‘The Car’ is the Best Film About a Satanic Automobile You’ve Never Seen
Although one could make the argument that this film is a bit hokey, The Car is a helluva lot of fun. It makes the most out of its unlikely antagonist (a killer automobile operated by dark forces) and manages to be surprisingly atmospheric. Moreover, James Brolin turns in an ass-kicking performance as an ordinary man faced with extraordinary circumstances. So, if you’ve yet to experience this unorthodox, supernatural actioner, please allow me a moment to make a case for why it stands as essential viewing.
The Car follows a supernatural sedan with an enormous appetite for destruction. Presumably piloted by the Prince of Darkness, the sinister automobile ascends upon a small, southwestern town and preys upon the locals and visitors, alike. The sleepy hamlet’s only hope of outmaneuvering The Dark Lord is the devastatingly handsome Sheriff Wade Parent (Brolin). The zaddy lawman is dapper, capable, and may just have what it takes to foil the forces of evil.
In an attempt at full disclosure, I should probably divulge that the flick seems to take a lot of its cues from Jaws, swapping out the great white shark for a satanic automobile. But I have to assume that if you’re intrigued by a film about a killer car, a slight lack of originality probably isn’t a dealbreaker. And I can certainly say that being a bit derivative certainly doesn’t dampen my appreciation of this under-seen effort.
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One of my favorite facets of The Car is that the audience gets to see several of the victims mowed down from the car’s perspective. The killer POV shot is a horror staple. But Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees are made of flesh and bone. The car is an inanimate object. Nonetheless, that doesn’t stop director Elliot Silverstein (television’s Tales from the Crypt and The Twilight Zone) from giving us a series of sequences where we see through the POV of the antagonistic automobile.
The unorthodox POV shots combined with a tense and pulsing score actually serve to make the automotive antagonist feel menacing and foreboding. It also gets a bit of help from a custom build made from a Lincoln Continental Mark III frame, which underwent customization at the hands of the late George Barris.
The titular automobile looks vengeful and comes across as ominous. From the black paint job to the perfectly-polished chrome, this vehicle looks properly sinister. And with the heavy implication that it is piloted by the Devil or his minions, the titular character (?) succeeds in coming across as more than a little menacing.
The production also score some street red for receiving a little help from the founder of The Church of Satan, Anton LaVey, who scored a technical advisor credit on the picture. The opening sequence also features a quote from LaVey, starting the proceedings off on a properly sinister foot.
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In addition to an ominous tone and its affiliation with satanism, the film also boasts some impressive effects and action sequences. In one noteworthy scene, the car drives through one end of a house and out the other. Without breaking stride.
Jaw-dropping action sequences aside, the flick also scores points for a cast that is quite likable, albeit under-developed. James Brolin is particularly impressive in his turn as a bona fide badass. He is effortlessly cool and ruggedly handsome. His character gives off a brand of swagger best summed up as Dirty Harry meets Magnum P.I.
Also noteworthy (to the right audience) future Housewives Kim and Kyle Richards feature as the sheriff’s tween daughters.
As for what doesn’t work as well, some of the editing and action choreography are a little wonky. In a couple of shots, people getting creamed by the car don’t even look like they have made contact. Additionally, some of the dialogue is hokey. But if you can look past the film’s shortcomings, there’s plenty of nonsensical action to appreciate. Not to mention an epic finale involving a truckload of explosives and a massive canyon.
All in, The Car is a fun time. It’s entertaining, in spite of its silly premise. And what a premise it is. As of the publication of this post, The Car is available to rent from all the major VOD platforms and can also be found on physical media. In fact, the fine folks at Shout! Factory have even given the flick the royal treatment with an HD release. So, track it down and enjoy!
If you are keen to chat more about satanic automobiles, feel free to find me on Twitter @FunWithHorror.
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