Main Cast: H.B. Halicki, Christopher Stone, Susan Shaw, Lang Jeffries
Release Year: 1982
Country: US
Run Time: 96 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
H.B. Halicki, who wrote and directed the car chase classic Gone in 60 Seconds, returned with this action-comedy, in which Halicki claimed to have wrecked no fewer than 150 cars onscreen (a record confirmed by the Guinness Book of World Records). Harlan Hollis (H.B. Halicki) is a former junkyard owner whose knowledge of cars has helped him to move up in the world, becoming a well-known auto stuntman and film director. However, Hollis has made an enemy of one of his partners in the movie game, and as he hits the road to attend a James Dean memorial festival in Indiana, Hollis discovers a number of people are out to kill him, using guns, automobiles, airplanes, and anything else that's handy. Can Hollis find out who's after him and turn the tables before his luck runs out? Along with those 150 cars, The Junkman stars Christopher Stone, Lynda Day George, and Freddy Cannon. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
The Junkman was a 1982 independent film which spent two years in production. To make the film, H.B. 'Toby' Halicki used his own personal collection of over 200 cars, toys, and guns together with some brand new cars:
Junkman was set in a high stakes world of wealth, glamour, and power. Harlan B. Hollis (H.B. 'Toby' Halicki) struggles to stay alive when a jealous company partner (Christopher Stone) hires three goons (Tony Ostermeir, Dave Logue, and Rita Rickard) to kill him. The partner resents Hollis for making the movie Gone in 60 Seconds which is premiering at the Los AngelesTheater.
As Hollis drives to the James Dean festival, he's unaware that killers are tracking his every move. The fast and furious race to avoid their net, stay alive and discover who is behind this lethal plan will take Hollis through a fiery battle leaving highways and city streets a series of blazing junkyards.
Hollis is ambushed in his car by a trio of assassins. The entire first hour of the film is dominated by the ensuing chase. Left for dead, Hollis manages to escape a fiery death and heads back to Los Angeles to figure out who's trying to kill him.
Hollis manages to get back to his ranch to get his daughter Kelly's piggy bank and then takes a cab to see his friend Hoyt (Hoyt Axton) to ask him to loan him his brand new 1981Chevrolet Corvette. With the aid of a news crew and the Goodyear Blimp, he discovers the villain and stops a bomb from going off at the theater where his new film is being premiered.
Soundtrack and DVD release
The original film had a soundtrack that included some rare rock & roll tracks including "Let's Put the Fun Back in Rock & Roll" by Freddy Cannon and The Belmonts, "Shake it Sally" by Cannon and the Belmonts with Bo Diddley, and "James Dean and the Junkman" by Hoyt Axton. For the DVD release the entire soundtrack was replaced with a score of generic synthesizer music. The DVD did not, however, include a "this film has been modified from its original version" disclaimer.
