Cannonball

Coy "Cannonball" Buckman, a veteran driver, joins the Trans-America Grand Prix, an illegal coast-to-coast road race from California to New York with a prize of 100,000 dollars. With few rules and no regard for the law, the field includes an international group of competitors, but Buckman's main rivalry is with Cade Redman, a ruthless driver chasing the same goal. The screenplay was written by Paul Bartel and Don Simpson, and the film was produced by Samuel W. Gelfman and Roger Corman.

Bartel directed, following Death Race 2000 and preceding Eating Raoul in his filmography. David Carradine plays Buckman, with Bill McKinney as Redman, Veronica Hamel as Linda Maxwell, Gerrit Graham as Perman Waters, Robert Carradine as Jim Crandell and Belinda Balaski as Maryann. The credited cast runs to 52 names, reflecting the large ensemble of racers and hangers-on the premise requires.

Released in 1976, the film runs 93 minutes and blends action with comedy. It took in about 2 million dollars worldwide, a modest figure. On IMDb it holds 5.5 out of 10 from roughly 5,800 votes, and on TMDB 5.6 out of 10 from around 131 votes. A critics' rating of 3.3 out of 10 from six reviews places it well below the audience scores. Shot in Hong Kong and the United States, it was made by New World Pictures, Harbor Productions, Shaw Brothers and Cross Country.