#351: Maximum Overdrive

Release Date: July 25th, 1986

Format: Streaming (Tubi)

Written by: Stephen King

Directed by: Stephen King

1.5 Stars

Stephen King was one-and-done as writer/director of feature films after the disastrous results of Maximum Overdrive, a loose adaptation of his short story, “Trucks.” The fact that he was given the opportunity to oversee a $9 million dollar production back in the mid-’80s speaks to the stranglehold he had on the popular culture back then.

Maximum Overdrive is one of those films where its lore is far more interesting than the movie itself, which is more or less a dumber version of his novel, Christine. In Christine a teenage nerd falls in love with a sentient 1958 Plymouth Fury and the boy and machine develop a co-dependent, toxic romantic relationship. As far as its film adaptation, the pulpy, stylistic thrills come courtesy of John Carpenter, who at that point had already cemented his legacy as an all-time great horror filmmaker.

Maximum Overdrive, on the other hand, was left in the hands of rookie King. The story is about an unseen UFO that possesses earthly machines to try and exterminate the human race. This could be in the form of a vending machine, a lawnmower, an electric carving knife, or mainly, 18-wheeler semi-trucks.   

It’s a really dumb, dumb movie. 

And King has no idea what he’s doing as a filmmaker.  This comes via his own admission in subsequent interviews he’s given over the years. Also by his own admission is the fact that he was a full-blown alcoholic with a cocaine addiction during the production. According to crew members who were on-location in Wilmington, North Carolina, the film shoot typically began with chugged beers at the pre-sunrise golden hour and carried on throughout the day. According to King, clandestine trips to the bathroom for a bump of cocaine were the only thing keeping him from blacking out. 

It’s this type of dissolute production lore that makes Maximum Overdrive interesting, despite being a terrible movie. There’s also the story of King commuting on his motorcycle from Maine to the film shoot so he could ride alongside big rigs to better understand their power (in his words). There’s also the fact that he insisted on keeping the blade in a closeup shot of a lawnmower (for realism, according to King), despite the safety concerns of his special effects team. When the lawnmower ran over a wedge of wood, a splinter shot out, hitting the eye of Italian cinematographer Armando Nannuzzi, blinding him in said eye for life (Nannuzzi would settle a lawsuit against the film’s production studio for nearly $1 million). 

The beer and cocaine and motorcycle road trips and dangerous shooting conditions do not translate in any way to Maximum Overdrive’s entertainment value unfortunately, which turns out to be little more than some good explosions and goofy props (it’s sort of incredible how King, the Master of Horror, can’t generate any scares in this thing, not even close). 

But that doesn’t mean the film is totally worthless. It’s a car wreck of a film, and I mean, who doesn’t like to sneak a peek as you pass by?