Roadgames (1981)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Richard Franklin

Writers:

Everett De Roche (screenplay)
Everett De Roche (story)
(more)

Release Date:

February 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The truck driver plays games... The hitchhiker plays games. And the killer is playing the deadliest game of all!

Plot:

A truck driver plays a cat-and-mouse game with a mysterious serial killer who uses a young female hitchhiker as bait to lure victims on a desolate Australian highway.

Plot Keywords:

Australia | Serial Killer | Hitchcockian | Truck Driver | On The Road

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Stacy Keach	...	Patrick 'Pat' Quid
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Pamela 'Hitch' Rushworth
Marion Edward	...	Madeleine 'Frita' Day
Grant Page	...	Smith or Jones
Thaddeus Smith	...	Policeman 'Abbott'
Steve Millichamp	...	Policeman 'Costello' (as Stephen Millichamp)
Alan Hopgood	...	Lester
John Murphy	...	Benny Balls
Bill Stacey	...	Captain Careful
Robert Thompson	...	Sneezy Rider
Ed Turley	...	Roadhouse Proprietor
Angelica La Bozzetta	...	Young Hitchhiker (as Angie La Bozzetta)
Colin Vancao	...	Fred Frugal
Paul Harris	...	Frugal Son
Rochelle Harris	...	Frugal Daughter
Tony Bishop	...	Honeymoon Man
Abbe Holmes	...	Honeymoon Woman (as Abby Holmes)
Carole-Ann Aylett	...	Cleaning Lady (as Carol Ann Aylett)
Killer	...	Boswell

Directed by
Richard Franklin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Everett De Roche		screenplay
Everett De Roche		story
Richard Franklin		story

Produced by
Richard Franklin	....	producer
Bernard Schwartz	....	executive producer
Barbi Taylor	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Brian May

Cinematography by
Vincent Monton

Film Editing by
Edward McQueen-Mason

Production Design by
Jon Dowding

Costume Design by
Aphrodite Kondos

Production Management
Barbara Gibbs	....	production manager
Greg Ricketson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Burstall	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Lon Bender	....	sound editor
Paul Clark	....	production sound mixer
Andrew London	....	supervising sound editor

Visual Effects by
Richard Wilmot	....	optical effects printer

Camera and Electrical Department
Karel Akkerman	....	grip
Louis Irving	....	camera operator
Jamie Leckie	....	grip assistant

Music Department
Ross Cockle	....	music score engineer

Production Companies

• Essaness Pictures
• Quest

Distributors

• AVCO Embassy Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Australian Video
• Globo Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO)
• Magna-Filmi (1983) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1991) (Finland) (TV)
• New World-Mutual (Canada)
• Nordic Video (1989) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1982) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Road Games (USA)

Runtime:

101 min | Sweden:93 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (original rating) | Iceland:16 | West Germany:12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | UK:AA

Filming Locations:

Diggers Rest, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Essaness Pictures

Trivia:

The wire that the killer uses as a weapon in the film is actually a thick guitar string.

Quotes:

Patrick 'Pat' Quid: Madam, just because I drive a truck does not make me a truck driver.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Kangaroo Hitchcock: The Making of 'Road Games' (2003) (V)

Just like a Hitchcock movie

I first saw this movie on TV. I taped it and watched it later. A couple of weeks ago I bought it on DVD and re-watched it. I had forgotten just how much I loved it. To me, watching this movie is just like watching an Alfred Hitchcock movie. It's filled with suspense. The characters are amazingly intelligent too, especially Stacy Keach's character, Pat Quid. At one point he picks up a hitchhiker, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, but is a gentleman the whole time she is in his truck. That was perfect. I mean, if he fooled around with her, that would have seriously detracted from the story. All the way through it the story has good supporting characters that only add to the quality of the film. Plus the cinematography in Australia's Outback is beautiful. I also enjoyed the truck driving sequences. One other thing, even though the movie is by no means a comedy, there are some very funny scenes in it, which you should enjoy. I don't want to give any of it away though. You need to watch it for yourself. I highly recommend this one. It's worth at least a rental. You will probably want to own it after seeing it once though. I know I did.