Director Robert Harmon, and writer Eric Red, are no strangers to remote American landscapes. Wide shots of sand, tumbleweed, and deserted gas stations; with a single, vulnerable car. Three years before The Hitcher, Harmon directed a short called China Lake. Included as a bonus feature on this release, it examines how much power a single person can have over another when nobody is available to intervene. The Hitcher follows a similar premise. This time with Eric Red's writing bringing that raw crudeness he repeated the following year with Near Dark.
These stories could have only been told in the 80s, as people had the resources to make these long journeys across vulnerable poverty-stricken states, hoping to reach shiny cities and the wealth and prospects they promised. While being beholden to analogue technology, no phone to call for help, and no GPS to aid your escape. Audiences too were asking for gore and violence. Their new VHS players cued up and ready for the next bit of nastiness they could watch in secret.
Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) is driving from Chicago to San Diego in a ‘drive away' car. A one-way trip he's been waiting for. Struggling to stay awake he pulls over to pick up a hitchhiker, John Ryder (Rutger Hauer), proclaiming “my mother told me to never do this”. He should have listened to his mother. An awkward, quickly escalating back and forth between Halsey and Ryder leads Jim to the conclusion that he picked up the wrong guy, and he boots him out of his car into the road.
He believes he's left Ryder behind, and relieved, he carries on with his journey. Unfortunately, Ryder has other ideas, and an almost supernatural ability to pursue Jim and anticipate each move he makes to escape, evade and entrap him. Local diner waitress Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is the only person who believes Jim's innocence, and the two of them find themselves having to escape not just Ryder, but the police too.
The Hitcher does a lot with very little, there's some gore but most is suggested. One death in particular will make you feel sick despite seeing nothing. Ryder is ruthless, and has no qualms about killing anyone who crosses his path. The implied violence is enough combined with Hauer's performance to make The Hitcher a chilling and effective horror thriller. Howell and Leigh too are perfectly cast, familiar faces now but shockingly young in this, their vulnerability shines through.
Physical media collectors (you've read about them in The Guardian) have been asking for an HD release of The Hitcher for donkey's years. And they're finally getting one, and are cueing up their 4k players in anticipation.
The new scan looks incredible, bringing new depths and detail to the vast remote landscapes and the stylised but gripping performances. Mark Isham's synth score anchors The Hitcher firmly in the 80s, but modern horror fans will enjoy the musical links to more modern chase thrillers. Second Sight has included a particularly good selection of bonus features too, making this a set that was worth waiting for.
Special Features
- Dual format edition including both UHD and Blu-ray with main feature and bonus features on both discs
- A new 4k restoration by Second Sight Films from the original camera negative supervised and approved by Director Robert Harmon
- UHD presented in HDR with Dolby Vision
- Features Dolby Atmos and original stereo audio mixes
- New audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
- Audio commentary with Robert Harmon and Writer Eric Red
- Scene specific audio commentary with Robert Harmon, Eric Red, Executive Producer Edward S Feldman, Composer Mark Isham, Director of Photography John Seale and Actors Rutger Hauer and C Thomas Howell
- The Projection Booth Podcast: featuring
Robert Harmon and Rutger Hauer - Bullseye: a new interview with Robert Harmon (41 Minutes)
- Penning the Ripper: a new interview with Eric Red (41 Minutes)
- Doomed to Live: a new interview with C Thomas Howell (28 Minutes)
- The Man from Oz: a new interview with John Seale (10 Minutes)
- A Very Formative Score: a new interview with Mark Isham (15 Minutes)
- Duel Runner: Leigh Singer on the evolution of The Hitcher and Rutger Hauer (20 Minutes)
- China Lake: a short film by Robert Harmon newly restored (35 Minutes)
- The Calling Card: Robert Harmon on China Lake (15 Minutes)
- Telephone: a short film by Eric Red (26 Minutes)
- The Hitcher: How do these movies get made? (38 Minutes)
- Trailers (5 Minutes)
Limited Edition Contents
- Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Adam Stothard
- 200-page hardback book with exclusive Robert Harmon interview by Lou Thomas, exclusive Eric Red interview by Matthew Thrift, new essays by Heather Drain, David Kittredge, Craig Ian Mann, Rebecca McCallum, Meagan Navarro and Jon Towlson, archival Fangoria article and Behind the Scenes photo gallery
- Eric Red's original screenplay book
- 6 collectors' art cards
The Hitcher is available in a Limited Edition 4k Box set from Second Sight on the 30th of September
