I can remember when THE HEARSE was released across the
country primarily to drive-ins that at the time were still thriving. The ad
campaign was fantastic providing just enough glimpses into what the film had to
offer, the creepy looking hearse that seemed to haunt some poor woman and the
logo featuring that same threatening sign of death. But the movie didn’t live
up to the hype but still provided a few good scares along the way.
Jane Hardy (Trish Van Devere) is a recent divorcee who
leaves behind San Francisco to spend the summer in a large old country home
once owned by her aunt and left to her in her will. Arriving in Blackford late
at night she’s nearly run off the road by a black hearse that drives off before
she can react. Contacting the solicitor who was in charge of the house and her
aunt’s will she asks if he will meet her at the house to let her in.
Mr. Pritchard (Joseph Cotton) complains when he arrives
about the late hour as well as the fact that she’s there to take over the
house, claiming it should have been left to him. The rocky road between the two
starts here and never improves. She settles in for the night intended to go to
town the next day to pick up some items and look for a handyman.
When she gets to town she’s immediately greeted with
hostility starting with the man who owns the main store in town. Ignoring his
father Paul (Perry Lang) offers to take her order up to the house the next day.
When the local handyman denies helping her Paul offers to take on the task so
he can make some extra money. It’s also clear he’s attracted to her despite
their age difference.
Things seem to move smoothly during the day but at night
images seem to appear at the corner of her eye and the hearse pulls up outside,
threatening as it sits there. Jane finds her aunt’s diary and begins reading
it, discovering the possible reason why the townsfolk treat her as they have.
It seems that her aunt was in love with a man and both were thought to have
been involved in devil worship. After she dies the hearse carrying her
disappeared as well as her body.
Jane meets a local resident who doesn’t seem to have a
problem with her or the house. Tom (David Gautreaux) is a handsome caller who
soon is involved with Jane. But something just isn’t quite right about Tom.
Jane might not see it but we, the viewer, are well aware early on.
As the hearse and the scar faced driver continue to plague
Jane she worries about her sanity. It seems she left San Francisco not just
because of her divorce but because it led to her having a nervous breakdown as
well. Is she going insane or are there actually evil forces at work in the
house?
The movie isn’t all that bad but plays more like a short
story lengthened to make a feature film. It would have fit nicely in an episode
of NIGHT GALLERY or TWILIGHT ZONE. But at 1 hour and 39 minutes it feels more
padded than necessary. The film also has a feeling of being more of a TV
movie-of-the-week to it, offering little that would prevent it from airing on
television during prime time. Horror films even in 1980 when the movie was
released were known to have more scares, more effects, more make-up and more
gores than this one offered. Even without the movie is still enjoyable enough
to watch. Van Devere, who was married to George C. Scott, does an admirable job
with the material provided and it’s a shame she didn’t make more movies than
she did.
Vinegar Syndrome has rescued this film from the numerous
versions available in the past. I’ve seen the film in various low budget public
domain collections in the past and most presented the film in a terrible
version that looked washed out or scratched. As with all of their titles
Vinegar Syndrome wants to make sure that this is the best version possible. This
time around you’ll get the movie in a 2k restoration from the original 35mm
negative.
Their extras here are fairly limited but the odds of their
being much to offer are slim after all these years, especially considering the
fact it was not a major release at the time. Included are SATAN GET BEHIND THEE
an interview with Gautreaux, the original theatrical trailer, TV spot,
promotional still gallery and reversible cover artwork by Chris Garofalo.
As a fan of all things drive-in I was glad to pick this one
up to add to my growing collection of films that were made specifically for
this market. What they lack in budget they more than make up for in heart and
creativity. They may not be movies that you’ll pull out on a regular basis but
there will be those moments when you think I need to revisit that time in the
past. Having a copy of this film in this pristine condition makes it all that
much more enjoyable.
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