Hitch Hike (1978)

Hitch Hike

David Hess is GREAT!!! Violence is realistic, but there could of been a lil more of a rape scene. The ending keeps you wondering, and overall it's a pretty good flick! It's a must see if your into ANY of David Hess's films!! February 10, 2008

Who Wants To Ride With David Hess?

When a movie's got two mean mothers like Franco Nero and David Hess, you know interesting things'll happen. These guys teach us the dangers of picking up hitch hikers long before Rutger Hauer and C Thomas Howell did(they did a great job as well). No point in really going into the story, coz it's pretty much what you expect. A couple picking up a psychotic hitch hiker who makes their day very, very crappy. Kinda like House On The Edge Of The Park on the road. I've always loved Franco Nero, and this movie further solidifies that. It may not be the best acting he's ever done, but he actually plays a very slimy and unlikable guy...and he's not even the so called "villain"! You're used to Nero being rather heroic. Sure, he sometimes plays flawed and sometimes downright mean characters, but nothing like this. Clery is just there for eye candy, but she does become more important as the film goes on. David Hess is...David Hess, and we couldn't love him more for it. Still looks meaner and sleazier than hell(come on, would anybody really pick this guy up?), slaps , rapes and terrorizes women, calls everyone [...], and is just all around fun. Though the whole idea of the film may not seem totally original anymore, the ending is. Check it out before they remake this one too. February 26, 2007

Worth seeing for David Hess and Corinne Clery alone...

Hitch-Hike is a little known italian film that has its share of memorable moments. The film revolves around an attractive couple (Franco Nero, the stunning Corinne Clery) travelling cross country who pick up a psychopathic and sadistic hitchhiker (David Hess) who is on the run for committing a violent robbery.
This is a sleazy exercise in misogny with David Hess (Last House on the Left, House on the Edge of the Park) assuming his usual ugly role. However, this film differs from Last House on the Left and House on the Edge of the Park as the female protagonist is abused not only by the psychotic Hess but her alcoholic, boorish husband. The viewer is left to ponder who is the real bad guy in this excursion.
For fans of exploitation and sleaze films, there is much here to behold as the leggy Corinne Clery is quite the beauty and shows quite a bit of skin throughout her ordeal. The unpleasant sexual violence of Last House on the Left is here also, though mercifully more muted here than in that film.
The film is very well paced and much of the interaction between the three main characters is believable and suitably intense. There are also some major plot twists that I will not reveal here, that keep things interesting for this film which is admittedly overlong.
Anchor Bay has done a fine job with this DVD. The audio and video are very nice. The new documentary, The Devil Thumbs A Ride is interesting and insightful, once again in large part due to the participation of Hess and Clery.
In closing, this film is nothing special, but still worth a watch for fans of italian cinema who enjoy copious amounts of sex and violence in their films. August 4, 2004

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy was scarier.

Hitch-hike is one of those small movies you watch becouse you hope that becouse of it's budget they would spend some real quality time on the script and try to make up for it by giving us a good move ie- Night Of The Living Dead, Holloween, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Mad Max, and Blair Witch.

So it sould come as no surprise that this film is as bad as those movies are good. David Hess plays a hitch hiker picked up by a husband and wife couple. After getting into thier car he reeks havok with thier lives. I don't know if the movie The Hicher with Rutger Hauer came before or after this but either way it is a much better film. THat movie was suspensefull where as this movie is just tiersome. By the end you don't really care who wins just that the movie ends. May 7, 2004

"The Devil Thumbs a Ride"

Ah, the wonderful warped world of David Hess. How I love it.

Ever since the first time I saw "Last House On The Left" - I've been infatuated with this man's ability to be a monster. He's tremendous at it, and that's what compelled me to buy this movie sight unseen. What do I think? Well,...

"Last House On The Left" and "House On The Edge Of The Park" are a couple of my favorite movies of all time. This coupled with the knowledge I've read on the internet claiming the character Hess plays in this movie is very similar to the aforementioned 2, I had to check it out. David Hess is outstanding in the movie as his usual typecast character. But the movie, umm well, it's ok.

The film is about a husband and wife that pick up a hitch-hiker (David Hess) and trouble obviously ensues. The plot is a little weak, (ok, very weak) - and the audio is a little out of sync. But the movie moves along at a surprisingly quick pace, being that there isn't THAT much killing and/or violence. There are some quality dialogue from Hess and Franco and some quality shots of the wife (I forget her name) nude. Small amounts of violence scattered throughout. (Though not nearly as much as I was hoping for)

In comparing this movie to Last House and House On the Edge, I would have to say it is a failure. However, looking as a stand alone movie without comparing it to the aforementioned films, I would say it is an enjoyable way to spend an hour and a half, even if it's just for Hess's faces and dialogue and the wife's body.

The dvd looked good for the year the film was made and the budget I'm sure it was made on. Pretty clear, not too much grain or dirt. The audio is acceptable and there are a couple extras on the disc, a trailer and a few interviews with the cast.

Story: C-
Violence: C-
Nudity: B-
Comedy (Intentional or Unintentional): B
Overall Entertainment Grade: C+ December 29, 2003

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