Review of Car Wash (1976) by Essenceofsugar — 11 Nov 2013

This is an honestly suspenseful thriller it truly builds up right from the beginning. The fantastic simplicity of using the same soundtrack throughout lacks monotone and adds creepy familiarity, the neighborhood as the setting proves to be a falsely secure yet sunny environment. You're almost begging Michael Myers not to take off the mask which illustrates someone who looks human, but feels inhuman with those dark, merciless look in where his eyes should be. The colour is a muted, almost grainy tone, giving a more authentic 80's feel, with the shadow in the background disappearing with a second look which we unquestionably accept until the real thrills happen, as the haunting presence that contrasted with the setting is able to come out. Even when he does, Myers is still both intimidating and ruthless as he picks them off.

The self-reference of a director undoubtedly feels out of place, but the psychiatric character of Dr. Loomis played brilliantly with undeniably precise questioning by Donald Pleasance. We can forgive his more likely ridiculous stance as he searches for his patient, because it is counter-acted by such an emotionless, inhuman embodiment of nature vs. nurture with no solid reason to kill.

The running time was in tune with the story-line without frequent jump scares to provide nutrition, the kills worthwhile when they happen with a amazingly juicy one in the downstairs kitchen. It works with realism a quiet, normal neighborhood disrupted by, rather than a raging presence, a silent stalker that symbolically represents the real safety of our neighborhood which can be likewise seen in other twisted slashers such as A Nightmare On Elm Street. The killer that comes out from beneath its shell and strikes without warning. A 6 year old with no soul, a butcher knife and murder on his mind? That is an argument that writes itself.