Rad is a 1986 American sports film directed by Hal Needham and written by Sam Bernard and Geoffrey Edwards. The film stars Bill Allen as Cru Jones, a young BMX aggressive racer, alongside Lori Loughlin and Talia Shire.
Rad (1986)
The film's story focuses on Cru Jones (Bill Allen), a young BMX racer who lives in a small town with his mother (Talia Shire) and sister. Cru is faced with a tough decision: qualify for Helltrack or take the SAT in order to attend college. Winning Helltrack means $100,000, a new Chevrolet Corvette, and fame. Cru chooses the former option, ignoring his mother's wishes.
The Helltrack race is endorsed by the city and a duplicitous Duke Best (Jack Weston), president of The Federation of American Bicyclists and owner of Mongoose bicycles. Best keeps adjusting the rules in order to keep Cru out of the race and to ensure BMX star Bart Taylor (1984 Olympic gymnastics champion Bart Conner) has an easy road to victory, thus providing a financial windfall for Mongoose Racing, Bart's sponsor.
Racers from all around come to the small town for the Helltrack and Cru meets Christian Hollings (Lori Loughlin), who becomes Cru's romantic interest. Christian and Cru meet at the local high school dance where, instead of dancing like the other couples, they perform freestyle bike stunts on the dance floor to the awe of many. After being blocked from the race due to a last minute rule change on participant sponsorship, Cru is ready to give up his dreams of winning Helltrack, until his younger sister Wesley (Laura Jacoby) gives him a shirt to wear at Helltrack reading "Cru is... RAD." Cru and his friends then come up with an idea for him to still enter the race. Using the $10,000 Cru won from qualifying, they start up "Rad Racing," a small T-shirt business. However; days before the race Best changes the rules yet again claiming any company sponsoring a racer must be worth $50,000. When the towns people hear about this they rally around Cru and his friends and with their contributions along with a generous donation from a wealthy local, Mr. Timmer (Ray Walston) Rad Racing comes up with enough money and Jones is finally able to enter Helltrack.
During Helltrack, Duke Best gets the Reynolds twins to try to take out Cru, to no avail. In the final lap, Bart, who leads the race, slows down so that he and Cru can face each other one-on-one in the final stretch. Cru ultimately wins Helltrack, and Bart Taylor is kicked off the Mongoose team. In the final scene Cru offers Taylor a spot in Rad Racing.
Director: Hal Needham
Stars: Bill Allen, Lori Loughlin, Ray Walston ...
“The story of one young man, Cru Jones, who has the intensity and desire to win a BMX race called Helltrack.”
Rad (1986)
Directed: Hal Needham
Produced: Robert L. Levy
Written: Geoffery Edwards, Sam Bernard
Starring: Bill Allen, Lori Loughlin, Ray Walston
Music: James Di Pasquale
Cinematography: Richard Leiterman
Edited: Carl Kress
Distributed: TriStar Pictures
Release date: March 21, 1986
Running time: 91 minutes
Country: United States
Language: English
Soundtrack Credits
Break the Ice
Performed by John Farnham
Written by Sue Shifrin (as S. Shifrin) & Bob Marlette (as B. Marlette)
Produced by Bob Marlette (as B. Marlette) & David J. Holman (as D. Holman)
Executive Producer Rick Riccobono (as R. Riccobono)
Love Theme from 'Rad'
Performed by John Farnham
Lyrics by Douglas Brayfield (as D. Brayfield)
Arranged and Composed by James Di Pasquale (as J. Di Pasquale)
Produced by James Di Pasquale (as J. Di Pasquale)
Thunder in Your Heart
Performed by John Farnham
Written by G. Sklerov & L. Macaluso
Produced by David J. Holman (as D. Holman) & Bob Marlette (as B. Marlette)
Executive Producer Rick Riccobono (as R. Riccobono)
Baby Come Back
Performed by Jimmy Haddox
Written by Eddy Grant
Produced by Skip Drinkwater & Tommy Faragher
Send Me an Angel
Written by David Sterry (as D. Sterry) & Richard Zatorski (as R. Zatorski)
Performed by Real Life
Produced by Steve Hillage
Riverside
Performed by The Beat Farmers
Written by J. Kaney & S. Marshall
Produced by Craig Leon
Music That You Can Dance To
Performed by Sparks
Written by Ron Mael & Russell Mael
Produced by Ron Mael & Russell Mael
Wind Me Up
Performed by 3-Speed
Written by L. Chase & D. Currier
Produced by Jim Boyer
Get Strange
Performed by Hubert Kah
Written by Hubert Kah (as H. Kemmler) & M. Loehr
Produced by Michael Cretu
Caught Up in the Crossfire
Performed by The Charm Kings
Lyrics by John Brennan & Tom Griffith
Music by John Brennan
Produced by John Brennan
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