DESCRIPTIONS:
Recent high school graduates and longtime friends Curt Henderson and Steve Bolander, meet up with friends Terry "The Toad" Fields and John Milner at the local Mel's Drive-In parking lot. Despite receiving a $2,000 scholarship, Curt is undecided if he wants to leave the next morning with Steve to go to the Northeastern United States to begin college,and Toad leaving for the Marine Corps, while Milner plans on staying in Modesto, which he planned on leaving town a long time ago. Steve lets Toad borrow his 1958 Chevy Impala for the evening and while he will be away at college. Steve's girlfriend Laurie, who is also Curt's younger sister, is unsure of Steve leaving, to which he suggests they see other people while he is away to "strengthen" their relationship. During the night at Mels, Milner sees a mysterious black 1955 Chevy which people are implying that the man is looking for John.
Curt, Steve and Laurie go to the local sock hop, while Toad and Milner begin cruising. En route to the hop, Curt sees a beautiful blonde girl in a white 1956 Ford Thunderbird. She mouths "I love you" before disappearing down the street and Curt is aroused and spends the rest of the film searching for her. After leaving the hop, Curt is desperate to find the mysterious blonde, but is stopped by a group of greasers ("The Pharaohs") through an initiation rite that involves hooking a chain to a police car and successfully ripping out its rear axle. Curt is told rumors that "The Blonde" is either a trophy wife or prostitute, which he immediately refuses to accept.
Steve and Laurie break up after a series of arguments, and Milner inadvertently picks up Carol, an annoying teenybopper. Toad, who is normally socially inept with girls, meets a flirtatious and rebellious girl named Debbie who convinces Toad to get her alcohol. Meanwhile, Curt learns that DJ Wolfman Jack broadcasts from just outside of Modesto, and inside the dark, eerie radio station, Curt encounters a bearded man who claims only to be the manager. Curt hands the man a message for the blonde to call him or meet him. As he walks away, Curt sees the "manager" performing into the on air mike and realizes he had been speaking with the DJ the whole time.
The other story lines intertwine until Toad and Steve end up on "Paradise Road" to watch Milner race against the arrogant Bob Falfa in his 55 Chevy, with Laurie as Falfa's passenger. Within seconds Falfa loses control of his car and plunges into a ditch. Steve and Milner run to the wreck, and a dazed Bob and Laurie stagger out of the car before it explodes. Distraught, Laurie grips Steve tightly and tells him not to leave her. He assures her that he has decided not to leave Modesto after all. The next morning, Curt is awakened by the sound of a phone ringing in a telephone booth, which turns out to be the blonde. She tells him she might see him cruising tonight, but Curt replies that is not possible, because he will be leaving. At the airfield, he says goodbye to his parents, his sister and friends. As the plane takes off, Curt gazes out of the window, seeing the white Ford Thunderbird, which belongs to the mysterious blonde.
In the end credits, it's reported that John was killed by a drunk driver in 1964, Terry was reported missing in action near An Lộc in 1965, Steve is an insurance agent in Modesto, California, and Curt is a writer living in Canada.
Curt, Steve and Laurie go to the local sock hop, while Toad and Milner begin cruising. En route to the hop, Curt sees a beautiful blonde girl in a white 1956 Ford Thunderbird. She mouths "I love you" before disappearing down the street and Curt is aroused and spends the rest of the film searching for her. After leaving the hop, Curt is desperate to find the mysterious blonde, but is stopped by a group of greasers ("The Pharaohs") through an initiation rite that involves hooking a chain to a police car and successfully ripping out its rear axle. Curt is told rumors that "The Blonde" is either a trophy wife or prostitute, which he immediately refuses to accept.
Steve and Laurie break up after a series of arguments, and Milner inadvertently picks up Carol, an annoying teenybopper. Toad, who is normally socially inept with girls, meets a flirtatious and rebellious girl named Debbie who convinces Toad to get her alcohol. Meanwhile, Curt learns that DJ Wolfman Jack broadcasts from just outside of Modesto, and inside the dark, eerie radio station, Curt encounters a bearded man who claims only to be the manager. Curt hands the man a message for the blonde to call him or meet him. As he walks away, Curt sees the "manager" performing into the on air mike and realizes he had been speaking with the DJ the whole time.
The other story lines intertwine until Toad and Steve end up on "Paradise Road" to watch Milner race against the arrogant Bob Falfa in his 55 Chevy, with Laurie as Falfa's passenger. Within seconds Falfa loses control of his car and plunges into a ditch. Steve and Milner run to the wreck, and a dazed Bob and Laurie stagger out of the car before it explodes. Distraught, Laurie grips Steve tightly and tells him not to leave her. He assures her that he has decided not to leave Modesto after all. The next morning, Curt is awakened by the sound of a phone ringing in a telephone booth, which turns out to be the blonde. She tells him she might see him cruising tonight, but Curt replies that is not possible, because he will be leaving. At the airfield, he says goodbye to his parents, his sister and friends. As the plane takes off, Curt gazes out of the window, seeing the white Ford Thunderbird, which belongs to the mysterious blonde.
In the end credits, it's reported that John was killed by a drunk driver in 1964, Terry was reported missing in action near An Lộc in 1965, Steve is an insurance agent in Modesto, California, and Curt is a writer living in Canada.