Trabbi Goes to Hollywood
| Trabbi Goes to Hollywood | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Jon Turteltaub |
| Produced by |
Brad Krevoy Steven Stabler |
| Written by |
Jon Turteltaub David Tausik R. M. London |
| Starring |
Thomas Gottschalk Michelle Johnson Billy Dee Williams Dom DeLuise James Tolkan |
| Music by |
Joey Balin Christopher Franke |
| Cinematography | Phedon Papamichael |
| Edited by |
Armen Minasian Nancy Richardson |
Release dates | March 16, 1991 (Germany) |
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country |
United States Germany |
| Language |
English German |
Trabbi Goes to Hollywood (English title: Driving Me Crazy) is a 1991 US comedy film directed by Jon Turteltaub, starring Thomas Gottschalk, Billy Dee Williams, Dom DeLuise, and James Tolkan.
Synopsis
The film's main protagonist is the young and eccentric inventor Gunther Schmidt, who (like many others) attempts to flee across the East German borderline to the West using his inventions, but constantly meets with failure. Finally, he constructs a gadget which actually works: a modified Trabant with a motor running on turnip juice, making it ultimately environmental, but which is still capable of attaining a speed of up to 250 kph. But by the time his invention is perfected, East and West Germany are reunited, rendering the Trabbi's use as an escape vehicle obsolete.
An American tycoon John Mcready (George Kennedy) invites him to go to the USA, especially to the Los Angeles Automobile Festival, and gives him a card if he needs his help. With this idea Gunther leaves his hometown. Gunther arrives to the venue of the event and with the help of Max (Billie Dee Williams) they decide together to go to each manufacturers chairman to offer the idea. But he had trouble to reach the car manufacturers because they all chat with Mr. B (Dom DeLuise) a kind of car genius who says to all that he has developed a new car prototype.
Desperate to find a new car like he promises, Mr B orders to one of his aide Vince (James Tolkan) to find one and presented it like Mr. B's idea. During the search Vince sees the Trabant who Gunther brings from his East Germany hometown parked in the hotel where the auto show held. Driving in a freeway and for the less speed Vince operates a device developed by Gunther and produces that the Trabbi goes fast. So intrigued by the fact, Vince with Mr B. decides to search and investigate the Trabbi motor and discovered that he only works with vegetables.
Max says to Gunther that his Trabbi was stolen and decide to recover it. In his search he notices that Mr. B had it and summon a media conference where will launch the car like his own. Passing off as the Peugeot chairman with Ricki enters to Mr B's mansion and says to all the media that car was his idea and immediately is expelled. Looking the card that John Mcready gave him, he decided to visit him in his corporate offices for help and discover him that he wants to install a contaminated factory in his town. John tells that the only way to save his town is that he gives two million dollars money who gave to East Germany authorities to allow build the factory. Decide to recover his car and save his town, Gunther with Max drives the car off in Mr. B's mansion and he decides not allow lose an amount of dollars who the manufacturers promises to give him, with Vince starts a race chase in Los Angeles streets.
Together go with them an American Motor Company executive with interest in the car, who decides to give four million dollars for the rights to build the car. In a moment near to a defile, Gunther with Max waiting to Ricki for decide the new ways to reach to the fabricants. The American Motors executives chats with them and offers the money but Gunther notices that Vince takes the Trabbi to defile and unsuccessfully Gunther tries to rescue. The executive ask to Mr.B if he can make the car again and starts to cry. In that part Gunther get out of the defile, says to the executive that he can build it, and with the money save his hometown.
Cast
- Thomas Gottschalk as Gunther Schmidt
- Michelle Johnson as Ricki
- Billy Dee Williams as Max
- Dom DeLuise as Mr. B
- James Tolkan as Vince
- George Kennedy as John McCready
- Milton Berle as Hotel Clerk
- Steve Kanaly as Mr. Goodwyn
- Richard Moll as Buzz
- Morton Downey, Jr. as Taj
- Tommy 'Tiny' Lister as Cubey (credited as Tiny Lister Jr.)
- Andre Rosey Brown as Bluto
- Peter Lupus as GM Boss
- Vlade Divac as Yugo Boss
- Antony Alda as Jack
- Robert Miano as Omar
- Celeste Yarnall as Volvo Boss
Reception
Trabbi Goes to Hollywood received a generally poor reception. The German film magazine Cinema evaluates the film as a "ramschiger Rübenrotz" ("junky turnip snot") and summarized the film plot's value with the words "Thommy Go Home!".[1]
References
- ↑ "TRABBI GOES TO HOLLYWOOD". Cinema.de. Retrieved June 6, 2011.