Main Cast: Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Loretta Swit, Lara Parker, R.G. Armstrong
Release Year: 1975
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
This novel fusion of car-chase film and spooky horror became a surprise box-office hit in 1975. The story begins with car enthusiasts Frank (Warren Oates) and Roger (Peter Fonda) taking their wives, Kelly (Lara Parker) and Alice (Loretta Swit), on a vacation in a recreational vehicle. Their camping trip goes horribly awry when Frank and Roger accidentally stumble upon a group of hooded cultists committing a human sacrifice. The cultists give chase and the two couples barely escape with their lives. They go to the local police for help, but the officers can find no evidence to back up the story and send the two couples on their way. As they try to continue their vacation, strange events continue to occur that culminate in four protagonists and their cultist tormentors having a brutal automotive showdown on the open road. The end result of all this genre-hopping suffers from a lightweight approach that downplays the story's darker and more interesting elements, but still manages to deliver plentiful action and a few genuine chills. As a result, Race With the Devil became an unexpected success for 20th Century Fox and remains something of a cult favorite. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Review
This horror-action hybrid is built on an inspired idea but the finished product falls short of the possibilities it offered. The key problem lies with the script, which glosses over the more interesting and potentially disturbing angles of the story to create a rather mundane cocktail of action and suspense. It also suffers from thin characterizations; the biggest victims in this area are the two wives, who are written as a pair of panicky, helpless shrinking violets. Despite these key problems, Race With the Devil remains quite watchable thanks to solid acting and direction. The best performances come from Peter Fonda and Warren Oates, who effectively utilize their low-key charisma to flesh out their underwritten roles, and R.G. Armstrong, who is quietly menacing as a suspicious sheriff. Race With the Devil also moves at a fast clip thanks to the skillful direction of Jack Starrett, who maintains a solid balance between car-chase thrills and skin-crawling scares. However, the fine work behind and in front of the camera can't outrun the script's hackneyed moments or its bungled surprise ending. As a result, Race With the Devil never rises above the level of cheap thrills. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Clay Tanner - Delbert; Carol Blodgett - Ethel; Bob Jutson; Peggy Kokernot; Carol Cannon; Tommy Splittberger; Karen Miller - Kay; James Harrell - Gun Shop Owner; Phil Hoover - Mechanic; Paul A. Partain - Cal Mathers; Wes Bishop - Deputy Dave; Jack Starrett - Gas Station Attendant
Credit
Nancy McArdle - Costume Designer, Fred Brost - First Assistant Director, Jack Starrett - Director, Allan Jacobs - Editor, John F. Link - Editor, Paul Maslansky - Executive Producer, Leonard Rosenman - Composer (Music Score), George Bouillet - Camera Operator, Robert Jessup - Cinematographer, Wes Bishop - Producer, Richard Helmer - Special Effects, William Randall - Sound/Sound Designer, Wes Bishop - Screenwriter, Lee Frost - Screenwriter
Roger Marsh (Peter Fonda) and Frank Stewart (Warren Oates), with their wives Kelly and Alice (Lara Parker, Loretta Swit), leave San Antonio in a recreational vehicle for vacation in Colorado. They decide to camp en route in a desolate area of central Texas, where they witness a Satanic ritual human sacrifice. After barely escaping with their lives, they report the incident to the local sheriff (R.G. Armstrong), who investigates their report but attempts to convince the men that they probably only saw hippies killing an animal. When the men refuse to accept the sheriff's explanation, it becomes clear that he is a part of the Satanic cult. The couples agree to leave peacefully, but Roger steals a sample of dirt stained with the murder victim's blood, intent on delivering it to the authorities in Amarillo. As the couples head towards the city they are pursued by a steadily increasing number of cult members, who are networked throughout numerous small Texas towns. Eventually, Roger and Frank purchase a shotgun and stage a showdown with the cult members during a high speed chase that pits their RV against a convoy of trucks. The couples kill or wound all of the drivers and escape, stopping to celebrate when they pick up a radio signal coming from Amarillo. In the middle of their celebration, the couples hear noise outside their RV and investigate to find themselves surrounded by cult members. The film ends as the cult lights a ring of fire around the vehicle, trapping the couples inside.
