Hands on A Hard Body - Review
by M.Tomycz
Hands on a Hard Body is a documentary from the 80's about a contest in Texas where locals compete for a pick-up truck by seeing who can keep their hand on it the longest. Seem easy? It's not. This promotional event turns into a grueling journey of sweat, tears, hope and determination. People drop from sheer exhaustion. Families and friends rally around. Church groups show up and sing praises (this is Texas, after all).
The contestants themselves are a fascinating bunch. A young man, just out of the Marines. Kerri Parker, who bicycles six miles to work every day because she can't afford a car. A couple who talks about being down on their luck and you can't help but notice they are missing a mouthful of teeth. Another couple who claim they've been "praying for a truck" and this contest is God's answer to their prayers. Although this film has it's share of comedic moments, it is also quite moving. One can't help but get emotionally invested in these folks and find a renewed respect for the human spirit.
Sadly, the contest was marked by tragedy a few years ago. A young contestant named Ricky Vega walked away from the truck during the competition, headed into a K-mart, grabbed a shotgun and killed himself. The contest was discontinued out of respect for the loss to his family.
I begrudgingly watched this film years ago with an old friend (i didn't think a film about a Texas truck competition would be all that compelling - i was wrong) and ended up loving it. It's hard to find these days, but if you can, give it a look. The trailer is posted below, although it really doesn't do it justice. Rumor is that Robert Altman is making it into a movie. We also hear that a musical theater version is in the works. Wow. If that happens, rest assured we'll be there with (cow) bells on.
