This extremely obscure B-movie may have shades of Smokey and the Bandit, since a lot of left over Georgia State Police cars can be seen throughout, but the so-called plot and script leaves a lot to be desired. Most of the dialogue is so incoherent you can't even make out what the actors are saying, but we are treated to a seemingly endless series of car chases on highways, dirt roads, and crowded city streets, plus plenty of police and civilian cars getting smashed and mangled in the process. Reportedly, there were no professional stuntmen used for this film. Thankfully, you can find it on DVD by Mill Creek Entertainment on many multi-pack sets.
21 Reviews
Two Brothers on the Run from the Law
Uriah4324 August 2020
This film begins in Georgia with two petty criminals by the names of "Oosh" (Don Watson) and his brother "Doosh" (Bobby Watson) attempting to transport some duffel bags full of marijuana from an airplane that had just landed on a make-shift runway in the country. Unfortunately for them the police had been tipped off beforehand and after a high-speed chase the two brothers are apprehended along with some of their colleagues riding in the truck with them. Naturally, they are taken to a county prison but with another huge shipment of marijuana coming in their corporate bosses are desperate to get them out of jail and as a result they manage to break them out. Although they are now free, what the brothers don't realize is that the corporation has lost a lot of money because of them and they want to be repaid. As a result, both Oosh and Doosh have no choice but to do whatever jobs they are given from here on out. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this wasn't a bad film given it's rather low-budget nature. Having said that, however, it had a number of obvious flaws which included a bad script and poor acting. To that extent, I can't simply rate this movie very high. Slightly below average.
No actors were used in this film
Red-Barracuda6 August 2017
This very low budget action movie came out at a time in the late 70's when there was a definite fashion for what can best be described as good ole boy movies, i.e. films set in the American deep south involving chirpy criminals, dumb cops and lots of car chases. In Hot Pursuit certainly is another one from this general bracket. Its plot-line is really quite negligible, it is mainly about car chases and the like.
The heroes are improbably a gang of drug smugglers who continually attempt to evade the local authorities. This of course leads to a plethora of extended car chase sequences. In the end credits, it states bluntly that 'no stunt men were used in this film' and this looks very probable given scenes such as the one where a couple of guys hang off a helicopter flying at a great height after a jail break busts them out of prison. It's pretty obvious that we are seeing the actual two main actors from the film do this very dangerous activity but then having said that, these guys are hardly actors either given the standard of acting in the movie – no one involved in this seems to have did anything else! Still, the dangerous looking stunts do make for interesting viewing. Aside from the helicopter stuff, there are many car destruction scenes and a point-of-view shot of a plane take-off where I swear it must have clipped the trees. So, for sure, health and safety wasn't a priority during the making of this one that is for sure. It is essentially the various stunts and the authentic rural south location setting that elevates this one from being a total dud, as other than this it is pretty monotonous. My best advice would be to watch it as a curiosity piece and you might get at least something out of it.
The heroes are improbably a gang of drug smugglers who continually attempt to evade the local authorities. This of course leads to a plethora of extended car chase sequences. In the end credits, it states bluntly that 'no stunt men were used in this film' and this looks very probable given scenes such as the one where a couple of guys hang off a helicopter flying at a great height after a jail break busts them out of prison. It's pretty obvious that we are seeing the actual two main actors from the film do this very dangerous activity but then having said that, these guys are hardly actors either given the standard of acting in the movie – no one involved in this seems to have did anything else! Still, the dangerous looking stunts do make for interesting viewing. Aside from the helicopter stuff, there are many car destruction scenes and a point-of-view shot of a plane take-off where I swear it must have clipped the trees. So, for sure, health and safety wasn't a priority during the making of this one that is for sure. It is essentially the various stunts and the authentic rural south location setting that elevates this one from being a total dud, as other than this it is pretty monotonous. My best advice would be to watch it as a curiosity piece and you might get at least something out of it.
definitely a low budget flick that's so bad it's funny
yblockman25 August 2004
I saw this movie when my mother bought it in the $2 bin at a local video store. It was without a doubt a low budget production with terrible actors, but it made me laugh. The police chases with all the crazy things that happen are hilarious! You can tell from the beginning when you see the junky police cars that there will be a lot of crashing going on. I watched it several times and it is one of the few movies i've seen that's so bad it's funny. I don't have the tape anymore but would buy it again if I found it..... there's probably not that many in existence anymore! This just goes to show you that you don't have to spend a lot of money on a movie to have a good time.
A worthy companion to 'Plan 9 from Outer Space'
Hermit C-215 April 1999
If more people had seen this movie, I'm sure it would have a high (or low) place on the IMDb's 100 lowest rated films. It's a worthy companion to Ed Wood's flicks or anything you might see on MST3K.
This very low-budget production was inspired by a real life event in rural Polk County, Georgia. Some long-forgotten state legislator thought it was intriguing enough to have a movie made about it (it wasn't). So he got some minimal financing and hired a cast and crew which apparently was mostly amateurs and made this great embarrassment of an action film. It may be cruel to make fun of such obviously handicapped folks (in terms of their moviemaking talents) but it's impossible not to laugh at the sheer ineptitude of this effort. Every element of this movie is hilariously bad- the acting, the screenwriting, the "production design" and "special effects"- even the film's title theme song will have you in stitches.
I realize that no one will hardly ever have a chance to see this movie. It came and went with barely a trace, probably even in Polk County. I saw it myself on a brief run as the opener at a local drive-in. Incredibly, though, I saw it one night on television, on some kind of syndicated "action theatre" network. It was shown under a different name, which I can't recall. But there's no doubt you'd know it if you saw it.
This very low-budget production was inspired by a real life event in rural Polk County, Georgia. Some long-forgotten state legislator thought it was intriguing enough to have a movie made about it (it wasn't). So he got some minimal financing and hired a cast and crew which apparently was mostly amateurs and made this great embarrassment of an action film. It may be cruel to make fun of such obviously handicapped folks (in terms of their moviemaking talents) but it's impossible not to laugh at the sheer ineptitude of this effort. Every element of this movie is hilariously bad- the acting, the screenwriting, the "production design" and "special effects"- even the film's title theme song will have you in stitches.
I realize that no one will hardly ever have a chance to see this movie. It came and went with barely a trace, probably even in Polk County. I saw it myself on a brief run as the opener at a local drive-in. Incredibly, though, I saw it one night on television, on some kind of syndicated "action theatre" network. It was shown under a different name, which I can't recall. But there's no doubt you'd know it if you saw it.
I saw the real thing.
walkinthecreek5 July 2007
I haven't seen this movie yet, but my husband has. He said it stunk as bad as the previous commenter said.
My take on it is, I grew up just a few miles from where the plane landed, just down Highway 100. My dad and my uncle heard about it on their CB radios and went up to see it before the Sheriff ever got there. A short time later, they took the rest of us up the hill to see it. The plane was empty, but it was amazing how small the clearing was in which they landed this plane.
Literally, a square landing field was made in the middle of the woods. There were tree stumps and debris and Georgia red mud, it was like a choppy ocean with hard, stationary waves.
The plane had clipped pine trees as it came down and there were still pine needles stuck in the prop.
I was only about 10 and I'll never forget how surreal it was. Maybe if I ever actually see the flick, I'll come back and tell you how they did.
My take on it is, I grew up just a few miles from where the plane landed, just down Highway 100. My dad and my uncle heard about it on their CB radios and went up to see it before the Sheriff ever got there. A short time later, they took the rest of us up the hill to see it. The plane was empty, but it was amazing how small the clearing was in which they landed this plane.
Literally, a square landing field was made in the middle of the woods. There were tree stumps and debris and Georgia red mud, it was like a choppy ocean with hard, stationary waves.
The plane had clipped pine trees as it came down and there were still pine needles stuck in the prop.
I was only about 10 and I'll never forget how surreal it was. Maybe if I ever actually see the flick, I'll come back and tell you how they did.
Incredibly Dreary
BaronBl00d26 August 2006
Boy, they just don't make them like this one anymore. Thank God for that! This is a pathetically dreary film about a "gang" of drug smugglers and their not-so-funny misadventures as they are hounded by the Georgia State Patrol while first in a beat up camper and then a huge rig. I would guess that at least half of the film is made up of lame chases, which is considerably better than having the acting "leads" on screen for any time at all. The police are portrayed as complete idiots as they have multiple cars unable to derail a camper until a fifteen minute chase has ended - only to have the "gang" break out of prison by a helicopter. The two leads are long-haired non-actors Don Watson and Bobby Watson playing Oosh and Boosh. They are criminals with no redeeming attributes and live to have a joint. The other performers are just as talented with some really bad turns by the likes of James Crews as "Bubble Eye, " Sandy St. Armour as the head of "the Organization, " and in the most ridiculous role we have Jim Whozitt(sometimes credited as Big Jim - c'mmon this is the only film he ever did) as the Pilot. He is flying to Columbia to get 10 million's worth in cocaine and pot and wears the most God-awful sansabelt slacks even for the 70's. This is a bad movie all around and very amateurish, but unlike other inept efforts in film-making - this one is just no fun at all to sit through. It plods on and on, trying to funny in some spots and failing miserably. It fails when it tries to shock a few times as well. This makes the Smokey and the Bandit series almost look like art.
Wannabe "Smokey and the Bandit"
Rainey-Dawn27 October 2015
Polk County Pot Plane AKA In Hot Pursuit (1977). This is another trash film in the Drive-in 50-pack collection. Well, they can't all be winners. LOL. This one is definitely not a winner.
This is a Z-grade film. Wannabe "Smokey and the Bandit" type of a film that tries to lure you in with it's tagline 'Life in the Fast Lane'. I'm guessing they are borrowing their tagline from the 1976 Eagles song of the same title which was still hot in 1977.
This drug smuggling film was trying to cash in on the success of "Smokey and the Bandit" and the TV hit show "Dukes of Hazzard" I'm afraid, but the film fails miserably to meet the standards of either. This film really is a bummer.
1/10
This is a Z-grade film. Wannabe "Smokey and the Bandit" type of a film that tries to lure you in with it's tagline 'Life in the Fast Lane'. I'm guessing they are borrowing their tagline from the 1976 Eagles song of the same title which was still hot in 1977.
This drug smuggling film was trying to cash in on the success of "Smokey and the Bandit" and the TV hit show "Dukes of Hazzard" I'm afraid, but the film fails miserably to meet the standards of either. This film really is a bummer.
1/10
Lower than low rent
davepitts26 January 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Boy, this one is realllllllllllly a chore to sit through. I am glad I read up on the film here, though, because when I watched it I thought Oosh's brother was "Doosh." It sure sounds like that on the soundtrack. I'm kind of sorry he wasn't; Oosh and Doosh are perfect names for these two. The film: if there is any way at all to shoot car chases imaginatively, this crew didn't find it. Long, lame set-ups to gags: a house is being hauled down the road with a drunk hillbilly asleep inside, on a dirty pallet. Cut to the weed haulers and the cop cars. Cut back to the hillbilly, who twitches in his sleep. Cut back to the weed haulers. Cut back to the hillbilly. Gee, I wonder if the weed haulers will crash through the house, and the drunk hillbilly will wake up to find the house in pieces? He's bound to have a really funny reaction to that. Look, they crashed through the house and the hillbilly woke up. Other things to love: the drug kingpin who wears a little businessman's hat inside his house -- the pot plane ballad, sung over the freeze-framed plane at the end -- the pilot telling Oosh and Doosh (sorry, that's his ideal name), "Now, I'm going to get to the meat of the coconut!" as he lays out his big scheme.
Oosh and Boosh
nogodnomasters13 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This is done in the vein of "Dukes of Hazzard" with cops chasing drug runners. It is at best, hokey fun, at worst, unwatchable. The Watson brothers meet an airplane carrying marijuana and a little cocaine and the cops are always waiting for them. Not much in the way of script or acting.
Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity. Available on 50 DVD packs.
Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity. Available on 50 DVD packs.
Can you be stoned enough for this to be entertaining?
ofumalow3 August 2010
Apparently, according to a couple other commentators. But trust me, if you're not highly goosed you will be pretty bored. The amateur performances, dated styles etc. can only go so far in alleviating the tedium of a movie so steadily flatfooted it isn't even unintentionally funny. To its credit, there are some decent car stunts where they clearly really did wreck automobiles, if only for lack of any FX budget or expertise. (A final credit claims "No stunt men were used in this film.") But otherwise, this is incredibly monotonous and unexciting. I love excavating old regional exploitation movies, but this one would only hold your interest if you'd lived in the locations or had some connection to the original real-life story.
Homegrown Hokum That Works!!!
zardoz-139 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This vintage drug smuggling crime saga set in rural Georgia doesn't seem to rate much respect from most who have watched it since it came out in 1977. One time director Jim West and scenarist Jim Clarke have contrived an action packed, gear-jamming comedy without heroes. Indeed, this amoral opus scrapes the bottom of the barrel in most instances. Half of the acting is execrable, while the principal players are so credible looking and sounding with their regional, redneck accents that you buy them point blank for what they are. Meantime, "Polk County Pot Plane" qualifies as a one of a kind thriller that stages one preposterous stunt after another with a modicum of skill and a maximum of audacity. The story revolves around a group of low-lifers who take the ultimate risk in smuggling illegal narcotics into rural Georgia with State Troopers, local authorities, and villains running circles around themselves in this trim 90-minute outing to nab them. Indeed, for those worried about morality, this is an example of big villains eating little villains, except the little villains win this one. The kingpin villain is a slimy, little gopher in a fedora who puts Sorrel Brooke's Boss Hogg on "The Dukes of Hazzard" to shame. Movies like "Smoky and the Bandit" have more polish, but they cannot touch the spontaneity of director Jim West's memorable epic. I watched it at least a dozen times and I've shown it to my friends. If you read the end credits, it states: "No stunt men were used in this film." Homegrown hokum that works!
Goofy, screechy, funky, cheesy
Bezenby9 July 2013
I can't understand a word anyone says in this film! This regional film involves, mainly, car chases, so I guess dialogue isn't such an important thing here anyway. You've got your two characters, Oosh and Boosh, two pot smoking hicks who meet up with Big Jim, who flies in drugs from Cuba and Colombia. Our heroes (plus their two sidekicks) then unload the plane and drive off, the only problem being that within about ten seconds of doing so, the police are on their tail. You've never met two more unlucky drugs couriers, as the police are on to them every time they try something, the mafia have changed management and want money back for lost shipments, and they're about to get stiffed for their biggest heist. You'd think they'd just go and get normal jobs or something. If you're in the mood for lengthy car chases and facial hair, amateur acting and surprisingly funky music, then this is the film for you. Acccording to the credits there were no stunt men involved in the film, so that'll be the actors driving through houses and trying to ram each other off the road then (and hanging from a helicopter, now that I remember it). Although ultra low budget (the acting especially is rather dodgy) I got a kick out of this film. There's not enough plot for it to drag anywhere and I'm sure the wife loved the constant howl of police sirens from the television. The only thing that struck me was that the violence level was rather high and jarred a bit against the slapstick car chases. There's not much of it, but at one point some guy got shot in the face just out of nowhere and two other characters were rather bluntly blown away. Just my kind of film, plenty of action and nothing to worry about. Still, the accents are so thick you'll be all like 'say what?' any time someone speaks.
One flew over the redneck nest
toyguy-315193 April 2022
No stuntmen were used in this movie? Who in their right mind would risk their lives and health to make this celluloid sewage? Where did they get the money to make it? This 90 minute disaster speaks for itself but leaves so many questions unanswered.
A cool flick.
johnbm8 April 2008
I first saw it when I was just a kid in the 80's. Now 31, I ran across "In Hot Pursuit" AKA "Polk County Pot Plane" on the "Burnt Rubber" multi disc movie pack. After watching the film I found out I still rather enjoy it. I admit the acting wasn't filled with Oscar winning performances, but if you are looking for some good car chases and crashes, this film is for you. I like movies of this caliber for I'm basically a "Gear Head" that loves to watch automobiles peel out, crash and go fast. There is a certain charm about this movie that no amount of Computer CGI in my opinion can duplicate. Just actual real people, real cars and a lot of real guts. And for you Quentin Tarantino fans, which I am proudly, this film was shown at the "Grindhouse Film Festival".
Call me crazy...
nozmoking24 January 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, I'm a "B" movie freak. But this cinematic epic goes so much further into the "black hole" of low budget projects I could not help but enjoy the heck out of it. "No stunt men were used" - well Junior, you don't need stunt men to pick up a cardboard box painted up like a 2-ton safe and toss it into the trunk of an old Chrysler for Pete's sake. But there are plenty other gut-busting "beyond slapstick" antics to make up for the cheese and a surprising feel of reality in some of the dark corners of the picture.
The one aspect of this film that captured my attention is the down and dirty honesty in the acting - even in scenes where unbelievable things are happening you get the feeling that you're seeing exactly how these people would react in the moment and somehow the phoniness drains off in a really weird way. It's kind of like the 8mm shoot 'em up you made as a kid and you're lying face down on the sidewalk knowing full well it's ketchup - "but it sure looked like blood to me..." I just couldn't help but enjoy this one "warts and all" as they say; maybe it's fitting that this was the one and only performance nearly all the actors ever produced. You just couldn't top it - even if you tried.
The one aspect of this film that captured my attention is the down and dirty honesty in the acting - even in scenes where unbelievable things are happening you get the feeling that you're seeing exactly how these people would react in the moment and somehow the phoniness drains off in a really weird way. It's kind of like the 8mm shoot 'em up you made as a kid and you're lying face down on the sidewalk knowing full well it's ketchup - "but it sure looked like blood to me..." I just couldn't help but enjoy this one "warts and all" as they say; maybe it's fitting that this was the one and only performance nearly all the actors ever produced. You just couldn't top it - even if you tried.
What script?
terry-74211 June 2021
The script was not bad. There was no script. I know, because I recorded the production dialogue and sound. We were all amateurs except the DP Allen Facemire. It was difficult to shoot a chase sequence because the drivers would get carried away and wreck the cars before we had the necessary shots for a chase sequence. No script. No stunt people. No professional actors. All of the stunts are REAL. It's a wonder that no one was injured or killed. I'm lucky that I survived many rides in the Jet Ranger, leased and piloted by the director. No helicopter maintenance. When the crew flew in the pot plane to shoot interiors and aerials, the wing clipped a pine tree upon take off. We were paid with hundred dollar bills. Go figure.
An enjoyably dumb handy handy discount 70's drive-in combo of drug deal pictures and car chase features
Woodyanders14 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
If someone was to take an episode of "The Dukes of Hazzard," stretch it out to a ninety minute feature length, crank up the idiotic hayseed tomfoolery to the noxiously stupid ninth degree, and substitute Bo and Luke with a third-rate Southern-fried whitebread hairball hippie Cheech and Chong-style stoner dope humor comedic duo, the net result of this ill-advised attempt at wannabe clever "high concept" tinkering would probably be a lot like this almost impossibly boneheaded downhome mid 70's regional redneck outdoor picture show car chase romp. Real-life brothers Don and Bob Watson star as Oosh and Boosh, a pair of burly, bearded, hirsute longhair siblings who smuggle weed for a living and do their best to avoid getting arrested by the local yokel cops. Man, does this delectably dreadful darling possess all the right wrong stuff: feeble direction by Jim West, a barebones outline for a script, an eclectic film library score which alternates between corny country swing and uproariously inappropriate groovy, syncopated, fuzztone-and-Hammond-organ-rippin' psychedelic freak-out funky noise lifted from some European exploitation flick (!), uniformly crummy acting from a lame no-name cast, dense, thick, heavily drawling country accents which render most of the dismal dialogue borderline incomprehensible, hopelessly dated jokes about smoking grass and getting high, a colorful array of quirky fringe characters who include a gruff drug-running airplane pilot and a black religious loony armored car security guard, hardly any story to speak of, a first-rate goofy theme song called "Pot Plane" (immortal verse: "I fly the pot plane"), and, best of all, a constant barrage of metal-mangling, heart-in-your-throat, hell-broke-for-an-early-grave loco car chases (no professional stuntmen were used for these tasty thrilling sequences). In short, this honey overall rates as a whole lot of nice no-brainer cheapjack drive-in film fun.
Boring for the most part
Wizard-815 February 2014
It's pretty obvious that "In Hot Pursuit" was made for the southern drive-in circuit, though I am pretty sure that a large portion of the audience that saw the movie at the time were pretty underwhelmed. To be fair, not everything in the movie is bad. Though this movie had a really low budget, the filmmakers were able to pull off some impressive vehicular work, as well as some other kinds of eye-catching stunts. However, the script was not ready for filming. For starters, there is next to no character development. We don't even learn the names of some of the characters! And the little we see of these characters is kind of a turn-off, doing such things as shoot at policemen. And there is very little plot as well - most of the movie consists of the characters eluding the police or driving around. Even action junkies will find themselves bored in short notice.
Stupid Fun Movie, Amateur acting, good camera work & music, B movie
Bababooe15 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Stupid Fun Movie, Amateur acting, good camera work & music, B movie Amateur acting. If they were professional actors, they should ask for a refund from their acting school/teachers. What's good about the movie is the cinematography, lighting is good, camera work is all there. Music was good. The car chases, crashes all good. The main hoodlums friends get shot next to each other, they blow up a cash car, crash through a mobile home with a bum sleeping inside.
The story is simple, nothing to think about. Budget is low, but they must have spent some cash on the cars and the airplane and helicopter.
Do not expect anything special here. But it is a stupid fun movie. At least a few people get blown away.
Rating is a 5 or 6, or a C, rating of 10 given to make up for all the crap reviews.
Just to make it clear. I just rewatched X-Men, and X-Men 2, which are failures, deserving an F, or a 1 star. I would rather watch this movie rather than some high budget Hollywood crap.
The story is simple, nothing to think about. Budget is low, but they must have spent some cash on the cars and the airplane and helicopter.
Do not expect anything special here. But it is a stupid fun movie. At least a few people get blown away.
Rating is a 5 or 6, or a C, rating of 10 given to make up for all the crap reviews.
Just to make it clear. I just rewatched X-Men, and X-Men 2, which are failures, deserving an F, or a 1 star. I would rather watch this movie rather than some high budget Hollywood crap.
In Hot Pursuit
cudacade15 December 2006
This movie is also called "In Hot Pursuit." It's available on a 50 pack DVD collection of similar BAD movies called "Drive-In Movie Classics." Great cheap movies good for many nights of fascination brought on by incompetence. Most of these movies evolved out of someone's dream of making great entertainment. That's what I think about when I pop in the DVD and hit play. I'm ever so hopeful. There are a few gems included in the collection are worth seeing. Most are for when you're drunk and bored. Drive-In indeed. Still, not enough movies about the South have a true Southern origin, too bad. I hope some day that will change. The South is a beautiful place and the people are genuine. These are facts that Hollywood likes to distort. I only recently purchased this movie and have not yet watched it. I am scared of what I might see.
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