THE CAR 1977
There’s a streak of guilty pleasure for me with The Car, a 1977 American horror film directed by Elliot Silverstein and written by Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack, and Lane Slate. This supernatural thriller blends elements of horror and action, and I think it is one of the more creative and unique entries in the genre that embraces the killer-vehicle.
Set in a small desert town in Utah, a mysterious black car begins terrorizing the residents. The vehicle, seemingly possessed and driverless, goes on a murderous rampage, killing cyclists, pedestrians, and cops. The story follows Chief Deputy Wade Parent (James Brolin) as he attempts to stop the demonic automobile and protect his community. Kathleen Lloyd plays Lauren Humphries, Wade’s girlfriend and a local teacher, character actor John Marley plays Sheriff Everett Peck, Ronny Cox plays Deputy Luke Johnson, and R. G. Armstrong plays the irascible Amos Clemens.
The car itself is a central character designed by George Barris, who is known for creating iconic vehicles like the Batmobile. The film features innovative sound design, with Dennis C. Salcedo providing the car’s menacing sound effects. The Car 1977 also incorporates religious themes, as the black metal fiend cannot enter consecrated ground like the local cemetery.
The film is often compared to Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975), with some fans dubbing it “Jaws on Wheels.” Its premise of an unstoppable, supernatural force terrorizing a small town draws parallels to other horror classics of the era. Despite its sometimes ludicrous premise, The Car is so much fun to just hop inside the backseat to take the ride for its suspenseful elements, the excellent vehicle design, and the very ominous presence of its titular non-passenger driving antagonist. The film also possesses some genuinely jarring moments, not only for their intensity but also for their unexpectedness.
A few of the victims include hitchhiker John Rubenstein, who gets taken out early on as he plays his French Horn through the sleepy town. He is remembered for his Tony Award-winning performance as James Leeds in Children of a Lesser God on Broadway in 1980 and for creating the title role in the original Broadway production of Pippin in 1972, for which he received a Theatre World Award. Another nail-biting scene is the pair of victims, the two cyclists who get pushed off a very high bridge when the car rams into them, forcing them over the guardrails and onto the rocks below.
One of the most notable scenes is when Lauren Humphries (Kathleen Lloyd) taunts the car’s unseen driver, calling it a “big ugly car” and daring the driver to get out. As Lauren shows her gutsy nerve, the car’s supernatural nature reacts angrily to her insults by driving in circles and revving its engine.
During the scene where the car hesitates to enter a cemetery, it is suggestive of the dichotomy of Christian good vs. evil, Heaven & Hell, illustrating that it is repelled by consecrated ground. This moment is pretty slick because it adds a layer of mysticism to the story, implying that the car is not just a vehicle but a malevolent entity with certain limitations.
The car threatens a local school parade, endangering the lives of the children. This scene is particularly unsettling due to the vulnerability of the victims and the car’s relentless pursuit, creating a sense of urgency and fear amongst the trapped townspeople. The great final confrontation, where Chief Wade Parent and the townsfolk take a stand against the car, is worth the wait. It’s one of my favorite moments. In this funhouse ride – the pyrotechnic spectacle as our demonic four-wheeled horn-honking menace, terrorizing the town like a mechanical bull in a china shop, finally meets its match in a carefully orchestrated trap. As the car plunges off the cliff, it transforms from a road-raging, black, snarling metal beast into a magnificent fireball, as if the gates of automotive hell had suddenly opened up. The explosion is a moment of vehicular Valhalla. Rising from the inferno like a demonic soufflé, a face materializes in the smoke and flames. It’s as if the car’s evil spirit makes one last appearance, leaving with its nefarious sentiment- I’ll see you in your traffic nightmares!
This ghostly visage looks like a cross between a Halloween mask, a particularly furious cloud formation, and a fiery farewell from an evil killer car. It’s a reminder always to check your rearview mirror!