King of the Mountain 1981

In the twilight hours of the San Fernando Valley, Steve (Harry Hamlin) commands the mountainous roads as the “King of The Mountain”, a moniker earned through his unparalleled prowess on the winding Mulholland Drive. By day, he toils at a Porsche repair garage, but by night, his 356 Speedster is transformed into a high-stakes arena where Steve faces off against both seasoned veterans and newcomers alike, driven by an insatiable hunger for adrenaline rather than any genuine concern for risk.

As Steve’s companions, Buddy (Joseph Bottoms) and Roger (Richard Cox), trade in their racing helmets for headphones, seeking to make a name for themselves in the music industry, Steve finds himself ruling alone, fueling his nocturnal escapades with an unquenchable thirst for thrill-seeking. Cal (Dennis Hopper), his co-worker and former kingpin of the racing scene, serves as a constant catalyst, pushing Steve to continue his daredevil exploits, motivated by his own desperation to reclaim the throne.

Steve’s world is turned upside down when he encounters Tina (Deborah Van Valkenburgh), a talented young singer working alongside Buddy and Roger. Enchanted by her charm and beauty, Steve attempts to introduce her to the intoxicating world of street racing, but she remains unimpressed, unenthused about the prospect of joining him on these reckless excursions or being involved with someone whose life is forever entwined with the thrill of the race. As Steve grapples with the possibility of leaving his life as a racer behind and embracing a more mundane reality, Cal secretly rebuilds his aging Corvette, driven by an insatiable hunger to reclaim his former glory.

As tensions simmer, the stage is set for a heart-stopping, high-speed showdown between Steve and Cal, their rivalry culminating in a pulse-pounding climax that will forever alter the landscape of their lives.