Black Cadillac (2003)

Three young men become terrorized in a high-speed car chase with a mysterious pursuant.

Director:

John Murlowski

Writers:

John Murlowski (story), Will Aldis (screenplay)

Stars:

Randy Quaid, Shane Johnson, Josh Hammond

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Randy Quaid	...	Charlie
Shane Johnson	...	Scott
Josh Hammond	...	C.J. Longhammer
Jason Dohring	...	Robby
Kiersten Warren	...	Jeannine
Adam Vernier	...	Beefy
Taylor Stanley	...	Denise
Kelly Mullis	...	Lurlene
Robert Clunis	...	Luther
Marilyn Silva	...	Louise
Karl Johnson	...	Fightin' Bar Guy
Richard Deutsch	...	Drunk Bar Kid
Christopher Gilbertson	...	Bar Denizen (as Chris Gilbertson)
Shannon Holzer	...	Bar Denizen
Jeremy Fry	...	Bar Denizen

Storyline

Every year Scott Robertson, a generally admired Yale student, and his screw-up mate C.J. Longhammer from Minnesota cross the Wisconsin border for a wild night. Scott has a girl in his Saab, but as usual must return to the bar as CJ started a fight and this time Scotts adoring kid brother Robbie is with them, and just was about to lose his tormenting virginity. Scotts fists get them out. They are followed by a black Cadillac, make a risky drive on the lake to shake it, allow Robbie to take an urgent leak and give a lift to a neighboring sheriff, Charlie, who has car trouble in Arctic weather. The Cadillac keeps following and even ramming them, so they start wondering why and suspecting each-other, and it gets worse...

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Plot Keywords:

dark road | forest | car chase | snow | fistfight | 

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Taglines:

Revenge in the driver's seat

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Genres:

Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and some sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

O Carro da Morte

Filming Locations:

Halfway House Café - 15564 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maple Island Films, Painting Entertainment Inc.

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jason Dohring plays Logan in Veronica Mars

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Goofs

On at least one occasion, the Saab is shown being rammed from behind and the lights getting smashed. A little later they are all intact and shining again. Similarly, the Cadillac has duff lights which swap sides or rectify themselves without provocation

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Quotes

Charlie: So we had to use him as bait-do us a little ice fishing-and lo and behold, we caught ourselves a couple of Minnesota dickless perch.

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Connections

References Felicity (1998)

User Reviews

What A Tease

In a rural area of the upper Midwest three youthful dudes leave a rowdy bar on a cold, snowy night. Soon, they notice a car following them. It turns out to be a big, black Cadillac that just will not leave them alone.

Huge amounts of dialogue, annoyingly shallow characters, and manipulative music characterize this low-budget horror flick from writer/director John Murlowski. Aside from the characters, another and even more serious problem with the film is the plot. Whoever is driving that Cadillac could take action against the kids at any time. Instead, the driver teases, torments, provokes, harasses the three kids, and in general prolongs the ordeal. Why? Because without the teasing and the harassment, you don't have a full-length feature film. The film's plot is thus ... contrived.

Further, this is another one of those films wherein automobiles undergo horrendous physical torture, like in one scene of this film where the car careens off a high embankment. But then the car still runs. Wish I could find a car that durable.

The film's cinematography is acceptable, if not exceptional. The visuals are dark. Some of the scenes involve rear screen projection, and a "camera shaker" for effect.

To its credit, the film does have a Twilight Zone feel to it. The story takes place entirely at night, and with a general absence of other people, once we leave the bar sequence. Hence, the darkness and the sense of aloneness out on the open road does indeed foster some tension and suspense. But the story's resolution is ultimately disappointing.

"Black Cadillac" probably will appeal to younger audiences who may see in it some element of horror. But aside from the suspense derived from the dark and eerie atmosphere, I found the story to be hokey, the characters irritating, and the dialogue too talky, for the film to be satisfying.