This film was released around the time Star Wars (1977) debuted in theaters and subsequently, The Car (1977) was completely lost in the shuffle. Up until recently, I’d never even heard of it but I’m glad for the recommendation because The Car rocks!
It fits in nicely with the weird sub-genre of killer-car films such as John Carpenter’s Christine (1983) and Steven Spielberg’s Duel (1971). All three films deal with a seemingly possessed car that driverlessly murders unsuspecting victims. But The Car sets itself apart with a surprising amount of indie-style character development. Weighty issues like domestic abuse, alcoholism, and divorce are all explored, giving the characters more depth than typical horror movies. And that helps to make some of their subsequent roadside murders much more impactful.
There’s some amazing stunt work here as well. The car design still looks creepy even now. James Brolin (Josh’s dad) is excellent in this as the lead. And the cinematography is stunning much of the time, making you almost forget you’re watching a horror movie.