Race with the Devil (1975)

Two couples vacationing together in an R.V. from Texas to Colorado are terrorized after they witness a murder during a Satanic ritual.

Director:

Jack Starrett

Writers:

Lee Frost, Wes Bishop

Stars:

Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Loretta Swit

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Peter Fonda	...	Roger Marsh
Warren Oates	...	Frank Stewart
Loretta Swit	...	Alice Stewart
Lara Parker	...	Kelly Marsh
R.G. Armstrong	...	Sheriff Taylor
Clay Tanner	...	Delbert
Carol Blodgett	...	Ethel Henderson
Phil Hoover	...	Mechanic
Ricci Ware	...	Ricci Ware
Paul A. Partain	...	Cal Mathers
James N. Harrell	...	Gun Shop Owner
Karen Miller	...	Kay
Arkey Blue	...	Arkey Blue
Jack Starrett	...	Gas Station Attendant
Wes Bishop	...	Deputy Dave

Storyline

Frank and Roger and their wives take off for Colorado in a recreational vehicle, looking forward to some skiing and dirt biking. While camping en route, they witness a Satanic ritual sacrifice, but the local sheriff finds no evidence to support their claims and urges them to continue on their vacation. On the way, however, they find themselves repeatedly attacked by cult members, and they take measures to defend themselves.

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Plot Keywords:

vacation | occult | black magic | cult film | carsploitation | 

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Taglines:

Witness an unspeakable act!

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Genres:

Action | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

Vier im rasenden Sarg

Filming Locations:

Bandera, Texas, USA

Box Office

Gross:

SEK 973,425 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Saber Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jack Starrett replaced original director Lee Frost when Fox head Alan Ladd Jr. was unsatisfied with the dailies. Most of his footage was re-shot.

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Goofs

During the scene when Peter is shooting at the final car chasing after them during the chase scene the car that was following them was a late 1960s Oldsmobile Delmont 88, but the close up scenes of the car getting shot appears to be an early 1960s compact vehicle.

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Connections

Featured in Hell on Wheels (2005)

User Reviews

Perfect drive-in fare

Let's hop into the wayback machine and return to the North Cedar Drive-In Theatre in Spokane, Washington, circa 1975. It's hot and muggy and my best friend and I are seeing maybe the fortieth movie of the summer, sitting in my Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser or his 12 year old F-250 (I can't remember which). We sit back to watch Race With the Devil, an obvious B-grade horror flick we've heard great things about from friends.

I haven't seen Jack Starrett's RWD since that night in the summer of '75, but I distinctly remember how good it was, how merrily hell-bent-for-leather the action was, and the way it tied into our goofy fear of Satanic cults and human chains thirty years ago. If you were around the greater Spokane area (now there's an oxymoron!) way back when, you must have heard the stories coming out of Rathdrum, Idaho, north of Coeur d'Alene. This flick was shot in the southwest, but with all the rural versions of urban legends clanking about the Idaho Panhandle, Race With the Devil seemed like a home movie.

I believe the movie made a gob of money that year.

I recommend Race With the Devil in no small part for the fact that it's obvious the people involved are having a great time, a must for a low-budget movie. It has the pacing and the chills to scare teenagers wearing long hair and bell bottoms and, I'm sure after I order a copy from Amazon, it will put a grin on the face of this paunchy, middle-aged nostalgist.