This movie was shot on short ends. "Short ends" are the parts of film stock that are not processed for developing. If only part of a roll of film is actually used, the developer will only develop the part that was used and leave the unused part in the can. The unexposed parts (the short ends) can then be sold for later use. Low budget productions will often buy these since they are sold at a discount price. This can backfire as there is no way of knowing of the quality of the film, which often explains why a low budget production result in a low quality film.
Filmed in ten days in October 1975 for less than $60,000.
The plot was inspired by the film The Death Kiss (1932), which directors Joe Dante and Allan Arkush happened to catch on television one night.
All the location scenes shot in Hollywood were done without permits.
Features many different connections to the film Death Race 2000 (1975) Paul Bartel, the director of that film, and Mary Woronov, one of its stars, are both featured in this movie. Props, vehicles, costumes and even footage from Death Race 2000 are all used in this film. At one point in the story, the star of Hollywood Boulevard Candice Rialson, is seen wearing David Carradine's Frankenstein costume from Death Race 2000.