The Hitcher – Second Sight Films Blu-ray Review
Ahh, The Hitcher, a film that blends elements of psychological horror, road-thriller tension, and existential dread. while standing out in 1980s cinema by subverting both the road movie and horror genres. Rightfully becoming a cult classic due to its sharp direction, stunning cinematography and two standout performances.
Directed by Robert Harmon, the film centres on Jim Halsey (C. Thomas Howell), a young man driving across the American Southwest who makes the fateful decision to pick up a hitchhiker, John Ryder (Rutger Hauer). This simple act of kindness, that his mother had warned him about, spirals into a nightmarish game of cat-and-mouse. The film unfolds across the barren desert highways, with Ryder embodying a malevolent force of nature or even a supernatural, demonic force tormenting Jim physically and mentally, framing him for murders and turning what should have been a quiet road trip into a relentless fight for survival.
At the heart of The Hitcher’s enduring appeal is Rutger Hauer’s portrayal of John Ryder, a performance that transcends the typical antagonist, infusing Ryder with a quiet menace that unnerves both Jim and the audience and distances the film from the slasher genre. Ryder is a character without a clear motive or any backstory, seemingly materialising from the mist, embodying the chaos and randomness of evil.
“He came from hell. Don’t ask him where he wants to go.”
Hauer’s restrained performance makes Ryder feel more like a mythic, almost supernatural force rather than a mere man. This ambiguity is what makes Ryder so terrifying: he has no obvious reason for his cruelty, and that lack of rationale taps into existential fears about the unpredictability of violence.
Hauer’s performance is a masterclass in subtlety, with his menacing stillness and soft-spoken demeanor contrasting sharply with his capacity for horrific violence. His ability to haunt Jim without ever needing to raise his voice or resort to theatrics earns him a place in cinematic history as a truly iconic antagonist.
Opposite Hauer, C. Thomas Howell plays Jim Halsey. At the start of the film, Howell portrays Jim’s optimism and innocence effectively, making him a relatable character. As Ryder’s psychological games intensify, Howell shifts his performance to reflect Jim’s journey from carefree traveler to essentially becoming Ryder.
Howell’s performance is not over-the-top; instead, Jim remains a vulnerable and exhausted figure, reacting to Ryder’s escalating cruelty with an authenticity that makes his eventual pushback against Ryder feel both earned and tragic.
One of The Hitcher’s most powerful elements is its use of setting. The vast, empty highways of the American Southwest provide more than just a backdrop; they serve as an essential character in the film. The cinematography by John Seale complements this atmosphere, using sweeping shots of the sun-scorched desert to create a sense of foreboding isolation.
The Hitcher explores the terrifying randomness of evil and the fragility of human control over life. Ryder, as a manifestation of senseless violence, taps into a primal fear: the fear that evil can strike anywhere, without reason, and that no amount of caution can prevent it. “The terror starts when he stops!”
Characters like Jennifer Jason Leigh’s Nash, who may have usually been the love interest or final girl, are swiftly and brutally dispatched, reinforcing the idea that The Hitcher offers no safety, no sanctuary, and no happy endings.
Director Robert Harmon builds tension masterfully throughout the film, relying on atmosphere and pacing rather than excessive violence or gore. While there are shocking moments of brutality, The Hitcher avoids the more graphic tendencies of 1980s slasher films, opting instead for psychological horror. Take one of the most famous scenes in the film is the gruesome demise of Nash, and although you never see it, I’m sure those who have seen the film misremember it as being one of the goriest scenes.
As with a lot of Second Sight’s remaster releases, modern audiences need to remember the cinematic and cultural landscape of the time. When The Hitcher was released in 1986, it received mixed reviews from critics. Roger Ebert went so far as describing the film as “diseased and corrupt,” criticising the violence and the lack of a clear motive for Ryder. Maybe he missed the point? Other critics of the time also found the film’s bleakness unsettling. However, many rightly praised the film’s atmosphere, tension, and Hauer’s haunting performance.
Released during an era dominated by slasher films and high-concept blockbusters, The Hitcher was not a major hit grossing around $5.8 million at the box office on a 6 million budget. It did quickly gain a cult following though, especially after its home release.
The Hitcher is a gripping psychological thriller that explores deeper themes of the randomness of evil. Anchored by Rutger Hauer’s unforgettable performance and enhanced by the stark beauty of its desert setting, the film remains a haunting example of how tension, atmosphere, and ambiguity can create lasting horror.
Simply put, a must-watch for fans of psychological horror.
The Hitcher continues to resonate as a disturbing, thought-provoking road trip into the heart of darkness and this Second Sight release puts an extra bit of shine on this jewel of genre cinema.
The Limited set is presented in a stunning collector’s package with new artwork by Adam Stothard and a 200-page hardback book.
All three versions come complete with a truckload of special features:
A new 4K restoration by Second Sight Films from the original camera negative supervised and approved by director Robert Harmon
The cinematography of this film deserves to be seen at its best, and I think Second Sight have smashed it out the park yet again with the 4K restoration on this. Images pop, colours pop and contrast is perfect with night scenes being clear and crisp. The sound is also wonderful, with the stereo being clear with great clarity of voices over score. The Dolby Atmos is crystal clear as you’d expect and gives you a better sound experience than you originally got in the cinema. Second Sight really excel in these restorations.
New audio commentary by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
“Hello there, my name is Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and I’m a film critic, author and recovering academic. Amongst other things I’ve published nine books on cult horror and exploitation movies with a particular emphasis on gender politics. “
The introduction gives you everything you need to know to decide if you’ll enjoy this commentary. I’m not one, as you’ll guess from reading any of my reviews, to look too far into the psychology of a film. I often find critics and academics state things about films that go against what the writer, crew, director and cast of the actual film say so, whilst interesting in their own right, they leave me a little cold.
Audio commentary with Robert Harmon and writer Eric Red
The commentary from Robert Harmon and Eric Red is a nice addition. They don’t talk for talkings sake and therefore offer interesting information on scenes that may often be missed due to an overarching conversation in other similar commentaries. There’s some great technical tidbits and having the writer discuss how the original screenplay beats, dialogue and scripted sounds made it to screen is particularly interesting. Rutger Hauer stunt driver. Rubber tipped Thermos, whodathunkit?!
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
Love the idea of scene-specific commentary. Robert Harmon starts off, discussing how he started as a stills photographer and how he was helped by others to make the movie as envisioned. Rutger Hauer speaks about the feeling he had about the film being a fairytale, and how he essentially has a pragmatic approach. C Thomas Howell mentions how he thought he was Gods gift coming of ET etc, and how he learnt about himself and needed to train etc. This is interesting due to the power of his performance. All the separate voices give a unique insight into the film and we get a rounded idea of what making a movie is all about to different aspects of production.
The scenes are the intro, road works, the family car, deserted gas station, Diner, Arrest, Cell, Diner gun scene, bus arrest/chase, motel, Truck pull, Halsey interrogation, Escape and final confrontation.
The Projection Booth Podcast: featuring Robert Harmon and Rutger Hauer
The Projection Booth Podcast is great and this is episode 54 played over the film. The podcast is edited so it stays in sync to the movie and really works. After watching this, if you’ve not heard of the Projection Booth you’ll probably want to visit its archives.
Bullseye: a new interview with Robert Harmon
A 41 minute interview with the director. Simply shot interview with footage and stills. Fascinating.
Penning the Ripper: a new interview with Eric Red
Similar length and quality to the Harmon interview. Again a fascinating look at another element of the film making process that’s quite often overlooked. The Doors Riders in the storm being the reason he wrote the film was mentioned briefly in the audio commentary and discussed slightly more here. Finding out how a story is formulated and ends up on screen is fascinating.
Doomed to Live: a new interview with C Thomas Howell
28 minutes in the company of C Thomas Howell. Shot in the same black void as the other interviews. I find C Thomas Howell a very interesting person. A phenomenal actor and in person he’s very animated, very thoughtful and seemingly slightly troubled. He’d make a great Joker.
The Man from Oz: a new interview with John Seale
Short 10 minutes with John Seale. This one’s not in the void, it’s shot in a beach bar. The audio’s not perfect but it’s interesting hearing what the DOP thought about scenes in the script and how he almost didn’t do the film due to the on screen gore in the script. Very interesting. The cinematography in the film is fantastic so it’s a shame this interview is shorter than the others.
A Very Formative Score: a new interview with Mark Isham
15 minutes with Mark Isham. Again the score is a pretty powerful player in this film so this is a welcome addition. Shot in a music studio type setting. Interesting and again could have been longer.
Duel Runner: Leigh Singer on the evolution of The Hitcher and Rutger Hauer
20 minute short doc style piece about John Ryder and the man behind him. Very nice!
China Lake: a short film by Robert Harmon newly restored
The 1983 short film China Lake, written and directed by Harmon. A police officer on vacation travels around on his motorcycle targeting nearby occupants of and travelers through China Lake. Starring the legendary Charles Napier. Shows the similarities in scene compositions and beats to the Hitcher.
The Calling Card: Robert Harmon on China Lake
15 minute interview section shot in the same void as the full interview. Fascinating talk about China Lake and how he got it made with no money. The idea of an editor thinking he was being haunted is hilarious.
Telephone: a short film by Eric Red
While it may not have the production values of China Lake this is another great addition to the release. Eeny meeny miny moe.
The Hitcher: How do these movies get made?
38 minute documentary. Great, and yet another fantastic extra on this borderline perfect release.
Trailers
I long for the day I click on this selection and it’s photos and a tour of the caravan trailers on set.
Alas this is still just the adverts for the film. A reminder of how great trailers used to be.
Limited Edition Dual 4K UHD and Blu-ray release on 30 September 2024 alongside Standard Editions on 4K
UHD and Blu-ray.
