History Film / TheCar

* HotTeacher: Lauren.

* RealMenWearPink: Wade, in his first scenes.

** The novel mentions that he is recovering.

* AnyoneCanDie: Come on, was anyone really expecting [[spoiler:Lauren]] to die? Not to mention [[spoiler:Sheriff Everett Peck]] buying it barely a quarter of the movie in.

* DeadlyDiesIrae: Used as both the film's opening theme and the Cat's {{Leitmotif}}.

* YouShouldHaveDiedInstead: averted, even though [[spoiler: Lauren]]. died with Chas was supposed to be on guard nearby, but had briefly been detoured, Wade comments that if he'd been there they'd have ''both'' died and he doesn't feel any resentment about Chas's survival.

A direct-to-video sequel, ''Film/TheCarRoadToRevenge'' was released in January 8, 2019. This one, set in a Cyberpunkish-future, focused on a district attorney who was viciously murdered coming back to life as the titular car. Creator/RonnyCox cameoed.

* CopKiller: The Car murders countless cops, even murder of [[spoiler:Everett]] in front of the police station.

* AnyoneCanDie: Come on, was anyone really expecting [[spoiler:Lauren]] to die? Not to mention [[spoiler:Sheriff Everett]] buying it barely a quarter of the movie in.

* AnyoneCanDie: Come on, was anyone really expecting [[spoiler:Lauren]] to die? Not to mention [[spoiler:The Sheriff]] buying it barely a quarter of the movie in.

* AnyoneCanDie: Come on, was anyone really expecting [[spoiler:Lauren]] to die?

* TheAlcoholic: Luke Johnson ''was'' one, and he briefly falls off the wagon [[DespairEventHorizon when both Pete and]] [[spoiler:[[DespairEventHorizon Everett]]] [[DespairEventHorizon get murdered on the same day]]. He gets it back under control after [[WhatTheHellHero he foolishly forgets to warn the local school not to hold their parade practice, leading to the deaths of five fellow deputies.]]

* TheAlcoholic: Luke Johnson ''was'' one, and he briefly falls off the wagon [[DespairEventHorizon when both Pete and Everett get murdered on the same day]]. He gets it back under control after [[WhatTheHellHero he foolishly forgets to warn the local school not to hold their parade practice, leading to the deaths of five fellow deputies.]]

* DisneyVillainDeath: The two bicyclists from the opening are rammed off a cliff by the Car, though one of them is crushed against a wall first.

* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: The hitchhiker, who is such a weirdo that he manages to confuse a pissed-off Amos enough to get him to back down.

* DisproportionateRetribution: The Car runs over the hitchhiker for [[FlippingTheBird flipping it off.]]

* FlippingTheBird: Johnny the hitchhiker flips the Car off when it almost hits him. [[DoNotTauntCthulhu This probably wasn't a good idea.]]

* RedShirtArmy: zigzagged with the deputies. Several are killed quickly and without much of a fight after the attack on the trade, but the ones left, many of them minor characters, provide effective aide in the climax and survive.

* GlassShatteringSound: When the Car is in Wade's garage, it starts to make so much noise that garage's windows shatter.

%%* HollywoodNight

-> ''What evil drives... '''The Car'''?''

Generally considered to be pretty bad. SoBadItsGood, actually. Gene Siskel gave it just one star and called it "The Cinematic Turkey of 1977."

A direct-to-video sequel, ''Film/TheCarRoadToRevenge'' was released in January 8, 2019. This one, set in a Cyberpunkish-future, focused on a district attorney who was viciously murdered coming back to life as the titular car. Ronny Cox cameoed.

Enter [[TheHero Chief Deputy Wade Parent]] (James Brolin), who must find out who or what is driving the damn thing and how to stop it, and hopefully protect his kids, his girlfriend, and, well, ''everybody else'' from this motorized menace.

A direct-to-video sequel, ''The Car: Road to Revenge'' was released in January 8, 2019. This one, set in a Cyberpunkish-future, focused on a district attorney who was viciously murdered coming back to life as the titular car. Ronny Cox cameoed.

* DomesticAbuser: Amos, who regularly beats his wife Bertha.