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-   -   "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/dvd-reviews-recommendations/645243-maximum-overdrive-reviews-discussion-2018-horror-challenge.html)

Chad 09-20-18 08:44 PM

"Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
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Maximum Overdrive (1986)

https://i.imgur.com/RymtWPb.jpg

Selected by Darth Maher

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IMDB ENTRY



ALYXSTARR LINK

ALYXSTARR LINK - MONSTERVISION WITH JOE BOB BRIGGS EPISODE

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These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.

The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day.
You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.

Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day.
Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.



Spoiler tags aren't always used in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.
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2018 DISCUSSION | 2018 LISTS
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jholmes 10-27-18 09:10 AM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
That was fun! God, I haven't seen this in ages. Good cast of characters, some nice moments of humor and romance, and big ass trucks. It was a nice change of pace. I like it enough to think about ordering the new blu ray, though the price is up there right now.

Undeadcow 10-27-18 12:09 PM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
I'm not sure I've ever seen Maximum Overdrive uncensored because it was enough of a staple on stations like TBS when I was younger. There are some nice kills early on. I love the idea of technology going haywire and killing everyone, its a mystery why Stephen King would focus so much on trucks (I get that was his short story but it seems like the least interesting part of killer technology). The truck theme gives some great road charnage and sense of chase, it slyly lampoons the 'stranded against horrors' conventions we've seen with films like Night if the Living Dead while also being terrifying in its own. I guess limiting things to trucks keeps things more down to earth. The bridge scene is the type of stuff that's worth rewinding to watch twice.

I love the blue collar emphasis here, it's a mystery so many other movies live in prep schools, giant mansion houses, ballerina academies, etc that are so unrelatable to most people. Everyone has seen a truck, those swerving awkward fiends of the road. I wonder how they pulled off the driverless vechicles, remote control? The 'truck stop at the end if the world' image is top notch.

Bonus points for Lisa Simpson. Im surprised Marvel Comics didnt sue for the Green Goblin likeness (or maybe they considered it a boon). The sympathetic criminal trope is one that needed to die.

My favorite machine might be the drivethrough window that talks back.

Undeadcow 10-27-18 11:38 PM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
If aliens caused technology to go haywire to bulldoze humanity so they could take over but, from the epilogue, that a Russian 'star wars' satellite took out the aliens - is this meant to imply that the aliens' weapons somehow turned on them as tech had turned on humans? ...or that somehow this satellite had escaped influence and humanity spies fought back? I'm probably over thinking the ending script and maybe there is no real answer, just seems like an odd move to explain aliens are involved and were defeated in a seemingly random manner off camera.

numbercrunch 10-28-18 10:19 AM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
well, at least the sound track with AC/DC was good.

wishbone 10-28-18 10:50 AM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 

Originally Posted by numbercrunch (Post 13433657)
well, at least the sound track with AC/DC was good.


King has long professed his appreciation for AC/DC and desperately wanted to get them involved in the making of Maximum Overdrive. Legend has it that he wooed them by proving his fandom and singing “Ain’t No Fun Waiting Round to Be a Millionaire” from their 1976 album Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap in its entirety. The band agreed to provide the music for the film, which they released as 1987’s “Who Made Who.” Only the earliest pressings of the album note that it’s the official soundtrack to King’s film.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/83618...imum-overdrive

https://i.imgur.com/wleL6fR.jpg

I checked my CD and it does have the soundtrack album note. "D.T." is a great instrumental and it fits the movie well. One of the best fade-outs in rock.

Trevor 10-28-18 12:05 PM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
The soundtrack is pretty great. And because of this choice, I finally fully experienced Joe Bob Briggs, so I’ll always have fond memories of Maximum Ovedrive.

clckworang 10-28-18 05:05 PM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
I watched this film in its entirety for the first time a few months ago. I didn't find it all that good then and wasn't looking forward to revisiting it. It didn't improve with second viewing. In fact, King's poor direction of the actors and clunky dialogue became all the more apparent. I liked the moment when the kid got run over by the steam roller. That made me laugh. I feel slightly evil having typed that out. But even that moment was off. Right before the steam roller came bursting in, the kid completely lost control of his bike and went flying. Why? Did I miss that it was an electric bike? On second viewing, I also found the married couple sort of creepy because they looked like they could be siblings.

Is King just one of those writers who is better off letting others adapt his work? Off hand, the projects that I can think of that King seemed to take the lead aren't generally well regarded. I'm sure I'm overlooking something, though.

DaveyJoe 10-29-18 03:15 AM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
This is one of those movies I would always watch when it came on TV as a kid, but it didn't hold up well for me
The first 15 minutes were amazing and I was impressed with how action-packed the film opens, I was convinced that this movie doesn't deserve the hate it gets and should be regarded as a cult classic...

But when the film gets to the gas station it just gets so dull. And repetitive. This movie desensitized me to explosions. The first truck getting blown up was cool, but by the end I didn't care. And there shouldn't have been more than one truck. The green goblin truck was an awesome villain, the fact that the rest of the enemies were regular looking trucks was underwhelming. What happened to all of the creative threats from the beginning like meat carvers and soda machines?

I watched this last night after seeing Halloween which was excellent, so I think that kind of hurt this viewing for me, I just kept thinking about how exciting Halloween was for me. I bought the Blu-ray, jholmes I found it at my local Walmart for $24.95 which I thought was a reasonable price, much cheaper than what it's going for on Amazon. I do want to give it another shot in the near future. It's weird how the OHC can elevate certain movies because of the mood I'm on but also hurt others if it's following a standout viewing, which was the case here.

DaveyJoe 10-29-18 03:20 AM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 
I love that this movie has a title card that says 'A UFO was shot down by a Russian satellite...' Um... what?? I want to see THAT movie.

Trevor 10-29-18 07:18 AM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 

Originally Posted by daveyjoe (Post 13434063)
it's weird how the ohc can elevate certain movies because of the mood i'm on but also hurt others if it's following a standout viewing, which was the case here.


Originally Posted by daveyjoe (Post 13434064)
i love that this movie has a title card that says 'a ufo was shot down by a russian satellite...' um... What?? I want to see that movie.

qft

WillieMLF 10-29-18 08:19 AM

Re: "Maximum Overdrive" Reviews/Discussion - 2018 Horror Challenge
 

Originally Posted by Undeadcow (Post 13433335)
Bonus points for Lisa Simpson. Im surprised Marvel Comics didnt sue for the Green Goblin likeness (or maybe they considered it a boon). The sympathetic criminal trope is one that needed to die.

My favorite machine might be the drivethrough window that talks back.

I was focused on the credits looking for the AC/DC music used, and I noticed some legal disclaimer mentioning Marvel comics. I was trying to figure out the connection this movie could have to Marvel, and this may be it....

I've seen snippets of this movie through the years, but this was the first time seeing it for the first time. The budget must have been huge for this one with all the crap that they blew up. I felt this movie was trying to be everything for too many people, comet tails, aliens, etc.

Growing up in NC, this one had a true 'flavor' of the eastern NC natives, including the gun hording yokels, who manage to have everything including a rocket launcher.

Someone mentioned religion in Silver Bullet, and I think this is a continuation of King's dislike of organized religion as a theme.


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