Running on Empty (released in the United States as Fast Lane Fever) is a 1982 Australian action film. The film was a minor success at the box office and has become a cult film because of its depiction of Australian street racing culture and cars of the period.
It was shot in Canbelego, Cobar and Sydney, New South Wales, and is set at a time of delivery strikes, when fuel in Australia was rationed, the source of several of its humorous incidents. American terms such as "gas" for petrol and "trunk" for boot are used throughout the film.
Contents
Plot
Mike, a factory worker and street car racer, owns an XY Ford Falcon GTHO. His hippie parents are somewhat distant.
He gets involved with a local race gang headed by Fox, club ("aces") owner and drug dealer, then starts a relationship with Fox's girl, Julie.
Mike's car is ambushed and set on fire by the Gazzard boys, who run an FB Holden. Mike saves the car from total destruction (and their lives) by driving it into a swamp. He takes what's left of his "pride and joy" to Rebel, a blind mechanic who has adopted Mike as a surrogate son. He modifies the engine for nitrous oxide operation, but the race ends when he drives into a log-carrier and wakes in hospital.
The Ford is beyond repair, so Rebel gives Mike his supercharged '57 Chevy to race against Fox, a chance for vicarious victory.
Mike's assistant Tony has become disenchanted with being sidelined, but agrees to help one more time.
Mike challenges Fox again, and wins. Fox, whose illegal operations have been taken over by the crooked cop Jagger and his sadistic sidekick Dave, kills himself by driving into a concrete barrier and is immolated.
Cast
Terry Serio as Mike
Richard Moir as Fox
Deborah Conway as Julie
Vangelis Mourikis as Tony
Gerard Sont as Victor
Max Cullen as Rebel
Grahame Bond as Jagger
Penne Hackforth-Jones as Dave
Chris Haywood as Photographer
Johnny Utah as Workman
Warren Blondell as Lee
Ric Carter as Country Boy
Jon Darling as Workman
Peter Davies as Ram's Mate
Mervyn Drake as Country Boy
Kristoffer Greaves as Starter
Paul Johnstone as Lecherous Garage Attendant
Maurice Hughes as Foreman
Tim McLean as Photographer's Assistant
Brian McNevin as Fox's Timer
Sno Norton-Sinclair as Starter's Mate
Robin Ramsay as Dad
Geoff Rhoe as Ram
Keli Roberts as Sheryl
Cars
Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III
Dodge Challenger
57 Chevy
Production
The film was funded partly by the Film Corporation of Western Australia. It was filmed throughout New South Wales in Canbelego, Cobar, its surroundings and Sydney.
Reviews
Bill Halliwell, who mis-identifies the director as John Clarke, calls this a "hackneyed farrago which . . . runs out of gas long before the end. Like drive-in theatres this sort of film is a thing of the past."
Tony Harrison calls it a tiresome and predictable dud.
Rob Finkelman, writing in Street Muscle over 30 years later, acknowledges the poor (apart from Cullen's) acting, novice camera work, crude editing and continuity errors, but loved the film for its pace, story, and the "truly excellent cars and automotive action" involved.
Box office
Running on Empty grossed $1,218,000 at the box office in Australia.