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The Car

The Car

Horror · Action · Thriller · 1977

The Utah community of Santa Ynez is being terrorized by a mysterious black coupe that appears out of nowhere and begins running people down. After the car kills off the town sheriff, Captain Wade Parent is determined to stop the murderous driver.

Movie details

The Car

“Is it a phantom, a demon, or the devil himself?”

1977 Horror · Action · Thriller 1h 36m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.4 / 10

Community rating

The Utah community of Santa Ynez is being terrorized by a mysterious black coupe that appears out of nowhere and begins running people down. After the car kills off the town sheriff, Captain Wade Parent is determined to stop the murderous driver.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Car?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

Race with the Devil

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The Astronaut

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After returning from her first space mission, astronaut Sam Walker is placed under NASA’s care at a high security house for rehabilitation and medical testing. However, when disturbing occurrences begin happening around the property, she fears that something extraterrestrial has followed her back to Earth

Signs

Signs

Thriller · 2002

A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come.

Overdrive

Overdrive

Thriller · 2017

Master car thieves square off against French gangsters in the South of France with money, women and lives all on the line.

Basilisk: The Serpent King

Basilisk: The Serpent King

Action · 2006

Two millennia ago, a Lybian king has a basilisk (snake-shaped dragon), which petrifies people, subjected to the same fate with a golden scepter during a solar eclipse. Both these and several victims are dug up by modern archaeologist Harrison 'Harry' McColl's expedition. Despite a cryptic warning from tribal locals, everything goes to his Colorado university's museum. It's all exhibited during another eclipse, which leads to the monster reviving. Harry and some of his friends must try to petrify the monster again.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Fantasy · 2013

In New York City, Clary Fray, a seemingly ordinary teenager, learns that she is descended from a line of Shadowhunters — half-angel warriors who protect humanity from evil forces. After her mother disappears, Clary joins forces with a group of Shadowhunters and enters Downworld, an alternate realm filled with demons, vampires, and a host of other creatures. Clary and her companions must find and protect an ancient cup that holds the key to her mother's future.

Outbreak

Outbreak

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A State Park Ranger and his wife, grappling with the disappearance of their teenage son, face a mysterious outbreak that threatens not only their relationship, but in the end, their grip on reality.

The Stepford Wives

The Stepford Wives

Thriller · 1975

Joanna Eberhart comes to the town of Stepford, Connecticut with her family, but soon discovers there lies a sinister truth in the all too perfect behavior of the female residents.

Kept Woman

Kept Woman

Thriller · 2015

Jessica and her fiancé Evan have just moved from the city into their dream home on a quiet suburban street. Soon after, Jessica catches her seemingly friendly new neighbor, Simon, in a strange lie and can't let her suspicions rest. The danger escalates when Simon lures her inside his home and imprisons Jessica in his secret bunker, meticulously decorated in the idealized style of the 1950s.

Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Elliot Silverstein

Written by

Michael Butler · Dennis Shryack · Lane Slate

James Brolin

James Brolin

Wade Parent

Kathleen Lloyd

Kathleen Lloyd

Lauren Humphries

John Marley

John Marley

Everett

R.G. Armstrong

R.G. Armstrong

Amos Clements

John Rubinstein

John Rubinstein

John Norris

E

Elizabeth Thompson

Margie Johnson

Roy Jenson

Roy Jenson

Ray Mott

Court is in session

Put The Car on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Adrenaline Seeker

“Momentum is a formal choice.”

The velocity sharpens instinct and tension, making every beat land before self-importance can settle in.

The prosecution The Prestige Tourist

“Speed as an alibi.”

The film races past its weak spots and hopes acceleration will keep the audience from inspecting the evidence.