Circle Track Summer is a 2005 film microbudget action/comedy film about auto racing. It was directed by independent film maker Steve Pallotta and featured an appearance by Brian Lisik. Tom Erickson of WNIR also stars in the movie.[1] The film is considered a "local cult favorite".[2]
| Circle Track Summer | |
|---|---|
 DVD coverart | |
| Directed by | Steve Pallotta |
| Written by |
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| Produced by | Steve Pallotta |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Christopher Parker |
| Edited by | Guido Huckball |
| Music by | Major Buzz and the 60 Cycle Hum |
Production company | Fools Gold Entertainment |
| Distributed by | CustomFlix |
Release date |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $5000 (est) |
Production
editAt the 2004 debut of Pallotta's film Lake Evermore, Palotta announced his plans to film Circle Track Summer as "a launching pad for a commercial filmmaking career", with plans to have it air on a cable network and eventually be released to home video.[3][4] Filming occurred over a 14-month period (2005–2006) at the Barberton Raceway in Barberton, Ohio. With most of cast and crew working for free, the film was made on a micro-budget of under $10,000,[3] and was one of the first independent films shot by cinematographer Christopher Parker on the Panasonic DVX100 digital video camera.[3][5] The film was edited in a room in the director's house and music was provided by musician friends of the director.[3]
Circle Track Summer is Steve Pallotta's third full-length feature, following his first two movies The Forbidden Closet and Lake Evermore. With this project, cinematographer Christopher Parker, takes his production level "up several notches".[3]
The project was shot entirely on location in the Akron, Ohio area, with more than 200 locals involved in the one-year filming. The project's costume design was done by Susie Smith, known for her award-winning work on St. Elsewhere.[6]
The filmed debuted July 29,[7] and had a DVD release by CustomFlix on May 19, 2006.[8]
The film features WNIR radio talk show personalities, Stan Piatt, Maggie Fuller, Tom Erickson, Phil Fergusson, and Bob Earley. The film also includes cameo appearances by Akron Beacon-Journal columnist Bob Dyer, Bob Golic of Saved By the Bell: The College Years with additional cameos by Cuyahoga Falls then-mayor Don Robart and Nina Rawls, wife of Lou Rawls.[6]
Plot
editThe owner of a failing race track seeks to reverse his fortune by holding a series of promotion events where the cars are driven by women. Becky (JodyMarie Spiech) is a waitress who unknowingly puts her life in danger while attempting to save the family farm. She had rediscovered her lost high-school sweetheart, reporter Scoop Hendrickson (Tony Rio), and must decide whether or not to tell him of what ended their romance. To raise money to save the farm, she and three other financially strapped but voluptuous local girls, Su Shi (Jenna Christie), Tammy Lay (Heather Ley) and Jette Black (Lindsay Robertson), sign up for a new Powder-Puff auto racing event at the Barberton Speedway in hopes of winning cold, hard cash. The promotional catch developed by the track owner is that the women must wear bikinis as they race, and must drive the cars backwards.[5]
Cast
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Release
editThe film was released on DVD on March 19, 2006,[8] and screened April 14, 2007 at the Akron Independent Film Festival.[9]
Response
editRecord-Courier offered that the film had both strengths and weaknesses. The reviewer wrote "On the weakness side, there was a little too much going on at times, and as a result, some of the plot and character development got lost in the shuffle. There were a couple of continuity problems, but those weren't enough to jar me out of the movie. Other than that, any perceived faults really are more a matter of individual taste (Lost In Translation it’s not) and tolerance for ethnic jokes, sexual innuendo and nudity. The strengths lie mostly in three things: the willingness of the filmmakers to take a chance by poking fun at every known stereotype of Ohioans, and especially of natives of Barberton; Pallotta’s ability to avoid crossing the fine line between localizing a story by using well-known landmarks or inside jokes and providing free advertising by referring to everything by its full name and location - something natives of an area never do; and the supporting players."[5]
References
edit- ^ staff (July 14, 2005). "Speedway hits the big screen in 'Circle Track Summer'". Barberton Herald. p. 22. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
- ^ staff (September 8, 2011). "WNIR crew gets a shot at Hollywood". Barberton Herald. p. 22. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e Urycki, Mark (July 29, 2005). "Micro Budget Movie "Circle Track Summer" Filmed in Barberton" (NPR audio report). WKSU. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
- ^ Thomas, George (May 14, 2004). "Local Filmmakers Debut Latest Effort" (user archived article). Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
- ^ a b c Todd, Sue (August 7, 2005). "Local filmmakers premiere new comedy last week in Barberton". Record-Courier. pp. 1, 4, 55. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2013.
- ^ a b Keith, Robert (September 5, 2011). "WNIR Radio Hosts Featured in Indie Film. Bob Dyer Too!". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
- ^ staff (July 29, 2005). "Turndown Turns into Acceptance, Are-made short film to be shown at Montreal Dest plus other movie notes". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved June 26, 2013.
- ^ a b "Circle Track Summer DVD". Amazon.com.
- ^ "2007 Schedule of Events". Akron Independent Film festival. Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2013.
