History Lesson: Electronic Music and Sporty-Looking Junkyard Employees Enhance Driver Safety

Murilee Martin
by Murilee Martin
history lesson electronic music and sporty looking junkyard employees enhance driver

I wrote about this fine movie four years ago yesterday, but so far it hasn’t attracted the cult following I think it deserves. Entitled “What’s The Big Hurry” and released in 1970 to no-doubt-bewildered Driver’s Ed students, the film was directed by Sid Davis and features extremely weird electronic music by Louis Barron. Junkyard employees pulling a GM A-body’s wiper motor with a gas-axe, long pans past wrecked Porsche 914s and VW Beetles, and all of it taking place in Huntington Park, California.


Yes, one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces of all time!

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  • Panzerfaust Panzerfaust on May 04, 2011

    Oh, I thought this was a film for 'career day' 1971. Looks like Benson auto dismantling got some cheap publicity. The soundtrack makes you wonder if a bug whose DNA got changed by the chemicals in the salvage yard is going rampage Huntington Park. This is one of those clips that is so bad its good, 'this is not the end, it is the beginning of a new car which we hope this time will be driven safely." Wonderful; that Olds sedan and the Fairlane that got skewered by the forklift a dozen times were made into Pinto's and Vegas (as well as the beer cans we threw out of them) -cars that didn't deserve to be driven safely.

  • The Wedding DJ The Wedding DJ on May 04, 2011

    Released in 1970? Look at 1:59 - that '73-ish Monte Carlo says otherwise.

  • Crabspirits Crabspirits on May 04, 2011

    Yes, it's good. I don't think this holds up to Caterpillar's "Shake Hands With Danger" however.

  • JuniorMint JuniorMint on May 07, 2011

    Someone explain 5:30 to me. Were Jane and her friend driving to the movie in...a police car? Maybe they were both cops? Who REALLY LIKED Robert Redford? good find, i lol'ed

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