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yet seen. Seemingly angered, the car destroys a brick gate post and leaves. The police go on a high-speed chase along highways throughout the desert before the car turns on them, destroying several squad cars and killing five of Wade's deputies. None of Wade's bullets put a dent on the car's windshield or tires, much to his surprise. Wade attempts to enter the car when it stops, but discovers it has no door handles. The car's door then opens by itself, knocking Wade unconscious and allowing the car to escape. At the hospital, Wade is consoled by his remaining deputies and Lauren. He later offers to get her some spare clean clothes.
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because "the ground is hallowed," a biblical reference. Wade concocts a plan to destroy the car in a controlled explosion within canyons that lie outside of town. After discovering it waiting in his own garage, they are forced to carry out his plans with great haste. Wade is pursued by the car into a mountainous canyon area where his remaining deputies have set a trap.
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after it purposely tries to run him down. It halts to a stop, reverses backwards, and runs him over several times before driving off. The local sheriff's office, called to a series of hit and runs, gets a lead on the car. It appears to be heavily customized and has no license plates, as pointed out by Amos
Clemens after he saw it run over the hitchhiker.
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The car enters the town and attacks the school marching band as it rehearses at the local showground. It chases the group of teachers and students into a cemetery. Curiously enough, the vehicle will not enter onto the consecrated ground. Lauren taunts the driver, which no one among the townsfolk have
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In a final confrontation, Wade and Luke stand at the edge of a cliff and bait the car into running straight at them. They jump aside as it goes over the cliff into the dynamite, causing an explosion. A monstrous, demonic visage appears inside the flames, to everyone's shock. Wade refuses to believe
524:
for the film. The opening credits of the film begins with the quote "Oh great brothers of the night, who rideth upon the hot winds of Hell, who dwelleth in the devil's lair; Move and appear!", which is attributed to LaVey. The quote is a slight alteration of a passage from the "Invocation
Employed
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stated that the film "manages to be a fairly brisk thriller" when the action was focused on the car, but lamented that director
Silverstein "has been saddled with one of those small-town family scripts complete with Deputy Sheriff romping with his schoolteacher friend, a drink-and-neurosis-ridden
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Two cyclists riding through a canyon are followed down the road by a mysterious matte black car. At a bridge, the car proceeds to crush one cyclist against the wall and ram the other from behind, catapulting him off the bridge. A hitchhiker, hoping to get a ride, encounters the car and insults it
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gave the film one star out of four and wrote, "What's worse than the rotten acting is that 'The Car' makes absolutely no sense as a story. In some scenes the car is presented as a supernatural being, able to materialize at will. In other scenes however, the car is hopelessly realistic. Even more
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That evening, Lauren is at her home, talking to Wade over the phone, when the enraged car drives straight through her house, killing her. Luke explains for a grief-stricken Wade killing his girlfriend was an act of revenge for Lauren's insults and notes it apparently did not enter the cemetery
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That night, after intentionally swerving around Amos, the car instead runs over
Sheriff Everett Peck, leaving Chief Deputy Wade Parent in charge. During the resulting investigation, an eyewitness to the accident states there was no driver, furthering Wade's confusion. Wade asks his girlfriend,
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The car's bodywork was painted in steel, pearl and charcoal coloring. The windows were laminated in two different shades, smoked on the inside and amber on the outside, so one could see out of it but not into it. In order to give "the car" a "sinister" look as requested by director Elliot
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Silverstein, Barris made the car's roof four inches lower than usual and altered its side fenders that same length again both higher and longer. According to
Silverstein, the distinctive sound the horn of The Car makes spells out the letter X in Morse code.
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wrote that the film's "various special effects are superior," but stated, "With often laughable dialogue—some of it deleted after previews—the film's appeal is limited to the undiscriminating seeking a new sensation." Gary Arnold of
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Lauren, a teacher at the local school, to cancel the upcoming marching band rehearsals for their safety. Lauren and her friend, the wife of Wade's deputy Luke
Johnson, ask him to let them rehearse. Luke unwittingly agrees.
479:. There were four cars built for the film in six weeks. Three were used as stunt mules, the fourth for closeups. The stunt mules were destroyed during production, while the fourth is now in a private collection.
552:(itself also inspired by Dies Irae) rather than Dies Irae as it was found to have a more sinister tone than its original counterpart. Moreover, a derivative of the music was also used in the 1991 film
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294:(as Brolin's daughters). It tells the story of a black unmanned self-driving mysterious car that goes on a murderous rampage, terrorizing the residents of a small town.
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is “Oh great brothers of the night, thou who makest my place of comfort, who rideth out upon the hot winds of Hell, who dwelleth in the devil's fane; Move and appear!”
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wrote, " 'The Car' is a total wreck. Story concerns a phantom auto on a killing spree (allegory, anyone?) in a small western town where everybody overacts badly."
783:, a 2003 film about a mysterious black Cadillac that stalks three young men as they make their way through the virtually deserted mountain roads of Wisconsin.
737:, a 1983 movie made up of four separate story segments; the third, "The Benediction", features a traveling priest attacked on the highway by a demonic
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on Blu-ray on
December 15, 2015. The Blu-ray release features the first HD 1080p transfer of the film, as well as commentary and additional features.
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The film was panned by critics, citing poor dialogue and acting. The film holds a 30% approval rating from
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Towards the
Conjuration of Destruction" section in 'The Book of Leviathan: The Raging Sea' within
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called it "a blatant, pitiful attempt to recycle elements from superior scare vehicles," namely
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The film's main theme, heard predominantly throughout, is a reworked, orchestral version of the
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transforms into a demonic car whose appearance was inspired by the car in "The Car".
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surprising is the poor quality of the film's special effects." Arthur D. Murphy of
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Siskel, Gene (May 17, 1977). " 'The Car' could be The Turkey of cinematic year".
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police force, and some generally strained acting by a less than starry cast."
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The
Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywood's Worst
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Thomas, Kevin (May 13, 1977). "Killer Auto Plays Hit, Run in 'Car' ".
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765:, a more faithful 1997 made-for-TV film based on the King short story.
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943:"'The Car: Road to Revenge' Isn't Quite the Sequel You're Expecting"
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975:"The Car - TV & Movie Cars Gallery | Barris Kustom Industries"
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When
Hollywood came to town: a history of moviemaking in Utah
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The evil, black car in the film was a highly customized 1971
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what the group saw in the flames despite Luke's insistence.
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Murphy, Arthur D. (May 11, 1977). "Film Reviews: The Car".
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Arnold, Gary (May 16, 1977). " 'The Car': A Real Lemon".
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The film concludes with the car prowling the streets of
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as one of the 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made.
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to negative reviews by audiences and critics alike.
544:. The theme was intentionally made to resemble more
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1055:Canby, Vincent (May 14, 1977). "Film: The Car".
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713:, a 1980 horror movie about a possessed hearse.
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914:"Existential Dread on Wheels: The Car (1977)"
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1003:(1st ed.). Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith.
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1131:Gillett, John (August 1977). "The Car".
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920:from the original on November 15, 2019
862:from the original on November 15, 2019
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1188:from the original on November 4, 2016
1454:Films directed by Elliot Silverstein
1414:American supernatural thriller films
855:British Board of Film Classification
389:Elizabeth Thompson as Margie Johnson
1037:from the original on April 13, 2011
955:from the original on August 4, 2021
894:from the original on April 13, 2011
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301:, and was influenced by numerous "
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486:Parts of the film were shot in
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325:(1975). A spinoff sequel,
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684:The Car: Road to Revenge
664:Anchor Bay Entertainment
562:Reception and home media
327:The Car: Road to Revenge
260:supernatural horror film
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555:Sleeping With The Enemy
386:as Sheriff Everett Peck
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1419:American mystery films
1358:Rich Men, Single Women
916:. September 19, 2013.
723:novel of the same name
644:Golden Raspberry Award
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395:as Deputy Luke Johnson
374:as Captain Wade Parent
211:May 13, 1977
1152:Wilson, John (2005).
570:based on 20 reviews.
1474:1970s American films
1424:American road movies
951:. January 11, 2019.
413:as Lynn Marie Parent
359:downtown Los Angeles
187:Hollywood Road Films
1404:1977 thriller films
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1334:Nightmare Honeymoon
1118:The Washington Post
613:The Washington Post
453:Melody Thomas Scott
380:as Lauren Humphries
258:is a 1977 American
1459:Films shot in Utah
1326:A Man Called Horse
1298:Elliot Silverstein
1296:Films directed by
1261:Trailers from Hell
1228:TCM Movie Database
1076:. Section 2, p. 9.
1058:The New York Times
666:on July 20, 1999.
579:The New York Times
455:as Suzie Pullbrook
299:Universal Pictures
264:Elliot Silverstein
197:Universal Pictures
128:Elizabeth Thompson
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1106:. Part IV, p. 22.
1103:Los Angeles Times
821:", an episode of
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606:Los Angeles Times
533:The Satanic Bible
528:The Satanic Bible
522:technical advisor
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411:Kim Richards
372:James Brolin
356:
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317:Roger Corman
310:
309:'s thriller
296:
272:James Brolin
262:directed by
254:
253:
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227:Running time
204:Release date
114:James Brolin
96:Marvin Birdt
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1192:November 3,
1141:(523): 164.
959:January 29,
802:The Honking
668:Arrow Films
648:John Wilson
590:Gene Siskel
518:Anton LaVey
504:Glen Canyon
425:as Ray Mott
384:John Marley
315:(1971) and
303:road movies
280:John Marley
173:Technicolor
124:John Marley
90:Produced by
41:Directed by
1389:1977 films
1383:Categories
1310:Cat Ballou
1041:October 3,
832:References
734:Nightmares
710:The Hearse
702:Killdozer!
488:St. George
467:Production
423:Roy Jenson
231:98 minutes
215:1977-05-13
180:Production
65:Lane Slate
51:Written by
1366:Flashfire
1182:"The Car"
1025:"The Car"
882:"The Car"
819:Route 666
718:Christine
670:released
541:Dies Irae
443:as Denson
393:Ronny Cox
284:Ronny Cox
151:Edited by
132:Ronny Cox
1239:AllMovie
1186:Archived
1035:Archived
953:Archived
918:Archived
892:Archived
866:July 22,
860:Archived
807:Futurama
690:See also
650:'s book
646:founder
461:as Donna
244:Language
159:Music by
107:Starring
73:Story by
1342:The Car
1257:The Car
1245:The Car
1234:The Car
1226:at the
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1212:The Car
1088:Variety
848:THE CAR
672:The Car
660:The Car
603:of the
596:Variety
546:Berlioz
516:leader
255:The Car
247:English
236:Country
213: (
182:company
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1361:(1990)
1353:(1987)
1345:(1977)
1337:(1974)
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1162:ISBN
1043:2023
1005:ISBN
986:2023
961:2019
926:2019
900:2018
868:2015
625:Jaws
622:and
619:Duel
508:Utah
496:Zion
365:Cast
333:Plot
312:Duel
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