The Car (1977)

Anyone who sets aside time for a movie about a possessed car that runs people down knows they're not not going to get an Oscar winner. Still, THE CAR is a decent (though largely forgettable) little 1970s horror film.

THE CAR is reasonably paced with enough unique qualities that its intended audience won't be completely disappointed. A wry James Brolin stars as a small town sheriff leading the charge against the big ugly car as it mows down innocent cyclists, antagonizes school children and plows through homes. The characters are surprisingly developed, believable characters who react to this madness as (probably) you or I would. It's director Elliot Silverstein's willingness to take the story seriously, avoiding obvious opportunities for campiness, that makes the automobile (custom made for the film) a dynamic villain. That said, at no point is THE CAR particularly scary. Then again, how many horror films actually are?

What's interesting about THE CAR is that no one, not even the audience, knows where the vile vehicle came from. It simply shows up on an otherwise beautiful day. Some might see this as a cop out, but Silverstein, who cut his teeth on THE TWILIGHT ZONE, among other TV series, wisely understood one of the enduring rules of horror: some things are better left unexplained. The film's climax does reveal who was behind the wheel (if you haven't seen it, I won't spoil it), but the hows and whys of the situation remain up to our individual interpretations.

There's not a great deal of appeal in THE CAR to those outside its target audience of popcorn-munching horror buffs. But if you find the film's premise irresistible, you'll want to take THE CAR for a spin.

Fmovies: Six years after Spielberg's "Duel," this "The Car" resumes the theme and manages to make an equally dramatic and engaging film. Perhaps this is exactly what Elliot Silverstein has proposed and succeeded. Not seeing who the driver is, the big black car is the evil character, a devil-possessed car. Which "dies" in a massive explosion, but because is the devil himself, the end credits are flowing on the images with the wheels of the same car... Great performances by all the actors, James Brolin, John Marley, Ronny Cox, but specially by Kathleen Lloyd and R.G. Armstrong. Great suspense!

not because I think it is a perfect movie, but because of all the people who have severely underrated this movie. This is a very well crafted movie. No, its not the best acted movie, but for this type of movie, it is. You have to look at these movies in a relative manner. Its a movie about a mysterious car that goes around wreaking havoc. That is the story. A ridiculous premise but the makers pull it off. No small feat. The actors do a good job and I really enjoyed the direction, especially the long shots out in the desert. See this in widescreen, if possible. It adds a lot to the feel of the movie. James Brolin is very good as the hero and there are a lot of memorable scenes. No, its not a 10. More like an 8.5, but its far better than a 5 average.

The Car fmovies. The devil made me do it. Really. I bought this VHS the second I saw it. It kept me awake with nightmares as a child, and the library offered no help in locating it until I hit that nice vowel-starting auction site. In re-watching it, I realized that there are signs of the decade it was created (especially in the bell-bottoms, I couldn't stop laughing when I watched the kids in the band practice their parade because the fashion world has come back to them again!), but there are other nice things.

One of the main details that this movie has is no explanations are made. The Indian woman comments about the ill wind that came with the car when she gives testimony. The sheriff's deputy feels that the reason it can't go into the graveyard is due to the hallowed ground. (Btw, the graveyard scene is the one that freaked me out as a kid). Parent (Brolin) discovers there are no handles on the doors, and another witness says that there's no driver. This all adds up to a nasty scenerio. Much like the later movie Poltergeist, you have to wonder if the Indians are right--get out of town! (they fled to the Deep Country--smart cookies!)

I adore Kim Richards, and her sister Kyle is a darling in this film. As an adult, I couldn't help but think who would take care of them should something happen to Parent. I think this is a good sign in a movie--you really begin to identify with the characters when things like this come to you!

The comment at the beginning from Anton gives the whole movie's plot a good basis. I do recommend this as a stay-home, eat popcorn, and enjoy flick!

;)

**** out of *****

What a flick. I just bought the widescreen edition and watched it to celebrate the new century. Let me briefly list a few of its many strong points, most of which are essential to the success of the 1970s "Killer Object/Animal" horror subgenre:

1. Colorful small-town (desert, Southwest-y) flavor. A parade or similar celebration (rodeo, picnic) should occur. 2. Quirky dialogue. 3. John Marley acting beligerent. 4. A Panicked Crowd Scene, with folks dashing for their lives as the demonic beast/machine/inanimate object heads their way. 5. A smart-alleck hippie who meets a horrible end.

Seriously, though-- this film isn't "scary" in the traditional sense, but its true power lies when you really start thinking about the car itself. Where did it come from? Is the Devil driving? And is it plaguing our major characters because of their sins? (i.e. Ronny Cox as an alcoholic falling off the wagon, James Brolin as a single parent trying to keep his daughters happy as he dates sexy Kathleen Lloyd.) What I'm saying is at its heart, this is a creepy, unsettling film with some really strange philosophical/religious questions at its core. And how many horror films can claim that? A solid 7/10.

I think those who are slamming this film are missing the point. The dialog does tend to be dull, and the characters are often uninteresting, if not one-dimensional. There is no explanation for where the car came from, where it goes, and who or what it is.

Welcome to real life.

If you're looking for a well-thought-out story with highly-developed characters, and a movie where everything that happens is explained and wrapped up at the end, this is the wrong movie.

If you're looking for a movie that at times feels like a cross between a news report and a diary, this is the one.

The unpredictability of the car, the unexplainability of its actions, the normalcy of the people in the movie all make a rather unbelievable story, well... believable.

And I LOVED the ending. I wish they had made a "Car II: the devil takes Manhattan." :)

Blair Witch Project takes shaky camcorder scenes about a witch we never see and spends the entire show having the characters scream and cuss at each other. It is a hit.

The Car combines beautiful cinematography, a logical progression of events, and gets you involved trying to figure out how to stop this monster. It is ridiculed as "70s trash."

Rent this film, & you decide who is right!