Metal Monster (1990)

Wheels of Terror: When the Engine Roars Louder Than the Screams

There are films that cruise under the radar, then there are films like Metal Monster (1990), also known as Wheels of Terror, that slam the gas pedal and vanish into the VHS fog of the early '90s. Directed by Christopher Cain, best known for Young Guns (1988), this obscure B-movie gem combines the sweaty paranoia of a Stephen King story with the relentless vehicular menace of Duel and The Car. The plot? A nameless blacked-out muscle car stalks a dusty Arizona town, abducting and terrorizing young girls. The only one with enough grit to fight back is Joanna Cassidy (Blade Runner, Who Framed Roger Rabbit), playing a fiercely protective bus-driving mom who's half maternal instinct, half Mad Max fury.

Supporting her is Marcie Leeds as her tough-as-nails daughter and a cast of small-town characters who exist mostly to be mowed down or shaken up. The cinematography gives the desert an eerie, sunburnt quality, and the sound design makes the villainous car feel like a breathing, demonic beast. It's pure grindhouse adrenaline with a feminist twist — and it's shockingly hard to find online. But for those who love their horror with wheels and a hell of a lot of heart, Metal Monster is a lost ride worth chasing down a dark highway. Just make sure you buckle up... and don’t stop for strange cars.

Rated R; Violence and Adult Themes.

Director: Christopher Cain
Stars: Joanna Cassidy, Marcie Leeds, Gary Carlos Cervantes