After being out of print for over 10 years, the acclaimed Hands on a Hardbody documentary (on which the new Broadway musical is based) is now available for purchase. A restored and re-colored version of the 1997 film is available on DVD and digital download, complete with never-before-seen interviews and additional footage of the contest.
Directed by S.R. Bindler, the original Hands on a Hardbody film follows 24 contestants who participated in a 1995 endurance competition in Longview, Texas. The contestant who could keep his or her hand on a Nissan pickup truck for the longest amount of time would win the car. The contest ended up lasting 77 hours. The movie won the audience award for best documentary at the Los Angeles Film Festival.
The new musical adaptation of Hands on a Hardbody is directed by Neil Pepe, and features music by Amanda Green and Trey Anastasio, lyrics by Green and a book by Doug Wright. The musical stars Keith Carradine as J.D. Drew, Hunter Foster as Benny Perkins, Allison Case as Kelli Mangrum, and Jay Armstrong Johnson as Greg Wilhote. Now in previews, the musical officially opens on March 21.
Watch Wright recount Hands on a Hardbody's route to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre below!