wvisser-leusden 'Teenage HitchHikers' succeeds where many other seventies productions fail: putting down a true slapstick of 1970's ideals. Such as freedom, unrestrictive permissiveness, getting back to nature, and 'free' sex solving the world's problems.To my knowledge, in this respect 'Teenage HitchHikers' must be unique. It presents us with a refreshing way to put our perception of the 1970-s into their right perspective. Which is pretty easy to do with our present knowledge -- but must have been difficult in 1975, the year this film was made.That's all there is to say. For the rest this film all breathes true mediocrity. Right down to the acting of the girls, as well as the common looks of their naked bodies: no botox, no pumped-up breasts, no polished skins.

Woodyanders Mouse (adorable Chris Jordan) and Bird (the gorgeous Sandra Peabody of "The Last House on the Left" fame) are a couple of sassy and sexy hitchhikers who embark on a cross country road trip in search of freedom, excitement, and independence. The lovely ladies use their nubile bodies as currency and run across a diverse array of libidinous folks on their journey. Director Gerrie Sedley and writer Rod Whipple astutely nail the aimless wandering spirit of the laid-back early 70's while relating the rambling episodic narrative at a leisurely pace. Of course, they also deliver plenty of tasty female nudity and several sizzling soft-core sex scenes (an uninhibited anything-goes orgy at a wild swingin' party rates as the definite erotic highlight). Moreover, this movie boasts a hilariously breezy sense of distinctly 70's irreverent humor, with loads of sharp sarcastic dialogue (favorite line: "If you want bread, go *beep* a baker!") and inspired oddball moments that include our saucy protagonists dancing topless at a diner for food and a surreal backwoods encounter with a vicious escaped rapist (an amusing performance by Ric Mancini). Jordan and Peabody make for attractive and appealing leads; their nice natural chemistry keeps the picture buzzing throughout. Popping up in nifty supporting parts are the cute Nikki Lynn as mopey virginal innocent Jennie, Claire Wilbur as wealthy predatory lesbian Toni Blake, Peter Carew as jolly traveling salesman Dick Daggart, Kevin Andre as flaky car dealer Farquart, and Ivan Smith as a goofy local yokel cop. Gabriel Merchant's bright cinematography gives the film a pleasing sunny look. The groovy diggin' score offers an eclectic mix of tuneful folk, jaunty ragtime, and get-down funky rock. Good trashy fun.

lazarillo At the beginning of this movie, two young girls are hitch-hiking and get picked up by a camper van full of sinister, stoned-out hippies. They drive awhile and then stop. Since one of the girls is played by Sandra Peabody (aka Sandra Cassel) who played the ill-fated protagonist in "Last House on the Left", it seems for a minute like there's going to be a nasty gang-rape scene. But fate has something even worse in store (especially for the viewers)--the hippies all pull out musical instruments and play a REALLY terrible song, then they invite the girls to be their groupies! These sexy female hitch-hiker flicks were practically their own genre in the 1970's. Some were actually fairly realistic, but this one is pure exploitation as these two girls take their clothes off (i.e. they dance topless at a roadside diner for food, but then run away without eating anything) and have sex (i.e. after a very unattractive traveling salesmen gives them a ride, they BOTH give him a ride)at the proverbial drop of one of those floppy 70's hats. In the most potentially offensive scene, they come across rapist attacking a young girl, and decide to distract him by stripping off and helping him with his "technique" (OK, they eventually leave him tied to a tree, but still. . .). Obviously, I would only recommend this to hardened 70's trash aficionados, who don't take this kind tasteless exploitation too seriously.The blonde lead is played by Chris Jordan who was in Joe Sarno's "Confessions of an American Housewife". She has a nice body, but is otherwise only marginally attractive, and she has a truly annoying voice. (She also manages to somehow ruin her topless dancing scene with some horrendously bad dancing--it looks like she's having an epilectic fit). Sandra Cassel, on the other hand, is a very appealing natural beauty (if not any better of an actress). I can't say I'm entirely disappointed to see her in such exploitative role, but I always thought she deserved something a little more high-rent after "Last House", but apparently she ended up in even more low-rent stuff like this. Both of these women are actually about five or ten years too old to be "teenage" hitch-hikers, but it's not like this movie isn't sleazy enough without casting younger-looking girls.Claire Wilbur, from Radley Metzger's "Score", also shows up as a wealthy, older predatory lesbian, and there is a fifteen minute hippie orgy at the end that must be seen to be believed. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, of course, but if you dig these 70's flicks about female hitch-hikers with very tight shorts and very loose morals--well, you won't want to miss this one.