Gas Pump Girls (1979)

Best movie of this year hands down!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

This movie begins with 3 members of a local motorcycle gang known as "the Vultures" playing a trick on some high school students during their graduation. Later that night a man named "Uncle Joe" (Huntz Hall) has a mild heart attack and as a result cannot operate his local gas station because of it. Fortunately, his niece, "June" (Kirsten Baker) comes up with a plan to invite her high school friends to help run it while Uncle Joe is recovering. What none of them realize however is the extent at which a new service station across the street has ruined Uncle Joe's business. And the owner of the new gas station, "Mr. Friendly" (Dave Shelley) has no intention of allowing anybody to interfere with his profits. What Mr. Friendly doesn't count on is the ingenuity of June furthered by the Vultures when they decide to join her team. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this is the kind of grade-B film which could have only been produced in the 70's with the music, hair styles and everything else clearly standing out. Yet in spite of the obvious low-budget, extremely simple plot and poor acting, the movie itself wasn't too bad all things considered. What I found most enjoyable was that the humor was so basic and corny that it was actually funny--in a weird sort of way. Likewise, having a couple of cute young actresses like Linda Lawrence (as "Betty") along with the aforementioned Kirsten Baker certainly didn't hurt either. That said, while this film clearly isn't a good picture by any means, it wasn't that bad either and because of that I have rated it as just slightly below average.

The film never picks up any pace and stalls throughout. The star Kirsten Baker is the reason I saw the film. She was so good in Friday the 13th part 2 and good to look at. She is useless in this film and gives maybe the worst performance in history. There is a scene at the beginning where all the girls graduation gowns get ripped off, but that's the only nudity in the movie. There are these three biker guys that always hang around. When the bikers go to the beach they wear a swimsuit, leather boots?, and a leather jacket? What the hell? There is also a dance scene with on the of the bikers and the stuck-up girl. It is hilarious. 2/10 Bad

Of all the raunchy T&A sex romps made in the seventies and eighties this one is still one of the most popular. A bunch of hot chicks help out Huntz Hall who owns a gas station and of course the competition across the street creates friction when it comes to business so the young lovely's ask their boyfriends to help. As they fix up the place and figure out a way to get customers to show up the girls always find a way of getting naked! How about that? The station across the street is trying to put them out of business. The comedy is not really funny and the whole story is rather hokey but its done with its heart in the right place. How can you hate a film where young girls are trying to save an old mans gas station and get naked? I can't! Veterans Joe E. Ross (Ooo!Ooo!) and Mike Mazurki show up and you cant help but smile as these old pro's add some levity with their experience. Stupid? Yeah, I guess. Silly? Sure! But its harmless fun. Definitely for adults but lower your high brow when you watch this.

How could any nut forget GAS PUMP GIRLS? This one possibly started the light "exploitation comedies" that flowed into the early 80s mainstream. It appears that all the dirty filth invading theater screens since then suddenly gave way to this picture that PORKY'S would later follow. You'll most likely expect the home video version being drastically cut of any excessive garbage, but what's the difference? Don't be surprised to find this one fairly delightful, very amusing, and less profane, because that's the way films like this should be. Still "adults only" fun, but not at the extreme (unless an uncut edition surfaces!). I hate how movies like this offer a plot where "getting revenge" hampers an already sweet story of five young girls running shop, so that kind of hurts it. If you're addicted to shot-on-video porn (and I hope not!), this isn't for you. But I know you're honest! GAS PUMP GIRLS, while worth a good night's rent, is a surprisingly overlooked gem that needed greater attention. A fine reference of cult moviedom. Check out the video box cover and see for yourself!