Demon on Wheels

A warm and engaging documentary, filmmaker Christina Eliopoulos's Demon on Wheels centers on Mike Ondish, a sixty-something car mechanic in a rundown Catskill Mountains town. In his prime, Ondish was running homemade moonshine around his community, driving a souped-up Ford Mustang that was faster than any other car—including the ones with the police who were eager to catch him. When the law finally corralled Ondish he put the Mustang away in a garage, where it sat unused for decades. Here, Ondish decides to resurrect the car and try once again to take it out on the open road and race. The film follows the mechanical miracle that takes place, but more importantly tells Ondish's story, from his youth up through his autumnal years (which bring added weight, and the painful loss of cartilage in his body), while also looking at his friendships and longtime common-law marriage to the wonderfully supportive Martha. Demon on Wheels also talks with various well-wishers who knew that restoring such a special vehicle could pull so many things together for Ondish. An interesting profile of a man and a classic car, this is recommended. Aud: P. (T. Keogh)