As Furious 7 revs into theaters, it's a good time to reflect on the flip side of the franchise, which always sees its heroic characters in charge of the vehicles that they drive. What happens if that's not the case? What if true evil lurks in the souls of lean, mean machines?
Motorized mayhem has surfaced in movies for decades, but in the 1970s and 80s, things took a much darker turn, with vehicular damage taking on a very sinister edge. It's a theme that continues to this day, reminding us all that getting behind the wheel of a car, truck, or other motor vehicle carries more than a whiff of danger.
Death Proof (2007)
Quentin Tarantino's tribute to the exploitation movie era establishes Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a serial killer who uses his "death proof" hot rods (a 1970 Chevy Nova and a 1969 Dodge Charger) to hunt down and kill women.
Joy Ride (2001)
In the same year that Paul Walker starred in The Fast and the Furious, he also starred in this much darker thriller, a horror movie about a trio of young people who incur the wrath of a serial killer. The kids are driving a classic 1971 Chrysler Newport, but it's an extremely lethal 18-wheeler that becomes the most ferocious hot rod on the road.
Christine (1983)
John Carpenter's scary screen version of Stephen King's novel revolves around a 1958 Plymouth Fury that is "bad to the bone," rolling off the assembly line with blood on its tires.
Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Stephen King absolutely owns the trailer, which makes sense because this was the first (and only) movie he directed. Almost every conceivable type of mechanized mayhem is depicted, including a fleet of vehicles. The chief "villain," however, is an 18-wheeler with Marvel's Green Goblin on its grille, more relentless and deadly than any imaginable hot rod.
The Car (1977)
James Brolin stars in a movie about a serial killer who just happens to be a car. It may sound silly, but this is an action-filled thriller about a very, very bad hot rod, a 1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III black coupe.
Duel (1971)
Originally made for television, Steven Spielberg's early, incredibly tense thriller -- shot in just 13 days -- was so successfully received that Spielberg filmed additional scenes for a theatrical release in Europe. Dennis Weaver stars as a lone driver of a modest vehicle (a 1970 Plymouth Valiant) who crosses paths with a menacing 18-wheeler (a Peterbilt) driven by a mysterious maniac.
