Leofwine_draca One of the quintessential Satanist films of the 1970s, RACE WITH THE DEVIL is a B-movie which is up there with the best. Moving swiftly along a nice, simple plot, the film is an exercise in sustained tension - it starts off slowly, to build to a frenzied and violent finale in which our survivors fight for their lives. It's actually a film with little in the way of gore - much of the violence is obscured or kept off screen, but it pushes the same buttons as DUEL and THE TERMINATOR in its portrayal of unstoppable evil.For fans of action and horror, like myself, this was a dream come true. With some real spine chilling moments, which pose unanswered questions like "who's out there in the dark?", mixed in with GREAT action sequences (the car chases and battles with shotguns are in particular, show-stopping), I couldn't have wished for more. While some of the moments do veer into tackiness - the mugging Satanists running about naked, the hysterical over-reaction to a snake attack - for the most part this is intense psychological turmoil. And just when you thought it was safe... guess again! The acting, from Peter Fonda and Warren Oates, is great, and the pair excel as the rugged, down-to-earth middle class men who are doing their best to survive. The actresses in this film are, however, extremely annoying, and their purpose is only to scream at every available opportunity, which soon becomes grating. Apart from R.G. Armstrong, who fits the role of a small-town sheriff like a glove, there aren't really any other cast members of note, as people come and go.Fans of THE X-FILES and fear-filled films like ARLINGTON ROAD will relish the paranoia served up in this dish, as it becomes clear that nothing and absolutely nobody is to be trusted - not the police, not gas station attendants, not even car crash victims. Anyone could be a murderous Satanist, and frequently is. Plus, on top of all this, there's the standard (for the '70s at least) downbeat ending, which remains ambiguous and leaves much to your imagination. RACE WITH THE DEVIL is the B-movie which unexpectedly became an A-rated film...at least in this humble fan's opinion.

Spikeopath Race with the Devil is directed by Jack Starrett and written by Wes Bishop and Lee Frost. It stars Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Loretta Swit, Lara Parker and R.G. Armstrong. A Panavision/ DeLuxe Colour production, music is by Leonard Rosenman and cinematography by Robert Jessop.Two vacationing couples have to flee for their lives when they witness a ritualistic slaying by occultists.Great fun. A raging "B" movie for the 70s drive-in crowd that tapped into the decades new found taste for the occult and highway speeding. Film is cloaked with a paranoia vibe as our two frantic couples desperately try to stay out of the clutches of Satanists. Life and death confrontations come and go, and as they are never sure who is in league with the hooded blood drinkers, they have to assume that they alone must fight the good fight. It all builds to a crescendo of exciting vehicle carnage, which in turn leads to the final denouement, which quite frankly is frustratingly brilliant. Oates and Fonda entertain with brisk and airy performances, though Swit and Parker are really only directed to be screaming banshees waiting to be saved by their burly men.Best served with lashings of Bourbon and Coke, and not designed to be scrutinised for moral or ethical worth, just enjoy the ride and try and stay one step ahead of Old Nick. 8/10

AaronCapenBanner Peter Fonda, Lara Parker, Warren Oates, & Loretta Switt star in this supernatural hybrid horror/chase picture about two couples taking a trip in their RV from Texas to Colorado when they accidentally come upon a group of Satanists whose human sacrifice they interrupt. In retaliation, they spend the duration of the film chasing them down, in an effort to silence them.Though featuring a good cast and direction, and is reasonably exciting, this film has too many loose ends/story loopholes to succeed. Exactly why the devil cult is so determined to kill them, no matter how many of their own die in the process, especially when, since they're so secretive, and have already covered their tracks well, it doesn't seem justified, is a real mystery. Then of course is the revelation of exactly how big this cult is, that leads to the gut-wrenching finale, which defies credibility.("Rosemary's Baby' again an influence!) Not bad really, film is watchable(needs a stronger script), just don't think about the logic too much(like I did!)

sunznc Race with the Devil is one of those anxiety provoking and unnerving films that takes place on Texas highways in the 70's. These films have a very straightforward and simple story and script and almost no gore. There is a thread of innocence running through them and even though they are low budget they are enjoyable to watch.I think of Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry and The Great Texas Dynamite Chase which I believe were made around the same time although the script and acting here are better. Most of the time this film holds up well. The chase scenes of course are a bit dated and tame by today's standards but there are some truly unsettling if predictable scenes in this film. The film does have a slight movie-of-the-week feel to it but the chemistry between the actors and the story I believe will hold a person's interest and I think most will find it entertaining. It's fun to see these films now. They really did a good job with this stuff before CGI.