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The Car

Play trailer Poster for The Car PG 1977 1h 35m Horror Action Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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30% Tomatometer 20 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Two bicyclists are run down by a strange black car in the desert near a small town in Utah. But this is just the first in a series of hit-and-run murders. Sheriff Wade Parents (James Brolin) is called in to investigate, and his deputy, Everett (John Marley), is killed by the black sedan, which, some witnesses say, has no one behind its wheel. When the car threatens a local school parade, the lives of the town's children and Wade's teacher girlfriend, Lauren (Kathleen Lloyd), are endangered.
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The Car

Critics Reviews

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Gary Arnold Washington Post 12/21/2015
There's nothing under the surface either, no pattern or primitive fear mechanism guiding the car. What you see is what you get, and it deserves to be thrown back. Go to Full Review
Dave Kehr Chicago Reader 05/06/2008
As silly as it sounds, but strangely dull. Go to Full Review
Tom Milne Time Out 06/24/2006
Interminably drawn out, with some good special effects but its characters hauled straight out of the cracker-barrel, it has nowhere near the same minatory charge as Spielberg's Duel. Go to Full Review
Dennis Harvey 48 Hills 09/22/2023
A southwestern chiller with James Brolin... Go to Full Review
Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) 05/06/2023
The Car is still bad enough to turn you against the motion picture industry. Go to Full Review
Brian Costello Common Sense Media 06/17/2020
2/5
Cheesy '70s horror with domestic abuse, stereotypes. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Renee S @The_Car_1977 7h I honestly loved The Car (1977) way more than I expected to. The idea of a mysterious black car with no driver going around terrorizing a desert town is simple, but it works incredibly well. From the first time the car shows up, it feels evil, and that low engine sound makes it even creepier. Every time it appears, you know something bad is about to happen. See more Amy C @Amyc1971 5d Basic solid horror film. The analog world was far more dangerous, with people out of immediate contact with each other in dire situations. No one can help if you can't reach them!! See more Max M. @Househuntermax Jan 12 I don’t care what other reviews say. This is one of my favorite movies of all time! Used to scare the bleep out of me when I was a kid. I still watch it about once a year. If you haven’t seen it, you need to watch it now. See more Darek K @Meoo76 Dec 14 Well well. What evil force drives the car? In my opinion movie is great. It is kind of Jaws rip-off but not that much i enjoyed that movie! I recommend this film so much. See more DanTheMan 2 @DanTheMan2150AD Oct 18 Satan takes the wheel. Although it may be cruising off the coattails of Jaws, The Car excels at making a vehicle as menacing as any psychopath or killer shark, swapping the Ocean for the Utah desert, and the Shark for a possibly demonic Lincoln Continental Mark III. Although frequently seen as a generic copycat, it represents an excellent high-budget venture into existentialist horror, honouring the tradition of genuine suspense by hinting at more than it shows, and inferring more than it explains. Director Elliot Silverstein maintains a slick and streamlined style, mirroring the car itself, transforming the desert landscape into a powerful mythic backdrop for a fierce clash between good and an inexplicable yet clearly unyielding evil. But where this film succeeds the most is in its sound design, the desert ambience combined with every roar of the engine and blaring of the horn is used to an absolutely chilling effect. This, combined with some great acting from its cast of great characters and quirky dialogue, means the film keeps up a gripping pace for its entire runtime, especially when underscored by a legitimately unnerving Leonard Rosenman score. Despite some absurdities, The Car is practical enough within its limitations, delivering thrills and chills even if it does occasionally hit the brakes whenever its monolithic villain isn't onscreen. See more John K Oct 1 Truly well done. I'm surprised it got such negative reviews. Acting is good, the character actors are well chosen for their roles, and the Car is definitely intimidating. And a good musical score. About equivalent to Duel. Don't pay any attention to Kehr's snarky review he doesn't like anything. See more Read all reviews
The Car

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The Car

The Car: Official Clip - Brutality Against Bicyclists The Car: Official Clip - Brutality Against Bicyclists 2:14 The Car: Official Clip - Death to Hitchhikers The Car: Official Clip - Death to Hitchhikers 2:15 The Car: Official Clip - Trapped With the Car The Car: Official Clip - Trapped With the Car 3:35 The Car: Official Clip - Run Over The Car: Official Clip - Run Over 2:00 The Car: Official Clip - Demonic Explosion The Car: Official Clip - Demonic Explosion 1:28 The Car: Official Clip - Motorcycle Death Race The Car: Official Clip - Motorcycle Death Race 2:02 The Car: Official Clip - The Car Hates Cowboys The Car: Official Clip - The Car Hates Cowboys 2:27 The Car: Official Clip - The Car Hates Cops The Car: Official Clip - The Car Hates Cops 2:30 The Car: Official Clip - Hurting the Car's Feelings The Car: Official Clip - Hurting the Car's Feelings 3:13 The Car: Official Clip - Indoor Roadkill The Car: Official Clip - Indoor Roadkill 1:06 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Two bicyclists are run down by a strange black car in the desert near a small town in Utah. But this is just the first in a series of hit-and-run murders. Sheriff Wade Parents (James Brolin) is called in to investigate, and his deputy, Everett (John Marley), is killed by the black sedan, which, some witnesses say, has no one behind its wheel. When the car threatens a local school parade, the lives of the town's children and Wade's teacher girlfriend, Lauren (Kathleen Lloyd), are endangered.
Director
Elliot Silverstein
Producer
Marvin Birdt, Elliot Silverstein
Screenwriter
Dennis Shryack, Michael Butler, Lane Slate
Production Co
Universal/Universal Int
Rating
PG
Genre
Horror, Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 20, 2016
Runtime
1h 35m
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