Blood, Gore, And Car Crashes: Motoring Movies To Watch Over Halloween

4 min read By eCompareMo on October 18, 2017

Movies are a magical medium; they take us to a world that pushes the boundaries of what’s real. After more than an hour of being fixated on a magical story that is not ours, we come out of theaters with our eyes filled with wonder.

If you’re a car enthusiast, there’s no shortage of flicks you can dive into and take the front seat. If you like movies turbocharged with powerful cars, then it’s easy enough to pick any movie from the Fast and the Furious franchise and you’re done for two hours. But, since Halloween is just around the corner, we decided to look at a different kind of car movie. We’ve picked five movies that DO have cars but also a lot of spooky scares and, yes, some horrific gore.

Maximum Overdrive (1986)

Maximum Overdrive may go down in history as Stephen King’s disastrous directorial debut, both on the set and in the box office. However, the 80’s is definitely the era of camp, especially when it comes to horror films – and this film is a fine example of that.

In this zany comedy-horror film, humanity must survive a cataclysmic event where machinery comes to life and kills them in ridiculous ways. Cars, vending machines, and even ice cream trucks are trying to murder Emilio Estevez and company who are trapped and surrounded in a diner. The leader of these killer machines is a six-wheeler truck with a Green Goblin face in the grill.

The movie may not be as good as Pet Sematary or The Shining with a terrible plot and mediocre acting but if you like no-brainer B movies then you’ll love this movie.

Christine (1983)

Stephen King didn’t direct this one, but he did write the story. Christine was helmed by John Carpenter and it tells the story of a vengeful Plymouth Fury named “Christine” with a dark and murderous past. The movie stars John Stockwell as Dennis, a teenager who bought the said car, lovingly restored it, and became obsessed – even possessed – by its the malevolent spirit.

As the story progresses, Dennis’ personality changes drastically and Christine becomes more malevolent as a string of murders become linked to the car. Fans of Stephen King may easily see how this follows the common King story tropes, but John Carpenter’s crisp and dark atmospheric signature filmmaking turned the famous writer’s story in one of the many cult classics from the 80’s.

Death Proof (2007)

Death Proof may be a speck of dust compared to Quentin Tarantino’s other films like Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, and Django Unchained, but this self-indulgent love letter to his more visceral roots is just as good as any of more acclaimed films.

An out-of-job stuntman driver played by Kurt Russell attempts to recreate his glory days—by killing unsuspecting women with his “death proof” cars fitted with a roll cage inside. Aside from giving viewers a cheap thrill and some dose of blood and gore, it also featured a slew of cool cars like the 1971 Chevrolet Nova, Dodge’s 1970 Challenger and 1969 Charger, 1972 Ford Mustang, and so much more. Part-car chase film, part-slasher film, part-exploitation film, Death Proof’s blood, broads, and bumpers provide the thrills and chills that Halloween demands

Drive (2011)

Drive is not your usual car-centric movie coated with nothing but stunts and throws everything else out of the window.

Everyone knows Ryan Gosling from The Notebook, where he portrays a terrifying character who resorts to emotional blackmail and stalking to get a lover. However, Gosling has more to show than just a body that looks amazing sans shirt, he can really act and Drive lets him show that off.

Gosling plays an unnamed character, who works with cars as a mechanic and a stuntman by day and moonlights as a getaway driver at night. His double life seems to be working well for him until he attempts to help his neighbor flee from danger. Director Nicolas Winding Refn crafted a highly stylized, ultra-violent film that brings out the best out of an ensemble of seasoned actors that combines art and entertainment seamlessly. And it has just the right amount of blood and violence that you need for the season.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

From the director of Babe and Happy Feet comes every gearhead’s dream—a nightmare powered by V8, shiny and chrome. Mad Max: Fury Road is the fourth film in this post-apocalyptic franchise that follows the adventures of the titular character as he drives through a desolate world. In this installment of the franchise, Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron lead a crusade against warlords in a nuclear wasteland.

Imperator Furiosa, played by Theron, helps a group of slave’s escape from the tyrannical Immortan Joe. She gets some help from Hardy’s Max, a guilt-stricken grumpy wanderer on an extended “road trip”. Veering away from the usual VFX-driven Hollywood blockbusters, Fury Road delivers over-the-top action, eye-popping practical effects and set pieces, and a powerful narrative that cements its status as an instant classic.