The Car (1977)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Elliot Silverstein

Writers:

Michael Butler (screenplay)
Michael Butler (story)
(more)

Release Date:

13 May 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, no way to stop... THE CAR

Plot:

A sleek, possessed car terrorizes everyone it comes in contact with. |

Plot Keywords:

Small Town | Supernatural | Cult Horror | Animate Car | Cult Favorite

Cast

James Brolin	...	Wade Parent
Kathleen Lloyd	...	Lauren
John Marley	...	Everett
R.G. Armstrong	...	Amos Clements
John Rubinstein	...	John Morris
Elizabeth Thompson	...	Margie
Roy Jenson	...	Ray Mott
Kim Richards	...	Lynn Marie
Kyle Richards	...	Debbie
Kate Murtagh	...	Miss McDonald
Robert Phillips	...	Metcalf
Doris Dowling	...	Bertha
Henry O'Brien	...	Chas
Eddie Little Sky	...	Denson
Lee McLaughlin	...	Marvin Fats
Margaret Willey	...	Navajo Woman
Read Morgan	...	Mac Gruder
Ernie F. Orsatti	...	Dalton (as Ernie Orsatti)
Joshua Davis	...	Jimmy
Geraldine Keams	...	Donna
Hank Hamilton	...	Al Ashberry
John Moio	...	Parker
Melody Thomas Scott	...	Suzie Pullbrook (as Melody Thomas)
Bob Woodlock	...	Pete Keil
James Rawley	...	Thompson
Louis Welch	...	Berry
Bryan O'Byrne	...	Wally
Don Keefer	...	Dr. Pullbrook
Steve Gravers	...	Mr. Mackey
Tony Brande	...	Joe
Ronny Cox	...	Luke
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leslie Hoffman	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Johnny Timko	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Elliot Silverstein

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Butler		screenplay
Michael Butler		story
Dennis Shryack		screenplay
Dennis Shryack		story
Lane Slate		writer

Produced by
Marvin Birdt	....	producer
Elliot Silverstein	....	producer

Original Music by
Leonard Rosenman

Cinematography by
Gerald Hirschfeld

Film Editing by
Michael McCroskey

Casting by
Lee Schaff Guardino		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Lloyd S. Papez

Set Decoration by
John McCarthy Jr.		(as John McCarthy)

Makeup Department
Rick Sharp	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Frank Arrigo	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Latham Brown	....	second assistant director
Gary Daigler	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
James R. Alexander	....	sound (as Jim Alexander)
Kevin F. Cleary	....	sound
Robert Jackson	....	sound re-recording loader
John Stacy	....	sound editor (as John M. Stacy)
George E. Marshall Jr.	....	sound utility: second unit (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kevin Pike	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Henry Schoessler	....	visual effects
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects

Stunts
A.J. Bakunas	....	stunts
Everett Creach	....	stunt driver
Bobby Clark	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Mulder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Rock A. Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Curtis Foster	....	lamp operator
Owen Marsh	....	camera operator
Michael Simpson	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Steve Johnson	....	colorist
Todd C. Ramsay	....	associate editor (as Todd Ramsay)

Transportation Department
Frank Khoury	....	driver

Other crew
George Barris	....	car designer
Anton LaVey	....	creative consultant

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Irfan Film (1978) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Universal Studios (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

DeathMobile (Canada: English title) (video title)
Wheels (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | 4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | UK:12 | UK:AA (original rating) (1977) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:15 (video premiere) | Norway:16 (theater release) | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Glen Canyon, Utah, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

This film is listed among The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's book THE OFFICIAL RAZZIE® MOVIE GUIDE.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Just as the Car chases the marching band into the graveyard, two kids crouch behind a tombstone, which wiggles as if made from Styrofoam (which it probably is).

Quotes:

Wade Parent: Yeah... yeah, ten years of giving out traffic tickets, and all this in one day!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in To the Devil a Dog (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46: I. 'Morning'

Thriller tale of a sadistic, killer car who hunts anyone.

I've seen "The Car" several times over the years. I am a big fan of horror movies and while this is not exactly a "classic" by any means, I still enjoyed it. The plot is basically a car which drives around a desert town killing everyone/anyone it can. In these types of movies, you tend to enjoy watching and choosing who becomes the victims. I found the acting to be a little trying at times. In fact, at times, very bad. I mean, having two actors scream at each other (in one scene) does not create tension, it creates confusion. I like James Brolin in this film and John Marley as well, even though he didn't have much to do.

The star of the movie is "The Car". What I did not enjoy about the film was as a viewer I did not know anything about the car. Where did it come from? Why was it there? Was it the devil? A demon? I wanted to know more about this killing machine. I found that by the end of the film I was still a little confused. Also, I think this movie was a rip-off of the TV thriller released back in 1974, "Killdozer". The tale about a killer bulldozer terrorizing a construction crew. Possibly one of the worst ever made TV movies. The Car was much, much better. I remember seeing "The Car" at the movies. I think it stayed for about a week. Needless to say, the movie was a bomb. However, that does not mean it was a bad movie. There aren't very many horror movies that are a big success at the movie theatre. I think they tend to be more successful on video.

It's a shame that this movie wasn't more successful because I was looking forward to a sequel. Who knows, maybe they'll release "The Car 2" or "Son of Car". All that being said, take my advice, rent this movie. Pull up a chair, put the lights on low, snuggle beside your favorite person (wife, etc.), grab some munchies and, no matter what you do, make sure you keep that remote in your hand at all times.

Sit back and enjoy!