Race With the Devil
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Movie Reviews of Race With the Devil
Movie Review: Race with the devil
Summary: 5 Stars
Great old movie with Loretta Switt and Peter Fonda who is a darn good actor. Thanks for having it so i could purchase it.Movie Review: "...and here's to the best damn vacation we may ever have in our lives."
Summary: 4 Stars
Take a moment and think about the worst vacation you ever had...I've had a few doozys, but I think the absolute worst involved a time when I was in Florida and I got an ear infection for a few days and my activities were confined to laying on my side and administering liquid antibiotics into my ear via a medicine dropper. My point is everyone has had at least one vacation that didn't turn out as expected, but I think few could top the nightmare encountered by the two couples in the film Race with the Devil (1975), when they inadvertently incurred the wraith of a backwoods cult of Satanic devil worshippers. Co-written by Wes Bishop (Chain Gang Women, The Thing with Two Heads) and Lee Frost (Policewomen, Dixie Dynamite), the film was directed by Jack Starrett, who also appearing in a number of films, but many may remember him from is role as the purposely stereotypical western curmudgeon Gabby Johnson from Mel Brooks 1974 film Blazing Saddles. Starring in Race with the Devil is Warren `Quaker' Oates (Dillinger, Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia) along with Peter `One Toke Over the Line' Fonda, who, by the way, is set to appear in the new Ghost Rider film as the character of Mephisto. Also appearing is Loretta `Hot Lips' Swit ("M*A*S*H", Freebie and the Bean), Lara Parker ("Dark Shadows"), R.G. Armstrong (Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, White Lightning), along with co-writer Bishop (he plays the character of Deputy Dave), and director Starrett, in his seminal role as `Gas Station Attendant'.
It seems two married couples, Frank (Oates) and Alice (Swit) Stewart and Roger (Fonda) and Kelly (Parker) March are finally taking a vacation, after five, long years building up a now successful motorcycle dealership. For the occasion Frank has gone balls to the walls and popped for a brand new, 32-foot motor home with all the modern conveniences, at least modern in 1975 terms. Their plan is to drive from Texas to Aspen and enjoy some snow skiing, but events conspire to make this a trip they'll never forget beginning with Frank deciding to find a secluded area to park the RV and rest for the night. It's around this time Frank and Roger witness a strange gathering or robed individuals dancing around a fire, performing some sort of ritual that culminates in the sacrifice of a young woman. The men, deciding it's time to leave (uh, yeah, I think so), accidentally arouse the attention of the group, and thus begins a nightmarish journey of escape and survival as the deadly cabal are determined to keep their secrets, even if it means following this RV to hell and back...
One thing I learned while watching this movie is that Satanists are an extremely persistent bunch...they really don't know when to quit, that, and one should watch out for low bridges, especially if you're perched on top of an RV...anyway, I've been looking forward to this film being released onto DVD for quite some time, as I think it is an excellent example of, despite a low budget, a film can still be entertaining and really well done given the talent and crew involved. The story is pretty straightforward with a few surprises (and some plot holes), but what elevates this beyond its means are the characters of Oates and Fonda, who play surprisingly well off each other, this being their 3rd film together, the other two being The Hired Hand (1971) and 92 in the Shade (1975). There is chemistry there, as the two complement each other. The one thing I didn't understand is if this group was as encompassing and organized as we were led to believe, I didn't understand why they didn't just get the couples during one of their stops for gas or something...it would have been so much easier to take care of business then rather than chasing them down the highway at 60+ miles per hour, but then that would have taken away some of the excitement in removing some of the strongest action sequences. As far as the female leads, well, they really didn't have much to work with, as Ms. Swit's character was just there more or less to flesh out Oates' character, but Ms. Parker had a bit more (not much), as she was of the more sensitive type, picking up on sinister vibes before the rest of the group. In terms of direction I thought Starrett did very well, considering he was brought in early in the production as the original director was let go due to the powers that be feeling he up for the job. The film has a consistently creepy vibe throughout, as the unknown of who may be involved is a persistent factor. Starrett builds the momentum early, and keeps it going until the end. There are some scary moments, but I really wouldn't consider this so much a horror film, but more of one to give you the creeps. One of my favorite scenes is when Frank and Roger are witnessing the ritual and Frank's interested is piqued when the females begin disrobing and the distinct possibility of group intercourse is apparent...which is about the time the girl is killed and the two decide they're in the wrong place at the wrong time and decide to sneak away without drawing attention, only to have Frank's wife Alice unknowingly wake up the entire county with her annoying bray, calling her husband back to the RV...another sequence I really liked was later in the film, as the group is speeding down the road being chased by various vehicles filled with cult members. They cultists begin jumping on the RV Road Warrior style, and Frank has to fend them off, getting jiggy with a 12-gauge shotgun....woohoo! One thing I thought odd was during the sacrifice scene the girl to be offered up is stripped nekkid, but her nekkidness is blurred out...we see her behind the fire pit, so one could say perhaps the heat emanating from the fire caused this, but I'd wondering if this was how it was during the original release...it didn't really bother me, but I do prefer the content of films on DVD to be as close to how they were originally released as possible.
The widescreen (1.85:1) picture, enhanced for 16 X 9 TVs, looks really sharp and clean on this Anchor Bay Entertainment DVD release. The audio is only available in Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono, but comes through clearly. There are some very worthwhile special features including a newly made featurette titled `Hell on Wheels' (17:51) with Peter Fonda relating a lot of interesting information about the film and his co-stars. Also included is a commentary track with producer Paul Maslansky, actress Lara Parker, moderated by DVD producer Perry Martin, an original theatrical trailer, three radio spots, a poster & still gallery, a behind-the-scenes photo gallery, previews for other Anchor Bay DVD releases like The Entity (1981), Quicksilver Highway (1997), Ghost in the Machine (1993), and a reproduction of an original poster of the film on a card inside the DVD case.
Cookieman108
This just in...I heard a remake of this film is in the works, scheduled for a 2006 release, with Drew McWeeny (who should really think about changing his name) and Scott Swan as the writers (their previous credit includes Mortal Kombat: Devastation), and producer Chris Moore (American Pie, Reindeer Games) set as the director.
Movie Review: The Devil you say
Summary: 4 Stars
Anybody that's traveled in an RV knows that it can be hell on wheels if you're not getting along with your fellow travelers. It's even worse when you stumble upon devil worshipers sacrificing a woman right outside your door. A low budget minor horror classic, "Race with the Devil" finally arrives on DVD courtesy of Anchor Bay in a deluxe release that probably had a budget nearly as large as the original film release itself. A pair of couples (Peter Fonda, Lara Parker, Warren Oates, Loretta Swit) traveling by RV to go skiing in Colorado observe what they think is an orgy at first. When it turns into murder and it's clear that it's part of some satanic ritual, they have to run for their lives as the cult pursues them. One of a series of low budget horror movies that are memorable from the 70's, "Race with the Devil" was an example of the only type of independent filmmaking that could be made because it was designed for a quick shoot, quick profit and with a specific target audience. "Race with the Devil" represented the type of low budget independent films that were being done in the 70's. I thought for a long time that "Race with the Devil" was a made for TV movie in the mold of "The Night Stalker" or "The Norlis Tapes" (another made for TV horror film that deserves to be unearthed) when I first caught it on late night during the late 70's-early 80's.
A surprisingly great looking transfer for this vintage horror film. Anchor Bay has done a superb job in bringing "Race with the Devil" to DVD. There's the expected grain issues but there's no analog defects that I can detect and it's clear that Anchor Bay pulled this from a recent print of the film. The film grain isn't the result of the transfer but of the stock and condition of the original negative. It's not even an issue for a film made in 1974 in my mind. It actually adds texture to the film and to the atmosphere as well. The mono sound comes across crisp and clear and isn't clipped or compressed. Leonard Rosenman's atmospheric period score sounds quite good within the limitations of the presentation.
Anchor Bay DVD producer Perry Martin has included all the bells and whistles here. We get the original theatrical trailer, radio ads, photo galleries as well as promotional stills and posters from theatrical exhibits of the film from around the world. This was the third film that Warren Oates and Peter Fonda made together. They enjoyed each other's company and worked extensively throughout the 70's. There's also an excellent featurette on the making of the film featuring Fonda discussing the making of the film. Featuring clips from two other films that Fonda made with Oates, Fonda discusses the water balloon and pie fight that concluded the shooting of the movie. Oates was a bit surprised commenting that, "this never happened on a Peckinpah movie". Fonda explained that this was the crew's way of expressing how much fun they had making the movie. "Go with it Warren", was his response. Writer/director Perry Martin makes liberal use of clips and behind-the-scenes photos to illustrate what Fonda discusses in the featurette. Great job yet again Perry!
A very involving commentary track featuring co-producer Paul Maslansky ("Police Academy") and actress Lara Parker ("Dark Shadows") moderated by Perry Martin. Martin keeps the discussing moving asking lots of great questions about the making of the movie. Maslansky (who provided behind-the-scenes photos from his personal collection) discusses everything from the fact that they had no ending and created it by using previously shot footage to the remake that he pitched (and is being made this year for release next year). Parker shares many of the behind-the-scenes stories on the making of the movie that one would expect about joking around but also discusses the concern they had working with a real rattlesnake and her own suggestion for how the remake should end.
A terrific job by Anchor Bay in presenting this psychological terror story on DVD. The extras are great and any of the major studios would probably just dumped this on the market without anything in the way of extras so kudos to Perry Martin for doing such a great job with the budget he had for extras.
Movie Review: "We're self-contained babe!"
Summary: 4 Stars
Bout freaking-A-time! I have been waiting for this dvd FOREVER!!! On my birthday on July 29, I happen to be in a dvd store and I see a different Peter Fonda DVD on a shelf which makes me ask the question I always ask and yet know the answer; "I was wondering if you have a release date for Race With The Devil?" Not only does the guy have an answer but he says it shows we have 6 in stock! I was like... no way. It HAS to be a different movie. Has to be. Sure enough we walk over to the shelf and there it is; RWTD. I'm totally freaked. Totally. Not only that but it has extras!!
I really didn't care about the cover art as I stood there in the store though now reflecting on it it seems a shame that Warren didn't make the pic. Beyond that it's a fairly awful Photoshop chop job, even the font is not what it should be; I much preffered the racing stripes.
Looking beyond all that, and having viewed the extras I still say, for the price it was great, let alone the fact I would I have paid ANY PRICE. I had to import "Magic" from Korea, I'm still looking for "The Stepfather", "Race With the Devil" was just another one of those movies I love I could never find, "Sybil" being another. Where are these? Anyway, the Peter Fonda interview isn't that great but the commentary is quite revealing and quite awesome:)
I'm surprised that according to all involved the movie did as well as it did. Most people I know have never heard of this. Plus the action is kinda "Sunday Afternoon TV" but what I always loved about this movie was the chemistry between Warren and Peter, and wouldn't you know it (though I never knew it) they had made two other movies before this. I knew the chemistry was just right and turns out there was a reason.
Odd too how Warren was "Frank" giving Loretta many lines where she said the name "Frank" which always conjuers up old terrible himself Frank Burns.
I love just about everything about this movie, though the bike sequences tend to make the movie drag in parts, I love all the bit characters from Sherriff Taylor, to the couple in the RV park, to all the gas station guys, everyone just seemed suspiscious without really doing much to provoke it.
Lastly, the ending. I have always loved this and while it did leave it open for a two parter, what it really did was leave this movie open to your imagination as to what would happen next. I say they were able to start the RV and get away, but how much farther could they run? How wide spread was this cult? Those and many more questions should really be answered in the form of a novel. Because to try and recast this to extend the story now would be a train wreck inside of an RV; alas you can never recast Warren, Peter, Loretta, and Lara, they made this movie what it was.
NOTE: Dear Hollywood, please DO NOT try and remake this movie. It is quite clear you no longer have any ideas we all want to see, but we all have our memories so please do not tarnish them with your awful remakes.
Movie Review: Attack of the Texas devil worshippers.
Summary: 4 Stars
I am a fan of both Peter Fonda (Easy Rider) and Warren Oates (Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia; Two-Lane Blacktop). Race with the Devil (1975) was the second of three films they made together. (Judging from their eyes, I'm guessing both actors were totally stoned while making this movie.) RWTD is a B-movie cult classic. It tells the story of friends Roger Marsh (Fonda) and Frank Stewart (Oates), who decide to drive to Aspen, Colorado together in an RV with their wives, Kelly and Alice (played by Lara Parker and Loretta "Hot Lips" Swit). While camping along the way, they witness a weird Satanic ritual involving a full moon, a bonfire, nude chanting, and a human sacrifice. They report the incident to the local hippy-hating sheriff (R.G. Armstrong), who doubts their story. Maybe he's in cahoots with the Devil, too. The rest of their vacation is spent defending themselves from devil worshipper attacks. Things get violent. Things get predictable. Will Roger and Frank ever make it out of Texas with their wives? This campy film has it all for a cult classic: a shiny new RV, dirt bikes, pesky Satanists, explosions, rattlesnakes, lots of car chases, rednecks with missing teeth, some really bad acting, and even "Hot Lips" from M*A*S*H. (Director Jack Starrett claimed he used actual Satanists to serve as movie extras.) The only thing missing from this creepy 70's thriller is the drive-in theater. Recommended as an entertaining cult thriller.
G. Merritt