***He did a powerful movie called “Backdraft” as his first major smash. ***
SAY WHAT! Don’t you remember that smash hit from the 1970s EAT MY DUST! in which lots of autos are destroyed? It was so appealing to the locals that the cars full of rednecks and Okies was lined up for a mile or so waiting to get into the drive-in theater on 11th st in Tulsa to see it!
We finally had to find a back way home, by way of the Apache St drive-in showing skin flicks, as the traffic was so thick on 11th.
I remember Backdraft as a work of his maturing into a major director. Opie finally done real good...!
Of course there was also “Splash” and “Cocoon” in the middle 80’s which were well received comedies(and big box office hits) for Howard. I always felt that Backdraft was a great leap forward for Howard; the one movie that cemented his status as a director who could do both comedy and drama well!