Ah, drivers' ed movies. Gotta love 'em. "Mechanized Death" is the best of the bunch -- such a shoddily done attempt at making a serious film about the dangers of driving that it becomes hilarious.

The production values are roughly seventies-home-video-camera level. The entire movie (all fifteen minutes or so of it) focuses on the dangers of driving (not drunk driving or aggressive driving -- just driving in general) and has a habit of showing dozens upon scores of mangled, twisted cars. In between shots of ruined cars, traffic cops and high school teachers come on screen to warn us, in a terribly flat monotone, about driving and take every opportunity to include the phrase, "Mechanized Death." They say it so often it's hilarious.

Add to all this silliness the Batman-style splash reading "Mechanized Death!" that pops up every time a crash is shown. That splash gets the film an extra turkey all by itself.

Back when I was in Drivers' Ed, our instructors got really frustrated with our class because we could not stop laughing at the movie. :-}

Rating: four turkeys.

Scene to watch for: The splash.

Best line: "There is no need for...Mechanized Death!"

Things that make you go "Huh?": Who thought that splash was a good idea?

Response From RinkWorks:

Wow. I *must* see this movie!