{{Short description|Term and film genre used to describe American independent films from the 1970s}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2016}}
'''Vansploitation''' is a term and film genre used to describe American [[independent film]]s from the 1970s, in which a [[van]] or vans are the main key element to the plot, and feature comedic stories about young adults.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gutterfilms.com/post/64745417723/vansploitation|title=Gutterfilms.com: Article about vansploitation films.|access-date=May 27, 2016}}.</ref>
==History== The short-lived<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2011/02/28/a-solar-powered-van-with-lasers/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317165743/http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2011/02/28/a-solar-powered-van-with-lasers/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=March 17, 2011|title=Hemming's Daily: Note about the film "supervan".|access-date=May 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.avclub.com/article/now-she-can-wake-take-you-hand-and-love-you-your-s-230695|title=AV Club: Article about the film "supervan".|access-date=May 27, 2016}}</ref> genre emerged in the United States during the early 1970s, exploiting the popularity of vans with young adults, and was very popular in the mid to late 1970s, but quickly fell off after the 1970s. Vansploitation films were originally made mostly for young audiences. ''Blue Summer'' (1973) is credited as the first film of the genre, which continued with films like ''[[The Van (1977 film)|The Van]]'' (1977)<ref name=Coffman1>{{cite web|title=Jason Coffman: A brief guide to vansploitation cinema, page 1|date=June 22, 2015 |url=https://medium.com/@rabbitroom/freedom-fun-and-fine-transportation-a-brief-guide-to-vansploitation-cinema-part-1-8c655db4bdb#.y3i26rs5k}}</ref> and ''[[Van Nuys Blvd. (film)|Van Nuys Blvd.]]'' (1979), the latter having been called "the most technically competent Vansploitation film".<ref name=Coffman2>{{cite web|title=Jason Coffman: A brief guide to vansploitation cinema, page 2|date=December 28, 2017 |url=https://medium.com/@rabbitroom/freedom-fun-and-fine-transportation-a-brief-guide-to-vansploitation-cinema-part-2-56654e5b3a09#.eino3uye8}}</ref>
==Defining qualities of the genre== Coffman argues that the mere appearance of a van in a film does not make it a vansploitation film. The van has to serve a special purpose in the story, which is summed up in the trailer of ''Van Nuys Blvd.'': "Freedom, fun and fine transportation".<ref name=Coffman1>{{cite web|title=Jason Coffman: A brief guide to vansploitation cinema, page 1|date=June 22, 2015 |url=https://medium.com/@rabbitroom/freedom-fun-and-fine-transportation-a-brief-guide-to-vansploitation-cinema-part-1-8c655db4bdb#.y3i26rs5k}}</ref> Often, vans were highly customized, up to the extent of having an entirely custom body in ''Supervan''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://chromjuwelen.com/network/228-blog-hemmings/199791-the-ultimate-in-rolling-comfort-george-barriss-super-van-now-restored-makes-its-way-to-auction|title=Chromjuwelen: Article about the van used in Supervan, mentioning it was a "Vansploitation" film.|access-date=May 27, 2016}}.</ref> Besides the van itself, van culture (wardrobe, magazines, meetings of van drivers) is also often featured prominently.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ballsacademy.blogspot.de/2011/07/van-1977.html|title=Balls Academy: Review of "The Van", talking about vansploitation.|access-date=May 27, 2016}}.</ref>
{{quote|text=The van (or vans) must provide the engine that drives the plot forward and/or provide the stage in which the action of the plot actually takes place. ... The characters in Vansploitation films generally have goals oriented toward spending as much time in their van as possible, or in putting money into improving their van's performance and/or appearance via customization. ... In short, most van movies are about getting laid (in a van) and winning road games or other competitions (also in a van).|sign=Jason Coffman|source=article about the Vansploitation genre.<ref name=Coffman1>{{cite web|title=Jason Coffman: A brief guide to vansploitation cinema, page 1|date=June 22, 2015 |url=https://medium.com/@rabbitroom/freedom-fun-and-fine-transportation-a-brief-guide-to-vansploitation-cinema-part-1-8c655db4bdb#.y3i26rs5k}}</ref>}}
{{quote|text=Most vansploitation movies were about harmlessly rebellious young people outwitting the stodgy authority figures bent on stopping them from having a good time.|sign=Scott Ashlin|source=review of the film ''[[Twister's Revenge!]]''.}}
{{quote|text=''The Van'' was one of those typical American exploitation movies. Central to the theme was a young man who gets the notion to forget about college and buy an expensive Dodge van.|sign=[[George Barris (auto customizer)|George Barris]] / David Fetherston|source=book about Barris' work on the vans in the film.<ref>{{cite book |last= Barris|first= George|date= 1996|title= Barris TV and Movie Cars|publisher= MBI Publishing Company|page= 75}}</ref> }}
The genre follows two earlier ones that also dealt with car-related topics popular in youth culture at their respective times: In the 1950s, films featuring [[Hot Rod]]s became very popular, and they were followed by [[motorcycle]] films in the 1960s (for example, ''[[The Wild Angels]]'' and ''[[Easy Rider]]''). As the popularity of vans in youth culture increased in the early 1970s, the first vansploitation films were created.<ref name=Coffman1>{{cite web|title=Jason Coffman: A brief guide to vansploitation cinema, page 1|date=June 22, 2015 |url=https://medium.com/@rabbitroom/freedom-fun-and-fine-transportation-a-brief-guide-to-vansploitation-cinema-part-1-8c655db4bdb#.y3i26rs5k}}</ref> Multiple factors are credited with creating the "customized van craze".<ref>{{cite web|title=Moviefone: Review of the film "Supervan"|url=http://www.moviefone.com/2010/03/30/sci-fi-dvds-you-should-own-supervan-1977/}}</ref> For example, in 1975, the song "[[Chevy Van (song)|Chevy Van]]" by [[Sammy Johns]] sold about three million copies, and is credited for an increase in van sales the following year.<ref>{{cite web |url={{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p25248|pure_url=yes}} |title=Biography of Sammy Johns, written by Linda Seida |publisher=Allmusic.com |access-date=10 June 2016}}</ref> The song (among others by Sammy Johns) was used prominently in the soundtrack of ''The Van'' (1977).
==Notable films== Coffman names six films as "essential texts" for the vansploitation genre:<ref name=Coffman1>{{cite web|title=Jason Coffman: A brief guide to vansploitation cinema, page 1|date=June 22, 2015 |url=https://medium.com/@rabbitroom/freedom-fun-and-fine-transportation-a-brief-guide-to-vansploitation-cinema-part-1-8c655db4bdb#.y3i26rs5k}}</ref>
* 1973: ''Blue Summer'' (aka ''Love Truck''), directed by [[Chuck Vincent (director)|Chuck Vincent]] * 1976: ''[[C.B. Hustlers]]'', directed by [[Stu Segall]] * 1977: ''[[The Van (1977 film)|The Van]]'', directed by [[Sam Grossman]] * 1977: ''[[Supervan (film)|Supervan]]'', directed by [[Lamar Card]] * 1978: ''Mag Wheels'' (aka ''Summer School''), directed by Bethel Buckalew * 1979: ''[[Van Nuys Blvd. (film)|Van Nuys Blvd.]]'', directed by [[William Sachs]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://medium.com/@rabbitroom/freedom-fun-and-fine-transportation-a-brief-guide-to-vansploitation-cinema-part-1-8c655db4bdb#.y3i26rs5k Jason Coffman: A brief guide to vansploitation cinema]
{{Exploitation film}} {{Film genres}}
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[[Category:Vansploitation films| ]] [[Category:Exploitation films| ]] [[Category:Film genres]] [[Category:Film genres particular to the United States]] [[Category:Film and video terminology]] [[Category:1970s in film]]