DEG, 1986

starring: Emilio Estevez, Laura Harrington, Pat Hingle and Holter Graham
directed by: Stephen King

the plot: When a bizarre green comet passes over Earth’s atmosphere, strange things start happening. Machines suddenly take on a life of their own, from lawnmowers and electric carving knives to tractor-trailers and automated drawbridges. At a ratty truck stop outside Wilmington, North Carolina, ex-con Billy (Estevez) is trying to make an honest living at the Dixie Boy truck stop. But his hardnosed boss Hendershot (Hingle) won’t give him a break. That changes when machines start going haywire and the Dixie Boy becomes a safe haven for the few remaining survivors in the area. The last human holdouts of the machine apocalypse include Brett (Harrington), a comely young female hitchhiker who soon develops eyes for Billy, and Deke (Graham), the young son of one of the Dixie Boy’s workers. As murderous trucks and homicidal military vehicles converge on the Dixie Boy, it’s up to Billy and Brett to figure out a way for the humans to escape the truck stop and avoid the notice of their cruel mechanical overlords. But a bloodthirsty big rig, with an evil goblin face welded to its grill, has other plans for the survivors.

why it’s good: With a pitch-black sense of humor courtesy of horror-meister Stephen King and a soundtrack performed by AC/DC, it’s impossible not to love “Maximum Overdrive.” Sure, King has publicly disparaged the movie and “Maximum Overdrive” is universally regarded as one of the cheesiest horror flicks to make it out of the 1980s, but that only adds to its charm. The entire cast, from Estevez and Harrington to Hingle and Yeardly Smith (who went on to provide the voice of Lisa on “The Simpsons”) wrings every line for all its worth, but special points go to Ellen McElduff, who, as waitress Wanda June, spends the second half of the film shouting “You bastards! We made you!” while slowly going mad. Best of all is the over-the-top machine murders that King disperses throughout the film. A rogue soda machine spells doom for a team of Little Leaguers, a stray steamroller leads to an awesome exploding-head scene, and a possessed pinball machine and an Army Jeep keep the body count high. “Maximum Overdrive” has its tongue firmly implanted in its cheek, and viewers should approach accordingly—there’s nothing but bloody, vulgar fun to be had here.

why you should own it: Long a staple of late-night showings on TNT and other cable outlets, “Maximum Overdrive” belongs in your library, if you can find a cheap copy. Anchor Bay’s DVD doesn’t have any supplements, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying “Overdrive” with some friends and a bucketful of booze.