The Junkman
Encyclopedia
The Junkman is a 1982 independent film which spent two years in production. To make the film, H. B. Halicki
used his own personal collection of over 200 cars, toys, and guns - including Eleanor
, the star of his 1974 cult classic Gone in 60 Seconds
.
The Junkman is the second installment of Halicki's film trilogy. It presents Gone in 60 Seconds and Deadline Auto Theft
as films within a film. The opening car chase sequence, which involves a 1974 Bricklin SV-1
, is part of the storyline of Deadline Auto Theft.
) struggles to stay alive when a jealous public relations manager (Christopher Stone
) hires a team of assassins (Kopi Sotiropulos, Tony Ostermeir, Dave Logue, and Rita Rickard) to kill him. The manager, also Hollis' brother-in-law, resents Hollis for making the movie Gone in 60 Seconds
, which is premiering at the Cinerama Dome
.
The film starts with the head hitman Frank Spyros (Sotiropulos) answering a pay phone and getting instructions from a then unknown person to go ahead with a hit on Hollis as he drives to the James Dean Festival in Cholame, California
. The same unknown person inserts a video tape into a VCR, a highlight video of Hollis's life. The person ejects the video and crumples up a publicity shot of Hollis.
Hollis is then seen cutting a rear differential out of a car in a junkyard, while his business manager Richard Hill (Richard L. Muse) quietly looks on. Hollis requests a helicopter and instructs that he doesn't care how much an upcoming junkyard party cost, as long as everybody had a good time.
Hollis proceeds to filming a new car chase scene for his movie Gone in 60 Seconds, ending with a car plunging into a deep puddle. The film crew is then seen, along with Hollis' daughter Kelly (Kelly Busia). Reporter Susan Clark (Susan Shaw
) arrives with a camera crew to interview Hollis for a story, interviewing his PR Manager and brother-in-law Michael Fox (Stone) first, then actor in Hollis' movie Hoyt Axton
, and finally catching up to Hollis, as he gives Kelly an early birthday present, a horse.
Hollis meets up with Arthur Wheeler (Lang Jeffries
) at his office to detail the itinerary for the next two days. Hollis then goes with Kelly to his ranch in Paso Robles
for the weekend. Spyros meets with the rest of his team of assassins at the airport to detail the plan to kill Hollis, which would include the mystery man behind the hit flying one of the air covers. The next day, Hollis meets up with Warner E. Leighton
to discuss the editing changes to the movie.
As Hollis drives to the James Dean
festival, he's unaware that killers are tracking his every move. Hollis is ambushed in his car by a trio of assassins. The entire first hour of the film is dominated by the ensuing chase, and the wreckage that follows. After eliminating most of the assassins, only the air cover flown by the mystery man is left. After Hollis crashes into the side of a house, the air cover drops a grenade into the house, with it exploding seconds after. Left for dead, Hollis manages to escape a fiery death and is meet by Clark and her camera crew. They all head back to Los Angeles to figure out who's trying to kill him.
Later, Clark shows Hollis a picture found in the burned wreckage of one of the air covers' planes. Hollis identifies it as an unreleased publicity shot, indicating someone from inside of his own company is trying to kill him.
Hollis manages to get back to his house to get his daughter Kelly's piggy bank and then takes a cab to see Hoyt to ask him to loan him some money, a gun and a car. He offers his wife's brand new 1981 Chevrolet Corvette
. Back at Hollis' office Fox and Wheeler argue over letting Clark in with her crew to finish the story she was doing. Fox sighting Hill now owning the company gives him the decision of whether to grant Clark access. He does, and they proceed to finish the story.
Later, Hollis sneaks into the office, but is meet by his security guard Dennis (Dennis Stoufer), who thinks he is an intruder and attempts to shoot him several times. Hollis escapes in his stunt car Eleanor, meets Clark's film crew and they all escape as the police arrive. The next day, Black Bird, who survived a car crash in Paso Robles, sets off a car bomb in Fox's car, which was thought to be occupied by Hill. Fox is relieved to find Hill was not in the car.
As Clark is about to go on the air with a news cast, her boss Larry Bergleman (Dan Grimaldi
) demands to know her source of info of the apparent death of Hollis. He gives her information about recreational planes that were used in the hit. With that information, Clark and the crew go to the airport to interview a pilot, who happens to be Frank Spyros, the head assassin. When she mentions the particular biplane he was explaining was involved in the Hollis murder, he becomes exasperated and refuses to continue the interview until a later date.
Afterwards, Black Bird Shoots Spyros and takes a bomb he assembled. Hollis, on a tip from Clark arrives to confront Spyros, who he finds dead, with a plan on his desk to where the bomb will be planted, in a limousine at the movie premier. An assistant discovers Hollis with a gun, standing over a dead Spyros. Hollis threatens the assistant with the gun and escapes. The assistant calls the police. As Hollis races to the premier, a police chase ensues, thinking Hollis was a murderer. The chase ends with Hollis crashing the Corvette into an old woman's small car, which she just purchased, splitting it in two. After Hollis escapes from the wrecked Corvette, the old woman attempts to give chase in the remaining front half of her car.
With the aid of Goodyear Blimp, he travels to the Cinerama Dome, where the premier is held. He discovers the mystery man to be Fox, who subsequently slips off the edge of the theater roof. Clark's crew find the bomb in the limo, throw it into a parking lot, and it explodes, blowing up several cars in the process.
At the end of the film, Hollis embraces Kelly, and he begins her surprise birthday party, where he gives her a new 1982 Pontiac
Trans Am for a birthday present.
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.
H. B. Halicki
H.B. Halicki was an American stunt driver, actor, and filmmaker. He was also known as Toby to his friends and family, and to his fans as 'The Car Crash King'.-Biography:...
used his own personal collection of over 200 cars, toys, and guns - including Eleanor
Eleanor (1973 Ford Mustang)
Eleanor is the trademarked name given to a 1973 Ford Mustang Mach 1 for its role in the 1974 film Gone in 60 Seconds. "Eleanor" is the only Ford Mustang in history to receive Star title credit in a movie. However in the 2000 Gone in 60 Seconds movie, the new Eleanor is a 1967 Shelby...
, the star of his 1974 cult classic Gone in 60 Seconds
Gone in 60 Seconds (1974 film)
Gone in 60 Seconds is a 1974 American action film written, directed, produced by, and starring H.B. 'Toby' Halicki. It centers on a group of car thieves and the 48 cars they must steal in a matter of days. The film is famous for having wrecked and destroyed 93 cars in a 34-minute car chase scene....
.
The Junkman is the second installment of Halicki's film trilogy. It presents Gone in 60 Seconds and Deadline Auto Theft
Deadline Auto Theft
Deadline Auto Theft is a 1983 independent film written and directed by H.B 'Toby' Halicki, made up of scenes from Gone in 60 Seconds and The Junkman, as well as new material featuring Hoyt Axton.- Plot :...
as films within a film. The opening car chase sequence, which involves a 1974 Bricklin SV-1
Bricklin SV-1
The Bricklin SV-1 was a gull-wing door sports car assembled in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The body panels were manufactured in a separate plant in Minto, New Brunswick. Manufactured from 1974 until early 1976 for the U.S. market, the car was the creation of Malcolm Bricklin, an American...
, is part of the storyline of Deadline Auto Theft.
Plot
The Junkman is set in a high-stakes world of wealth, glamor, and power. Harlan B. Hollis (H. B. HalickiH. B. Halicki
H.B. Halicki was an American stunt driver, actor, and filmmaker. He was also known as Toby to his friends and family, and to his fans as 'The Car Crash King'.-Biography:...
) struggles to stay alive when a jealous public relations manager (Christopher Stone
Christopher Stone (actor)
Christopher Stone was an American actor.Stone appeared on film and television from the early 1970s and married actress Dee Wallace in 1980. Together, they appeared in a number of films including the classic horror films The Howling and Cujo...
) hires a team of assassins (Kopi Sotiropulos, Tony Ostermeir, Dave Logue, and Rita Rickard) to kill him. The manager, also Hollis' brother-in-law, resents Hollis for making the movie Gone in 60 Seconds
Gone in 60 Seconds (1974 film)
Gone in 60 Seconds is a 1974 American action film written, directed, produced by, and starring H.B. 'Toby' Halicki. It centers on a group of car thieves and the 48 cars they must steal in a matter of days. The film is famous for having wrecked and destroyed 93 cars in a 34-minute car chase scene....
, which is premiering at the Cinerama Dome
Cinerama Dome
Pacific Theatres' Cinerama Dome is a movie theater located at 6360 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. Designed to present widescreen, 70mm Cinerama films, it opened November 7, 1963. Today it continues as a leading first run theater.- History :...
.
The film starts with the head hitman Frank Spyros (Sotiropulos) answering a pay phone and getting instructions from a then unknown person to go ahead with a hit on Hollis as he drives to the James Dean Festival in Cholame, California
Cholame, California
Cholame, California is an unincorporated community in San Luis Obispo County, California, USA. It sits within a mile of the San Andreas Rift Zone fault line at an elevation of 1,157 feet above sea level and is located at . Cholame is reached via State Route 41, just southwest of the junction of...
. The same unknown person inserts a video tape into a VCR, a highlight video of Hollis's life. The person ejects the video and crumples up a publicity shot of Hollis.
Hollis is then seen cutting a rear differential out of a car in a junkyard, while his business manager Richard Hill (Richard L. Muse) quietly looks on. Hollis requests a helicopter and instructs that he doesn't care how much an upcoming junkyard party cost, as long as everybody had a good time.
Hollis proceeds to filming a new car chase scene for his movie Gone in 60 Seconds, ending with a car plunging into a deep puddle. The film crew is then seen, along with Hollis' daughter Kelly (Kelly Busia). Reporter Susan Clark (Susan Shaw
Susan Shaw
Susan Shaw was an English actress.Shaw began her film career in 1946 when she was signed to a contract by the J. Arthur Rank Organisation...
) arrives with a camera crew to interview Hollis for a story, interviewing his PR Manager and brother-in-law Michael Fox (Stone) first, then actor in Hollis' movie Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
, and finally catching up to Hollis, as he gives Kelly an early birthday present, a horse.
Hollis meets up with Arthur Wheeler (Lang Jeffries
Lang Jeffries
Lang Jeffries was a Canadian-American actor of television and film who was married to actress Rhonda Fleming from 1960-1962....
) at his office to detail the itinerary for the next two days. Hollis then goes with Kelly to his ranch in Paso Robles
Paso Robles, California
Paso Robles is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Paso Robles is the fastest growing city in San Luis Obispo County: Its population at the 2000 census was 24,297; in 2010 it recorded some 29,793 residentsLocated on the Salinas River north of San Luis Obispo, California,...
for the weekend. Spyros meets with the rest of his team of assassins at the airport to detail the plan to kill Hollis, which would include the mystery man behind the hit flying one of the air covers. The next day, Hollis meets up with Warner E. Leighton
Warner E. Leighton
Warner Elvon Leighton was an American film, sound, music, effects and supervising editor. An only child, he married Patricia Relyea in the early 1950s. He had two daughters with Patricia; Denise was born in 1955 and Cynthia was born in 1958. He also had one Grandson, Kyler, born in 1993. Later,...
to discuss the editing changes to the movie.
As Hollis drives to the James Dean
James Dean
James Byron Dean was an American film actor. He is a cultural icon, best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause , in which he starred as troubled Los Angeles teenager Jim Stark...
festival, he's unaware that killers are tracking his every move. Hollis is ambushed in his car by a trio of assassins. The entire first hour of the film is dominated by the ensuing chase, and the wreckage that follows. After eliminating most of the assassins, only the air cover flown by the mystery man is left. After Hollis crashes into the side of a house, the air cover drops a grenade into the house, with it exploding seconds after. Left for dead, Hollis manages to escape a fiery death and is meet by Clark and her camera crew. They all head back to Los Angeles to figure out who's trying to kill him.
Later, Clark shows Hollis a picture found in the burned wreckage of one of the air covers' planes. Hollis identifies it as an unreleased publicity shot, indicating someone from inside of his own company is trying to kill him.
Hollis manages to get back to his house to get his daughter Kelly's piggy bank and then takes a cab to see Hoyt to ask him to loan him some money, a gun and a car. He offers his wife's brand new 1981 Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
. Back at Hollis' office Fox and Wheeler argue over letting Clark in with her crew to finish the story she was doing. Fox sighting Hill now owning the company gives him the decision of whether to grant Clark access. He does, and they proceed to finish the story.
Later, Hollis sneaks into the office, but is meet by his security guard Dennis (Dennis Stoufer), who thinks he is an intruder and attempts to shoot him several times. Hollis escapes in his stunt car Eleanor, meets Clark's film crew and they all escape as the police arrive. The next day, Black Bird, who survived a car crash in Paso Robles, sets off a car bomb in Fox's car, which was thought to be occupied by Hill. Fox is relieved to find Hill was not in the car.
As Clark is about to go on the air with a news cast, her boss Larry Bergleman (Dan Grimaldi
Dan Grimaldi
Daniel "Dan" Grimaldi is an American actor who is known for his roles as twins Philly and Patsy Parisi on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Career:...
) demands to know her source of info of the apparent death of Hollis. He gives her information about recreational planes that were used in the hit. With that information, Clark and the crew go to the airport to interview a pilot, who happens to be Frank Spyros, the head assassin. When she mentions the particular biplane he was explaining was involved in the Hollis murder, he becomes exasperated and refuses to continue the interview until a later date.
Afterwards, Black Bird Shoots Spyros and takes a bomb he assembled. Hollis, on a tip from Clark arrives to confront Spyros, who he finds dead, with a plan on his desk to where the bomb will be planted, in a limousine at the movie premier. An assistant discovers Hollis with a gun, standing over a dead Spyros. Hollis threatens the assistant with the gun and escapes. The assistant calls the police. As Hollis races to the premier, a police chase ensues, thinking Hollis was a murderer. The chase ends with Hollis crashing the Corvette into an old woman's small car, which she just purchased, splitting it in two. After Hollis escapes from the wrecked Corvette, the old woman attempts to give chase in the remaining front half of her car.
With the aid of Goodyear Blimp, he travels to the Cinerama Dome, where the premier is held. He discovers the mystery man to be Fox, who subsequently slips off the edge of the theater roof. Clark's crew find the bomb in the limo, throw it into a parking lot, and it explodes, blowing up several cars in the process.
At the end of the film, Hollis embraces Kelly, and he begins her surprise birthday party, where he gives her a new 1982 Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
Trans Am for a birthday present.
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 CannonFreddy Cannon
Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. , known as Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".-Biography:...
and The Belmonts
The Belmonts
The Belmonts are an American doo-wop group that originated in the mid 1950s. The group consisted of Fred Milano, Angelo D'Aleo, Carlo Mastrangelo, and Nick Caruso.. The group took their first name from Belmont Avenue in the Bronx. There were several stages in their history, including the 1958–1960...
, "Shake it Sally" by Cannon and the Belmonts with Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
, and "James Dean and the Junkman" by Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Axton
Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well...
. 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.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| H.B. 'Toby' Halicki H. B. Halicki H.B. Halicki was an American stunt driver, actor, and filmmaker. He was also known as Toby to his friends and family, and to his fans as 'The Car Crash King'.-Biography:... |
Harlan B. Hollis/Maindrian Pace |
| Christopher Stone Christopher Stone (actor) Christopher Stone was an American actor.Stone appeared on film and television from the early 1970s and married actress Dee Wallace in 1980. Together, they appeared in a number of films including the classic horror films The Howling and Cujo... |
Michael Fox |
| Susan Shaw Susan Shaw Susan Shaw was an English actress.Shaw began her film career in 1946 when she was signed to a contract by the J. Arthur Rank Organisation... |
Susan Clark |
| Lang Jeffries Lang Jeffries Lang Jeffries was a Canadian-American actor of television and film who was married to actress Rhonda Fleming from 1960-1962.... |
Arthur Wheeler |
| Bruce Cameron Bruce Cameron Andrew Bruce Cameron is a Scottish Anglican bishop who served as the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.... |
Bruce |
| Jack Vacek | Jack |
| Richard L. Muse | Richard Hill |
| Dan Grimaldi Dan Grimaldi Daniel "Dan" Grimaldi is an American actor who is known for his roles as twins Philly and Patsy Parisi on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Career:... |
Larry Bergleman |
| Kelly Busia | Kelly Hollis |
| Dennis Stouffer | Dennis ( The Security Man ) |
| Brian LaBonge | Brian |
| Judi Gibbs | Christine |
| Tony Ostermeier | Air Cover |
| Dave Logue | Magnum |
| Rita Rickard | Blackbird ( Murderess ) |
| Mike Brennan | Festival MC/Nursery Truck Driver |
| Kopi Sotiropulos | Frank Spyros |
| Jewel Shepard Jewel Shepard Jewel Shepard is an American writer, photographer and actress, best known for her roles in movies such as Party Camp and Return of the Living Dead .... |
Girl In Car |
| John Halicki | Man In Horse Carriage |
| Ronald Halicki | The Pig Man |
| Maureen Coddington | Female Police Dispatcher |
| Butch Stockton | Datsun Crash Policeman |
| Phil Boroff | Sgt. Gullen/Policeman #1 |
| Chip Giannettino | Policeman #2 |
| Hoyt Axton Hoyt Axton Hoyt Wayne Axton was an American country music singer-songwriter, and a film and television actor. He became prominent in the early 1960s, establishing himself on the West Coast as a folk singer with an earthy style and powerful voice. As he matured, some of his songwriting efforts became well... |
Himself/Captain Gibbs |
| George Barris George Barris (auto customizer) George Barris is a designer of custom cars.-Early history:George and his brother Sam were born in Chicago in the 1920s. After the deaths of their parents, they moved to Roseville, California as children to live with relatives. Both were good students, interested in drama, music, and design... |
Himself |
| Freddy Cannon Freddy Cannon Frederick Anthony Picariello Jr. , known as Freddy Cannon, is an American rock and roll singer, whose biggest international hits included "Tallahassee Lassie", "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans", and "Palisades Park".-Biography:... |
Himself |
| Warner E. Leighton Warner E. Leighton Warner Elvon Leighton was an American film, sound, music, effects and supervising editor. An only child, he married Patricia Relyea in the early 1950s. He had two daughters with Patricia; Denise was born in 1955 and Cynthia was born in 1958. He also had one Grandson, Kyler, born in 1993. Later,... |
Himself |
| Nick Nickolary | Himself ( The Goodyear Blimp Skipper ) |
| P. J. Webb | Herself |
| Emily Fladland | Mrs. Calvin (The Women With the Total Out Citation) |
| Gayle Gannes | Donna |
| Aubrey Finn | Richard's Attorney |