The Hearse is an example of a horror movie subgenre: the demon-possessed vehicle. When Jane Hardy inherits her late aunt's home, she faces just such a vehicle in the form of a vintage hearse. Tormented by the car and harassed by mysterious townsfolk, Jane has to unlock her aunt's hidden secrets or perish. Part of the suspense comes from wondering if Jane is being tormented by the supernatural, her fragile emotional state, or someone just trying to scare Jane off her property. Possessed-car suspensers can be surprisingly effective and frightening. Unfortunately, this movie is a fairly low-budget effort, offering up many standard suspense techniques that were pretty shopworn even in 1980. The end result is a film that is predictable, and has few if any real chills. Notable only as one of Joseph Cotten's last films. --Mark Savary
