Atomic Hot Rods presents “This is Long Beach” a documentary by filmmaker Brian Darwas. Like George Lucas’ fictional film American Grafitti about an era of cruising through the candy colored streets of Frenso, Brian Darwas’ film “This is Long Beach” paints a real picture of the tough and rough cruise through Long Beach.
The neighborhood was mixed with blacks, whites, Mexicans and they would all like to rumble. No weapons, no knives; just your fists and hearts would dance at night and the worst case was a couple of broken noses. However, you were warned never to venture into Wilmington where the Pharaohs guarded because they did have pistols and even a van that carried a machine gun.
Like the Hong Kong Cavaliers in the film Buckaroo Banzai, the Long Beach posse was called The Long Beach Cavaliers, maybe old Buckaroo ventured into Long Beach as a youth and built a hot rod and broke bread with the real Cavaliers.
The first picture I see of the founding members and the first generation reminded me of Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, well dressed, black suits, black skinny tie sporting men that mean serious business. The gang’s modus operandi was partying and fighting, with car building and racing on the side. But don’t get me wrong, every stop sign or stoplight was a drag way. Members describe driver and passenger opening the doors, leaning over and taking the headers plugs off.
A cool story is one Cavalier went to an enemy drive-in, stood in front of the screen and gave the finger, while the cobra’s nest got rattled 30 Cavaliers dawned on the movie drive-in and fists met heads. They also liked to parade through different car clubs just to piss them off. Then they got smart and teamed up with rival gangs to stage dances at the National Guard Armory Hall and made a ton of money because people would buy tickets to see if there was going to be a huge fight.
The film inter-cuts with the first generation and the second generation. The second generation Cavaliers are shown doing more chopping, cutting and building of 40’s and 50’s hot rods. The second generation seemed more serious about the building of the cars rather than just the partying and fighting like the first. The second generation had three criteria: lowered, hubcaps and noise. A true connection with the first generation because the police ticket the first would get the most was the car was too low.
The second generation were hard core builders like welding without a mask and just turning your head. They would build traditional cars as in doing it the way is was done in the 50’s. They would love to start with an original unmolested car and make it their own. Their motto was pick an era and build with a 3 or 4 year window, don’t make an 80’s version of a 50’s custom. We see a whole roof being chopped in the film then the car riding on the street. The cars were not show cars they were built to cruise and have fun.
The production values are very professional. The lighting and camera angles of the cruising and shop builds are eclectic, well done and with good choices. Aladdin’s chrome shines in his cruise vignette accompanied by great personal themed music. The rock and roll playing during the chopping and building is sound perfect to what is reflected on the screen. The film is cut with cruising, chopping, building, old photos, first and second generation being interviewed and a pure feeling of nostalgia that warms the heart.
However mainly, this film is about Brotherhood and Honor. A member couldn’t afford a car so the crew bought him one put it in his garage and surprised him. One member had low self esteem, his mother was a prostitute, his father was in jail, he flunked out of school but found love and family with The Long Beach Cavaliers. Best friendships were made, kept and it was like a second family to all the members. This is Long Beach, no excuses, just hot rods, brotherhood and honor.