Car Wash (1976)

Richard Pryor's face is plastered all over the cover of Car Wash, but don't be fooled. This slight comedy, made in 1976, is an ensemble piece much like Robert Altman's or Alan Rudolph's all-star movies in that there are a lot of familiar faces who have relatively little screen time or business to attend to. Set in smoggy Los Angeles, the film opens with a radio announcer's voiceover, "Hey, hey, L.A. It's a brand new day." And the camera pans the street, zooming in on the Dee-Luxe Car Wash, which is owned by the ultimate cheapskate, Mr. B (Sully Boyar). In rapid succession, we're introduced to a dizzying array of characters who all work or hang out at the car wash: drag queen Lindy (Antonio Fargas), brothers Floyd and Lloyd who want to be in show business, a hip brother, an angry brother, a taxi driver (George Carlin), cashier Marsha (Melanie Mayron), and a plethora of "types" who wash, dry, and polish everything in sight while making time to make time. Car Wash doesn't do much or have a lot to say, the laughs aren't particularly original, and the actors don't have much to do save for Fargas, whose role as a drag queen was groundbreaking because the character wasn't discriminated against or killed at the end. Even Richard Pryor is wasted in his single scene as a wealthy preacher named Daddy Rich. Car Wash, which was written by mainstream director Joel Schumacher (Batman and Robin, Falling Down, The Client), is ultimately uneventful. Its revival on DVD is puzzling because it looks about as faded, dated, and undistinguished as a rusty old car. --Paula Nechak Amazon.com

Several scenes deleted or cut short

Several scenes were either left out or chopped in this version. The bickering couple running the hamburger stand next to the lot was cut out.
The end of the scenes of the son of the owner saying good bye to the employees and the receptionist finding out the customer she thought she had a date with was actually setting her up with a buddy, were chopped off. I missed them and thought they were important. June 11, 2008

Bad choice

Once again I've got disappointed with the service Amazon provided me.
Although I have bought the product and followed all the instructions, for some unknown reason the product arrived at the destinatio delayed and my friend, who was supposed to receive it, had already left the hotel.
Considering that I live in Brazil - quite far from you - you can imagine how frustrated I got when I realized i would not watch the DVD.
So far i have not received any reimburse for my purchase, delivered delayed not by my fault.

Antonio Carlos Barros May 27, 2008

CAR WASH

LOVED IT! BROUGHT BACK MEMORIES FROM HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THIS MOVIE FIRST CAME OUT. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT TO ANYBODY THAT GREW UP IN THE 70'S. April 9, 2008

Arguably One of the Greatest Triumphs of 20th Century Cinema

OK. So maybe it's not quite THAT good. However, this grossly underappreciated film (and I say FILM, not "movie") has a lot to offer. Not only does it capture the zeitgeist of the fun, innocent 70's, but it also strips away the seemingly carefree life of the characters and shows the desperation within. Duane -- I mean, Abdullah is played brilliantly by the wonderfully gruff yet fragile Bill Duke. Ivan Dixon, who died today (and prompted my thinking about and reviewing this film), is equally marvelous as Abdullah's older, wiser alter ego, Lonny. Add in the always-memorable Antonio Fargas, along with Richard Pryor, The Pointer Sisters, George Carlin and Professor Irwin Corey (only in the 70's could such an ensemble be brought together), and you have a silly, fun, and, yes, meaningful slice of 70's nostalgia wrapped around a serious film. Don't forget Floyd and Lloyd on steam guns and Franklin Ajaye as Superfly, either. March 19, 2008

A Walk Back in Time

I bought this DVD to bring back good memories of my father and I watching this movie on KTLA back in the 70's. My father saw them filming the movie down at Sixth and Alvarado in L.A. and he loved to watch it with me on late night TV. It is just pure classic 70's movie making and a lot of fun to watch and some good laughs.
June 4, 2007

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