Thunder Alley (1967 film)

A race car driver, Tommy Callahan, retires after a blackout causes the death of another driver on the motorway. After the accident, he begins working at a Pete Madsen's "Thrill Circus" as a stunt driver. There he meets the proprietor's daughter, Francie, who also drives there, and her boyfriend Eddie Sands. Bored by his new job, Tommy begins training Eddie to be a professional. Eddie picks it up quickly, winning his first race. This leads to Tommy's gold-digging ex-girlfriend Annie Blaine scheming to steal the hot young driver away from Francie. Despite their quarreling, plus Francie's concern over his previous blackouts, she and Tommy are paired up during a 500-mile race. On the track, Tommy feels another blackout coming on, but manages to hang on. He comes to realize that the fainting spells are a psychological reaction to a childhood trauma. Francie goads ex-fiance Eddie into reckless maneuvers on the track, causing him to crash. Tommy wins the race, and her as well. ==Cast==

• Annette Funicello as Francie Madsen • Fabian as Tommy Callahan • Diane McBain as Annie Blaine • Warren Berlinger as Eddie Sands • Jan Murray as Pete Madsen • Stanley Adams as Mac Lunsford • Michael T. Mikler as Harry Wise • Maureen Arthur as "Babe" • Kip King as Dominic "Dom" • Michael Bell as Leroy Johnson • Sandy Reed as Racing Announcer Sandy • Sammy Shore as "Turk" • Baynes Barron as Reece • Salli Sachse as Barmaid • Luree Holmes as Barmaid • Mary Hughes as Barmaid ==Production==

The film was originally known as Malibu 500 It was the third of a seven-picture deal between AIP and Fabian. The director was Richard Rush who had made a number of lower budgeted films. He got the job through his agent, who was married to Annette Funicello at the time. Rush said AIP "were fond of my work.... They were the teenage exploitation studio... Since I was very rebellious, my characters were always very rebellious, which seemed to be the keynote of American youth at that time. My pictures worked in the marketplace." Rush later said "Fabian turned out to be much better than my expectations. I had that jaundiced view of, "Oh, it's Fabian — a manufactured talent." But he wasn't like that; he was a smart kid, worked hard, and was willing to do whatever you asked him to. Annette had poise and great ability, and was a mini-movie star." Rush later said it was one of his few films "that I didn't have any freedom on." Rush said, "The part of the film that deals with the actors is mine, and the rest is Burt's. It sort of divorced me from that sense of proprietorship that I have over all of my other films. ==Reception==

Contemporary reviews were mediocre. However AIP liked Rush's work and he made two other films for that company, Psych-Out and The Savage Seven. According to Diabolique magazine: Thunder Alley is a far more cohesive and successful film than Fireball 500 – a solid drama with a thumping soundtrack... and Annette Funicello is really good – but then it’s a strong role, perhaps her best ever for AIP. Fabian is also strong – cocky, arrogant, but haunted and basically decent; it’s one of his best parts. ==Soundtrack==

The film features the song "When You Get What You Want" by Guy Hemric and Jerry Styner, performed by Annette Funicello. The duo also wrote the title song "Thunder Alley", performed by The Band Without a Name. The song "Riot in Thunder Alley", by Eddie Beram, from the film also appears in the film and soundtrack album for Death Proof. ==See also==