(aka 'DeathMobile' or 'Wheels')

Directed by Elliot Silverstein
USA 1977

 

Product Description - Fasten your seatbelts for the terrifying thrill ride that has become a cult classic - The Car! The peaceful tranquility of a small Western town is disturbed when a murderous car wreaks havoc by viciously mowing down innocent victims. New sheriff Wade Parent (James Brolin) may be the only one who can stop this menace in its tracks until he realizes that the driver of this indestructible vehicle is far more dangerous than any man it is driven by pure evil. With a digitally remastered picture The Car has never been more thrilling more chilling or more explosively entertaining!

***

Why the Lord of Evil would choose a small town in southern California (Read into this: desert.) to terrorize with a custom musclecar is beyond me, maybe he just does dumb things at times. The fear campaign proceeds quite well and soon the sprawling town (Population: 40 or so.) is paralyzed, even their amazing police force can't help. Why they needed ten deputies is beyond me anyway, was this place colonized by Hell's Angels or something? Even a tank would have a hard time stopping this car though, at one point it is faced with two patrol cars. Amazingly it turns and begins flipping, rolling over and squashing them before driving off. (The wonders of special effects, or maybe just having two cars and a jumble on the editing room floor.) Everyone struck by the car becomes a fatality, despite the fact that it never runs over them, instead propelling them through the air like some strange tennis ball machine that shoots humans vice tennis balls. Only Wade's ingenious plan saves the day, after luring the car into a canyon they get it to drive off a cliff and then set off dynamite charges, burying the cursed thing under a tomb of rock.

Excerpt from BadMovies.org located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 13th, 1977

Reviews       More Reviews       DVD Reviews

DVD Review: Universal - Region 1 - NTSC

DVD Box Cover

   

CLICK to order from:

Distribution Universal Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime 1:36:12
Video 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 8.73 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s 

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

Audio English (Dolby Digital 2.0), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles English (CC), None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Universal

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 2.35:1

Edition Details:

• Trailer (2:12)

DVD Release Date: May 6th, 200
8
Double -lock Keep Case
Chapters: 18

 

Comments:

Anchor Bay released this film in July of 1999 - it was dual-layered with a widescreen version on one layer, and a useless full-screen version on the other. It offered only a trailer. This new dual-layered Universal DVD has a stunning image and is only the 2.35:1 widescreen edition - anamorphic and progressive. It too, only offers a trailer.

The image quality is stupendous on this new remastered Universal DVD - it is almost hard to believe the film is over 30 years old. Colors are bright, detail is pristine (for SD), the transfer is super clean and tight to the frame edges. Really remarkable all things considered. We understand this is a notable step up from the out-of-print Anchor Bay release. This also differs from the AB edition as it only offers a 2.0 channel track where the older release had a boosted 5.1 as well. The Universal offers optional English subtitles.

The film? - well, you probably know what you are in for. It's like a cheapo, grindhousy version of Steven Spielberg's Duel. None of that film's character, inventiveness or subtleties but plenty of down-home creepiness. The direction is surprisingly adept as is the cinematography. You really have to love 'bad' cinema to accept this. It is really the type of film to develop a big cult niche - Brolin is perfect. Personally, I really get in the mood for these type of flicks - all 70's cheese... and I love it. To each his own. If you are keen then this is the best looking edition to own. Really, let your hair down - it's a lot of fun.   

Gary W. Tooze

 



Rating / DVD Menus


 


Subtitle Sample

 

 


 

Screen Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 

 


 

 


 

 


DVD Box Cover

   

CLICK to order from:

Distribution Universal Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC




 

Hit Counter

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive and advertisement free:

Mail cheques, money orders, cash to:    or CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!