The Hitcher (1986)

Director:

Robert Harmon

Writer:

Eric Red (written by)

Release Date:

21 February 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The terror starts the moment he stops.

Plot:

A young man who escaped the clutches of a murderous hitch-hiker is subsequently stalked, framed for the hitcher's crimes, and has his life made into hell by the same man he escaped.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Police | Serial Killer | Framed | Road

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Rutger Hauer	...	John Ryder
C. Thomas Howell	...	Jim Halsey
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Nash
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Captain Esteridge
John M. Jackson	...	Sergeant Starr (as John Jackson)
Billy Green Bush	...	Trooper Donner (as Billy Greenbush)
Jack Thibeau	...	Trooper Prestone
Armin Shimerman	...	Interrogation Sergeant
Gene Davis	...	Trooper Dodge (as Eugene Davis)
Jon Van Ness	...	Trooper Hapscomb
Henry Darrow	...	Trooper Hancock
Tony Epper	...	Trooper Conners
Tom Spratley	...	Proprietor
Colin Campbell	...	Construction Man

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA (re-rating) | Ireland:18 | Australia:R | Canada:R | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-18 (1986) (uncut version) | Finland:K-16 (1993) (cut version) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Amboy, California, USA

Company:

HBO Pictures

Trivia:

Screenwriter Eric Red can be seen in a cameo role toward the end of the film, playing a sheriff's deputy escorting John Ryder to the prison bus for transfer.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the final scene when Rutger Hauer jumps out of the back of the bus and flies through the windshield of the Dodge Ramcharger, the windshield shatters like regular glass, not safety glass.

Quotes:

[Jim watches John Ryder being interrogated]
Jim Halsey: [whispering] John Ryder.
Captain Esteridge: What'd you say?
Jim Halsey: His name is John Ryder.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Alien³' (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

DON'T STOP LOVIN' ME

A truly first rate thrill-ride!

It's hard to believe upon seeing The Hitcher that the film never saw the inside of the cinemas. It was video rental that got this film known, and thank god it did because The Hitcher is a truly first rate thriller! The film doesn't waste time with intricate plot details or explaining character motivations; instead, The Hitcher puts all the focus on the central theme and that does the film no end of favours when it comes to thrilling the audience. The central plot line follows the 'cat and mouse' structure, as we see a young man pick up a hitcher, only for the hitcher to turn out to be an unrelenting madman. What follows is a relentless chase across a desolate desert setting as the young man tries to escape the man that he tried to do a favour for. The idea behind the film had been used before in films like the brilliant 'Hitch-Hike', but The Hitcher makes the plot line it's own simply by not letting up for a minute. Every time there's a slow moment, the film quickly turns around and delivers more shocks and thrills; and it's that mentality behind the film that ensures the audience will be kept on the edge of their seats.

A huge reason for The Hitcher's cult success is Rutger Hauer's performance at the centre of the movie. His portrayal of the title character is rich in ambiguity and is one of the few genuinely frightening performances in all of cinema. Hauer ensures that he's frightening by never giving any reason for his attacks and that, coupled with his very cold persona; make the character the last person you would want to pick up on a deserted desert highway. C. Thomas Howell is the exact opposite in his role as frightened kid, and he and Hauer make a very good cat and mouse. Jennifer Jason Leigh rounds off the cast with her performance as a trashy waitress. Despite being made for cable television and not having the biggest budget in cinematic history, The Hitcher never seems stretched and this reflects best during the car chases and the gas station explosion scene. The film never goes over the top with the special effects, but the ones it does have work and this ensures that you never question the film, resulting in a plot line that an audience can easily buy into. On the whole, The Hitcher is easily one of the most exciting films ever made and comes with high recommendations to everyone!