Just in time for halloween, we review Lou Rusoff’s campy feature, the Ghost of Dragstrip Hollow. As awful as this film is, many consider it the fore-runner of the Beach Party movies. Trust us, it is pretty horrible too.

Photos from http://stugglinguwmstudent.blogspot.com

Written in the mid-fifties by Rusoff, who famously combined horror, comedy, girls, and pop culture into his movies, the Ghost Of Dragstrip Hollow added a frightening new addition to horror movies, drag racing and hot rod gangs.

Hot rodders and drag racing were viewed as daredevils by the mainstream society in the 1950s. What could be scarier than putting these hooligans with a real ghost? Rusoff’s style of keeping costs down by limiting the number of sets and locations was never more evident than this feature film.

It is easy to see how this is considered the fore-runner to the 60s Beach Movies.

The movie centers around a Los Angeles car club that moves into an old deserted mansion. The club makes the place their headquarters and set up shop there. For a grand opening, they hold a costume ball where everyone comes as their favorite monster. Things get wacky when a real monster shows up and starts making time with all the girls.

Sanita Pelkey from the Ghost Of Dragstrip Hollow:

There is very little racing action, even less hot rods, but the hokey slang is abundant. If you are a hepcat, hot rodder, or just alive to the jive, then you must see this flick.

The film features Jody Fair, who also starred in The Brain Eaters and The Hot Rod Gang, but was more active in TV roles. Her co-star in the movie, Russ Bender was also better known as a TV series character actor, but he did star on the big screen in It Conquered The World, and the War Of The Colossal Beast.

Dress as your favorite monster costume party!

The one actor in the cast that anyone might actually know is Tommy Ivo. Yes, TV Tommy Ivo. When his acting career began to wind down, Ivo got serious about his drag racing. Ivo is ranked Number 25 on the NHRA Top 50 Drivers list.

For hot rodders, this is a must watch comedy for the halloween holiday.