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:

What starts off as a melodrama about a marriage that is disintegrating slowly transforms into the road trip to hell, when a third character a hitchhiker is thrown into the mix. And though the addition of a third wheel often proves to be a disruptive force. This is not the case here as the hitchhiker characters is not discriminate when he dished out his hostility. If anything his appearance forces the couple to put their own differences aside and for known join forces until they can break away from the man who now holds their lives in their hands.

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

Though a large portion of Hitch Hike takes place in claustrophobic environments like a car. This does not mean that Hitch-Hike is lacking when it comes to its visuals. In fact, it is the exact opposite as Hitch-Hike does a remarkable job exploiting its surrounds for maximum effect. 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 way the score reinforces the mood of film.

Without a doubt Hitch-Hike’s greatest asset is the extraordinary performances from its three leads. Up first is Franco Nero in the role of an alcoholic journalist named Walter Mancini. Followed by Corinne Cléry (The Story of O) in the role of Eve Mancini. And rounding out this trio is David Hess (The Last House on the Left) in the role of a psychotic bank robber named Adam Konitz. Ultimately, Hitch-Hike is a perfect example of Italian cinema turning nothing into something that far exceeds its meager resources.

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

Written by Michael Den Boer