we have see the haunted car before represent in 1977 the car and perhaps most notably in the truly chill spielberg film duel ( make in 1971 for television and no less . ) . so it be not unexpected that stephen king would take a crack at it and with somewhat mixed result . the novel be too long and for one thing represent a pitfall often see in king novel . it take eight hundred and some page to tell it story and then the payoff be so obvious and disappointing that i throw the book in the trash . the stand and on the other hand and be even long than it and but there be virtually no waste while that novel need it length to tell it massive story . here the story be not massive represent a nerdy kid decide to buy a rustbucket of a 1958 plymouth fury from an oddball name george lebay . in an interesting switch of perspective from the novel and the original owner ( call roland lebay in the book ) be the current owner brother and committed suicide in the car while george lebay have never drive it and only want to unload it . this be rather an improvement on the novel in my opinion while the book can not seem to make up it mind whether the source of the evil be the car or lebay while in the film there be little doubt that it be the car itself ( herself ) . flesh out the relatively small cast be the nerdy kid best friend ( one of the high school jock and if you can buy that one ) and his beautiful girlfriend and and in extremely minor role and his parent and a bunch of hooligan who like to pick on him and for which the car exact a terrible revenge . not all that bad and really and and the movie be pretty well cast while there be no oscar performances here and but they be not amateur either . what miss be the soul of the book . because the real tragedy of king novel be not so much the car destructive effect on arnie cunningham but the way it ( she . ) alienate him from everyone who love him and especially his best friend dennis and with whom he have share his life since they be baby . anne river siddons and write about her excellent horror novel the house next door and once observe that the really chilling thing about evil be that be smashes people and break up relationship and and the tragic message of horror be that sometimes even love be not enough to save someone . carpenter be a master craftsman and but this be a cold film for all that . the novel be not one of king best and but it great strength be show the tragedy of the destruction of the friendship between two boy who really love each other despite their difference . unfortunately carpenter either fail to see this or he do not think it be important .