The Cars That Eat People (1974) The Cars That Ate Paris (original title)

Director:

Peter Weir

Writers:

Peter Weir (screenplay)
Peter Weir (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

June 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

They're the cars that ate Paris.

Plot:

The small town of Paris, Australia deliberately causes car accidents, then sells/salvages all valuables from the wrecks as a means of economy.

Plot Keywords:

Car Accident | Small Town | Australia | Hospital | Outsider

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

John Meillon	...	The Mayor
Terry Camilleri	...	Arthur Waldo
Kevin Miles	...	Dr. Midland
Rick Scully	...	George Waldo
Max Gillies	...	Metcalfe
Danny Adcock	...	Policeman
Bruce Spence	...	Charlie
Kevin Golsby	...	Insurance man
Chris Haywood	...	Darryl
Peter Armstrong	...	Gorman
Joe Burrow	...	Ganger
Deryck Barnes	...	Al Smedley
Edward Howell	...	Tringham
Max Phipps	...	Mulray
Melissa Jaffer	...	Beth
Tim Robertson	...	Les
Herbie Nelson	...	Man in House
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charlie Metcalfe	...	Clive Smedley (uncredited)
Frank Saba	...	Con Lexus (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Weir

Writing credits
Peter Weir		(screenplay)
Peter Weir		(story) and
Keith Gow		(story) and
Piers Davies		(story)

Produced by
Hal McElroy	....	producer
Jim McElroy	....	producer

Original Music by
Bruce Smeaton

Cinematography by
John R. McLean		(as John McLean)

Film Editing by
Wayne LeClos

Art Direction by
David Copping		(as David R. Copping)

Makeup Department
Liz Michie	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ross Matthews	....	assistant director
Chris Noonan	....	assistant director

Art Department
Neil Angwin	....	property master
John Denton	....	construction manager
Mont Fieguth	....	stand-by propman (as Monty Fieguth)

Sound Department
Sara Bennett	....	sound editor
Peter Fenton	....	sound mixer
Ken Hammond	....	sound recordist
Michael Midlam	....	boom operator
Phil Judd	....	sound effects recordist (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Armstrong	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jimmy Allen	....	clapper loader
David Burr	....	focus puller
Andrew Fraser	....	camera operator
Peter James	....	camera operator
Graeme Mardell	....	key grip (as Grahame Mardell)
Tony Tegg	....	gaffer
Richard Wallace	....	camera operator
Robbie Young	....	best boy

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ron Williams	....	wardrober

Editorial Department
Margaret Cardin	....	negative cutter
Tomash Pokorry	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bruce Smeaton	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Alf Blight	....	action vehicles

Other crew
Gilda Baracchi	....	continuity
Anthony G. Furse	....	qalar effects
Tom Hogan	....	location manager
Pam Oliver	....	production secretary
Pauline Ryan	....	production accountant
Harry Williams	....	caterer

Production Companies

• Australian Film Development Corporation, The
• Royce Smeal Film Productions
• Salt-Pan

Distributors

• Z (1974) (Australia) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (1976) (USA) (theatrical) (as "The Cars That Eat People")
• Pan-Canadian Film Distributors (1977) (Canada) (theatrical) (as "The Cars That Eat People")
• Cult Video (1982) (USA) (VHS) (as "The Cars That Eat People")
• Cult Video (1982) (USA) (video) (betamax) (as "The Cars That Eat People")
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Asso Film
• Thorn EMI Video Australia (????) (Australia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• United Sound  dubbing recorded at

Also Known As:

"The Cars That Ate Paris" - Australia (original title)

Runtime:

91 min | USA:74 min (cut)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Netherlands:16 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating)

Filming Locations:

Sofala, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Australian Film Development Corporation, The

Trivia:

First of two Australian films to feature the word "Paris" in the title in eight years. The second was Breakfast in Paris (1982).

Goofs:

Continuity: At the end of the movie (when the people leave the village) you can see a green Austin A30 Van. The same car is crashed earlier by a car trying to jump over the Austin using a ramp. The whole front is crushed so there is now way it can be repaired.

Quotes:

Arthur Waldo:I can drive!

Movie Connections:

Featured in True Love and Chaos (1997)

Superb film, very dark

Of course the cars don't literally 'eat' Paris... This film was a good indication of what Peter Weir was capable of over twenty years before he made 'The Truman Show.' This is a strange movie, set in a weird town in a barren outback landscape where the normal rules of western society are being quietly ignored by the citizens for their own ends. There are peculiar parallels with 'Mad Max,' and I wonder if Australians are somehow daunted by the vastness of their own country, what it might conceal and their reliance on the automobile. 'The Cars That Ate Paris' is a gothic horror which takes a glancing swipe at consumerism and how it disassociates small communities. This is flagged right at the beginning with the opening parody of a cigarette commercial (also killers!) ending in the first wreck. There are lashings of black humour like this and a few things to say about religion and the cult of the car. A fine low-budget film.