Get ready for the ride of your life in this 1986 action thriller.

There are some films that all of us will have watched, and no matter it’s age, we remember them through rose-coloured glasses. I did consider if this was the case for me with The Hitcher. After buying the Blu-Ray (the 4k was out of stock). I slapped the disc in the player, sat down, and hoped it was as good as I remembered.

The film is about Jim Halsey, a young man transporting a car on a cross-country drive. On his travels, he picks up a hitch-hiker, who after a very short while, reveals himself to be a sadistic serial killer, and becomes Jim’s worst nightmare. Along the way, Jim brings along Nash, a young woman who believes he’s being hunted, and thus launches a cat-and-mouse game between the three, with twists and turns abound. Ultimately leading to a violent showdown where only one will survive.

The Hitcher was released in 1986 to very little fanfare. It grossed less that it cost to make and didn’t do well with critics of the day. Roger Ebert described the film as ‘diseased and corrupt’, citing it’s violence as disproportionate. Perhaps for the mid-eighties, this sentiment might have been on the nose, but by todays standards, this film really isn’t anything new. If I remember correctly, in it’s release, The Hitcher earned itself a 18 rating. Now, it’s a 15, which really goes to show how times and attitudes have changed. Perhaps it’s a case of severe desensitization.

C Thomas Howell as Jim Halsey / The Hitcher (1986)

The Cast

C Thomas Howell stars as Jim Halsey, and plays the role brilliantly. I really can’t commend enough his ability to convey shock and horror. While his character has little background, this soon becomes unimportant as the story progresses.
The late Rutger Hauer plays John Ryder, the sadistic serial killer who toys with Jim throughout the entire film. Hauer was a darling of 1980’s cinema, and just like C Thomas Howell, fell into obscurity and direct-to-video movies later in their careers. In this film, Hauer plays the role of the killer with a calm menace rarely seen in modern movies.
Jennifer Jason Leigh plays Nash, the waitress who drags herself into the sights of the killer as Jim’s only believer. Jennifer Jason Leigh also suffered a career low later on, and while her turn here is serviceable, it’s not a standout performance in any way.
It is fair to say, that all of the cast here are excellent, with the exception of Leigh, who is passable.

The Script

Written by Eric Red (real name Eric Joseph Durdaller) the script is tight, and knows when to let the scene do the talking, not the actors. It is masterfully written, and Red knows how to build the tension to a palpable level.
Yes, I admit , there are instances in the film where the script isn’t quite as tight, but we can forgive these moments in the grander scale of the story.
As I have previously mentioned, the character of Ryder is written with a calm menace, and this was unusual for it’s day. With films like Top Gun, The Golden Child and Platoon all featuring loud, abrasive characters. To have just one that quietly filled you with dread, was and is, a refreshing take.

The Score

Mark Isham is one of Hollywood’s composers that isn’t afraid to take risks, and it pays off here. Instead of using an orchestral score, Isham uses 80’s synth sounds to bring all elements of the film tightly together, using soundscapes rather traditional scoring to convey the films intensity. The music is emotionally cold and tense when it needs to be. If anything, the score really adds to the settings seen in the desert. Just like the character of Ryder, the tones in this offering offer a calmness that really shouldn’t be there, but works very efficiently.

Special and Visual Effects

Everything is done in-camera, which isn’t surprising given that the film was produced in 1986. Yes, green-screen existed, but this film had no need for any of that. The most effective scenes, are the scenes where very little is offered in terms of it’s horror, and where practical effects are used, it’s sparse and perfectly implemented. You’ll see lots of blood, a few squibs, and a lot of implied violence. Let’s not forget a exploding helicopter which is very well done.

Jennifer Jason Leigh as Nash / The Hitcher (1986)

The Director

Robert Harmon takes the directors chair here, and does a great job in understanding the characters’ their motivations and the scenes in which they are set. His pacing is great, and never really allows the viewer to settle, but when those moments happen, he has a great style to bring you crashing back down to Earth.
It’s a shame Harmon never really found his stride in mainstream cinema, and later became a B-Movie and direct-to-TV director. I think if this film had found it’s stride back in the day, the career trajectory of all concerned would have been vastly different.

The Blu-Ray Disc and Extras

This master by Second Sight is absolutely excellent. Taken from a 4K scan of the film, approved by Harmon himself, this transfer is as I remember it way back when. The grain is still there, there is no flickering from a poorly scanned negative.
The extras on the UK version are immense. There are literally too many to mention here, but included are new commentaries, a short film by Eric Red, lots of interviews, a short film by Robert Harmon called China Lake and so much more.
The audio is in Dolby Atmos as well as the original 2.0 soundtrack.
A lot of work and effort went into not just the transfer, but the extras that went into this release. I can’t commend Second Sight enough.

Overall Thoughts

So, did I re-watch this after so many years having passed by, with those rose-coloured glasses? Perhaps a little bit yes. It’s a dated film and it shows, and for most modern audiences, I think it won’t pass muster. For us old enough to watch this great film, you’ll appreciate all over again exactly how a serial killer should be portrayed.
This movie for me is one the seminal releases of 1986 and is possibly Rutger Hauer’s greatest work, short of Blade Runner and A Breed Apart. Not to mention that The Hitcher has one of the most dramatic and satisfying endings of it’s time.
This is a film that deals directly with the themes of Anti-Authoritarianism, the naivety and loss of innocence, raw sadism and the extreme actions we are forced to take in extreme conditions. All of these themes and ideas form the basis of this brilliantly crafted film.

One another note, in 2003 C Thomas Howell reprises his role Jim Halsey in The Hitcher 2: I’ve Been Waiting. Please, for the love all that’s decent and holy, avoid this dross. It’s a direct to video affair that has no business being a follow-up. Also, in 2007 the remake of the Hitcher happened, starring Sean Bean as The Hitcher. Once more, avoid this like the plague. It’s a mere pale shadow of what came before it.

If there’s a DVD, Blu-Ray or 4K you would like me to reveiw, why not drop me a message below?! I might not be kind to your choice, but I will be honest!

I give this release a…