Hallowheels – Five Spooky Classics

It’s Halloween today, and you’re too old to go trick or treating. You are. Don’t argue with us. We know it, you know it, the neighbours that asked you where your kids were and you told them you didn’t have any, they know it. So instead of adding further ‘that man with the old cars is dressed as a skeleton again‘ fuel to the neighbourhood fire, why don’t you stay in and watch a spooky film? Not just any spooky film though, oh no, we’re talking about Halloween-worthy horror flick that lean hard into intimidating internal combustion.

It seems Hollywood and Halloween go together like like pumpkins and carving, and as such, there are some brilliant films to choose. We’ve narrowed your options down to five, so as to save you some browsing time. 

1) 1959 Miller Meteor Cadillac – Ghostbusters

You can’t talk about spooky films without of course talking about Ghostbusters. The film was a huge, huge smash and it made a star out of a certain four-wheeled cast member. Yes, that iconic 1959 Cadillac ambulance. Not just any Cadillac ambulance though, as this was the coveted Miller Meteor version. When Ray arrives with it at the gang’s new base of operations, the old Hook and Ladder Company 8 (which is now a fire station again, fact fans) the list of work it needed was… considerable. “Everybody can relax, I found the car. Needs some suspension work and shocks. Brakes, brake pads, lining, steering box, transmission, rear-end.” It seems the work was worth it though, as the transformation into Ecto-1 made for cinema history. The car was in the first film, it was in Ghostbusters 2 and it even came back (complete with an LS V8) in the most recent Ghostbusters Afterlife which, if you’re a child of the ’80s, is well worth watching, too. 

2) 1958 Plymouth Fury – Christine

Now we have 1983’s Christine to look at. Not only is this Pollitt’s favourite film ever (what, it speaks to me! – Pollitt) it’s also a slice of motoring horror history. The premise, as per the book by Stephen King, is simple. Nerd buys ‘ugly’ car, fixes it, bullies wreck it, car takes out its revenge and kills them because it’s *checks notes* possessed by an evil spirit. Right. In the book, the spirit is that of Roland LeBay, the car’s first owner. In the film it’s a bit more ambiguous, but both seem to steal the soul of the car’s young custodian, Arnie Cunningham. The film made the Plymouth Fury a legend, and a much wanted machine. Ironic, as King chose the Fury due to its unpopularity. In the book, it was a four-door, but Jon Carpenter went for a two-door coupe for the movie, as looks a little better. However, there is a lot of conjecture over what the screen car actually was. But who’s going to argue with a possessed car that has a taste for murder? 

3) 1971 Lincoln Continental Mk III – The Car

1977’s The Car was a curious film, which is why it’s probably best described as being a B movie. It was good though, and it featured Josh Brolin’s dad, James Brolin, as baffled but always ready to shoot cop, desperate to figure out what was going on. But what was going on? It was unclear. At least Christine had a ghoulish reason for killing folk. The car in this case had very little in the way of back story. We’re not sure if it was the devil on wheels, or driven by a madman, or… we don’t know? Maybe it was angry because of how it looked – there’s a Lincoln Continental Mk III under there, apparently. Either way, it’s a bit of great 1970s horror action, even if it is a little bizarre. 

4) 1955 Peterbuilt 281 – Duel

Look, we’re just going to come out and say it. Duel is one of cinema’s greatest psychological thrillers. Despite, um, being a TV movie. Interestingly though, it was the first film to directed by Steven Spielberg, which probably explains why it’s so good. It’s also good because the premise is simple, and terrifying. For reasons known only to himself, the driver of a run-down, rusted Peterbuilt tanker truck is hell bent on making life shorter, and a lot more hellish for unassuming salesman David Mann (played by Dennis Weaver). The truck stalks, it chases, it rams and it seems to impossible for David to escape, despite him being in a much smaller, and much more nimble Plymouth Valiant. The twists, to trying to be too clever, no over the top effects. This is a thriller that, if you’ve not seen it, will have you on the edge of your seat. 

5) 1971 Chevrolet Nova – Death Proof

“This car is 100% death proof. Only to get the benefit of it, honey, you REALLY need to be sitting in my seat.” Those aren’t the sort of words you want to hear when you’re sat in the passenger seat of a 1971 Chevrolet Nova that’s full of roll cage and plexiglass, but that’s exactly what poor Pam heard before Stuntman Mike (played by Kurt Russell) proceeded to smash and bash her to death in his meticulously pre-prepared rolling murder box. And if that wasn’t enough, he then takes the same car and drives it, full on, into a car full of oncoming people. But not Mike, because his car is death proof. This Tarantino flick is everything you’d expect from, well, a Tarantino flick. Violent, bloody, campy but also brilliant. And don’t think we have spoiled it for you. What we described above is just the first act. You still got the Charger/Challenger epic battle yet. Perfect Halloween fodder.