History Film / TheCar

The 1977 film ''The Car'' is exactly what would you get [[JustForFun/XMeetsY if you crossed]] ''Film/{{Jaws}}'' with ''Film/{{Duel}}'', minus the Creator/{{S|tevenSpielberg}}pielberg.

* {{Metaphorgotten}}: "You know what your father once said to me?" {{Beat}} "...I was gonna make it up anyhow."

** A relevant passage in more ways than one: Not only is the Car [[DemonicPossession possibly demonic]], but its appearances are often preceded by an ill wind, [[SpottingTheThread as noted by Lauren]] a bit too late.

** Wen the film airs on Creator/{{Netflix}} the [=LaVey=] quote is omitted (presumably to avoid angering MoralGuardians), resulting in just ten seconds of black.

* 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.]]

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Averted; Chaz, the only non-white officer in the film, is one of the officers who survives until the end, though he narrowly avoids being killed [[spoiler: alongside Lauren.]]

* {{Epigraph}}: The film opens with a quote from Church of Satan founder Anton [=LaVey=]:

** For an unknown reason, on Netflix the quote from Anton [=LeVay=] is omitted, resulting in just ten seconds of black.

* EveryCarIsAPinto: Ray's police car explodes when the Car pushes him over the cliff, as do the other cop cars when the Car rolls over them. Funnily enough this even applies to the Car itself: [[spoiler: When it is defeated by falling into an explosive-rigged canyon, it sends up a huge, unearthly firestorm.]] Possibly [[JustifiedTrope justified]] when one remembers that [[spoiler:the Car is literally demonic.]]

* ExactWords: One of Laurens taunts towards the car is "I'd like to see what a creep like you looks like!" Cue the car drifting in a full 360 motion, thus showing what it looks like.

* IShallTauntYou: When The Car traps the kids in the cemetery, Lauren starts taunting it to cause distraction. [[spoiler: [[DoNotTauntCthulhu This turns out to have been a bad idea,]] [[CarFu as the Car seeks her out in revenge.]]]]

* MenOfSherwood: Zigzagged with the dozen or so local deputies. Several of them are killed without much trouble during one encounter with the eponymous villain, but the rest play a successful role in helping to trap and destroy the car in the climax.

* NoEscapeButDown: Said almost word for word by Ray as he chases the car towards a dead end; "There's no way down but straight down!". This how he meets his end when the car pushes his cruiser off the side of a cliff where it explodes into flames as it tumbles down the mountain. Not only that, but Ray's burning corpse is shown being flung out of the flaming cruiser.

* SinisterCar: The titular car goes on a murderous rampage, terrorizing the residents of a small town.

* YouShouldHaveDiedInstead: Averted. Even though [[spoiler: Lauren]] died when 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.

The film stars several well-known character actors, like the aforementioned Brolin, Creator/JohnMarley, Creator/RonnyCox, Creator/RGArmstrong, and Creator/JohnRubinstein.

* EvilLaugh: The Car simulates one with its horn, pressing it rhythmically whenever it drives away from its latest scene of the crime.

Out of nowhere, a car appears in the [[NothingExcitingEverHappensHere fictional Utah town of Santa Ynez]]. But not just any car: It is a [[CoolCar heavily modified black 1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III]], which proceeds to mercilessly [[VehicularAssault run down]] local citizens. The local police force is baffled by this, especially given sketchy claims from eyewitnesses that the car had no plates, and much more oddly, no driver...

The film stars several well-known character actors, like the aforementioned Brolin, John Marley, Creator/RonnyCox, Creator/RGArmstrong, and Creator/JohnRubinstein.

[[caption-width-right:270:[-Evil’s wheels.-]]]

Enter [[TheHero Chief Deputy Wade Parent]] (Creator/JamesBrolin), 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.

* 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.

* ChekhovsSkill: Amos's blasting business.

** For an unknown reason, on Netflix the quote from Anton LeVay is omitted, resulting in just ten seconds of black.

The film stars several well-known character actors, like the aforementioned Brolin, John Marley, Creator/RonnyCox, Creator/RGArmstrong, and John Rubinstein,

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

* GoryDiscretionShot: A cloud of dust obscures the Car running over John Norris.

* HiddenDepths: After his death, it’s mentioned that [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} John Norris]] was a war veteran.

* BaitAndSwitch: At one point, it seems like the Car is going to run over Amos, established as the resident {{Jerkass}} and an obvious AssholeVictim. However, the Car swerves to avoid him and instead runs over [[spoiler:Sheriff Everett Peck.]]

The film stars several well-known character actors, like the aforementioned Brolin, John Marley, Creator/RonnyCox, R. G. Armstrong, and John Rubinstein,

* TheEndOrIsIt: The end credits show the Car driving around Los Angeles, suggesting that it wasn't destroyed after all. Or that there's more than one car.

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

* 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.

* InfantImmortality: Played straight, but only just barely. The Car only didn't get at the kids because [[SeekingSanctuary they ran into the cemetery.]] It does injure one kid's arm but he survives.

* ObviouslyEvil: The Car is big and matte black, with huge fenders, a low-cut roof, and windows tinted so dark it's impossible to see the interior. It also has no license plates or handles on its doors. Virtually the only thing disturbing the overall image is its shiny grill and over-sized chrome bumper, almost giving the thing an EvilGrin.

* SuperWindowJump: How Wade eludes the Car in his garage.

* ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill: The Car ''really'' hated that hitchhiker...