5.3
After a professor is crippled in a car accident, he blames his wife for the ordeal and attempts to have her killed using the same means. Now hospitalized with amnesia, she appears to be protected by a tiny voodoo trinket that she still clutches in her hand, which possesses her car and other objects, causing mayhem throughout the city.
José Ferrer
Marc Denne
Sue Lyon
Kim Denne
John Ericson
Dr. Gregg Martin
Leslie Parrish
Kathy Logan
John Carradine
Dr. Welsey Edwards
Jerome Guardino
Lt. Pegler
Richard Band
Contractor
Gary Baxley
Impound Yard Officer
Ron Carter
Policeman
Barry Chase
Policeman
Rick Deming
Boy in Van
Paul Dubov
Dr. Cross
John Hayes
Man Driving Car
Dwight Krizman
Policeman
Reggie Nalder
Man at Swap Meet
Margaret O'Heron
Nagging Wife
Dawn Orr
Girl in Van
Lenny Shabes
Policeman
Speed Stearns
'56 Ford Driver
John Tilton
Policeman
Charles Band
Motorist (uncredited)
Bill Williams
Cop (uncredited)
Director
Charles Band
Writer
Marc Marais
December 19, 2023
4
**_The Dukes of Hazzard meets The Exorcist with José Ferrer and Sue Lyon_**
A young woman (Lyon) innocently purchases a mysterious idol-trinket that remarkably helps her in dealing with her bitter crippled husband (Ferrer), specifically in the form of a possessed black Camaro. John Ericson plays the concerned doctor and Leslie Parrish her nurse. John Carradine has a negligible role.
“Crash!” (1976) is the second movie by ‘B’ filmmaker Charles Band (and arguably his first). It’s basically a less competent (and more obscure) version of “The Car” and technically beat that one to release. Both would inspire the superior “Christine” and all were likely influenced by “Killdozer.”
While I’m giving this mid-70’s oddity a relatively low grade due to non-sensical storytelling, questionable filmmaking, lousy acting (particularly Ericson) and totally unconvincing vehicle explosions, it has its highlights for those interested. For instance, the red-eyed ‘possession’ scenes are well done and very creepy. So, yeah, it’s a bad movie, but it has its points of interest and is strangely compelling despite its glaring flaws.
Lyon is best known as the alluring teen in “Lolita” and “The Night of the Iguana.” Here, she was 30 years-old during shooting and too thin IMHO. As for Parrish, you might remember her from her notable part in the Star Trek episode “Who Mourns of Adonais” from a decade prior.
While my title blurb describes this as “The Dukes of Hazzard meets The Exorcist,” the Dukes of Hazzard wouldn’t even debut for another 2.5 years when this was initially released. So, motor-mayhem flicks from the mid-70’s, like “Eat My Dust,” would be more apt.
The movie runs 1 hour, 28 minutes, and was shot in Fillmore, California (substituting for San Cecilia), which is roughly 45 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
GRADE: C-/C
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00