HUMAN HIGHWAY - 1982

A film by Neil Young.

Featuring a cast including Young himself, Devo, and four people who had been involved with David Lynch and one point in time - Dennis Hopper, Charlotte Stewart, Russ Tamblyn, and Dean Stockwell. Three of whom who hadn't been in any of Lynch's films at that point - I'm almost sure he was a big fan of this film and used the three male actors after seeing this movie. This is all personal speculation, of course.

THE BEGINNING WAS THE END - very popular in Devo lore (even naming a live album after this lyric) - The movie opens in a post apocalyptic wasteland where Booji Boy (Devo's "mascot", if you will) recites part of his own existing manifesto and carries on into a scatalogical take on Bob Dylan - "the answer my friend is breaking in the wind" Seeing this made me know that what was to come for the next hour and twenty something minutes was going to be an amazing viewing experience. In the past all I had seen were the clips of Devo singing "it takes a worried man" which has ended up on ther video compilation "We're all Devo".

There are many reviews i've seen saying this movie lacks a plot - I think that is a empty statement. The plot involved a diner/gas station right on the edge of a small town, next to the nuclear power plant where the boys of Devo work. Loading barrels of toxic waste into their truck from the plant where they work - "time to fortify the old water supply" is spurted out. They go on the road with a red radioactive glow surrounding them, while singing the aforementioned track that they made into a music video. Young Otto comes to town to take over the diner after his father, also named Otto, died of radiation poisoning. Young plays Lionel, a hillbilly type who is a mechanic, late for work, reporting to young Otto, and introduces the new employee. Young Otto returns to the diner and mentions how as he has hired a new employee, one of the other ones has to go. A red glowing radioactive fly is seen flying throughout the kitchen, where Dennis Hopper's "Cracker" character is the cook. He chooses one of the girls at random to fire, and she throws a fit, tossing napkin holders on the ground in protest. Cracker says something rather humorous about how destruction of property is a great way to keep a job. Otto takes down Lionels poster of his idol, Frankie Fontaine. On a phone call he is spied on by Irene, who overhears him talking to someone about firing everyone and burning the failing business down. She bribes him into keeping her mouth shut for a cut of the insurance money he gets. Devo come to the diner, glowing red still as they sit down and no one acts as if anything is strange about that. When asked to fill up the gas tank by Booji Boy, the gar line is pulled through the drivers side window of their truck, where Booji drinks some of it, and then tells the mechanic to fill up the truck.


A driver comes to get some work on his car and some gas, and mentions to Fred that he's Frankie Fontaine's driver. After Lionel hears this he gets overly excited, and goes in the garage to introduce himself to Fontaine (who is also played by Young.)

Lionel is knocked out by the propped up car Fontaine is in that he's working on. In an extended "dream sequence" a-la Wizard of Oz, he is the leader of a band, and performances are seen throughout - Devo performing "come back jonee" to critical success, leading Lionel into a career as a rockstar. In one musical scene he is performing while surrouned by wooden Indians, and in the climax of the 25 or so minute dream sequence is something quite amazing - Devo as his backing band performing "My my hey hey" with Young on guitar and Booji Boy (in his crib) on vocals, lasting almost ten minutes. When Lionel awakes and realizes it was a dream he reiterates once again "Aw, i could do it!"

Booji Boy shows up hands everyone a shovel with a nuclear warning symbol on it after mentioning the big one is coming and it's all over - The whole cast breaks into a song and dance routine to "it takes a worried man" The bombs hit, leaving the wasteland that is only seen in the beginning of the movie with Booji Boy as the lone survivor. In the end credits scene the whole cast is seen walking up to heaven out of a fancy car.

Theres a lot more to it, though I guess yu'd have to see it to get the whole experience. And I highly suggest tracking down a copy...

Includes music from Neil Young's TRANS album, which uses vocoder on most of the tracks, one of the two albums that got him sued by the Geffen company - for turning in "uncharacteristic, uncommercial records". Amazing movie, amazing cast, amazing soundtrack. The last line of the credits scene mentions "Watch for Human Highway II" - something that never came to be.

Finally released for the first time on VHS and laserdisc in 1995, though it has gone far out of print and faded back into the obscurity it crept out of. What a shame.