The Car

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The Car

PG

1977

1h 35m

Horror

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

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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Gary Arnold

Washington Post

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.

Dec 21, 2015

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

As silly as it sounds, but strangely dull.

May 6, 2008

Full Review

Tom Milne

Time Out

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.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

A southwestern chiller with James Brolin...

Sep 22, 2023

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Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

The Car is still bad enough to turn you against the motion picture industry.

May 6, 2023

Full Review

Brian Costello

Common Sense Media

Cheesy '70s horror with domestic abuse, stereotypes.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 17, 2020

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Wayne K

An awful film that might have had some potential if someone of the talent of Spielberg had directed it (think “Duel”), “The Car” is an example a movie filmmaking elevate to a b movie budget. The cast is solid enough but the film just doesn’t have enough gas to attain the speed necessary to thrill. James Brolin does his best with the material but even he seems underwhelmed. Some fine actors here that are left sucking exhaust fumes. Not even so-bad-it’s good.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/25

Full Review

CodyZamboni Z

Exciting, Scary, Intense tale of a demonic car on a killing spree in the US Southwest, It's up to James Brolin and his deputies to stop it. Streamlined, low fat, 1970s genre filmmaking that pushes all the right buttons.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/15/24

Full Review

S R

Saw it since it was filmed in Utah and it was well done showcasing Zion, Hurricane and Washington County. However, the Satan car's plot was so poor and cheesy that it was only laughable at most parts. The music was memorable in that it set the stage for later horror genres like Jaws. RUS.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

07/15/24

Full Review

Matthew D

Great for the time it was made

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/04/23

Full Review

Jack B

So irritatingly stupid I could not sit through it. James Brolin either lost a bet, returned a favor or had a mortgage payment due.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/02/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I absolutely love this movie! That car had serious issues; it was so scary to think that a demon car could do that kind of damage. This is my kind of horror.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Elliot Silverstein

Director

James Brolin

Wade Parent

Kathleen Lloyd

Lauren

John Marley

Everett

R. G. Armstrong

Amos

John Rubinstein

John Morris

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The Car: Official Clip - Brutality Against Bicyclists

2:14

The Car: Official Clip - Death to Hitchhikers

2:15

The Car: Official Clip - Trapped With the Car

3:35

The Car: Official Clip - Run Over

2:00

The Car: Official Clip - Demonic Explosion

1:28

The Car: Official Clip - Motorcycle Death Race

2:02

The Car: Official Clip - The Car Hates Cowboys

2:27

The Car: Official Clip - The Car Hates Cops

2:30

The Car: Official Clip - Indoor Roadkill

1:06

The Car: Official Clip - Hurting the Car's Feelings

3:13

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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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