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One of the top ten Satanic Winnebago movies of all time (actually, if you can provide me with a list of nine other pictures from this genre, I'll be your new best friend), Race With the Devil is arguably the most exciting and rare gem released on DVD this summer. Sure, there was more adored mainstream fare that got more press and there were some DVD box sets that offered more bonus material, but Race With the Devil is hands-down the perfect movie to watch as the dog days of summer make you wish it was Christmastime again.
In this film, Peter Fonda and Warren Oates take their lady friends on a long-deserved vacation in Peter's new Winnebago - Sweet! - but accidentally end up camping on a roadside that abuts a satanic coven of murder-crazed devil-worshippers. The last solid forty minutes of Race With the Devil involves Peter and his posse trying to outrun creeps with black robes . . . in the Winnebago.
Call it the dumber, more beer-in-a-can younger sibling of Easy Rider. Oh hell, call it anything you want. After this summer's big-budget blockbuster fare that erred unforgivably on the side of morose, dreary exposition - Batman Begins, The Island, and more - to have a movie this effortlessly goofy and irreverent is not just a wonderful alternative to popular cinematic culture, it's a veritable gift.
Those without a penchant for the cheesiness incumbent to movies from this part of the decade - where the auteur theories of the late ë60s were turning into the high-dollar studio pics of the late ë70s - may find Race With the Devil to be brain-dead and overly bizarre, but let them find their own Winnebagos. If the sight of Peter Fonda flashing that pearly-grin of a smile doesn't make you want to go pick this one up, I don't know what to tell you, but for those who find solace in the deep-shag grooviness of this era and the graphic zaniness of mid-1970s horror pictures, Race With the Devil is a godsend (or shall I say devilsend? - MWA HA HA!).
And seriously, when you're off camping this summer (Labor Day's only a month away, folks), check your destination campgrounds thoroughly for satanic cults. They can really ruin a weekend. Especially if you drive a Winnebago.
The Video: How Does The Disc Look?
For a film as old and orphaned as Race With the Devil, it sure looks good in this 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Black levels are rock solid, and most impressively, this DVD's fine detail quality is significantly higher than I could have ever hoped. Sure, there's a degree of fuzziness to the entire film, but it's not nearly as overwhelming as I was expecting. This ain't a definitive Race With the Devil, but it sure looks leaps and bounds better than it has since the mid-1970s.
The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?
The mono mix here is exactly what you'd expect: tinny, constrained, and unexciting. Yet while one might dream of watching Peter Fonda annihilate Satanists in exemplary 6.1 audio, this mono shroud is what Race With the Devil had when it hit the scene, and that's what we get here. Be ready for it and it won't disappoint.
Also included are English Closed Captions.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
The screen-specific audio commentary may be Peter Fonda-free, but itís one of the better commentaries of the year. Executive producer Paul Maslansky and actress Lara Parker contribute their thoughts on the film with the help of moderator Perry Martin. The result is a track as informational as it is hilarious and revealing. Balancing excellent anecdotes about filming with a wonderful sense of humor about the whole thing, this track is equal parts nostalgia, embarrassment, and pride. Marvelous.
The 17-minute featurette entitled Hell on Wheels is equally involving, if only because of Fonda's involvement. We also get the film's theatrical trailer, as well as some radio spots, a poster, a stills gallery, and a behind-the-scenes gallery.
Exclusive DVD-ROM Features: What happens when you pop the disc into your PC?
There are no DVD-ROM supplements on this DVD.
Final Thoughts
For $14.98, Race With the Devil is absolutely a must-have. The transfer and sound mix qualities aren't impressive, but there are wonderful bonus features here. And did I mention that this disc has a list price of less than fifteen bucks? Can you possibly go wrong? Highly recommended.
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