A young man who escapes the clutches of a murderous hitchhiker is subsequently stalked by the hitcher and framed for his crimes.
Director:
Robert HarmonWriter:
Eric Red
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Title: The Hitcher (1986)
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We celebrate the life and legacy of Rutger Hauer, the award-winning actor best known for Blade Runner and The Hitcher.
3 wins.
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Edit
Cast
| Complete credited 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 |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (118) »
Storyline
A young man transporting a car to another state is stalked along the road by a cunning and relentless serial killer who eventually frames the driver for a string of murders. Chased by Police and shadowed by the killer, the driver's only help comes from a truck stop waitress. Written by Keith Loh <loh@sfu.ca>
Plot Keywords:
hitchhiker | sociopath | torn in half | homosexual subtext | homoeroticism |Taglines:
Out on the desert highway, the rule of thumb has a different meaning... See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
21 February 1986 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
The Hitcher See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$6,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$2,134,214, 23 February 1986Gross USA:
$5,844,868Cumulative Worldwide Gross:
$5,844,868Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby Stereo (4 channels)Color:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
Edit
Jim Halsey: Nothing.
Proprietor: Nothing?
Jim Halsey: Nothing happened.
See more »
Performed by Mickey Jones
Published by Mickey Jones Music (ASCAP)
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
C. Thomas Howell considers this movie to be one of his personal favorites. See more »Goofs
From the time that Jim first picks John up and before he throws him out of the car, it seems to turn from day to night and back again several times.. See more »Quotes
Proprietor: Well, what happened to you?Jim Halsey: Nothing.
Proprietor: Nothing?
Jim Halsey: Nothing happened.
See more »
Soundtracks
DON'T STOP LOVIN' MEPerformed by Mickey Jones
Published by Mickey Jones Music (ASCAP)
See more »
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A normal ordinary guy picks up a stranger in the middle of nowhere so that he could drive awake. Little does he know that he's going into a road trip from hell...
Rutger Hauer give what I think is his best performance. Sure, there was that menacing Replicant in Blade Runner, but this one overshoots it by a long shot. He delivers a performance so good, that you'll find it difficult to question whether his character is believable or unbelievable.
C. Thomas Howell, one one of the kids in Steven Spielberg's ET, plays the protagonist. Here, he faces every driver's worst nightmare imaginable, and he delivers it with realism. Howell also demonstrates how an ordinary teenager can change into a helpless being who is caught between a psychopathic game of cat-and-mouse set by a brutal man hell-bent on killing him.
The nice New Mexico cinematography of which the film was filmed and set gives tranquility to the picture and makes the film looks good while delivering the thrills. Strongly supporting this topic is composer Mark Isham's gritty yet beautiful score. It;s just perfect for this kind of movie.
The action sequences are handled very nicely here. We got a petrol station blowing up, an intense police car chase, and one of the greatest endings in cinematic history. Period.
The Hitcher (1986) is one of the first films I have ever watched, and I still cherish it to this day. The 2007 remake, or rather, reDO, is a shallow and uninspiring music-videoish piece of crud that will only be liked by the MTV generation, but never the fans of the original. Why was it remade, we will never know.
Overall, it is an excellent movie and one of the best thrillers ever made. Pick this one up, guys, it's worth it.
8/10