the Hearse came out in the middle of 1980 at a time when R-rated horror features were pulling in most of the box office money. the Hearse is rated PG and was one of the few films I was able to see without adult supervision. Looking through old newspaper ads from 1980, I noticed this film was often paired up on a double bill with DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE throughout 1980 and again in 1981 at a local second-run cinema! Talk about mis-matched couples! I first actually saw the film when it premiered on Showtime in 1982...and I watched every broadcast after that. The new DVD is quite a surprise as it's widescreen and it's enhanced for widescreen TVs! I tend to watch the beginning of the film often because there is a shot of a famous row of houses I live across the park from (one of those homes was used as Brooke Adams' home in 1978's Invasion of the Bodysnatchers and countless other films and TV shows). Also, I walk by the house where Trish Van Devere is carrying her luggage down the steps to her car just about everyday. The rest of the film is a rather classy ghost story which is intriguing and non-exploitive. There's no gruesome violence that, say, DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE had and it's refreshing. I think anyone over the age of 10 can appreciate this film and it's somewhat suitable for the whole family. Trish Van Devere is a strong lead and very appealing in her role. She carries the movie just fine and in a distinguished female lead. Joseph Cotton plays an obnoxious nemesis and pretty much sets the stage as to how the rest of the small town reacts to her being there. They are far less than hospitable and it's not until further on in the film she finds out why. It's at this time a mysterious, menacing hearse appears to be showing up at her country retreat on a nightly basis or following her on one of her quiet drives. Recovering from a previous breakdown (after a messy divorce), and soon feeling as though she may have a relapse when the nightly hauntings start to wear down her nerves, she finally gets a little braver and starts investigating the ghostly goings on. In the meantime, she finds herself attracted to a mysterious young man who seems to know a lot more about the history of the town and her house than the townsfolk are willing to share. There's more, but I'll stop there - view the film (at least RENT IT!) and see for yourself. It's a decent film and may be just the ticket if the usual horror trends in violence or overdone special effects have worn your nerves down. Even in 1980, a good ghost story was hard to find - by that, the Hearse is still a refreshing feature.
Review of The Hearse
