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      Fireball 500

      Released Jun 7, 1966 1h 32m Action List
      Reviews 35% 100+ Ratings Audience Score Handsome and daring Dave Owens (Frankie Avalon) is a young stock-car driver who becomes entangled in a moonshine-smuggling scheme as he embarks on a cross-country competition. Joined by his buddy Leander Fox (Fabian) and the lovely Jane Harris (Annette Funicello), Dave comes up with his own plan to foil the criminals. As he races around the nation, Dave competes with Leander for the affections of Jane, but automotive action is always top priority. Read More Read Less

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      Audience Reviews

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      Audience Member Oddball Frankie and Annette film that attempts to be edgier and to more in touch with the rebellious youth culture of the 1960s than the Beach Party films . Frankie plays a stock car racer who's also a part-time moonshine runner. This film was directed by William Asher, who made most all of the Beach Party films. This film also features some familiar Beach Party players like Fabian, Chill Wills, Harvey Lembeck, and music by Les Baxter. I kept waiting for this film to dip into light comedy and musical numbers, but it never did. Although it's somewhat interesting to see Frankie and Annette try to do something outside of their usual light fare, this film really just doesn't work and would be last Frankie and Annette film until "Back to the Beach" years later in the 1980s. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Nearly one of Annette's last films for AIP, Fireball 500 (1966) had excitement, tension, comedy, thrills and a fabulous song from Annette. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member Frankie and Annette decide to put away the surf boards for a while and do a racing picture. It has a bit of excitement, but most of the movie is pretty boring, and not as funny as the "Beach" movies. Overall, it's just okay. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member Finally those fruity beach kids start to grow up a little bit! This movie is a strange departure from the previous happy-go-lucky tales of Frankie and DeeDee on the beach. In Fireball 500 we find Harvey Lembeck not playing Eric Von Zipper, but instead playing a booze smuggling rabble-rouser who gets into a bloody brawl with Frankie Avalon. The beaches are replaced by dusty back-roads, the playful chicken fights with crashed cars and homicides, and in the strangest twist of all, Annette Funicello winds up with Fabian, and Frankie winds up with a blond who actually puts out for a change. Although at times it is hard to buy Frankie Avalon in the role of the "tough guy" he really did seem to give it his all. For all it's faults, most especially it's "Scooby Doo" style ending, Fireball 500 is something of an improvement over the previous flighty beach films. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member 1995??? no it's not!!!! but it's a great little break from the beach with the beach gang and is in the 1960s Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Good....an old movie Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Fireball 500

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis Handsome and daring Dave Owens (Frankie Avalon) is a young stock-car driver who becomes entangled in a moonshine-smuggling scheme as he embarks on a cross-country competition. Joined by his buddy Leander Fox (Fabian) and the lovely Jane Harris (Annette Funicello), Dave comes up with his own plan to foil the criminals. As he races around the nation, Dave competes with Leander for the affections of Jane, but automotive action is always top priority.
      Director
      William Asher
      Screenwriter
      William Asher, Leo Townsend
      Distributor
      American International Pictures
      Production Co
      American International Pictures (AIP)
      Genre
      Action
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Jun 7, 1966, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Apr 1, 2016
      Runtime
      1h 32m
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