Hitch-Hike - Raro Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1977
Director: Pasquale Festa Campanile
Writers: Aldo Crudo, Aldo Crudo, Pasquale Festa Campanile
Cast: Franco Nero, Corinne Cléry, David Hess, Joshua Sinclair, Carlo Puri

Release Date: February 16th, 2016
Approximate running time: 104 minutes 1 Second
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: OOP

"While on a cross-country drive, a bitter writer (international superstar franco Nero of Django) and his beautiful wife (Corinne Clery, the Story of O and Moonraker) pick up a stranded motorist (David Hess of Last House on the Left infamy). But when this hitcher turns out to be a depraved psychopath, their road trip takes a vicious detour into sex and savagery where the miles are marked in mayhem and vengeance is the ultimate rule of thumb." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "New HD transfer from original 35mm negative."

Hitch-Hike comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 21.2 GB

Feature: 18.2 GB

When compared to previous releases, this one is just a slight improvement, with the biggest improvement being in regards to colors and image clarity. Unfortunately, this transfer, like the previous transfer, is not without its short comings. The most obvious of these flaws is that the image has that all-too-familiar look that has plagued many films released on Blu-Ray by Raro Video.

Audio: 4.25/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options: a DTS-HD Mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD Mono mix in English. The audio tracks fare much better than the transfer. Both audio mixes are in great shape as they both exhibit strong range and depth, especially when it comes to Ennio Morricone’s score. Also, the dialog always comes through clearly and everything sounds balanced. Included with this release are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a documentary titled Road to Ruin (26 minutes, 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Italian with removable English subtitles), a slipcover, and an eight-page booklet with cast & crew information and an essay about Hitch-Hike written by Bret Wood.

Summary:

Pasquale Festa Campanile directed Hitch-Hike. He is also known for directing other films, such as The Slave and The Libertine. He also worked extensively as a screenwriter, and some of his notable screenwriting credits include The Assassin and The Leopard.

A psychopath hitchhiker terrorizes a couple who are always fighting and forces them to work together.

What begins as a melodrama about a marriage slowly disintegrating transforms into a road trip to hell when a third character, a hitchhiker, is introduced. Although the addition of a third wheel often proves disruptive, this is not the case here. This is not the case here, as the hitchhiker character did not discriminate when he dished out his hostility. If anything, his appearance forces the couple to put their differences aside and, for now, join forces until they can break away from the man who now holds their lives in his hands.

The narrative is straightforward as it follows the troubled couple on their aforementioned road trip. In regard to building tension, Hitch-Hike does a superb job by letting each moment of conflict have just the right amount of time to resonate before moving on to the next moment of conflict. When it comes to the three main characters, they’re well defined and their motivations are clear.

Hitch-Hike’s greatest asset is undoubtedly the extraordinary performances delivered by its three leads. Up first is Franco Nero in the role of an alcoholic journalist named Walter Mancini. Corinne Cléry, known for her role in The Story of O, portrays Eve Mancini. Completing this trio is David Hess, recognized for his performance in The Last House on the Left, who plays the role of Adam Konitz, a psychotic bank robber.

Although a large portion of Hitch-Hike takes place in claustrophobic environments, such as inside a car, this does not mean that the film is lacking in visual appeal. In fact, the opposite is true; Hitch-Hike remarkably exploits its surroundings to create a powerful visual experience. Visually, Hitch-Hike's most memorable moment is the scene where the hitchhiker rapes the wife and makes her husband watch. Another strength of Hitch-Hike is the way the score reinforces the mood of the film. Ultimately, Hitch-Hike is a perfect example of Italian cinema turning nothing into something that far exceeds its meager resources.

Although Hitch-Hike gets a strong release from Raro Video, its transfer leaves a lot of room for improvement.

Written by Michael Den Boer