Hitch-Hike (1977) User Reviews

Landmark in Nihilism

[radiobirdma · 8/10 · 6 August 2008]

No, they don't do movies like this anymore. A tough one about self-hatred, mayhem and self- destruction: Franco Nero as a down-&-out reporter, Corinne Clery as his sexy, completely hollow spouse, plus David Hess doing his usual good- humored-and-mean-as-hell thing. "Autostop Rosso Sangue" is sleazy, sexist, ultra-violent, but not without some unforgettable moments: The naked Clery in front of a trailer holding a huge rifle in the middle of the night is like a hastily written, edgy but brilliant poem found in a tattered paperback left in a cheap motel. For a few short hours in his life, Pasquale Festa Campanile, creator of some of the worst Euro comedies ever, turned into a poète maudit of the most cynical kind. This is the kind of grindhouse cinema nobody can embrace with seventies nostalgia: mature, brutal, knowing, never "cool", always cold, gripping and utterly nihilistic. Anything else you would ask for?

with David Hess in the backseat, this is bound to be fun...

[Jonny_Numb · 7/10 · 7 July 2003]

I agree with the other reviewers who lament David Hess's minor film career--his three key roles (Last House, House on the Edge, and Hitch Hike) showed amazing sleaze potential (he could've been the wisecracking villain in summer action movies if his time had come 20 years later). "Hitch Hike" can be called a precursor to the action films that litter multiplexes now, but it is also much more. It's an uncommon little B movie with the gloss and name actors (Franco Nero, Corrine Clery) of an A picture, along with a surprising moral slant, gay stickup men, and twists galore. Like most Italian exploitation films, "Hitch Hike" sometimes bogs down in a bit too much excess talk, but it helps flesh out the characters--they're not mere victims or heroes, but people, too. And for fans of Hess, this is a no-brainer. (A word of advice--seek out the Anchor Bay DVD, which is remastered and preserves the film's 1.85:1 aspect ratio.)

7/10

Rare Campanile Thriller

[SMK-4 · 8/10 · 17 June 1999]

Director Pasquale Festa Campanile is best known for thoroughly unremarkable comedies, some of which being on the saucy sexy side. This film here, however, does not easily fit into his CV.

Autostop rosso sangue is a moody thriller, with a collection of unpleasant characters one would rather expect in a piece by Ruggero Deodato. If this film contains any humour (which is debatable) then certainly only of the dark and cynical kind. There are clear-cut villains (no surprises: David Hess) in this film, but the complete absence of really likeable characters makes this uncomfortable viewing. This film is certainly not for everyone and many people will find it shocking.

Still, Autostop... is excellently put together, it is very effective in what it is trying to do. Campanile may be out of his genre here but he certainly was not out of his depth - this is one of his best films.

Violent road movie with a great number of surprises , twists and turns

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 23 February 2021]

A bickering marriage : Franco Nero, Corinne Clery after spending a night at a RV camp, they pick up a man whose car is broken down at a deserted stretch of California . Along the way things go awry , the couple is tormented by the fateful hitchhiker : David Hess . Hitch a Ride..Hitch a Date with Death!

Ferociously surprising film with thrills , chills , graphic violence , nudism , plot twists and anything else . The plot is plain and simple , as a pleasure trip becomes a journey into hell , as all of them attempt to encounter a way to deal with each other when they are tempted for a sum of money , the loot from a heist . The film is as hard as its characters , all of them are unkind , ambitious and unpleasant roles . Trio of protagonists give acceptable performances . Franco Nero is nice , though overacting at times, as an alcoholic reporter with no much success , while his spitful wife well played by Corinne Clery in the best performance of her lousy career . And Davis Hess gives a grim and threatening interpretation as the sadomasochist delinquent who is taking them as hostages to get his purports . Along with brief appearances from some usual secondaries from B-Italian genres as Pedro Sánchez or Ignacio Spalla , Mónica Zanchi , Benito Pacifico and Joshua Sinclair .

It contains a thrilling and suspenseful score by Ennio Morricone, adding catching songs in American style . As well as colorful and evocative cinematography by cameraman Giuseppe Ruzzolini who photographed some Sergio Leone films . Being shot on location Campo Imperatore L'Aquila , Abruzzo , where was filmed Mel Gibson's Passion of Christ, it was chosen because the outdoors looked like California and Mexico territory , though assistants put gas station, marks , and road signs to make an Americanized look . Furthermore , the classic Falls from Monte Gelato where time before shot hundreds of Peplum of Sword and Sandals movies . The motion picture was decently written/directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile , though it has some flaws and gaps . He was an expert on comedies , writing and shooting a lot of them until his early death at 58 . As he made the following ones : When women lost their tails , When women had tails , Rugantino, Bingo Bongo , The Naked Cello , The Chastity Bell, La Ragaza di Trieste , Manolesta , The Libertine , among others . The film will appeal to Franco Nero and Corinne Clery fans.

Wow!

[lazarillo · 14 April 2004]

With all the crap movies we in the US suffered through in the 1970's both domestic and foreign, it's amazing that this little gem never got widely released. This movie is part film noir, part existential road movie, and part Italian giallo. It's very suspenseful and contains many strong scenes of realistic violence (and sexual violence), but never veers into the realm of total tastelessness like much of the 70's drive-in fare (especially the Italian-made stuff). The score from Ennio Morricone is great. The three leads are phenomenal. Franco Nero is so charismatic you forget what a bastard he is. Not surprisingly (considering it's an Italian exploitation movie), Bond girl Corrine Clery spends half the film at least partially naked, but what is surprising is that she would have been excellent regardless. And David Hess is better than he was in Last House on the Left. The British DVD contains a superb documentary which interviews the three stars, and it's downright surreal seeing a middle-aged, mild-mannered David Hess. He played a sick creep so well in this and other 70's movies, I had just assumed he was one in real life. The most amazing thing about this movie though was that it was shot in Italy. The filmmakers did such a good job capturing the look of 1970's Northern California and Nevada that I was having flashbacks of childhood road trips with my parents. And what an ending! They just don't make 'em like this anymore. Highly recommended.

The vast majority of voters gave this a "7"; they were dead right.

[gridoon · 7/10 · 15 February 2003]

The simple, straightforward direction, the visually beautiful locations, the atmospheric score, and Franco Nero's great performance (I know David Hess has his fans also, but he really doesn't display much charisma in this role; imagine what a Henry Silva could have done with this!) are all positive qualities of the film. But the script is so nihilistic and cold-hearted that it's really hard to say you "liked" the film. The story becomes so labored, tries so hard to come to the most downbeat conclusion possible, that the film goes on at least 20 minutes too long. (**1/2)

Little known, but terrific road thriller

[Nightman85 · 9/10 · 30 September 2005]

Intense, off-beat Italian thriller is an underexposed classic.

Fueding married couple, traveling across the country, make the mistake of picking up a hitch hiker who turns out to be a violent bank robber. But that's only the beginning of the story.

Skillfully well done thriller is gripping in it's wildly turning plot. The cinematography is stylishly good, with some beautiful country side filming locations. The music, though seemingly out of place at times, is great too. In addition there is a decent amount of violence and some nudity.

The real highlights of this film though are it's three stars, who seem to be in a show-stealing competition all through out the film. Franco Nero does a convincingly good performance as the alcoholic reporter, who has grown tired of his wife. Corinne Clery is fetching and talented as Nero's equally weary wife. The terrific David Hess makes for another great villain, also having played a crazed criminal in both Craven's Last House on the Left (1972) and another Italian exploitation film House on the Edge of the Park (1979).

For those who are seeking an unconventional thriller or just a fan of Hess, this film will be a well rewarding watch.

*** 1/2 out of ****

See Bava's "Kidnapped" aka "Rabid Dogs" first please.

[coldwaterpdh · 7/10 · 30 October 2009]

Not a bad little exploitation yarn. We have Hess from 'Last House' to spice it up, he always plays a great psycho. He almost verbatim repeats his character from "House on the Edge of the Park" but that's okay. We're not sick of it yet! In this new age of torture porn and despicably uncool modern horror, it's refreshing to see where these things came from. Here you go.

"Hitch-Hike" is a rip off of Mario Bava's classic road-horror, "Kidnapped," with a dash of "Last House on the Left" and sprinkle of "Race With The Devil" thrown in for good measure. While it is less entertaining and way less convincing than "Kidnapped," it still works as a fun little romp for those who are not schooled in Italian horror and exploitation. Seems that more folks are discovering Blue Underground nowadays and you vets will recognize that in reading the reviews on here. For those of us who've done the research, this obscure, newly released film does deliver on many levels but nothing we haven't seen before. Watch Franco Nero who rocks the house in what has to be the most despicable man ever portrayed in a film. No redeeming qualities to be found there. I thought he pulled it off wonderfully.

There are many, many Italian exploitation/sleaze/horror films that you should have seen before this one if "Hitch-Hike" shocks you at all.

Oh yea- the soundtrack is awesome.

7 out of 10, kids.

One of the best road movies.

[analoguebubblebath · 8/10 · 27 May 2001]

"Hitch Hike" is one of the best road movies I have ever seen. The legendary David Hess pulls off another great performance as the brutal hitch-hiker whilst the loving couple Franco "Django" Nero and Corinne Clery as Walter and Eve make for compulsive viewing.

Involving and always engaging. Some great twists, wonderfully nasty minor individuals complete with decent characterisation make this essential for any video collection.

8/10

Sleazy Italian crime

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 19 January 2018]

HITCH-HIKE is a moralistic Italian crime thriller with a sleazy feel that comes from the presence in the cast of David Hess, playing up to his usual sadistic LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT persona. He plays a volatile hitch-hiker who is picked up by bickering couple Franco Nero and Corinne Clery and subsequently holds them hostage on a lengthy road trip. The film has much in common with Mario Bava's RABID DOGS but is nowhere near as good, because the story is quite depressing and the incidents depicted are more unpleasant than not. Thee's a great deal of beating and humiliation, with nudity and rape the order of the day here. Saying that, the direction is slick and there's plenty of suspense too, amid the broken characters and outbursts of sadism. I found the big twist ending to be somewhat predictable given the film's level of nihilism as a whole.

Django and the Burning Bush of Babylon...

[matthewmercy · 4/10 · 24 July 2012]

Pasquale Festa Campanile's Hitch-Hike (1977) is not a movie that will be familiar to many viewers in the UK. It is an Italian-produced piece of drive-in drivel featuring European megastar Franco Nero as a drunken, bitter journalist touring the US with his gorgeous young wife Corinne Clery (best known to British audiences for her role in Moonraker); a dysfunctional couple at best, the flaws in their relationship are well and truly exposed when they pick up a stranded motorist who unfortunately turns out to be a psychopathic bank robber on the lam (played by mop-topped David Hess, reprising his patented 'complete scumbag' routine familiar from Wes Craven's highly unpleasant 1972 D-movie dog turd The Last House on the Left)... At best a film of two halves, Hitch-Hike is quite accomplished technically (an action scene in which Hess guns down two dopey cops is shot with Peckinpah-like style, whilst the several stunt sequences involving speeding vehicles are also pretty decent), and largely well-acted (Nero is particularly good), but the film is nevertheless undone by the mostly unimaginative script (the dialogue, of which there is a lot, is inane in the extreme, never more so than when Hess tries to persuade Nero to write a book about him, treating him to several deeply uninteresting anecdotes from his childhood, whilst the early scene in a campsite must be one of the worst-written, and most ineptly post-synched, pieces of film I've ever seen), the seedy emphasis on threats of impending sexual assault against the shapely Clery, and the many dumbly illogical things it requires the characters to do to drive the plot forward. Look at the scene in which Nero first realises Hess is a nutcase and gets the drop on him; after stunning him with a blow to the face and dragging him out of the back seat, common sense would dictate that Nero immediately get back into the car and tell his wife to floor it before the criminal recovers, but instead, Nero saunters down into a roadside ditch and stupidly continues whaling on Hess, with the result that the maniac is able to pull a pistol on the couple and take them hostage. Whilst the lusty emphasis on the female star's (often nude) body might well be typical of an exploitation movie of this vintage (and her style of 'trim' certainly is), it doesn't stop it from being distasteful. Clery's character very quickly becomes aware that their captor is a leering pervert who is going to defile her the first chance he gets, yet she never tries to take his mind off her shapely form by putting a few more clothes on, and instead continues wearing the same very provocative split-skirt-and-unbuttoned-blouse combo throughout the film, even after his first (failed) attempt at raping her. This angle leads to the disturbing scene in which Hess finally succeeds in having his way with Clery, whilst the hog-tied Nero watches in horror, which is incredibly crass as it portrays the wife as actually enjoying the act (a conceit in itself that might account for the flick's obscurity, as it would generally result in any film getting an instant red card from censors). The last quarter of Hitch-Hike admittedly drags it out of the ordinary (and out of the gutter), as it skilfully sketches the Nero character's final moral collapse, and ends the film on a considerable (and logical) downer. Also Ennio Morricone's incidental music, whilst a far cry from his best work, is nonetheless much more accomplished than this film deserves (I wish the same could be said of the atrocious happy-clappy campfire ditty repeated again and again at inappropriate points during the running time; I challenge you not to have it stuck in your head for hours after the film ends). However, overall this is sleazy, cheesy, cheap viewing, and not a film I would recommend.

Fantastic thriller

[The_Void · 10/10 · 26 July 2004]

Hitch Hike is an incredible thriller. From the moment it starts, it grabs your attention and doesn't let it go until the film ends; moody, dark, exciting and brilliant; Hitch Hike is a rare gem that should not be missed by anyone lucky enough to get the chance to see it.

In the familiar style of the more well known hitchhiker films such The Hitcher, Hitch Hike follows the fortunes of an Italian couple; a reporter and his wife that are traveling across America. On the way the couple, on the wife's advice, stop to pick up a hitchhiker. And obviously, that turns out to be a bad decision....

Hitch Hike features three outstanding performances from it's three main leads; Franco Nero, who was made famous for Django, Corinne Clery, the beautiful young lady that would go on to play James Bond's love interest in Moonraker, and of course, David Hess; a man that horror fans will recognize from the shock horror classic; The Last House on the Left. All three of the leads portray their characters excellently, especially Franco Nero, at certain points in the movie, such as the part in which his wife is brutally raped, he really draws you into his character and you can feel his anger flowing from the TV screen. David Hess was typecast as the maniac of the piece, but nevertheless he plays the part well and he is every bit the unstable, insecure maniac that the couple are unfortunate enough to pick up. And finally; Corinne Clery, undoubtedly the least outstanding of the three in terms of character strength, gets to flex her acting muscles somewhat too as the victim of most of the film's brutality.

What makes Hitch Hike so thrilling is mainly its free flowing and meandering plot structure. Through the events that transpire in the movie, which are largely unpleasant and brutal, we are repeatedly given the impression that anything can happen. This is brought about by the excellent way that the movie plays out as long as it can with its current events, and then throws a twist in when the last one has stagnated. This is done multiple times in the film and it really keeps the audience on their toes.

Aside from being a thrilling exploitation flick, Hitch Hike is also an interesting character study. At several points in the movie, the characters interact and play off each other differently. For example, from the start of the movie, Franco Nero's character is portrayed as a selfish, arrogant, amoral man that most audience members will find hard to empathize with. However, once David Hess' character is introduced; a character which is much meaner and easier to dislike that Nero's, we are able to feel more for Nero's character and he undergoes a transformation from the villain of the piece to an antihero. This is a great thing for this movie, as you never really know where you are with the characters and they can always surprise you; the shocking and ironic ending epitomizes this best. The interaction between the characters, especially the early scenes between the couple and the hitchhiker are as fascinating as they are uncomfortable. The movie has a great way of drawing the viewer in with it's attention-grabbing banter, and yet at the same time making them wish they were somewhere else due to the tenseness and foreboding feel of danger about it.

Hitch Hike also features a fantastic soundtrack from a man that is probably the best composer there ever was; Ennio Morricone. This movie features what is most definitely one of his best non-Leone scores. His music adds texture and vibrancy to the picture and really succeeds in making the powerful images on screen that much more powerful.

Hitch Hike is a tense, exciting and efficient thriller and overall I find it hard to pick any faults with it, and the only real fault I can muster is that the dubbing isn't always great. If you're a fan of film, I recommend this film. But if you're a fan of thrillers, particularly in the exploitation style; I don't recommend, I insist.

Nice try, a very small cigar.

[punishmentpark · 6/10 · 15 January 2015]

A psychological road-thriller, mixed with exploitation elements and the voice used to dub David Hess laughs like Elmer Fudd... That last detail is a good indication for how silly the film is at moments. I can't say it never works, the psychological warfare comes off pretty good at times, but overall the plot is too contrived and the characters / actors fail to get the right mood across - it basically gets stuck in the b-movie exploitation genre. Nothing wrong with the latter in itself, but the obvious intentions to get the audience thinking about all kinds of issues did hardly work for me.

The part where Adam is left for dead and right after, a mysterious big truck turns up trying to run them off the road and everyone is going "What the hell does he want?!", supposedly not having a clue as to who that might be, is a particular low, apart from the fact that it is a poor attempt at a twist and it's just a rip-off from 'Duel'. The twist(s) at the end didn't work well either, particularly because Eve, having suffered the most in all of what went on before, should have come out on top. But also it feels way too contrived.

Just don't expect too much and you'll be able to enjoy some pretty neat camera-work, some okay action, a little gore, some fine nudity and some okay acting (voice-dubbing is pretty much always a problem there).

5 out of 10.

Road Rage or Acting Rage

[jameswilliams784 · 4/10 · 1 March 2015]

Wow, this could have been a great movie. The story could be very compelling. A boozing husband and a sheepish wife go on a camping trip. They stop to pick up a hitchhiker and then the trouble starts. Turns out the hitchhiker has just stolen some money and also ditched his fellow criminals. Now he gains control of this couple and forces them to drive him to a safe location.

The problem in this movie is the acting. There is not one decent performance in the whole cast. Corine Cery as the wife is the best, and I have seen her in other movies and she is much better. Same with Franco Nero, a very good actor but he seems to have been asleep or something during this movie because his acting is horrible. The worse acting job is Devid Hess as the hitchhiker. We should feel either extreme hate or at least get some kind of feeling from this guy and we get nothing. He did not scare me, I felt nothing about him. From what I gather from others he is supposed to have played a lot of this kind of character. I guess he is supposed to be some kind of psychopath, but it just did not ring true to me. In a movie like this with this story, I should feel some sympathy for the wife and I don't. The only thing this movie has going for it is plenty of Corine Cery naked. Thats the only reason this gets 4 stars and thats a push.

Last Road to the Left!

[suspiria10 · 18 January 2003]

A road rager full sick people and guilty pleasures. Nero is a twisted newspaper writer with a nasty streak against his lovely and all too forgiving wife played by Clery. On a return from holiday they pick up a stranded motorist (David Hess), who unknown to them was just involved in a $2 million dollar heist. What follows is a weell-paced often violent road flick that manages to entertain and promote a little thoght. You almost need a score card to follow all the backstabbing and two-timing going on. The plot zig-zags like a road to hell and nobody taking the trip is who they seem. 7/10

Not quite "The Last Mobile House on the Left Road to Mexico" after all

[Coventry · 7/10 · 4 February 2008]

Considering this film's notorious reputation, the copious amount of praising reviews, the unusually high rating (for this type of cinema) and some of the most promising keywords available on IMDb (like "Extreme Violence", "Explicit Sex" and "Grindhouse"), I can't help feeling a little bit disappointed with the final result. "Autostop Rosso Sangre" is a good film, but my personal expectations were set to see a non-stop orgy of shocks & sleaze combined with an involving story, but eventually the wholesome is simply a bit too "light". Still too controversial and nightmarish for most mainstream audiences, mind you, but genuine cult freaks and die-hard sick puppies are likely to remain behind with the feared sentiments of "Is that it?" The film is shamelessly promoted as a cash-in on "Last House on the Left" (one of the a.k.a.'s even literally repeats the title of Wes Craven's milestone) and it's fairly easy to see why, even apart from the fact it stars David Hess in a similar role. The set-up also handles about a family suddenly terrorized (physically as well as emotionally) by a fugitive psychopath; only this plays as a road movie with the creep aiming to reach Mexico by car instead of entrenching himself inside the house of innocent people. There are two major differences between this film and the majority of "Revengesploitation"-efforts, however. First and foremost the script doesn't really build up towards the typical & anticipated vengeance-climax and, secondly, the victimized family isn't the most piteous and sympathetic one, neither. The first twenty or so minutes extendedly introduce Walter & Eve Mancini during the last days of their annual camping trip at a cheerful site in sunny California. Walter is an alcoholic and unsuccessful reporter of Italian descent who practically rapes his own wife, continuously humiliates her in front of the other campers and enjoys aiming a hunting riffle at her. On their way home, Eve picks up a hitchhiker against the Walter's will and their already depressing lives rapidly turn into an even bigger hell. All the attempts to get rid of the unwanted passenger result in disturbing bloodbaths and gradually a strange and unsettling triangular relationship develops itself. For approximately 80 minutes, "Autostop Rosso Sangre" is a gripping & compelling mixture between road-movie, psychological thriller and down-to-the-ground exploitation. The story bathes in a mysterious atmosphere and the photography and soundtrack (courtesy of Ennio Morricone) are ultimately stylish, yet the violence is brutal (but sadly too minimal) and the sex and nudity are totally gratuitous. You actually often wonder whether you should feel enchanted by the beautiful imagery or disgusted with the depraved characters and their actions. Franco Nero enormously impresses as the rotten husband – and this time he's even allowed to talk English with a heavy Italian accent – and cult bogeyman David Hess is once more naturally menacing as the perpetrator. Corinne Clery is gorgeous and nevertheless comes across as a strong woman despite her inglorious and severely anti-feminist role.

"Autostop Rosso Sangre" makes an abrupt stop around the 80 minutes checkpoint and afterwards continues its journey on a twisty & bumpy road with several unlikely obstacles. --- Warning: Here There Be Spoilers --- The DVD box clearly states you're watching the fully uncut 104 minutes version, yet something happens that usually marks the end of a film. However, the story continues, introduces some new characters and even alters the persona's of those we already know. Particularly the end shot is thoroughly bizarre. Is Walter supposed to reprise Adam's role of fugitive pervert? Sure he acted like a bastard from minute one, but he isn't a criminal. You could claim the final twenty-five minutes are innovating and in fact those that truly distinguish this film from the majority of inferior "Last House on the Left" imitations, but at the same time they're the only ones that move by at an incredibly slow pace and feel redundant. This is unquestionably a 70's euro-exploitation highlight, but still it could be better. For total perfection with a similar storyline, check out Mario Bava's "Rabid Dogs".

Django (Franco Nero) meets "The Devil" (David Hess)

[merklekranz · 7/10 · 27 June 2007]

Everybody in this movie is strictly out for themselves, which makes the double dealing all the more believable. You are never quite sure who to root for. As soon as one bad guy is disposed of, another appears to take their place. Along the way there is plenty of sexual tension, fistfights, car crashes, shootings, and various other entertainment for exploitation fans. "Hitch-Hike" has just enough action and plot twists to offset the sub-par acting. As an added bonus, Ennio Morricone, delivers a very good score, somewhat reminiscent of the "Dollar" spaghetti westerns. This all adds up to a highly recommended exploitation film. - MERK

Well-Made "Road-Thriller"...

[EVOL666 · 8/10 · 2 August 2006]

David Hess is at it again as another rapist-psycho in the exploitation "road-thriller", HITCH-HIKE. An Italian film shot to look as though it was filmed in the desert of the U.S. south-west, HITCH-HIKE is an often tense and entertaining film, that despite a good bit of relatively graphic violence, rape, and other "strong" content, never really seems to cross the line into blatantly sleazy exploit territory. An exploit film definitely - but one with a bit more substance than most...

Playing a role much like the ones he's portrayed in LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, and HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF THE PARK - Hess puts on a powerful performance as a bank robber picked up by a drunk reporter and his extremely tolerant wife - the daughter of a publishing mogul. Hess is one of three who escaped the robbery unscathed, and is on the run and looking for safe-passage to Mexico to spend his new-found two million dollars. Along the way, Hess and company have run-in's with cops, the other remaining bank robbers, and other "obstacles" until the "shocking" finale...

HITCH-HIKE will be a winner amongst 70's exploit fans, and also fans of Hess's other over-the-top performances. Franco Nero as the rough-and-tumble alcoholic reporter and Corinne Clery as his tolerant wife shine very much as well (especially Clery, who is gorgeous and spends a good bit of the film in various degrees of undress...). The storyline is pretty straight-forward, but has a "free-form" feel to it that allows for several twists and strange situations. My only real complaint is that the film feels about twenty minutes too long, as if some of the scenes towards the end could have been trimmed a bit - but the "downbeat" ending is worth it. Definitely worth a look to exploit and Hess fans...8.5/10

Road Kill

[kapelusznik18 · 7/10 · 17 February 2015]

****SPOILERS*** One of the better "Hitch-Hiker from Hell" movies that has Walter & Eve Mancini,Franco Nero & Corinne Clery,held hostage by this escaped from an institution the criminally insane hitch-hiker Adam Konitz,David Hess,in an effort to get him across the border into Mexico. You can see right away that both Walter & Eve aren't really getting along with each other and are are on the point of splitting up until Adam shows up. It was in fact Eve who, in order to get Walter off her back, insisted in her husband to pick hitch-hiker Adam up that soon backfired on both of them.

With Adam, after he started getting fresh with Eve, pulling a gun on Walter who was about to brain him with a tire iron he then takes out his frustrations on the helpless Eve whom he had his eye on since he was picked up hitch-hiking. Unknown to both Walter & Eve Adam had already murdered one of his fellow escapees from the mental institution he escaped from and is being tracked down not only by the police, whom he later murdered two of them, but the two other mentally deranged escapees Oaks & Hawk, Joshua Sinclair & Carlo Puri, who he left high & dry. That by taking off with the two million dollars of stolen money from a bank they knocked off. With Adam temperately put out of commission by Oaks & Hawk, who gunned him down, he comes back from the dead, their aim wasn't on target, with a fury knocking them both off by having them drive off a cliff, after he shot them, on a car-jacked garbage truck to their deaths. Now ready for action Adam brutally rapes Eve while her helpless husband Walter, who's tied up,is forced to watch!

****SPOILERS**** Just when Adam was about to put Walter out of his misery, with a bullet to the head, he gets the surprise of his life with the just abused and raped Eve gunning him down from behind with her husband's rifle that was hidden inside their trailer. You would have thought that would be the end of the movie but there was a lot more to come. Which had nothing to do with the dead Adam but a number of wild teenage bikers who drove Walter and Eve's trailer off the road leaving the two for dead. It's then that Walter, who never had any use for his wife Eve anyway, finally freed himself from her as well as freed the stolen two million dollars, by Adam, all for himself to spend.

Thumbs up.

[BA_Harrison · 8/10 · 31 January 2018]

I abide by a simple rule when driving: never pick up a hitch-hiker, especially if he looks like David Hess. Bickering married couple Walter and Eve Mancini (Franco Nero and Corinne Cléry) do just that whilst driving cross country, quickly coming to regret offering stranded driver Adam Konitz (Hess) a lift when they discover that their passenger is in fact an escaped lunatic and armed robber who is on the run with $2m in his suitcase.

While Hess is no doubt the most loathesome character in the car, the depraved killer quickly showing his true colours, Walter and Eve are no angels either: Walter is an egostistical, drunken, misogynistic, failed reporter living off his wife's money, while Eve is something of a spoiled ***** (although Corinne Cléry's stunning beauty cuts her a lot of slack in my eyes). As the film develops, the plot takes more twists and turns than the desert backroad travelled by the trio, leading to a most unexpected conclusion. The fun is in being along for the ride, not knowing where the film will take you.

At 104 minutes, Hitch-hike is possibly a little too long, heavy on dialogue that might have benefitted from some judicious trimming, but director Pasquale Festa Campanile doesn't allow the pace to drop too much, delivering enough exploitative content at regular intervals to keep fans of '70s sleaze more than happy. Those wanting to see Hess in ultra-violent/sleazy mode will delight as he blows away two motorcycle cops (one taking a bullet to the head with bloody results), sends his gay partners-in-crime to a fiery death, and forces himself on Eve in front of a helpless Walter. And those looking for gratuitous nudity will be pleased to learn that Cléry is no shrinking violet.

A memorable score from Ennio Morricone accompanies the uncompromising action, with a happy-clappy hippy singalong song contrasting the sex and violence.

7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb.

I love this!

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 18 January 2024]

Wow, Hitch-Hike is one rough movie.

Usually Franco Nero is the hero of a film, but in this, he's nearly the villain from the beginning. He's Walter Mancini, an alcoholic reporter on an RV vacation with his wife Eve (Corinne Cléry). Five minutes into the movie, he's saying that he wishes that the wild game he shot and is barbecuing was his wife with a spit in her ass, drinking so much that he forgets his name and pretty much assaulting Eve while other campers can listen to his loud lovemaking moans.

The next morning, they get on the road and quickly pick up Adam Konitz (David Hess) and let me ask you, why would you ever pick up a hitchhiker that looks like David Hess? Within seconds, he's asking Eve filthy questions and in the middle of a roadside fistfight with Walter. He pulls a gun on the couple and hijacks their vacation and makes them drive him to Mexico. Walter tries to outsmart him by writing SOS on his matchbook, but Adam gets the drop on both police officers, leaving their bodies bleeding on a desert highway.

On the way to the border, a truck attacks like something out of Duel. It's Konitz's partners, looking for the $2 million he stole from them. He ends up killing them, which exposes the fact that they only cared about the money and not sheer depravity, like Konitz, who then ties up Walter and makes him watch him assault Eve, who because this is an Italian movie ends up in bliss by the end of it. Walter and Konitz fight and a nude Eve emerges from their trailer with the killer's rifle, blowing him away.

This is where any other movie would end, but for some reason, Walter keeps the killer's body in the trailer and tells Eve they are keeping the money. After stopping for gas, four young motorcycle riders cover the road in oil and cause the Manicini car to crash. Is this where it ends? No, because after they steal $300 from Walter's wallet, they have no idea how much money is in the backseat. Eve can barely move and can only watch while her husband pulls out Konitz's body in the front seat and setting everything on fire.

He climbs up a hill and starts hitchhiking himself.

Based on The Violence and the Fury by Peter Kane, Franco Nero wanted to be in this movie because he had wanted to work with director Pasquale Festa Campanile. He was in Germany shooting 21 Hours at Munich with Hess when Companile asked him to be in the movie. Nero suggested that Hess come with him and be in this movie.

A few days before shooting, Nero hurt his hand punching an unruly horse on the set of Keoma. That's why there's a scene where he trips on the insurance man's tent and breaks his arm.

This is set in California, but shooting there was too expensive. Instead, it was filmed in the mountains of the Gran Sasso in central Italy. To complete the film magic, American-like gas stations were built.

It's also known as Death Drive and The Naked Prey, both of which are great titles. In the U. S., as you can already guess, it was released on video as Hitchhike: Last House on the Left.

Campanile was mostly known for his commedia sexy all'italiana, so I was shocked by how dark and hate-filled this movie is. Walter is an absolute loser, a man whose writing couldn't pay the bills - ask a man about who he is and he will start with what he does for a living - and now he must work for Eve's father. Feeling beat down, all he does is drink and abuse his wife. If anything, Eve has the least hope in this, as she keeps trying to believe in her husband even when he almost gets her killed.

What pushes it even further is the Ennio Morricone score, as well as the song "Sunshine," which is first heard in a moment of fun as everyone drinks together at the camping area. By the end of the movie, each time that you hear it is filled with dread, like it keeps reminding you that things were bad at the start of this movie but they've somehow gotten even more bleak.

There are two alternate endings. There's one in which the car explodes just as Walter and Eve reach for the money. The French ending has Walter and Eve laughing and leaving with the money after Konitz is shot.

I love this movie because it's everything you expect when you see David Hess and the exact opposite of who Franco Nero usually is on film. It's devoted to being a bad road trip the entire way with no hope and the only humor being as black as it can be.

A squalid film

[JasparLamarCrabb · 1/10 · 28 February 2015]

Pasquale Festa Campanile's squalid thriller is so insanely misogynistic it's offensive. Bickering couple Franco Nero and Corinne Cléry pick up hitchhiking bank robbery suspect David Hess out in the California desert. What ensues is a demented game of cat-and-mouse between Hess, some his cronies and the unlucky couple. Nero shouts a lot, Hess screams a lot and Cléry is relentlessly victimized, frequently stripped naked and beaten. Stupidly rules in this classless piece of junk that wastes a lot of talent and bores the viewer into a stupor. Ennio Morricone's Dylan-esque music score adds absolutely nothing. The film has been edited into various forms for viewing in different parts of the world, but it would be fine if all prints were in fact simply destroyed.

A Forgotten Exploitation Gem

[Scars_Remain · 8/10 · 11 May 2008]

I saw this on the shelves of a local record store today and noticed the Blue Underground logo so I picked it up. Upon further inspection, meaning I just read the box, I noticed that David Hess was the star so I just had to give it a shot. It was a very enjoyable movie that deserves to be recognized much more than it has. I had never even heard of it before today and it was so good that I wish I had so I could have enjoyed it sooner.

David Hess is one of the kings of exploitation and he rules in this film as the hitchhiker that destroys a bickering couple's trip. The other actors weren't bad either. The story is great and even better than most exploitation films because it's very well thought out and has a lot of clever plot twists that you will never see coming. It also has great blood and gore. You won't want to miss it.

Check this one out if you can find it. If you can't find it, sucks to be you!

A kind of Italian HItcher

[searchanddestroy-1 · 7/10 · 9 March 2018]

I don't believe that no user at all has noted the obvious relation between Robert Harmon's HITCHER and this item of course made long before. I gues you have many gems of tis kind lost in distributors vaults and not necessarily released thu DVD. I won't add much but just enjoy...

The 7 Rating On IMDb Seems a Bit Disingenuous.

[redrobin62-321-207311 · 5/10 · 5 September 2018]

I obtained this title because of its high rating on IMDb as well as the fact it's unrated. Movies from the seventies are notorious for their high levels of sexual situations and violence as compared to films today, thus they're always worth checking out just on those merits alone.

"Hitch-hike" was no exception. There wasn't that much gore but the sexual situations were probably what warranted the non rating. Unfortunately, "Hitch-hike" suffered from poor acting from both the main characters and the rest of the ensemble cast. The pacing was fine as was the scenery. Was this a must-see flick? Not really. You've seen better.