On dark and stormy nights, at vacant gas stations, on quiet side roads just off the main drag. This is where they lurk, the spooky cars of your nightmares. Look, maybe these cars weren’t inherently evil, but something has seriously unhinged them. As Halloween begins to rear its freaky zombie-faced head, try not to get caught on the road at night with any of the villainous cars from these horror movies.
Christine
In this 1983 movie, Christine looks and sounds innocent enough, plus she’s got great bone structure — after all she is a 1958 Plymouth Fury. But furious is a great way to describe the possessive and aggressive revenge that this car exacts first on bullies, but eventually on her teenaged owner and his new girlfriend, who threatens Christine’s place in his life. Based on the novel by Stephen King, obviously. Are you afraid of getting crushed in an alley by a jilted and jealous sentient car? You should be.
Death Proof
In this 2007 Tarantino production, there is no question that Kurt Russell’s character, Stuntman Mike, is the truly terrifying villain. But the sleek, “death proof” 1969 Chevy Nova is unmistakably his weapon of choice. While this movie offers one of the more satisfying finales for misogynist-haters, you won’t watch this movie and not shudder at the menacing silhouette of this predatory car.
The Car
It turns out that Christine is not the only car with a vendetta against humans. In this 1977 horror movie, The Car, a 1971 Lincoln Continental Mark III — that normally looks like a well-appointed grandfather — takes on a new sinister veneer as a murderous maniac. Early on, it charges two bikers off the side of a bridge and later goes on to threaten women and children in a school parade. Just remember, if you ever see this bad boy in the wild, the only place you can seek solace is the graveyard.
Joy Ride
While you might not get the warm fuzzies from big rigs, you’ve probably thought of their brassy horn blows as fun and jaunty at some point. Not after Joy Ride. In fact, you might never get the deep, terrorizing baritone blast out of your head. This 2001 cinematic masterpiece boasts the star power of the late auto-enthusiast and heartthrob Paul Walker, who gets a CB radio installed in his car and attempts to play a prank on a creepy-voiced driver named Rusty Nail. For which he, his brother, and his love interest, pay a hefty price.
Jeepers Creepers
It only makes sense that an ancient monster trolling the Florida backcountry would choose an old 1940s Chevy COE truck to run its victims off the road and transport the deceased. Getting chased down by a blood-thirsty, winged creature that smells fear ranks as fairly scary on its own, but pair that with the rusting mug of the COE and you won’t look at any pick-up the same again.