Hitch-Hike (1977)

A bickering couple driving cross-country pick up a murderous hitchhiker who threatens to kill them unless they take him to a sanctuary. In return he agrees to split some bank loot he has on him.

Director:

Pasquale Festa Campanile

Writers:

Aldo Crudo (screen treatment), Peter Kane (novel)

Stars:

Franco Nero, Corinne Cléry, David Hess

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Franco Nero	...	Walter
Corinne Cléry	...	Eve (as Corinne Clery)
David Hess	...	Adam
Joshua Sinclair	...	Oaks (as John Loffredo)
Carlo Puri	...	Hawk
Ignazio Spalla	...	Mexican Way Station Clerk (as Pedro Sanchez)
Leonardo Scavino	...	Mendoza (as Leon Lenor)
Mónica Zanchi	...	Girl at Camp Site (as Monica Zanchi)
Benito Pacifico	...	Highway Patrolman #1
Angelo Ragusa	...	Highway Patrolman #2
Luigi Birri	...	Man at Camp Site
Robert Sommer	...	Harry Stetson
Ann Ferguson	...	Lucy Stetson
Fausto Di Bella	...	Motorcycle Punk #1

Storyline

Walter Mancini is a egostical newspaper editor whom is driving across California with his spiteful wife, Eve, on a weekend getaway to save their troubled marriage. But things take a turn when they pick up a straded motorist, named Adam, whom takes them hostage revealing himself to be a fugitive running from both the police and his two acomplices after robbing a bank and making off with all the loot. But things are not always as they seem as Walter and Eve try to find a way to not only get rid of their unwanted car guest, but find a way to deal with each other when both see the tempting offer of the stolen $2 million in cash Adam always has on him.

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Plot Keywords:

rape turns to consensual sex | orgasm from rape | female full rear nudity | neglected wife | large breasts | 

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Taglines:

A film as "hard" as its characters!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was intended to be set in northern California, but the budget wouldn't allow the film to be shot outside of Italy. The filming locations of L'Aquila, Italy were chosen because the terrain looked like the American west and the road signs and gas stations were made to look 'Americanized'. This sometimes confused American tourists whenever they came across the shooting locations and found everything written in English.

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Goofs

Reflection of lights visible in Highway Patrol officer's helmet.

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Alternate Versions

There is a version with a censored rape scene (with extra flames superimposed over the naked bodies) that also has an alternate ending in which the crashed car explodes just as Mancini reaches for the money - killing both him and his wife. The credits then roll over an image of the flaming wreckage. This version was shown in some European countries like The Netherlands, but also made it to VHS in some countries, like Australia.

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Connections

Featured in 42nd Street Forever, Volume 1 (2005)

User Reviews

Wow!

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.

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

21 July 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Naked Prey

Filming Locations:

Campo Imperatore, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Explorer Film '58, Medusa Distribuzione

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1