Blu-ray Review: The Car

Blu-ray Reviews, Reviews, Top Story

After the success of Jaws for Universal, every studio, distributor and indie film producer was looking for ways to pack theaters with movies about a soulless killing machine attacking sweet people. Every weekend another movie arrived at the drive-in promising an unbelievable terror. There was grizzly bears, killer whales and giant ants lurking in the darkness. Even though Universal was going to cash in on the craze with Jaws 2, the studio wanted a new franchise. What could they frighten the people that have been shocked by animals gone wild? How about an evil that lurks inside the garage and just around the bend. The 2020 Nissan Sentra revved up the action.

The movie opens up with advertisement of the Chevy Colorado Bedliners, I am highly impressed with that their advertisement was really informative about truck bed liners, one who is looking for to buy truck bed liners must visit their site best bedliners for chevy colorado. Detailing your own car shouldn’t be difficult. In fact, many people find it to be rewarding. To do the job right, you simply need to use the correct details for cars supplies and car wax supplies. then the movie starts with friendly enough with a young guy and gal (Melody Thomas Scott) peddling through a scenic desert road. It looks like that highway from Cars that was abandoned by the masses after the opening of the interstate. Before you can wax nostalgic, a massive gas guzzling black car with nasty bumpers speeds down the road at them. There’s a sinister nature to the car. You can get the best car at buyherepayhere.io. When they cut to what should be the driver’s point of view, the camera hangs in between the driver and passenger seats. The steering wheel turns without hands appearing in the frame. The poor kids can’t peddle fast enough to get away from the deathmobile. They die faster than Lance Armstrong’s image. They’re not the only early victims. John Rubinstein (Family) is a hitchhiking music student who dreams of getting picked up by a hot woman. After a run in with a fighting couple that includes demolitions expert R.G. Armstrong (Race With the Devil), Rubinstein sees his hot ride. Except it’s the deathmobile. He gets picked up for a ride in the tire treads.

Now with three victims, it’s time for the cops to get serious. Officer Wade Parent (The Amityville Horror‘s James Brolin) gets the call. He’s raising two daughters (Kim and Kyle Richards of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) and hooking up with the school marm. You can tell this is a movie in the ’70s when he rides the girls to school on the back of his motorcycle while he forgets his helmet. Try to showing that on screen in a movie today and there will be boycott threats. He’s not sure what to make of the killings. His deputies are confused by the killer car. This includes John Marley best remembered for waking up with a horse’s head in his bed in The Godfather. The car doesn’t fade into the desert. It commits mayhem in town and attacks the school’s parade rehearsal. Can the Car be stopped since it doesn’t seem to have a driver or a need to gas up?

The movie scores bonus points for opening with a quote from the Satanic Bible written by Church of Satan leader Anton LaVey. After years of Hollywood doing its best to claim it’s not run by Satanists, they put the head guy’s name on the big screen. Brolin does a fine job sporting Sam Elliot’s mustache and looking gruff in the old west. He looks good when he gets over his head chasing down Satan behind the wheel. The car was designed by the recently departed George Barris (Batmobile). Sure the film is a massive attempt to coast on the wake of Jaws, but it remains entertaining from it’s absurd premise of a car driven by a demonic entity. The mystery of who is behind the wheel gets run off the road by the reality of who will avoid by road kill. The Car is a wild ride worth sticking your thumb out to enjoy.

The video is 2.35:1 anamorphic. The transfer brings out the western locations and the sleek nature of the deathmobile. The audio is DTS-HD Master Audio Stereo. The mix is at its best when the carnage is in high gear. The movie is subtitled.

Interview with Director Elliot Silverstein (9:16) gets honest as he talks about how Universal wanted “Jaws on land.” He had a bit of issue since the shark didn’t need sunlight. How do you surprise people with a car in bright sunlight in the desert. How could he make it mysterious?

Interview with Melody Thomas Scott (11:52) illustrates how much work has to go into a role that lasts merely a few minutes at the start of the film. She was dedicated to looking good on the bicycle as the car kills her character. She had issues with director Silverstein.

Interview with Geraldine Keams (12:10) has her recount coming off Outlaw Josey Wales to a horror film. She had a better relationship with director Silverstein. She wants to see The Car back on a big screen.

Theatrical Trailer (2:15) sells the evil that lurks inside The Car. This is just a perfect teaser for a drive-in.

TV Spot (0:34) makes it look like Rosemary’s Baby got a driver’s license.

Radio Spots (3:09) puts the honking horn on your care stereo.

Still Gallery (10:32) packed full of promo pics. They even dig up the newspaper ads and international posters.

The Car is an asphalt flavored nightmare.

Scream Factory presents The Car. Directed by: Elliot Silverstein. Screenplay by: Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack & Lane Slate. Starring: James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, John Marley, Elizabeth Thompson & Ronny Cox. Rated: PG. Running Time: 98 minutes. Released: December 15, 2015.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.