A down on his luck race car driver, Jim, accidentally becomes the owner of a Volkswagen Beetle named Herbie that is somehow alive. It's never explained how Herbie came to be alive, I just chalk it up to demon possession or...maybe some Nazis were driving around drunk when they ran over and killed an Amish preacher (who had a secret interest in voodoo). His soul then took possession of the Beetle and killed the Nazis in unspeakable ways. Now, with his revenge complete and nothing to do, he drives to San Francisco to hang out in Haight-Ashbury with the hippies and take up racing! Groovy, Pop. Groovy!
Anyway...now that Jim (and Herbie) are winning races nonstop, Jim gets the big head and starts believing that he is the reason for all of the wins. Some cruel things are said and Herbie runs away to commit suicide! What the hell?! I didn't see that coming! Don't worry though, because Jim and Herbie make up...right in time for the big race. Yay!
I enjoyed THE LOVE BUG. It was darker than I expected it to be, but it was still a hoot. Impressive car stunts, at least one drug reference, hippies (the girl in the dune-buggy was the voice of Velma in the Scooby-Doo cartoons), good pace, humor that was charming in how lame and dated it was, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez in the background of one scene, some of the same race footage that was used in FIREBALL 500, beautiful San Francisco and San Bernardino National Forest filming locations, lots of familiar old Hollywood faces, classic cars galore. Also, if Herbie is so smart, then how was the bad guy able to sabotage Herbie so easily before the big race?
Definitely worth checking out.
Part 2 - Herbie Rides Again (1974)
Part 3 - Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977)
Part 4 - Herbie Goes Bananas (1980)
Remake - Herbie Fully Loaded (2005)
