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 A Scary Silly Concept Done Perfectly
The Car
James Brolin, et al
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No need to go over the plot or setting of this
film -- most people looking here have already seen it. This is a story somewhere
in the wilderness between "Christine" and "Duel", conceptually speaking.
Of course, it's your basic "inexplicable horrible thing killing people" story,
but that's a reliable little plot that almost certainly goes back to tribal
storytellers sitting by fires at night keeping the rest of the tribe entertained
while they chipped flint or wove blankets.
What sets this film apart is its sly cleverness; at least one review here
has mentioned the car's visible frustration at not being able to enter hallowed
ground. Several have mentioned that spooky airhorn that lets you know the
car is stalking, even if you can't see it yet.
And that final credit shot... *that's* scary.
Something i've never noticed anyone mentioning -- possibly becausde the Arizona
mountains are so far from a seaside resort conceptually -- is the fact that
the first nasty thing we see the car do, as it torments and then slaughters
two bicyclists in the mountains is edited and shot in a manner and cadence
that exactly matches the opening sequence of "Jaws".
And "Jaws" is an apt comparison for this film -- a two-ton monster that seemingly
strikes where and when it will and then disappears to lurk silently and
menacingly until it's time again...
((The authors of this film's screenplay also wrote a thoroughly over-the-top
Clint Eastwood vehicle, "The Gauntlet", which you might want to checdk
out...)) |
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