PeterMitchell-506-564364 There I was, in the video shop, and here was a desperate pic as I couldn't find any others to watch. My friend watched it me. Twice, one time about thirty minutes into it, he said "This is f..ked", the other time as it's sudden end, he said "That was f..ked". I too shared his opinion somewhat. I happened to like John Laughlin as an actor, this his first film I'm pretty sure. That's the reason I hired it. I started taking an interest in this guy's acting after seeing him in Crimes of Passion, and most recently The Rock, which he was great. Here, the director was going just on his good looks. Also known as Summer School, not mistaking that Mark Harmon movie of 88, Mag Wheels is simply a story set at a Californian high school where Steve and his buddies, and their chicks, chill out at the beach. Steve lays his eyes on a new honey, Anita, which his current girlfriend's not too happy about. You know you're man's fixated on another girl, when he keeps repeating her name, after having just met her, and that doesn't sit well with his old lady. So her and her friends, decide to teach this new fish a lesson, by having Steve arrested for drugs, and setting her up as a fibber which has dramatic consequences for her, involving a rape and a near death at the end in a van dare on a canyon, where you find out Steve really cares for her. So, guys are only human right. The bitch fight scene, earlier, in the classroom, between the two girl enemies, also works to Anita's disadvantage. So it's proper they should write a song after her, also used in a montage, featuring Laughlin and her as they get to know each other better. So you got a crappy film that starts out as a comedy and ends quite dramatically. The first three minutes at the beach, with the guys and girls getting wet, playing volleyball over music is absolutely pointless, you might as have them improvising. There are funny parts to this movie, this older geek (Saul Rubinek looking guy) trying to fit in with Steve and his mates, forever belting out tunes on his guitar. In one scene while he's playing one of his songs, (this actor has quite a potent voice) a couple are doing it in a van, as it rolls back and forth. This scene, I loved. It's about the only dirty scene in the whole of this dry film. Mag Wheels as this film is better known, falls pretty weak, into a status that's pretty pathetic. It's has quite dramatic moments, here and there, that work, the rape scene a bit hard to take, but the whole affair is pretty fruitless. This piece of 70's American crap, that runs similar lines with that much higher quality flick, Malibu High, does have some funny moments too, but this is just a time waster of little substance. Keep this film where it belongs, at the drive in, it's existence in video stores, almost not worth the hassle.

InvasionofPALs MAG WHEELS isn't as downbeat and sleazy as the innocent-sounding MALIBU HIGH from 1979, but isn't as airy and cheerful as MALIBU BEACH (1978), either. It falls somewhere in between. There's everything you might expect from this kind of movie: Girls in bikinis, custom vans, pick-up trucks, teen hangouts, skateboarding (at the Boogie Bowl) + lecherous bosses and a singular lack of plot. (Not that anyone watches these kind of movies because they're 'plot-heavy'!). The main female character in the movie, Anita, has a home life from Hell due to her complete jerk of a father. Her school life also takes an ugly turn after a fight in class with another girl and then finally she tries to stop a "drag-out" between rival factions of girls and boys at her school. That's it, you say? YES! And don't forget about the groovy tunes by the garage band "THE WORD", especially the 'Anita' song (which I still can't get out of my head . . . ). Remember, though, if you decide to watch this it isn't as light-hearted as the video box would lead you to believe. There is some definite darkness here and all in all the movie has a real mishmash of tone. But if you like '70's Drive-In Movies (I do!) then check it out. Also worth noting is that of all the movies I've ever watched -- and I've watched a lot of movies -- this has the singularly most screwed up "happy ending" I've ever seen. Released in a BIG box by Active Home Video in 1985 under the re-title "SUMMER SCHOOL".

penny_dreadful Not as light-hearted as most of the '70s sun-and-sand teensploitation flicks of its time, MAG WHEELS (released on video as SUMMER SCHOOL) concentrates on the rivalries between the local high school van-drivin' dudes and the tough pickup truck-drivin' chicks. When studly van-drivin' Steve starts to get friendly with Anita, the new girl in town, his girlfriend Donna gets really p***ed off -- so p***ed off she's out for revenge. After a long night of waiting tables at the Boogie Bowl, the local skate park and hangout, Anita has to fight off her sleazy boss, only to be nearly run off the road on her way home by the vengeful Donna. Upon her return home, Anita is reproached by her father, who refuses to listen to any explanation as to why Anita is late, and takes away her car privileges. Further angered after seeing Steve with Anita at the Boogie Bowl, devious Donna suggests that Steve should cop some weed from her cousin, then secretly phones the police. After his near-arrest, Steve is convinced by Donna that the only person who could have alerted the police was the waitress (Anita), who had overheard their conversation. When Anita's pickup-drivin' friend, Jill, gives Anita a lift, they find they're being followed by all the van guys -- too many for them to escape! Jill uses her C.B. to radio for help from her pickup friends, but the vans cut them off before backup arrives. The guys force Jill and Anita out of the truck and attempt to rape them before the pickup chicks arrive and start kickin' a**. The next day at school, Donna starts a fight (Catfight!) with Anita, and Anita is expelled. Wanting to get revenge, Jill and Anita challenge the van guys to a "drag-out." When Anita learns that people may die or be seriously injured in the drag-out -- which is a game of tug-of-war using vans vs. pickup trucks over a deep ravine -- she tries to stop the proceedings... But will she be too late? Poorly acted and made on what appears to be a shoestring budget, MAG WHEELS, sends out a mixed message to its viewers. While it seems to be in support of women's rights, there's also a subtext of misogyny. The tough truck-drivin' chicks are shown in a positive light -- they are able to take care of themselves, beat the guys in a drag race, and kick a** when necessary. And although the guys unflatteringly refer to them as "lezzies," this label is shown to be unfounded in one of the obligatory skin-baring scenes the genre requires. Yet it is the aggression against women (which is not shown to be unacceptable) that is most disturbing. After fighting off her sleazy boss one night, Anita (unbelievably) returns to work. And even though she is angry after Steve and his van buddies assault her and Jill, when Jill makes a slur against Steve, Anita says, "he's not that bad." Huh?!!! From would-be boyfriend to would-be-gang-rapist and HE'S NOT THAT BAD? Apparently Anita's father's constant berating has damaged his little girl's self-esteem.In spite of its flaws, I actually liked MAG WHEELS. I love '70s movies with a capital L - O - V and E, and though this is certainly not the best of its genre, neither is it the worst. The story of two girls in rivalry over a guy may be played-out, but the van-drivin' dudes vs. pickup-drivin' chicks angle was new on me. On the upside there's an attractive young cast of unknowns, plenty of action, lots of bikinis (and the '70s bodies to fill 'em -- you know what I mean), beach-frolicking, drag racing, van-rockin', cat-fighting, and even a little skateboarding thrown in for good measure. Oh, and for you guys: yes, breasts-n-bottoms-baring aplenty! On the downside the the dialogue is bad, the acting worse, and characters' actions are too mean-spirited for a teen romp. I was also pretty put-off by the lame attempts at comic relief (which are neither comic nor a relief) involving a nerdy pledge being ordered around by the van dudes. Wait a minute... isn't this supposed to be high school? Are the van guys in some sort of van fraternity or secret van society? And if this nerd is really some kind of pledge to join the van club, shouldn't he be driving a van (preferably one with mag wheels!)? But if you like '70s low-to-no budget teen movies (You know who you are!), you'll probably dig this one, too! Others beware.

Andrew Leavold Endless love, pot and heavy petting amidst a battle of the sexes between two rival surfie van gangs. Director Buckajew has filmed his share of teen flesh helming 60s backwoods nudies (The Pigkeeper's Daughter, Country Cuzzins) for Harry Novak's Box Office International (who also had Mag Wheels producer Peter Perry, aka 'AP Sootsberry', on the payroll), but takes time out to include other teensploitation essentials - frisbees, pinball, lame-o skateboarding, and those whacking paddles they used in Dazed And Confused - all from that awkward cultural limbo between Alice Cooper and John Travolta. Good to see jocks are the heroes and the nerds are zeroes, and that Women's Liberation had progressed to lines like `I'm Rachel. Fly me.' John Laughlin (here billed as "McLaughlin"), cast years later as Kathleen Turner's sex toy in Crimes Of Passion, heads a gormless no-name roster.