberg film

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 15 December 2022]

Aging drag racing star Lonnie "Lucky Man" Johnson (William Smith) gets the blame after his alterations cause a blow-up. He walks away from the explosion. Sammy (Claudia Jennings) is his girlfriend. The owner Phil Adamson (John Saxon) is frustrated with him. He mentors up-and-coming driver Billy 'The Kid' Crocker (Nicholas Campbell).

I don't really know that much about veteran character actor William Smith. His face looks familiar, but I can't pinpoint it. I wish he has more charisma to power this movie. Quite frankly, John Saxon could have been that guy. The owner can be played by any old white guy. The more interesting aspect is writer-director David Cronenberg. He seems to be taking a break from body horror to do something different. He has the indie touch although this genre is probably not his wheel house.

Certainly not a drag

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 20 March 2017]

An unlikely David Cronenberg movie dealing with spare car parts rather than body parts. We enter the world of North American strip drag racing and soft country rock music.

This is a straightforward B movie with some below standard acting. It also has a rare sympathetic role from William Smith then more famous as the hissable Falconetti from Rich Man Poor Man.

Smith plays veteran drag racer Lonnie 'Lucky Man' Johnson the main draw for his racing team. The team managed by slimy Phil Adamson (John Saxon) does not want the team to win at any costs, just compete effectively and sell cans of FastCo oil.

Lonnie mentors up and coming racer Billy 'The Kid' Brocker (Nicholas Campbell.) Adamson sees an opportunity to dump Lonnie and sign a rival, at the same time use dirty tricks to make Lonnie look that his best days are behind him.

Cronenberg delivers a racing film with a grinding fuel injected noise and grime as Lonnie and the Kid do their own thing and stand up against corporate boot lickers. The film is a romp with the racers partying with bare naked ladies but also putting their lives on the line.

There is nothing here that spells out Cronenberg and all the better for it in some ways as it shows the evolution of a young promising auteur.

Fun little anomaly

[ODDBear · 8/10 · 14 July 2009]

I'm really just getting into this fascinating Canadian director and have yet to view some of his better known films. His early features "Shivers" and "Rabid" are acquired tastes but very interesting and, with repeated viewings, get a lot more chilly and thought provoking. Next up was this drag racing movie that fans consider to be his most atypical film and apparently some waited decades to see it due to some financial fiasco that prevented solid distribution outside Canada.

"Fast Company" is a terrific little B-movie concerning drag racing and the people in the thick of it and the ones behind the scenes. Good and evil is firmly established with William Smith (the one and only Falconetti) as an aging racer and John Saxon as the slimy Fast Co. rep that doesn't shy away from killing if it gives him more publicity and money.

Apparently, director Cronenberg is a self confessed car nut. Cronenberg aficionados, desperate to tie this flick in with the rest of his filmography, point to his fetishistic detail for car parts, loud engine noises and the overall workings of the machines but for the most part this plays out like a straight B-movie, made even more complete with some fancy display of solid sleaze and a somewhat cheesy (but still enjoyable) original rock soundtrack.

Fans of Cronenberg will not want to miss this flick but what's even more important here is that B-movie lovers (and car flick lovers) will probably enjoy this even more. As for the cast; it's impeccable. Smith, known mostly for playing mean dudes (like Falconetti in "Rich Man, Poor Man") is terrific here as the good guy and John Saxon is simply superb as the slimy rep. Lovely Claudia Jennings doesn't have a lot of screen time but she's great in her final film role.

Well, these B-movies don't score very highly on a genuine cinematic scale but these flicks always deliver the goods when made with passion. As with his body horror examinations and genuinely weird sexual fetishes ("Crash", another car flick by the director) Cronenberg invests as much of his creative energy to this "anomaly" in his career and the result is one enjoyable movie.

Strange Cronenberg Made This, But Still Fun

[thehappychuckler · 6/10 · 5 February 2021]

An oddity within the David Cronenberg filmography. Here he makes a fun, sporty and comedic drag racing movie not filled with goopy monsters or crazy ideas he bleeds out onto the cinematic screen. Fast Company is the name of the company that sponsors changes that drag racing superstar Lonnie "Lucky Man" Johnson (William Smith) makes to his car. John Saxon plays Phil Adamson who does the business side of things with the company. Only he has his own way of thinking how things should be run which goes against Lucky Man's ideas.

Interest never drops from the film to me and hey I ain't a drag racing fan, so to me it was good fun. Also has some very good tunes done by Fred Mollin. Written by Cronenberg, Phil Savath, Courtney Smith and an uncredited Nicholas Campbell (who also plays Billy "The Kid" Brooker in the film). Story by Alan Treen. Also starring Playboy bunny Claudia Jennings, Don Francks and George Buza. Sadly this was Jennings last film before she died in a car accident.

typical 70s muscle car movie doesn't really bear Cronenberg's stamp

[OldAle1 · 5/10 · 21 April 2008]

After seeing "Eastern Promises" I tried to make good on my promise to myself to go through the rest of Cronenberg's filmography that I hadn't yet seen, and I started with Fast Company, a 1979 film about drag-strip racers in the Northern plains states. It's likable enough, with veteran tough guy character actor William Smith giving a solid performance as star "Lucky Man" Johnson who has at the beginning of the film had just about enough of his snake-oil salesman of a corporate sponsor (who else but John Saxon) and is itching to get out of the biz altogether or take charge of his own career. Likable -- but utterly predictable as well, with Johnson eventually burning his bridges and forming his own little retinue of racers and girlfriends of racers to take on his replacement, who of course respects Johnson and doesn't like the dirty pool that Saxon and his henchmen are playing to try to discredit him. Not a whole lot else to be said about it; if you're into drag racing, this might be a lot more fun; for me it was pretty mediocre. DVD rental.

Little more than an interesting curio for fans of Cronenberg and/or 70s exploitation movies.

[Infofreak · 19 August 2004]

A sentence with the words "David Cronenberg" and "car racing movie" isn't exactly something you hear every day, but yes, Cronenberg did in fact make one in the late 70s in between his horror classics 'Rabid' and 'The Brood'. Very few people outside of Canada have seen 'Fast Company', and as Cronenberg is my favourite contemporary director I've been intrigued about it for years. Now that Blue Underground have released a restored version on DVD we can all finally get to see it. Now I'd love to be able to say that's it's some kind of lost masterpiece and essential viewing for Cronenberg buffs, but to be honest it's just an enjoyable b-grade racing movie, the kind of flick AIP would have released without a blink of an eye. I seriously doubt that anyone who watched it not knowing who directed it would be able to guess that Cronenberg was involved. He himself regards it as an important movie in his career, as it was another step in his learning how to make "real" movies, and because he also met several key future collaborators. That historical interest aside it's by far the most "normal" and therefore least interesting movie he's made to date. The movie is helped immeasurably by having b-grade legends William Smith ('Run, Angel, Run', 'Invasion Of The Bee Girls', 'Boss N*gger', 'The Ultimate Warrior') and John Saxon ('Planet Of Blood', 'Enter The Dragon', 'Black Christmas', 'Cannibal Apocalypse') as leads. Smith plays Lonnie Johnson a racer under pressure from his sponsors, who are represented by the back stabbing Saxon. The two work well together and by the looks of the short interview included on the DVD seem like great buddies. The late Claudia Jennings (her final role) plays Smith's love interest Sammy, and Nicholas Campbell, who subsequently acted in Cronenberg's 'The Brood', 'The Dead Zone' and 'Naked Lunch', plays his cocky protege Billy "The Kid" Brocker. The main problem with the movie apart from the awful sub-Springsteen "rawk" score, is a dull script. With a bit more work the movie really could have been something special , but as it stands 'Fast Company' is little more than an interesting curio for fans of Cronenberg and/or 70s exploitation movies.

Disappointing!

[cfc_can · 4/10 · 4 August 2000]

Cronenberg was one of the best Canadian directors in the 1970s (and one of the few who worked regularly) He has made some classics like "Shivers" and "The Brood" but does anyone know why he chose to make "Fast Company?" The story is hardly even TV-Movie material, let alone feature film material. Besides that, the lifeless actors add little to the story. William Smith is OK for character parts but he isn't really capable of carrying a film. Couldn't they at least have given Claudia Jennings a bigger part?

Entertaining until the final race

[kevin_robbins · 7/10 · 29 December 2022]

Fast Company (1979) is an underrated Cronenberg movie that I recently watched on HBOMAX. The storyline follows an aging drag car racer and his protege who work for a corrupt company owner. When he threatens to take his cars elsewhere the drag car racer decides to steal the car and race on his own. A game of cat and mouse ensues between the financial-backer and the racer.

As previously referenced this movie is directed by David Cronenberg (Crimes of the Future) and stars William Smith (Red Dawn), John Saxon (A Nightmare on Elm Street), Claudia Jennings (Death Sport), George Buza (X-Men) and Nicholas Campbell (The Dead Zone).

This is a grindhouse gem in every way. The cinematography is classic 70s and I adored the race scenes and various explosions. The opening explosion was a perfect way to start the film. The muscle cars are beautiful, and Claudia Jennings is absolutely gorgeous. John Saxon was a great villain and Smith was easy to root for. I will say that the Smith and Jennings "love scenes" were a bit odd and didn't seem natural. The storyline is fun to watch unfold, and while a bit unrealistic and over the top, it was entertaining until the final race.

Overall, this movie is far from perfect but definitely worth a watch. I would score this a 7/10 and strongly recommend it.

Bad. Watchable, but Bad

[blakestachel · 5/10 · 16 August 2021]

If I hadn't known beforehand that this was a Cronenberg film from the 70s, I would've bet the farm that it was an 80s film directed by Tony Scott, what with the aweful rock music and the homoerotic rivalries. Extra points for being ahead of its time, but also minus points for anticipating a style and subgenre which I absolutely despise. The way Cronenberg films the races is pretty nice, though. His quintessential themes and sensibilities are somewhat on display in these moments, and with just the right amount of beers, it made for a pretty good time.

So bad it's entertaining.

[mm-39 · 5/10 · 20 August 2022]

Watching this old one off of one of those retro channels which I believe it was the 70's movie channel takes me back. Fast Company looks like one of those tele film Canadian films trying make parts of Canada look like the states. Well I seen many Canadian memorable stuff. Like Stubby Molson Canadian bottles. Feathered hair guys drinking while driving, a big no go for todays films, and the Edmonton speedway. Fast Company has lots of T & A and fast cars. Read meat for the alpha male beer commercial types of yesterday. Smith plays the muscle, beer drinking, gear jamming, womanizers role well. Saxon, who been in more B movie than I can count, does the corporation snake. There is some guy punching each other in the arm stuff, studs with hot women mixed with evil plans plot twists by Saxon. What I remember most is the very Canadian scene with security guard. The look and act of the guard was so Canadian eh! Found out Cronenberg directed this one so it most be Canadian? Well I will not ruined the ending, but it is kind of dumb. Fast talking, and fast company but kind of tame for today. Would have got some wooos back then. 5 stars. Dumb but on in an entertaining way!

Enjoyable, though perhaps not essential

[I_Ailurophile · 7/10 · 28 May 2022]

I feel like I should note by way of a disclaimer that I don't care for sports generally, and I frankly despise automotive sports. Every shot of a racetrack, race car, or car part inspires repulsion and thoughts of the terrible waste of energy and resources, the toll on the environment, and the toxic culture that surrounds it all. It was David Cronenberg's involvement that drew me in to 'Fast Company,' though I'd be lying if I said that for me, watching it wasn't an active process of trying to disregard my misgivings. On the other hand, while racing characterizes the setting and the narrative focus, it's not what the movie is actually about. Themes immediately present of rivalry, unethical practices, and capitalist corruption and coercion; put aside the particulars, and this is a story we've seen play out in many movies. With that, it becomes a little easier to assess this on its own merits, and if not the most essential viewing experience in the world, 'Fast Company' is nonetheless fairly solid.

Apart from the subject matter, it's also worth noting gratuitous nudity and otherwise extraneous exhibition of women's bodies that's unnecessary, and tired - though ultimately that's part of the story, as well. Then, too, any glimmer of a romantic element feels more like an obligatory trope than a meaningful narrative element. Still, when you get down to it the writing is reasonably solid, at least where it centers the plot, and most specifically the scene writing that carries a certain tension. Off the beaten track from his most well known features, all the same Cronenberg demonstrates a fine eye for shot composition, and each scene is finely orchestrated as it presents. There's a rather astonishing amount of detail in a lot of shots, and small inclusions providing close-ups of one facet or another help the movie to feel more vivid. Cinematography is nice and crisp, also letting shots of the gorgeous filming locations to stand out. And while the acting doesn't especially leap to one's attention as remarkable, everyone involved does a swell job of realizing their characters to bring the tale to life.

The stunts and effects look fantastic. I'm not necessarily a big fan of the soundtrack, least of all the regular overuse of the title song, but the sound design is clear and vibrant. And considered overall, the production design and art direction is solid. At length 'Fast Company' is sufficiently strong to outweigh my disfavor of the sport, though this definitely isn't to say it's perfect. Even as tempers flare and the narrative gradually builds toward its climax, much of the first two-thirds progress with an ease that doesn't earnestly feel like true plot development. That the picture culminates in a final act that is genuinely exciting, and rewarding, helps to counterbalance other perceived shortcomings. I guess this feature met my expectations pretty squarely - it won't appeal to all comers, and it's slightly uneven, but at large it's suitably entertaining, and not a bad way to spend 90 minutes.

Cronenberg's "lost" movie

[Wizard-8 · 1/10 · 27 May 2000]

In all the discussions I've read about Cronenberg, there's nary a mention of this movie - Cronenberg himself doesn't seem to talk much about it. Possibly it's due to the fact that - not because it's nonhorror - it's simply a boring movie.

I know that Cronenberg wasn't trying to make an action-oriented movie about drag racing, though it's odd that exploitation movie stars William Smith and Claudia Jennings appear here. I know he was trying to focus on characters and the business of this sport - but it just isn't interesting. It's probably no surprise that there hasn't been any push by anyone to give this another release - it barely got a theatrical release OR a video release. And it only seems to pop up on TV here in Canada when they need to fulfill Canadian Content laws.

If Cronenberg can make cars boring, maybe it's for the best that no one puts up money for his "Red Cars" project, especially seeing how poorly his last few movies have done. Stop wasting taxpayers' money, Cronenberg!

Canadian "B"

[ashleyallinson · 8/10 · 8 February 2005]

Fast Company (1979) is truly great B-cinema despite the tendencies of scholastic indifference. Whether its lack of reception has been due to lack of availability, its straight-to-Beta stigma or, most probable, an audience's disregard for anything differing from the Cronenbergian macabre is open for debate. What is certain is that this effort, his first with a budget exceeding the million-dollar mark, was a precursor to the personal trajectory of The Brood (1979).

Divorce proceedings underway, David changed focus to his consuming passion of the automobile. The final product was a decent drag strip movie, "a good B-Movie" he admits. The good versus evil tension included in most racing films is combined with some point of view shots from the car racers proper, in itself, well worth the price of the rental. Spending most of the film arguing with John Saxon, his greasy sponsor from Fast Company Motor Oil, William Smith plays Lonnie 'Lucky Man' Johnson, whose iconic status as drag strip guru is tested race after race. His real stroke of luck however comes through his on screen squeeze, November 1969 Playboy Playmate Claudia Jennings. This marked consecutive attempts at casting notables from the adult industry.

Attempting to recreate the similar appeal and subsequent audience draw that worked for him in Rabid, Ms Jennings' luck ran out in an ironic off-screen car-accident, taking her young life shortly after the film was completed.

real director wrestles bogus script to a near-draw

[jonathan-577 · 5/10 · 3 November 2009]

Unless "The Devil At Your Heels" counts, this is the best racecar film I've seen, which is naturally to be credited to the director. Out to prove that he could sublimate his signature quirks into a workmanlike commercial approach, Cronenberg does his best work with actors to this date: the genre's usual range of saints and evildoers and women with hearts of gold are so free of histrionics it's almost disorienting. He even finds space to get a little perverse; the obligatory sex scene prominently involves motor oil, and the way the men melt into the machines in the racing sequences is as distinctive as the attentive accumulations of mechanical detail that set them up. You could even argue that the lurid flaming death at the climax plays to his preferences as well, but that would be stretching things - more likely it's another booby-trap courtesy of the derivative hack-job script he's been given to work with. That he can wring any dinner at all out of this dish rag is a credit to his talents, but come on - he's a director, not an alchemist.

High-Octane Excitement with a Cronenberg Twist!!!

[blackxmas · 2 February 2001]

William Smith plays Lonnie Johnson, an aging race car driver, who's sponsor, FastCo Motor Treatment, represented by John Saxon, is about to can him due their quest for a youthful and cheaper image. Claudia Jennings is his long-distance girlfriend in a not wholly original, but fascinating look at the traveling race-car circuit and it's casualties.

This may be the ultimate drive-in feature; part-documentary, part-exploitation puncuated by moments of eerie silence that proves Cronenberg can do anything he wants with any type of material and make it interesting. Strange, lingering scenes of mechanics maintaining vehicles with up-close clinical precision (as well as surreal inside-the-car camerawork) will satisfy Cronenberg's most hardcore fans, as well as the sense of desolation and alienation amongst the highways, broken-down racetracks, and most importantly, the fans and drivers of the Pacific Northwest. This may be Cronenberg's most interesting film, since it's material you would never expect him to tackle, and because it's the least-seen movie in his catalogue. Highly recommended and worth tracking down by any means necessary.

Unremarkable

[Billiam-4 · 5/10 · 9 August 2022]

Well-made, but otherwise not particularly remarkable racetrack drama is certainly the most harmless movie David Cronenberg ever made; cast is OK with John Saxon adequately playing the plot's villain.