The Car Reviews

• Heaven Help Us! The Devil drives a LINCOLN!!

  
  By A3DSTOJPRMV674 on 2003-09-13
  I love the 1977 film "The Car" for a number of reasons. One of which, I suppose, was that I first saw this "B" horror flick at the neighborhood theater as a child. Yes, it scared me then and makes me smile now.

  "The Car" is so extravangantly cheesy as to be almost surreal. To really understand the greatness of "The Car," one must compare it to John Carpenter's "Christine," another haunted car film based on one of Stephen King's weakest novels. I've seen "Christine" once and really don't care to view it again. I've seen "The Car" many times and will watch it every chance I get.

  Accurately noted by several reviewers, "The Car" is really "Jaws" on land. This souped up automobile is a sleek black Lincoln possessing a fog horn and a bumper the size of Wilford Brimley's mustache. It runs over bikers, hitchhikers and tuba players with hungry ease, tormenting the local yokel police force with demonic glee. The cast is the key here, with small town policemen James Brolin, John Marley and Ronnie Cox joining forces with dynamite expert R.G. Armstrong to corner The Car and blow it kingdom come. These actors have been around the block a few times in films far better than "The Car," but their experienced presence adds a note (albeit a small one) of respectability to the precedings.

  But before this salty crew goes after the metallic Beezlebub beast, The Car must terrorize a high school band, Brolin's hometown squeeze Kathleen Lloyd (whatever happened to her?) and several unlucky travelers in the wrong place at the wrong time. Needless-to-say, car insurance companies were left mightily frustrated after The Car paid a visit to Santa Ynaz.

  I don't know why The Car likes to drive in the desert, just as I don't know why it seems to have a crush on James Brolin, teasing him unmercifully while slowly picking off his crew one by one. I do know that the car chases in this film are tremendously exciting. The direction and editing is crisp. Leonard Rosenman's musical score is above average. And the final confrontation, while laughable in its epic excess, is memorable.

  "The Car" is a fun movie, glorious in a "B" movie comic book kind of way. It's "Creature From the Black Lagoon," "The Omen," "Jaws" and "Smokey and the Bandit" all rolled into one hilariously transcendent package. It is celluloid pulp fiction, with the nutritional value of a whopper and fries. Please grill the onions.
  
  

• James Brolin's Absolute Summit As A Thespian

  
  By A2ZE73RFY0GD3K on 2004-05-25
  "The Car" manifests James Brolin's absolute summit of the acting craft, reflecting the finest performance he ever gave in one of the best films ever made -- about a driverless car that kills people and cannot be stopped. (Before you denounce this concept as implausible, take a look at "Yentl.") Brolin's delivery in "The Car," his use of his features, expressions, voice and body to totally immerse himself in the character of a small-town law officer facing the challenge of a lifetime, is unparalleled by any other work in his career. This film should be required viewing in every school of drama in the nation, to demonstrate to young actors what they could become if given the right opportunity.

  And it was terrific seeing young Ronny Cox in this movie too, fresh off his broke-arm, drowned-in-the-river portrayal in "Deliverance." (At one point in "The Car," we see Cox weeping -- and you just have to think he was actually upset from watching Brolin's performance on the set, which so easily enabled him to produce tears.)

  "The Car" (a film FAR superior to Kill Dozer, though the concept is the same) was James Brolin's peak, the apex of his entire acting portfolio. There really was nothing left for him to do after this, but marry Barbra and witness her incomparable participation in the aging process.
  
  

• Great horror flick!

  
  By A2R5B3ULGMXSLQ on 2000-05-04
  I haven't seen this film in twenty years or so, but it was worth the wait. I saw part of it when I was seven (now twenty-eight) on network TV, and I was scared out of my wits at the part where the car runs two bicyclists off the road. I also remember the scene where it runs over the town sheriff.

  I decided to just go ahead and get this movie without seeing the whole thing first. It was great. I think the scariest scenes are these: First, the part where the police officer is guarding the parade and you see a brilliant flash in the distance, indicating the car's windshield (funny, being that the windshield didn't appear to be glass). Second, the part where James Brolin's girlfriend talks on the phone is chilling. She just keeps talking while the minute headlights just keep getting bigger and bigger until it plows through her living room, killing her.

  I'm surprised a sequel was never made so we could find out where this car came from. It makes its appearance in the desert, but where was it beforehand? Interesting, unexplained stuff!
  
  

• Just make sure you get a WIDESCREEN copy!!

  
  By A23LCEFE2BWE5F on 2006-03-26
  This is a great little supernatural film and a must for fans of the 70's TV movies or B movie suspense thrillers.
  
  Great cinematography, superb score and another EXCELLENT car designed by the George Barris, King of the Customizers and the man who brought you the General Lee, the 60's Batmobile, the Munsters car and Starsky and Hutch's Torino.
  
  Because the photographer makes full use of the 2:35 widescreen in all shots, this one is a must for widescreen - don't settle for the fullframe copies that are circulating or you will definately miss one of the most redeeming aspects of this film!!
  
  Only mistake I saw was that they really should've given a bigger part to the Native American Deputy as there was alot he could have added to the story.
  
  The sound of The Car when the motors running and the horn honking terror seal the deal on this well made flick. Get it on DVD now........
  
  

• The Car

  
  By A1P0A2JNTH95S4 on 2000-02-27
  Wow! I cannot believe I found this movie. For the past 10 years, I have not seen it and have been looking for it all over--video stores, online, searches. This was THE scariest movie for me as a child as I remember watching it on Saturday late-night TV from 11:30-1:00am. I went to bed terrified and hiding under the sheets. I was 12 or 13 when I watched this and now at 29 I'm sure I'll have flashbacks from the first time I saw it. Can't wait to buy it!
  
  
• The DEVIL CAR returns!!! Satan's Tricked-out Sedan!
  By A27P0MW8TE1JQP on 2008-02-08
  The late-night classic from the 70's returns. Out on the rural highways and byways speeds Satan's evil sedan running down the unwary, no matter how righteous. This beautiful "B" horror film, wheeled in with the wave of "Devil movies," including the Exorcist, in the 70's. But the twist here is that a driver-less CAR is doing Satan's bidding! There's also some strange parallels to a certain shark movie released the same year. There's loads of shots of the CAR prowling the desert roads, sweet "point of view" shots from the evil vehicle's interior, and the glorious "HORN FROM HELL" literally scaring the be-jesuz' out of those motoring-mortals. The music is a little dated, as is the production value, but the premise is so classic, it is worth owning, especially to shake-up a horror movie marathon or a "when cars attack" themed evening.
  
  Classic moments include the CAR struggling unable to cross onto "hallowed ground" to get it's victims and the ultimate fate of the Satan's ride.
  
  Futurama satirises "The Car" and "The Howling" in an episode called "The Honking." The made-for-TV Herbie remake with Bruce Campbell has a "Car" homage with an evil VW beetle made by Nazis.
  
  
  
  
• Running on Empty...
  By A30Q8X8B1S3GGT on 2003-11-13
  First, it should be clearly understood that "The Car" is many things, but great cinema is not one of them. The plot device of the possessed vehicle has been handled better in several films, most notably "Christine". "Duel", "The Wraith" and "Maximum Overdrive" also offer up better thrills-on-wheels than "The Car."

  The cast is fair, and the sets either shot on location or non-existant. In other words, the lion's share of the movie's meager budget obviously went into the construction of The Car and its stunt doubles. The Car itself is in intriguing design, and could qualify as a demonic ride, but ultimately one must wonder at how dangerous The Car really is. Sure, it's indestructible. Sure, it drives over people. But is it really any scarier than the wheelchair that chases Trish van Devere down the stairs in "The Changeling"?

  Bottom line, The Car, as a villain, is about as scary as a Dalek. Sure, the Daleks could kill people and battle Doctor Who, but they couldn't climb stairs. At the end of the day, they were just funny robots with a plunger for a hand. As for The Car, it seems to me that most of its victims could've just jumped behind a tree or something, or otherwise just GOTTEN OFF THE ROAD.

  And when it comes to motivation, the movie is all at sea. The Car comes out of nowhere, and attacks for no reason. The only real motivation we see is when The Car runs over people who yell or shoot at it. Beyond that, there is no reason in evidence for The Car to be picking on the inhabitants of this rinky-dink little podunk town in Utah.

  As for suspense, the filmmakers did fairly well. The chases are nicely done, and The Car is made as menacing as possible. I did particularly like that The Car is not seen fully until it's attack on the parade grounds. Up until then, we only see glimpses of The Car, or static shots that do not show the whole vehicle. And let us not forget one of the most famous effects shots in movie history, as The Car comes flying at the camera through a living room picture window. Additionally, most of the mayhem is committed in broad daylight, unlike the majority of horror pictures.

  When all is said and done, the movie is strangely entertaining to watch despite itself. The Car is just bad enough to carry the picture, even if the cast isn't always good enough to.
  
  

• Move Over Karr & Christine...The Car is back on the road!
  By A8IVYKSKP8QFY on 1999-10-21
  When I first saw this movie, it was during the wee hours of the morning, and it was on TV. To say the least, it scared me to death. Now that was the "edited for tv" version. This IS WAY better, still love the horn, and the roar of the engine as it speeds by. Now if you are a Knight Rider fan, the cars "ending" was used in the first apperance of "Karr" (Knights All Roving Robot). They used the stock from this movie, to represent Karr flying off the cliff to his end to his destruction as well.

  I am glad to see The Car on video, outstanding quality. I prefer the "wide screen" because it shows more of what is going on around in the scene. Huge difference then the one I saw on TV.

  Anyways, this is a great movie for all you "Machines vs. Man" horror movies. And I guess you could call this movie "The Grandfather Of Christine".
  
  

• Satan's hod rod Lincoln
  By A11BCJJG91KVOY on 2001-02-10
  I remember seeing this one alone late at night (in my parent's house with the big picture window facing the point where the road forks to bypass our house and car light shining into the darkened family room) when I was little and I watched most of it from under a blanket. I watched the DVD from under a blanket as well. Despite bad acting, a dumb script, and some looooong parts with no action, the movie really manages to create a sustained feeling of dread that never lets up until the (admittedly hokey) end. The cinemetography and special effects are great, and George Barris' Car is really menacing looking (See Barris TV & Movie Cars in books- it has a short section on it), and a better actor than most of the stock cast. Great, creepy fun.
  
  
• The greatest bad movie of all time!
  By AWAVLWWJK1R9B on 1999-08-13
  "The Car" has got to be the best 'bad' movie ever made. The acting is bad, the plot is really unbelievable, there are all sorts of typical movie situations (the drunk who beats up his wife but is lovably comical that straightens up to save everybody), the single parent father with two adorable and over behaved children, his pretty girlfreind with whom he's head over heels in love with (guess what happens to HER??), etc. But the real star in this movie is The Car itself. It is the NEATEST most awesomely ugly car I have ever seen. No door handles, windows tinted to the point of not being able to see in, and a great exhaust sound make this Car the actor to watch in this movie. Supposedly (information is sketchy on this Car)the Car was built by George Barris of Hollywood (confirmed) out of a 1971 Lincoln Town Car, and driven by Mario Andretti (cant confirm this). There was one actual 'Car' made (for driving scenes) and two fiberglass copies made for still shots and motionless scenes. The director obviously knew he had a great looking car as it is 'introduced' in a marching band scene and when it's on screen, it steals the show. The scenes with the Car are tantalizingly short and you never really get a good 360 degree view of the Car. But the Car steals the movie!!!
  
  
• Long over due, but finally here!!!
  By ASREF1O5XDBPD on 2001-03-18
  I too have been waiting for what seems like an eternity for this movie to finally make it to vhs/dvd. I first saw The Car when I was 8 years of age (now 31) and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I would bug video store clerks about it, but it seems like most people have never heard of such movie, that is until now. Great intense action/car chases some unreal parts like when the car rolls over on top of the two police cars, but hey, its The Car baby. The other thing I love about this movie is the car itself, the design, engine/exhaust sound, and the horn. What a creepy (but great) sounding horn. One of these days I'm going to build a replica. The movie is great pure B-movie material, by far the best when compared to movies like cristine, duel, hell on wheels etc.... One of the reviewers said something about a 2hr 15mn, R-rated version of the film, I've never heard such a thing. ...
  
  
• mixed up lincoln?
  By A450M5RLMX2MH on 2003-04-05
  Living not far from Amsterdam in the netherlands, I saw this movie when I was 15 years old.
  And I saw it again, and again. The Car runned in the Rembrandsplein Theater for 4 months I believe, and after a year, it was back, to scare people for a next couple of weeks.
  Between those periods there came star wars...
  I realy felt in love with THE CAR. It was so scary!
  But more so....Exciting!
  It played with tabu-like supressed wishes, it played with the killer in each of us. Who doesnt want to do sometimes what the car did without any remorse? What stops us is the notion that some things can not be reversed, can not made undone.
  And we don't like to feel sorry.....
  But this car does not care.

  This is in my opinion the best road suspense movie ever made, althaugh acting was not "state of the art", but James Brolins acting makes the threat of the car very serious and believeble.
  And I always liked the cinematography of this movie, simple and effective.
  The real actor in this movie is the demonic car.
  Basicly built on a lincoln, many people say a mark 3, but it realy has the grille of the mark 4 (it is bigger than the mark 3's grille), the outer chrome frame is painted black in the case of this monster. There is a kind of Rolls Royce like armor around this car, and the car seems even to have a kind of face.
  And I dont mean a face like in Thomas the railway-engine :-)
  Already crazy by the car of tv-detective Cannon, this "thing" made me a lifetime lincoln-fan.
  Has anyone noticed that some of the later concepts by Lincoln have some influence by the customcar in this movie? (Lincoln Sentinel, Lincoln Mark 9)

  The strongest parts of the movie are in my view:
  1 The simple straight forward editing. (back to basics)
  2 The uneasy way the movie also uses silence. (also used in Duel)
  3 The wanna-have soundtrack of Leonard Rosenman.
  4 The use of sound effects (the horn of the car, the mix of several engine sounds (at the bikerchase it sometimes sounds like a truck)
  6 The big policechase in the middle of the movie, the graveyard-scene and of course the garage-scene and the (last)phone-scene with Kathleen Loyd

  And the roll-over stunt is so good!

  Have fun with this movie and cover your ears.

  Richard Schüssler
  
  

• One of the BEST suspense movies I've ever seen
  By AYGHUCNGQ0HMF on 2000-09-28
  I haven't seen this movie since the 80's, but I remember seeing it several times during then. I first saw it just a few years after it's release, before I was even 10.

  Scared the hell out of me! I was DEATHLY afraid of that car.

  Even now, well over 20 years later, I still love it. I would like to own it someday. While some reviewers have told some of the best scenes, I'll just leave that out for those who haven't seen it yet.

  I can definitely say kids will probably get scared over it. It might even give them nightmares. That car is VERY creepy and the sounds it makes...oh my god.

  Terrific job with the car and the suspense. If you are a fan of suspense movies, you'll love this!

  VERY GOOD MOVIE! And FULL of suspense.
  
  

• BEST EVIL CAR MOVIE
  By on 2002-08-08
  So there may not be many evil vehicle movies but this one wins. It's essentialy a slasher flick with the killer taking the shape of a car. Seen it a couple times on late night TV but never remembered the name. Fortunately a co-worker told me and I sought it out. As in all slashers we root for the killer and this car is easy to root for. The studio created a pretty menacing vehicle and the scenes add a nice malevolent personality. The production is above average for the genre. Nice late 70's feel complete with wooden acting and intentionally bad dialogue. The story adheres to the slasher mold. Evil car appears from the desert and begins stalking citizens of a small town. It soon becomes clear to the sheriff that all is not right.
  So sheriff organizes the troops and roadblocks ensue but of course the local cops are not fully aware of what they're up against and become targets themselves of evil car. Thankfully the sheriff fails to have the good sense to call in the state police or national guard. That could have made a good scene, the sheriff on the phone to the Governor explaining his perplexion and need for military assistance to handle an evil car. But fortunately they tackle the problem themselves. This provides the studio a chance to show car wrecks where the slightest damage to a vehicle causes it to explode. Yeah, I love gratuitous car explosions and this has a few. As in all these movies brute force and bravery fails against the evil so they are forced to outwit it. Overall it's pretty straight forward and there are some satisfying though mild kills courtesy of evil car. What keeps it from a 5 star rating is the modest amount of kills. I would have preferred a higher body count but of course I feel that way about most slashers. Definitely worth a look.
  
  
• vintage movie watcher
  By on 2002-12-01
  "The Car" is well acted, lots of action, good acters and actresses; but is also packed with lots of foul language, very violent scenes, and is on the sinister side of movies. It's entertaining, and James Brolin plays his part very well. I don't recommend that kids be allowed to watch this movie that are under 13 years of age. It's an adult movie, with adult language, and does have adult sexual scenes.
  
  
• Still good after all this time
  By A3EJCRPED52OO5 on 2005-08-01
  I first saw this film in '77 when it first came out. having recently bought it on DVD, the film has not lost any of it's sparkle for me. It's been called "Jaws" on land by some people, and they may be partially right. it's true that most of the cast has been seen in better films, but let's face it, the real star of the film is the car anyway. made by famous customiser George barris from a chopped down and souped up Lincoln Mk 3, this is what a hot rod built by Satan should look like. It's long, lean, fast and loud. even the grill and front end were designed to give the impression of a grinning skull! many will say the film's premise is weak, but I disagree. throughout history, there are many documented sightings of Demons. in very old times, they manifested as huge black horses and later as huge black dogs. all these manifesations were intent on one thing: terrorising and/or killing those it encountered. It seems somehow fitting that in our modern and materialistic times, a demon would appear as something that symbolises the very thing that american progress is based on: The automobile. The car simply appears in the desert outside a small town, and proceeds to give sherrif wade (Played by James Brolin) more trouble than he ever had in ten years on the force. It's unstoppable, unkillable and its very hungry for blood! as it flirts mockingly with wade, it also proceeds to whittle the towns population down in various interesting ways. Wade's girlfriend is even killed while in the middle of her own living room! that scene alone will give you a new respect for picture windows. the other characters are just stock stereo types, yet the story actually makes us believe in them for a change. Ultimately, wade and the town bully must work together to finally corner and seemingly destroy The Car with dynamite. (although, if you sit through the end credits, you will see it was never destroyed after all.)this was the first, and still the best, of the the "possesed automobile" movies produced in the late 70's and early 80's. in my oppinion, long after Christine, Crash and the excellent Duel have been forgotten, this one still stands. and with a Main character that seems more like a mechanised animal than a machine, complete with a voice in the form of a piercing staccato horn and a unique engine sound that sounds like demonic muttering at times, plays on all of our fears we ever had of being snuffed in an instant by a speeding automobile. some have criticised the small town setting of the film, but if you think about it, small town also means isolated. there is no calling in the national guard, state police or other aid for Wade. his town has one road in and out, making the perfect place to trap and toy with the citizens, just as the car does in the film. the photograpy is beautiful, and the point of the killings is gotten across without buckets of blood. It's just wade and his ill-equipped deputies against a solid and real manifestation from hell, and depicts realistically how The Car completly over turns the towns tranquillity for no other reason than because it can. The characters are left on thier own to come up with a rather creative decision on how to deal with this very terrifying killer in thier midst. there is no psycho motorists for Wade to arrest or let the audience down. this is a pure and simple Demon appearing in in a form suitable to the modern world, a machine who's only reason for being is to kill and crafted with style in a truly frightening form. This film still has some really frightening moments, and excellent stunt work that destroyed all 5 of the fiberglass cars built for the film. only the original metal prototype remains to this day still on display at George Barris's shop in California. If you liked Christine, you will love this film. a 1:18 cast metal scale replica of The Car is available from www.RCERTL.com. I was lucky enough to find one of these in Toys R Us recently, and I must say, it is a chilling representation of the original machine. And the movie still holds up to the test of time, and was a rather nostalgic trip for me back to my drive in days. No DVD collection would be complete without this under-appreciated little gem on the shelf.
  
  
• ugly black lincoln
  By A2HXVAQ5DMDW1S on 2006-10-08
  I have been searching for this movie for quite a while now, it has been years since i have seen it, but never knew the name of it...all i remember when i was young that this black beast drove straight though a house and nearly demolished it...believe it or not, the guy at the video store, or anyone there had even seen or heard of the film before, and in the end i guessed and said punch in the car...and bingo, it came up,,,not available in Australia...but the best scene was the grave yard...the car in parts at this scene seemed animated...i think the acting of the cast was a bit shoddy in parts, but in my view, the car was the best player.
  
  
• 74 dls !!!!! My god !!!!
  By ANESDRYW5D5NO on 2006-12-19
  I can't beleive the price of this dvd. It is a great amount of money for a "B" movie that you can see in any tv channel.
  
  You can find this dvd in any mexican store just croosing the México's border for less than 5.00 dls.
  
  Also it is region 1 and 4
  
  
• A Demon Car You Won't Forget
  By AE67TAO1Y5D0F on 2007-09-17
  Let's face it--with all of the technology and computer generated this and that in today's movies,there's just not much we haven't seen or heard.Shock value and slick packaging sell movies,and sometimes the plot is so full of holes you could drain pasta through it.So if you're sick of the same ol'--same ol',please,read on.
  Made in 1977,"The Car" is what I call a "REAL" movie.Yes-they really built a custom car based on a Lincoln;in fact,there were 7 of them made for this movie,and torn apart for this movie--real crashes and it can't be duplicated by a computer--it's just not the same.
  Simple plot--for whatever reason,the car comes screaming out of the desert to kill and terrorize the people of a small town in New Mexico.James Brolin plays the deputy of the town and deals with the intruder personally,and all hell breaks loose when he discovers the truth--there is no driver.
  If you have a decent imagination,this movie is terrifying when you think about "What if?".If your imagination isn't that great,don't worry.The chase scenes and tension will keep you on the edge.The engine sounds alone are worth the viewing for any gear-head.And the air horn on the car that blasts during each attack are unforgetable.
  So if you are craving a "REAL" movie that will leave you chilled,get
  "The Car". I believe it is one of the most under-rated movies of the '70's;I saw it the first time as a child and have been lucky enough to catch it on television once or twice and it still gets me.And ,yes,I have recently found and purchased a copy for my collection.If you are in to horror,you won't be dissapointed.
  
  
• Shame on you Universal!!!
  By A1QCS78EAWW7XR on 2008-05-12
  First of all I must say i have loved this movie ever since it was released back in 1977. Second, I am disappointed in Universal's re release of this classic. I have Anchor Bay's version of this classic, and it is a great version. The problem i have with this re-release is the fact that they seem to have forgotten to put in some of the sound effects on the audio track on the disc. The remastered picture quality is better on the Universal release, than on the Anchor Bay version, but the lack of the sound effects leaves something to be desired. When the car is in the garage with James Brolin, revving the motor and trying to kill him, there are no screams or dialog, with Margie or the kids screaming. Yet if you switch the audio to the French version, the dialog is there, I just dont get it. Personally, i would save the money if you already have the Anchor Bay version, I am also disappointed that this being a Universal release, that there was nothing hiding in the Universal vaults, like added footage, or any bonus material. This just seems like another attempt to re-release something just to make a quick buck, Please Please try to improve on these in the future. Thanks
  
  
• No, it ain't Tolstoy... it's a MOVIE, people!!
  By A3DHAACOEYXKH8 on 2000-12-29
  Plenty of reviewers bash this flick for all the usual valid reasons...which in turn proves that they themselves are simply retreads of old ideas. Yea, there isn't much new in this film, and the writing, acting and directing are all pure B-movie quality. So what?!? All these faults are equally present in the highest grossing film of all time- TITANIC! OK, maybe the boat's director is higher caliber...granted. But taken for what it is, 'The Car' is a good time, with a few unique moments that were still fresh in my mind 20 years later, before the VHS and DVD re-release came out. Things like the musician's belief the driver would be a babe that would ruin his back..in a good way. Or the Car's frustration at being unable to enter the cemetary...it actually LOOKS angry about it! Then there's the 'rolling-pin-two-cop-car-squash' stunt...the sound of the car's exhaust and horn...and the cheesy-but-spooky face in the fire at the end. You won't need a thesaurus to decode the deep dialogue....the acting won't rival Sir Lawrence Olivier. But it sure beats two hours spent watching ANYTHING available on TV today!! WooHoo.....drop the hammer, and let's go run over a few innocent pedestrians!
  
  
• Guilty Pleasure
  By A32DRQPNRD8G6G on 2002-01-11
  Not much to say about this other than it is a cool movie and the car is awesome. When I was young, when the movie came out, I just knew that when I grew up I was going to have a car just like it. Well, I don't, but at least I can watch it on DVD. Anyway, it is a bit cheesy and over acted, but all in all, it is a great movie for any horror/scary movie fan. Once my friends found out that I had bought it, they all wanted to come and watch it again. Even after some 20 years or so, it still gave me some of the original feelings that I felt when I was 7 and saw it for the first time. I highly reccomend this to anyone interested in purchasing it. If I could, I would give it 10 stars.
  
  
• Jaws on the roadway!
  By AQ7Y3QC1BHYVE on 2002-06-12
  I agree with most or all of the reviews. I also saw it when I was about 7 or 8 years old and it scared the heck out of me. After that bike rider was taken out, I never wanted to ride my bike on the roadway again. The Car was like Jaws on the roadway, just devouring people. The horn, the engine the smile on the grill, just look, you'll see it. I have the DVD and it brings back memories. My wife and I saw it together for the first time and she had trouble sleeping, she's 26 years old. Yea, the acting was bad, but not horrible, the direction was not Speilberg, but the movie has great suspense and action. The car goes right through the home and ends Kathleen LLoyds life. Good vs. Evil, simply put. Just watch it and enjoy or be scared...
  
  
• Better than I remembered, but too darn short...
  By on 2003-04-12
  Even though it's a bit short I still like this movie. It has great nostalgia value and there's no other movie like it. If you remember this movie from your childhood, then you'll enjoy it as much as I do---all over again.
  
  
• my favorite film of all time
  By A2IELUGOVUOPCL on 2003-10-20
  i saw the car at the theatre a couple of times and on HBO once when i was a kid.when i saw the car for the first time i thought it would be 1 of those stupid kind of movies like the naked gun or something like that.but then i really got into the movie as the car ran down the bicyclist teenagers and the hitch hiker it turned out that this 1977 golden classic is my favorite film of all time and i now own it on dvd & watch it every chance i get.i would have to say actually that r.g armstrong is the one that makes this movie pretty much happen with his halarious remarks against the hitch hiker.i wish i could find the r. rated 164 min. version on like a 30th anniversary collectors edition someday on dvd. but for now i'll just be happy with the 96 min. pg. version dvd. i recomend that everyone that loves good horror movies should buy this film i gurentee you won't be disapointed this movie in my oppinion is the best movie ever made.it stars james brolin,ronnie cox,kathleen lloyd,r.g armstrong and john marley.what starts out to be another day in san ynaz for wade parent turn's into the terrorizing nightmare for the small town of san ynaz as the car drives into town killing anyone that get's into it's path as it run's down 2 biker's,a hitch hiker and takes half the police force out and now it's up to james brolin to try anything he can to pull the brakes of the black sedan killing everyone in his town.
  
  
• The Devil Is In The Driver's Seat
  By A2D8CUJPOSRPNA on 2004-11-02
  Largely forgotten among the horror movies of the 1970s, and vastly overshadowed by STAR WARS, the 1977 horror film THE CAR, despite looking and feeling dated in places, works fairly well in its narrow format the way a great many horror films do. Instead of piling on the blood and gore, like too many horror films after HALLOWEEN would do, THE CAR is more of a suspense shocker based on supernatural themes, predating the Stephen King-based CHRISTINE by six years.
  
  As has been mentioned, THE CAR is a long, black, and quite frankly evil limousine that has its sights set on the town of Santa Ynez in southwestern Utah. James Brolin is the town's deputy sheriff who must cope with and stop this limousine before it kills any more people (in the film's opening sequence, it actually kills two cyclists in Zion National Park). What he WON'T believe in, despite the imploring of his fellow deputy (Ronny Cox), is that this car doesn't have a driver but rather is possessed by a demonic force. When it chases a local schoolteacher (Kathleen Lloyd) into a cemetary, it won't barge through (it nevertheless succeeds in killing her in her home). Brolin still doesn't believe in it even after the film's fiery climax.
  
  Though not necessarily blessed with originality, being as it is a combination of THE OMEN and DUEL, THE CAR nevertheless moves with velocity, thanks in large part to an ensemble cast that includes John Marley, R.G. Armstrong (a Peckinpah regular), Roy Jenson, and John Rubinstein. Director Elliot Silverstein, whose credits include CAT BALLOU and A MAN CALLED HORSE, makes the most of the plot with very good special effects, including the explosive finale; and he is helped by a good score from Leonard Rosenman (Oscar-winner for adapting music for Kubrick's BARRY LYNDON in 1975), which incorporates the ominous Gregorian chant "Dies Irae."
  
  Though not a masterpiece per se, THE CAR is nevertheless far better than some might give it credit for. It deserves a look for any horror film fan looking for something more than a standard-issue blood-and-guts slasher film.
  
  
• This Movie Shouldn't Work....But It Does
  By A34IBXM7E8CPWE on 2005-08-12
  If you like 70's Drive-In horror movies that for some reason always began with the word "The", i.e. "The Pack", "The Boogens", "The Swarm", "The Legend of Boggy Creek" etc. then you will love "The Car". Not only do you get a cool, slicked down looking Lincoln, but you get Mr. Streisand sporting one cool 70's hair helmet. Based on this film you would be hard pressed to say whether or not Ronny Cox or James Brolin have ears...Yes the Bert-Convey-Hair-Styles are well represented! "The Car" will also make you wonder, why does this sleepy little desert town sport a police force the size of the NYPD? Seriously, I think the Cop to Civilian ratio in this flick is 1:1! Now, you may think I am tearing into this movie, but all of the reasons listed, and for many more reasons not listed, "The Car" is a movie I will watch over and over. Everything in this movie is goofy, from the entire premise, to the wardrobe, to the foghorn/18-wheeler horn equipped car noise. But for some reason this entire movie just clicks. I can't explain why I enjoy this movie so much, I guess it's because it's just so much fun. Now, I see this movie is listed here for $50, and as much as I enjoy "The Car", I can't see paying more than $10 for it. If you can catch the odd replay (usually at 2 am or later) on TV, then by all means, set the Tivo. Or if you see copies available on DVD for under $15, pick it up, but I honestly couldn't recommend spending more than that for this movie. Pick up a copy of "The Legend of Boggy Creek" to satisfy that 70's shlock craving until this drops in price. Also, please be wary when reading other reviews posted here on "The Car". It seems there are a couple reviewers who felt the need to give away important plot points, such as the fate of certain characters, some of which are very surprising, as well as spoiling the end of the movie!
  
  
• Available NEW from Amazon Germany : $12:99 Euro
  By A220GTJFLFSKIA on 2006-02-11
  This movie is silly... I know. But , it's nostalgia and excitement and memories too. Either you can't help but love it.... or it is totally irrelevant to you. "The Car" represents "B" grade horror at its best with great special effects, humour, and that strange "Jaws of the Road" connection.
  
  Best of all.... it is available now for purchase from Amazon Germany. New fresh prints with English/ German/ and French soundtracks.
  
  I hesitate to recommend this German edition because it will probably re-appear in the USA soon enough; but perhaps not. There seems no rhyme or reason to some of the marketing decisions made concerning DVD releases. Personally, I have chosen to grab the new German edition while I can.....
  
  
• Great Movie, but wait for the "Real" DVD
  By A21NNE4AW7R9K0 on 2007-02-11
  This is a classic 70's movie, You wouldn't be on this page unless you knew that. The main reason for my "review" is to dissuade people from buying the 70+ dollar rip-off DVD offered here. It's burned from the VHS version and not worth 1/100 of the asking price. I'm sure the studio will get around to releasing this on DVD for real, it'll be worth the wait.
  
  
  ***Update*** 11-17-07
  Buy the real DVD from Amazon.UK for about $15.00 US!
  
  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Car-James-Brolin/dp/B000C4ETBU/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1195298793&sr=8-1
  
  It will be region 1 but you can get a "region free" DVD player for between 30 and 60 dollars.
  
  Philips DVP5140 Multiformat DVD Player with DivX, MP3, Windows Media Support
  
  You'll still be ahead of the game compared to buying a DVD here, of dubious origin. Just a thought. Lots of times you can get region 1 DVD's of films that haven't been released on DVD in the USA yet. I got to see "Hot Fuzz" 4 months before it was released on DVD in the USA.
  
  
• Long Time Comin!
  By A1GFHETDYIET77 on 2000-01-09
  I saw this Masterpeice when I was fourteen(am thirty),and even then it was borrowed from a friend...who had "illegaly" copied it from HBO...It was awsome(except that it had been CUT UP to make it less grusome...and shorter. I saw this search engine ...and it said "look for a movie"....I was thinking...boy if it can find The Car...WOW!...lucky i tried cause i've been lookin for a long time! THANK YOU!
  
  

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