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Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Stephen King has earned rarified status as an author, having dozens of his works adapted into film, television, plays, comic books and even video games. (I reviewed his latest adaptation, The Life of Chuck, in last week’s paper.) There’s only been one instance where King stepped up to direct: Maximum Overdrive. And it’s easy to see why he never went behind a camera again. A mysterious comet passes over Earth during summer 1987, causing all machines to come to life and exact violent revenge on their former masters. Our story focuses particularly on a group of survivors sheltering in a North Carolina truck stop, menaced by a fleet of sentient semis. In the right hands, this could be the stage for a legitimately tense thriller. King had already proven his chops for contained survival in The Mist and threatened audiences with Christine’s violent vehicles. However, King approaches Maximum Overdrive with an eye for camp, and the hammy acting and hard-rock score by AC/DC turn the affair into a dark comedy. It’s not a particularly scary movie, but it’s never boring. The already-comic setup only gets more ridiculous as time goes on, and cinematographer Armando Nannuzzi, who lost an eye filming this project, makes sure there’s always something interesting to look at on-screen. Since its release, King has disavowed Maximum Overdrive, admitting to being intoxicated while filming. That’s understandable, but it doesn’t mean there’s nothing worth salvaging in the final product. King completionists, connoisseurs of so-bad-it’s-good schlock, and people who like seeing cars blow up will need to be at least 21 to watch Maximum Overdrive at Cult Classics on June 29.
Also Playing:
Cinema 21: The City of Lost Children (1995), June 27 and 28. It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963), June 28. Cinemagic: Risky Business (1983) and The Big Heat (1988), June 25. Rain Man (1988) and Magnolia (1999), June 26. The Devil’s Rejects (2005), June 27. The Running Man (1987) June 27, 28 and 30. Mimic (1997), June 28 and July 1. Swingers (1996), June 28 and 29. Cabaret (1972), June 29 and 30. Cult Classics: Maximum Overdrive (1986), June 29. They Live (1988), June 30. Clinton: Sex Change (1977), June 25. Love Lies Bleeding (2024), June 26. But I’m a Cheerleader! (1999), June 27. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), June 28. Underground Orange (2024), June 29. The Last Class (2025), June 30. Total Recall (1990), July 1. Hollywood: Rampage (aka Turkish Rambo) (1986), June 27 and 28. RRR (2022) and Business Card (2025), June 29. All About My Mother (1999), June 30. Iron Angels 2 (1988), July 1. Tomorrow: Go (1999), June 26. Blur: To the End (2024), June 29.