This movie is one of the scariest films ever made. It’s also one of the most ignored Horror films ever made. This is easily in my Top 10 favorite, and the fact that it’s not a fully loaded blu ray is a crime.
My memory could be a little fuzzy, but I’m sure my uncle and aunt can confirm this. When I was a kid, one week every summer I would spend it with my grand parents, uncle and aunt. A major highlight in my childhood. At the time I lived in Stockton, and they lived here in Sacramento. The ritual was they would come pick me up, we’d go out for ice cream, then hit the video store.
As usual I would gravitate towards the Horror section. One of the movies I was dying to see was The Hitcher starring C. Thomas Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Rutgar Hauer.
In the first 10 minutes, you’re already scared shitless. One of the best intro’s to a Horror film. Howell picks up Hauer hitch hiking, and Hauer makes it really clear that he’s going to kill Howell in a very disturbing way. The delivery is brilliant. Hauer goes out of his way to make him uncomfortable, fucking with his head. Then he just comes out and says “I cut off his arms, and his legs, and his head…and I’m going to do the same to you.” Fucking brilliant.
What makes this film work, and keeps you a nail biter through the film, is that Hauer basically performs a mind fuck through the whole film. I believe the reason was cause Howell was the only one that has stopped him, and deep down inside Hauer’s character wants to die, but wants the challenge.
It maintains a very consistent pace. Poor Howell is a victim and a fugitive which would make anyone insane. While the cops are chasing him, Hauer continues to torment him.
Most Horror films have that center piece. That scene that makes the whole movie a masterpiece. Example: Near Dark has the bar scene, The Burning has the raft scene, Elm Street has the sucked through the bed scene (you get the idea). This movie had several, Hauer killing the family, finger in fries, police station massacre. But of course…the center piece of The Hitcher was Jennifer Jason Leigh tied to do different big rigs about to be torn apart. The suspense in that scene is unbearable. In my mind, I’m saying “Not gonna happen. No way.” Then it happens, and it leaves me speechless. Horror brilliance.
The writing, the poetic desolate eerie score, the performances, everything was on it’s A game.
To call yourself a Horror fan, and not have seen The Hitcher would make you a fraud. To this day, I still own the first DVD release of this (which I believe was in the late 90’s). I’m still waiting patiently for Scream Factory to get they’re hands on this. Because I know when they do…it’s gonna be goooodd.
G.R.E.E.N.B.A.N.K.
MORBID MOVIE MEMOIRS: VHS GENERATION 