Elliot Silverstein’s horror film, The Car, still stands as the most unique horror movie to ever exist. Despite being an actual movie with real actors, The Car seems more like a parody than anything else. It premiered in the US on May 13th, 1977.
The plot of this film centers around a customized 1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III that seems to be possessed by some kind of force that causes it to murder innocent people. This phantom car arrives in the small community of Santa Ynez, where Captain Wade Parent lives with his wife, Lauren Humphries. As the movie goes on, we see that the automobile develops thoughts of its own and can cleverly track down each of its victims without even having anyone in the driver’s seat.
Seeing the chaos it was causing, Captain Wade decided to come up with an elaborate plan that the Car would fall victim to. The Car seems to be a movie that’s a mix of Steven Spielberg’s Duel and Death Race 2000 by Roger Corman. It has received mixed reviews over the years, with many viewers claiming it looked like a parody because of its poor special effects and acting. However, some have liked the silliness and nostalgia it’s filled with.
The cast of The Car 1977 includes James Brolin as Captain Wade, Kathleen Lloyd in the role of Lauren Humphries, John Marley as Sheriff Everett, and Kim and Kyle Richards as the sisters Lynn and Debbie Parent.
The Car 1977: Filming Locations
Principal photography for The Car began on July 28th, 1976, and lasted until the later months of the year. Most of the film seems to have been shot in Utah, United States.
Utah, United States:
The small village that we see in The Car seems to be located in St. George, a city in Utah. Back in the 70s, when the film was being shot, the city had a low population and wasn’t very well developed. Located in the Southwestern region of Utah, this place is surrounded by canyons and other recreation spots.
In 1976, St. George and Hurricane, another city in Utah, provided perfect spots for a village set up, as if they were near a desert and away from modern civilization and buildings. Having such a setup creates a sense of separation from the outside world for the viewer and amplifies the horror that a phantom car on a murder spree would bring.
Asides from The Car, other films that have taken place in St. George include Romancing The Stone, Jeremiah Johnson, The Wizard, and High School Musical 2. There have been no movies that have been filmed at St. Georges in recent times.
Another place that’s featured in The Car is Zion National Park, which is also famous as a filming location for The Jewel of the Nile and Desperate Hours. Mostly, only Western-themed movies and TV series take place in such a place, as it’s filled with arid and warm-toned locations that provide a perfect background. Snow Canyon, known for its scenic spots, is now a state park that was featured in the movie. It’s named after the pioneers of Utah and is now a popular exploration spot for campers and travelers. Films like The Flintstones and Hondo have taken place at the Snow Canyon.
Glen Canyon is also a nearby natural canyon carved by the Colorado River. It is where we see Captain Wade decides to finish off the car. Since this Canyon is pretty deep, Captain Wade and his friends plan to trick the car into flying off into this natural formation, hoping to see the last of the car. Glen Canyon is responsible for providing its scenic locations in major movies like Planet of the Apes, Maverick, Highway to Hell, and many others.
The Car 1977’s sequel, Road To Revenge, has an entirely different setup, as it was shot in Bulgaria. As the first part comes to an end, we see that the terrorizing car is still intact, even after being pushed down the canyon. This scene during the credits was filmed in Los Angeles. At present, The Car 1977 is available to stream on Prime Video in limited locations.
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