The Hitcher

Summary

“Say…four words. Say…’I want to die.’”

Have you ever driven through a desert? Have you ever felt the strangeness that comes over you when there is no guarantee of a good gas station for an extended period of time? Driving through remote places can cause a driver to feel a sense of vulnerability. Driving alone for extended periods of time can easily cause a driver to feel restless or tired, and it can be dangerous. The script for The Hitcher understands every concern one would have out on a desert highway and plays on them to the utmost degree, by introducing an everyman to a psychotic killer on the road. The idea for the deadly hitcher character is an archetype that feels immediately recognizable, but the way in which Robert Harmon’s film plays on that idea is remarkable.

The Hitcher has been requested in Blu-ray forums for nearly as long as I have been collecting films. This year saw those requests answered brilliantly with a beautiful special features packed Second Sight edition in the UK, and a more stripped down edition in the States from Warner Bros. on either Blu-ray or 4K UHD. I had preordered the Second Sight 4K before the Warner was announced, but I snagged the Warner copy to have a comparison. The good news is that whichever route you go, you are going to be extremely satisfied with your purchase.

Driving across the dessert at 4:30 in the morning in the rain, Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell) nearly collides with a truck while drifting asleep at the wheel. As rain pours down, Jim sees a hitchhiker on the side of the road and decides to pick him up. Jim introduces himself. His trenchcoat wearing passenger introduces himself as John Rider (Rutger Hauer.) Jim explains that he is performing a “drive-away” from San Francisco, so the car is not actually his own. It was an easy way to make it across the country and pick up a few bucks along the way. The passenger is strange and off-putting. It is not long before they pass by a car on the side of the road and John pushes Jim’s leg down on the pedal. Jim stops his car soon after and tells John to step out. John refuses. He explains that the car they passed still has the last guy that gave him a ride in it – without his legs, arms, or head. John explains that he is going to do the same to Jim. When they pass through some construction, John holds a knife to Jim’s crotch and tells him to go along. Once through the road stop, John begins to tell Jim to tell him four words – that he wants to die. When Jim sees that John’s door is ajar, he manages to kick him out of the vehicle. Excitedly, he moves along. He doesn’t realize that the hitcher will gladly kill as many civilians as it takes to exact revenge on him. The trip eventually leads Jim to a diner worker named Nash (Jennifer Jason Leigh,) who tries to help him. At the same time, Jim becomes a person of interest to the police for the slayings that are occurring along the highway.

The Hitcher provides a road trip you are going to want to take. The critics seemed somewhat nonplussed by the film when it was released, but maybe its cynical nature just did not gel with them at the time. Whatever the case, they judged this film completely wrong. The Hitcher is a compelling and visceral thriller with one of the all-time great villainous performances by the late Rutger Hauer. The Hitcher is a relentlessly dark thriller that is much better than those reviews would ever have you believe. Eric Red’s script is compelling from the start. The premise is not wholly original, but the execution is strong. The script moves through a number of nightmarish scenarios while mixing in strong action elements. It’s fast-paced, thrilling, and mean-as-hell. The film is somewhat nihilistic and cynical, so I can understand how it might have had some difficulties with some critics in the middle of the Reagan era. Time is the ultimate judge of films, and there is good reason why its stature has grown over the last four decades. While Eric Red’s career seemed to have ebbs and flows, his next screenplay after The Hitcher was the classic Near Dark, so it is safe to say if you enjoy that picture you will definitely want to check out The Hitcher.

Robert Harmon’s direction is very competent. Working with cinematographer John Seale, Harmon did justice to the surroundings while drawing convincing performances from his cast. John Seale’s cinematography on the picture is truly fantastic. Whether taking in dust blown dessert towns, or the beautiful vistas of the highway, or gas stations and diners, the film always looks cinematic. The film was made in Southern California and Nevada, and it captures those dessert landscapes well. The Music by Mark Isham is appropriately haunting or exciting depending on the scene. The score reminded me a little bit of Tangerine Dream, and it added a lot to the film. 

The film may have not worked without a key performance by Rutger Hauer. Hauer is an amazing villian. He is completely convincing in the roll – a mixture of intimidation, glee, and menace – all delivered with an inner strength that makes this character one psycho you would never want to encounter. It is one of his best roles. A real surprise for me here was that C. Thomas Howell was terrific in the film. He should have landed more roles like this. He deserved better. Jennifer Jason Leigh is always a welcome addition to any film, and she is well cast.

Overall – with a thrilling script, great performances, and wonderful cinematography and music, The Hitcher is as good as all of its fans have claimed for years. The new 4K UHD from Warner (or Second Sight in the UK) is well worth adding to your collection immediately.

Video

Presented in Native 4K in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, The Hitcher looks phenomenal. The Second Sight restoration which is used for the Warner 4K is a sight to behold. Similar to Arrow’s treatment of True Romance or Wild Things, this 4K presentation absolutely jumps off the screen. The desert vistas come to life with extraordinary attention to detail. The Hitcher is a well shot film that really benefits from the 4K treatment. Grain is EXTREMELY well resolved. Some of the best grain resolution I have seen on any film from the Eighties. I am honestly astonished that a reviewer online disliked the way this film looked on the Second Sight 4K (which is the same transfer as the Warner 4K.) I recommend disregarding their opinion. John Seale’s cinematography looks gorgeous in this presentation. This transfer deserves a perfect score.

Audio

Warner Bros. and Second Sight have upgraded The Hitcher with a full blown Atmos track and has also provided the original theatrical stereo track in DTS-HD MA 2.0. The Atmos track is fantastic and brings the very best out of the score by Mark Isham while also amplifying the action sequences. Fans of the picture will be more than pleased.

Supplements:

Three supplements from the Second Sight release are on the Warner disc.

• Audio Commentary – Featuring director Robert Harmon and screenwriter Eric Red.
• Bullseye – An interview with Robert Harmon.
• Theatrical Trailer

Overall Scores:

Video – 5/5 

Audio – 4.75/5

Supplements – 3.5/5

Overall – 4.75/5

The Hitcher is one of the best thrillers from the Eighties, despite the fact that it was not given a strong critical reception upon its release. The script by Eric Red has plenty of action and has its fair share of intimidating moments, but I think the critics were turned off by just how mean it was willing to be. The script takes a simple premise and elevates it. The direction by Robert Harmon brings out a truly amazing performance by Rutger Hauer and very good performances by both C. Thomas Howell and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The cinematography and music are also both excellent. Fans will be faced with a decision of whether to buy the Second Sight 4K or the Warner Bros. 4K. If you don’t care about having the plethora of specials features from the Second Sight release, than the Warner 4K is a great option. Both releases feature the same beautiful 4K scan and Dolby Atmos track alongside the original theatrical theatrical track. The Warner disc does port over a few features as well from the Second Sight release. I would rank the Second Sight release as a 5/5, and the Warner release at 4.75/5. Don’t hesitate to snatch up this release, whichever way you choose! These releases essentially earn our highest recommendation!