MovieChat Forums > Race with the Devil (1975) Discussion > Better Than Hills Have Eyes

Better Than Hills Have Eyes

posted 19 years ago by falloutboy73
10 replies | jump to latest

I have loved this movie for years. I bought it long ago on VHS and just got the long overdue DVD this week. I am always surprised that Hills Have Eyes has been regarded as this great classic horror film and Race With The Devil has been sitting in relative obscurity for all these years. They both came out around the same time with relativly modest budgets. They have somewhat similar plots, that's why I make the comparison. Anyway I think that Race is the superior movie. I think a lot of critics favor Hills because it was Wes Craven. Anyone agree? or disagree?

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] WarpedRecord 18 years ago

I totally agree. I just watched the original "Hills Have Eyes" a few weeks ago, and when I watched "Race With the Devil" today I was struck by how much better the acting was and how it did a better job of building the sense of dread without going over the top. Another film this reminds me of is the original "Stepford Wives," where many of the characters seem to be a bit "off."

[–] StaunchWoman 8 years ago

Apart from the setting and the fact people are travelling... I don't see any connection. There's a big difference between a satanic cult and generations of mountain-dwelling cannibals.

Race With the Devil doesn't really spell horror to me either, more of a thriller. This is no disservice, just pointing out how different they both are. What's the connection apart from release dates?

We've met before, haven't we?

[–] yatzo376 (7452) 6 years ago

I like Hills more, scarier and less of that made for TV look

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71748) 6 years ago

Hills was far superior
I enjoyed this one though...the rattlesnakes in the RV was pretty funny and cool
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[–] yatzo376 (7452) 6 years ago

Be right over

[–] ShogunofYonkers (71748) 6 years ago

Awesome

[–] Culburn (3638) 6 years ago

Yes. And this one ends abruptly. Like they ran out of money. It's missing a 4th part & it's maddening. They've been showing it a lot on my Cable the last couple months. I remember when this released. Big, BIG advertising campaign at the time. I was in line opening nite. The line was very short.

Parker is extra cute.

[–] whynotwriteme (7122) 6 years ago

Personally I like the abrupt ending. It's horrifying. I remember watching this on TV as a child and not being able to sleep thinking about them in the RV, imagining they were safe, then all of a sudden the tree goes up in flames and that chanting starts up and there's a ring of fire and Satanists closing in around the RV. It's the perfect bleak 70s horror ending. What did you want? Another hair-raising escape or the Texas Rangers coming to the rescue? The Satanists all dead or in jail and the protagonists back in San Antone all happy at the motocross track? You gotta get your 70s nihilist hat on for this movie. You must have been older than I was when you first saw it. I was just 12 for the network premiere. Don't you like depressing 70s movies?

[–] Culburn (3638) 6 years ago

I don't know what I wanted, but, something other than that. And it didn't make a lot of sense either. They're driving thru the black of night, then suddenly pull over into a vacant field. They barely break out the food & drink when the fire starts up followed by the chanting. How did all those devil worshipers get there, wait for them to stop, form a huge circle and light it up?

& early on after the initial attack Fonda is curious as to how the Sheriff knew exactly where to go as they drove thru the night to arrive at the crime scene at daybreak. Oates agrees with him, but, the girls dismiss it out of hand.

I did enjoy it. It was a great night out with the wife at the time. We were both anticipating the opening and at the time we didn't complain too much, if any about the concerns I've raised here. Just in the intervening decades I've thought about this film in detail. It is scary as Hell. I suppose it bothers me they lost, the other side won. The other side was an aggravating bunch as well as devil disciples. Persistent cusses.