Review: Race With The Devil (1975)

In the 1970s, the devil and satanic cults got a bad rap, and proved attractive forbidden fodder for movie goers. The Exorcist had people fainting in the aisles. The Manson Family terrorised a nation. Rosemary’s Baby was a hit, and made you question your neighbours. Race With the Devil belongs to a genre that’s often overlooked. This holiday from hell/car chase/popcorn flick is a great movie for different reasons. Directed by Jack Starrett (sometimes credited elsewhere as Claude Ennis Starrett Jr), it stars Peter Fonda and Warren Oates, two further reasons to see the film.

It all starts when a pair of Texan best buds decide to take their wives on a skiing trip. So on to Aspen in a top of the line, state of the art Recreational Vehicle, or mobile home (as you Brits call ‘em). Parked in a reclusive locale, they witness a satanic ritualistic murder. That being said, the guys drop in unannounced to the party. They leer at the naked nubile nymphs – that’s just rude. Come on, tit for tat, them’s the rules. I mean, they could have brought booze and taken the festivities to a whole new level. Leave it to the loudmouth wife to draw the attention of the Satanic revellers to the two perverts hiding in the bushes. So the vacation from hell begins, and laughter does not ensue. Wally World this ain’t.

Everyone they meet en route to Amarillo Texas evokes a sense of paranoia; fear of threats to freedom and safety. Fear heightens the tension of these poor travellers. They are greeted by a friendly couple named the Hendersons, who strike me as swingers, posing as a roust.

Those pesky Satanists just won’t leave them alone. I lived with a satanist once. She was kicked out of her coven when she refused to put out to the other men, who only wanted to fuck her and not the other broads in the group. Can you imagine? You know, those Satanists, for a superior acting bunch, can really rub it in by holding a grudge. Grudge in this movie they hold threefold.

It seems only the likes of Tarantino or Robert Rodriguez appreciate and love this sort of B-movie hybrid of horror, action and car-chase. What I find hard to believe is that two Texans go vacationing, and don’t bring a gun with them. How is this possible? I own a gun, and believe me I would bring that bitch with me on a vacation in the wilds. And I’m not even from Texas. (As this movie hints that most Texans dabble in devil worship, it’s all the more believable that the former Governor of Texas made it all the way to the White House. Omen 3: Final Conflict, anyone?)

There was talk of a remake back in 2005, and could do well, if done right. The latest is that it’s slated to be made in 2011. Still, for its time, the original is an enjoyable night-time or drive-in movie and. But what’s really scary is all the polyester double knits on display through out the movie. With an ending that gives a nod to The Wicker Man, you’re left to guess what happens next.

I would have some choice words for the Hendersons, who show up at the end of the film. When we’re done with this shit, lets not do the Christmas Card-thing, shall we?

- Henry Hate