Another cheap and cheerful outing from the unbelievably prolific House of Corman (IMDB credits him as producer on no less than 380 films!) 'Death Race 2000' is full of hilariously under-cranked race scenes, terrible dialogue, performances so over-the-top as to raise suspicions of pharmaceutical abuse, special effects that Tom Savini would have been ashamed of as a teenager experimenting in his garage, cheap sets, and bargain-basement costumes. And yet it all seems to work, thanks to Corman and Bartel, who manage to infuse everything they touch, however close it gets to exploitation, with an infectious charm and innocence that's just plain fun to watch. It's of equal interest to experience such a vivid time capsule of mid-seventies counter-culture politics. But despite all the veiled references to Vietnam, Watergate, government corruption and public apathy, any real satirical power is lost beneath the weight of such broad, slapstick comedy.
Review of Death Race 2000
