A former race car driver's car is confiscated. He rebuilds it and drives to Free California with a teen's help. Agents dispatch a jet pilot to stop him, fearing his autonomy threatens their ... Read allA former race car driver's car is confiscated. He rebuilds it and drives to Free California with a teen's help. Agents dispatch a jet pilot to stop him, fearing his autonomy threatens their control.A former race car driver's car is confiscated. He rebuilds it and drives to Free California with a teen's help. Agents dispatch a jet pilot to stop him, fearing his autonomy threatens their control.
- New York Cop
- (as Warren Van Evra)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIt was expected that Lee Majors was to break into theatrical roles beginning with this film. However, it is believed that with the films poor box office performance, along with his wife having an affair while he was away filming, Major's decided to stay in television and never returned to movies as a headlining star.
- GoofsThe protagonist refuels his Porsche by pumping out the remaining fuel from storage tanks that have apparently not been refilled for 20 years. Gasoline tends to lose its combustible tendencies in as little as six months - depending on environmental conditions - and after two decades would definitely not be usable in a vehicle engine.
- Quotes
Hawkins: What do you see there, Captain?
Captain J.G. Williams: I see a car and two people. Wow! Look at that... son of a bitch!
Hawkins: Much more than a car and two men.
Captain J.G. Williams: Well, that's all I can see.
Hawkins: This man's dangerous. This little joyride he's on is undermining the entire balance of this country.
Captain J.G. Williams: Sir, this is just one car... I mean, a little exhaust isn't going to upset the whole balance of the universe.
Hawkins: You are missing the metaphor.
Captain J.G. Williams: There's a meta-who?
Hawkins: I am talking about our entire way of life, Captain. We live in a society that has the greatest tranquillity ever created by man. Furthermore, this society is more protected than any other in history. And do you know why?
Captain J.G. Williams: Well, I figured...
Hawkins: Because of the system. The system of our existence which has been worked out so perfectly. In fact, it is that system which dispelled the desperate quest for the impurities contained in mobility. The mobility which had driven this nation like rats, scurrying in every direction that led us nowhere. Nowhere! Now, we have removed that addiction and brought order and tranquillity... the two most fragile flowers in any civilisation. And this man, this fool, is defecating on those flowers! Staining the natural hygiene of our society and tampering with the world's most perfectly balanced system.
Captain J.G. Williams: Sir... what do you want me to do about it?
- Alternate versionsThe Code Red DVD despite the 'PG' rating actually contains a new cut of the film that has more nudity and sex that was cut by the distributor to avoid an 'R' rating.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Last Chase (1989)
Lee Majors stars as a retired race car driver in a future where gas is outlawed, there are no cars and people rely strictly on mass transit. Fed up with living under a stifling regime he rebuilds his Porsche and heads to 'free America' in California aided by a hacker revolutionary, Chris Makepeace.
In '81 it was pretty mundane 'near future' sci-fi about a U. S. that has given up its dependence on oil and gas powered vehicles. 40 years ago the future was represented as the struggle between an environmentally balanced nation and individuality/ freedom of choice.
I think the movie is actually more prescient today when the pandemic and Ukraine war have pushed gas prices over $5 a gallon and California just introduced legislation that by 2035 all cars must be electric powered. It is interesting to see the environmentalist government portrayed as fascists hell bent on stopping Lee Majors from inspiring an uprising for freedom of choice.
Also, I was a big fan of Chris Makepeace when I was a kid and wish he had continued making movies.
- ChrisInMiami
- Aug 30, 2022
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Details
Box office
- Budget
- $4,900,000 (estimated)