Vehicles in Film- Chip Coats

The director's choice of automobile in a film can have a major impact on how a character develops. Cars can be an object to show status or success such as the Porsche 928 in Scarface signifying how Tony Montana has made it in the world. In other cases, the vehicle which transports the main character in a film can help the character grow and develop within themselves.

In Cold Fever, the fact that the Citroen DS even starts when the psychic sells him the car is symbolically a testament to how journeys through Iceland toughen things that wouldn’t otherwise hold up under less stressful circumstances. The Citroen DS has a notoriously complicated hydraulic lift system which realistically shouldn’t be functioning but, this specific car is “special” as if it has been toughened by the years in Iceland. With almost a herbie esque charm the DS pushes Hirata past his breaking point with its stuck radio. By challenging Hirata’s sanity the Citroen DS introduces Hirata to the brutality of the Icelandic landscape while keeping him safe.

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