Howard the Duck - Aug 1, 1986

Howard the Duck was released 25 years ago today on Aug 1, 1986. Infamously, it bombed at the box office and is widely considered one of the worst movies of the 80s.

Also turning 25 years old today is:

Friday the 13th VI: Jason Lives. Arguably one of the best movies in the Jason Vorhees series.



See the Howard the Duck trailer:


See the Jason Lives trailer here:

Double Feature Friday: Cannonball Run II and Speed Zone

Cannonball Run turned 30 years old this week. So for Double Feature Friday, here are ads for the sequels.

Here's the first sequel to Cannonball Run from 1984. Nearly all the main characters returned plus tons of other new celebrity cameos were added.

Here's the unofficial second sequel to Cannonball Run, Speed Zone from 1989. The original title was Cannonball Run III, but it was changed at the last minute.  The only character to return in this movie from the first two is The Sheik played by Jamie Farr.

Here's the trailer for Cannonball Run II:


Here's the trailer for Speed Zone:

The Gumball Rally - Aug 13, 1976

Looking at movies about illegal cross country road races...

Here's an ad for The Gumball Rally.

Cannonball! - Nov 5, 1976

I'm looking at cross country road race movies this week.

Here's an ad for Cannonball! from 1976. David Carradine plays an ex-con who signs up for an illegal outlaw road race that starts in Santa Monica, CA and ends in a garage in New York City. Along the way he must deal with other outlaw drivers and the mafia who are out to stop him from winning.  Carradine's brother, Robert, also stars in the film.

Notice in the ad that the 55 speed limit sign is used in the middle.  This would be done again in the ad for
The Cannonball Run four years later.

See the trailer:

Fireball 500 - Aug 4, 1966

The Cannonball Run turned 30 years old this week.  So I'm looking at ads for other "cross country race" movies this week.

Here's an ad for the Frankie and Annette feature, Fireball 500. The movie also starred teen idol Fabian. Moonshiners finagle stock car driver Dave Owens (Frankie) into a cross country road race. Dave is helped by Jane (Annette) and Leander (Fabian). Dave and Leander begin a friendly rivalry for Jane.

The Fireball 500 of the title was a heavily customized 1966 Plymouth Barracuda.

See the trailer:

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Cannonball Run turned 30 years old this week, so I'm looking at ads for movies about cross country car races.

Here's an ad for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World from 1963. This was an all-star comedy featuring Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, Phil Silvers, Buddy Hackett, Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, Ethel Merman and Johnathan Winters.

Watch the trailer:

Cannonball Run - 1981

Cannonball Run turns 30 years old today. So here's an ad for the first one. All week this week I'll look at ads for movies that were similar to, if not direct inspirations for, Cannonball Run.

I talk about the real life origins of the Cannonball Run movies here.

See the trailer here:


Here are some of the great outtakes from the end credits: