The Hitcher [1986] (Special Edition) [DVD]

Made in 1984, The Hitcher is an update--in spirit at least--of Steven Spielberg's first feature film, 1971's Duel. Here C Thomas Howell plays a guy taking a drive-away car from Chicago to San Diego. On a whim, in the rain, and against his better judgment, he picks up a hitchhiker (Rutger Hauer). The hitcher quickly admits to being a murdering psychopath and once Howell finally gets him out of his car, he is pursued with all the vengeance of the ancient furies. We're never sure if the hitcher is a figment of his imagination, making Howell a schizophrenic killer, or if he's real and Howell is the random victim of a wandering madman, which is how his potential new girlfriend (Jennifer Jason Leigh) thinks of him. Either way, The Hitcher is great fun, kinda scary and teetering on the brink of "must see". --Andy Spletzer

Beautifully shot against the backdrop of Nevada’s eerily quiet valleys and long desert roads, The Hitcher is as acclaimed for its stunning cinematography and masterful direction as for its nail-biting and intriguing tale of terror and paranoia.

C. Thomas Howell (The Outsiders, Soul Man) stars as the unassuming Jim Halsey who decides to pick up hitchhiker Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner) on a rainy road in the middle of nowhere. Learning only that the name of his chillingly silent passenger is John Ryder, Halsey soon regrets his decision to stop as the hitcher pulls a knife on him and nearly forces the car off the road. Narrowly escaping and leaving the hitcher behind, Halsey’s nightmare has only just begun as a terrifying and psychotic game of cat and mouse ensues with all who pass on the road becoming unwitting victims of the hitcher’s intent. In a race against time, Halsey tries to raise the alarm but becomes a suspect himself when Ryder reappears and annihilates everyone in the small town police station. Believed only by a waitress, Nash (played by eXistenZ and Road to Perdition star Jennifer Jason Leigh), the stakes are raised again as Nash becomes the victim of one of the most extreme and unforgettable killings in film history. Challenged by Ryder to "stop me", only Halsey can end this waking nightmare.

Disc 1 - Feature (Running Time: 93 minutes approx.)
DVD Technical Information

• Picture: 16/9
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1:2.35
  
• Format: Widescreen
  
• Languages: English (5.1 DTS), German (Mono), Italian (Dolby Stereo), Spanish (Mono)
  
• Subtitles (Unlocked): English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portugese, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish
  
• Region Code: 2
  
• DVD 9

DVD Special Features

• Scene selections
  
• Audio Commentary 1 (by Robert Harmon and Eric Red)
  
• Scene-Specific Audio Commentaries 2-7 (by Robert Harmon/C. Thomas Howell, Edward S. Feldman, Eric Red, Rutger Hauer, Mark Isham and John Seale)

Disc 2 – Bonus Material
DVD Technical Information

• Languages: English
  
• Subtitles: None
  
• Region Code: 2
  
• DVD 5

DVD Special Features

• Teaser
  
• Trailer
  
• Filmographies – Robert Harmon, C. Thomas Howell, Edward S. Feldman, Eric Red, Rutger Hauer, Mark Isham and John Seale
  
• 7 Screenplay Samples (including 2 deleted scenes)
  
• Exclusive Documentary - The Hitcher: How do These Movies Get Made? (approx. 39 mins/1:1.78 anamorphic)
  
• 2 Short Movies:
  China Lake by Robert Harmon (approx. 34 mins/1:2.35 letterbox) + a written introduction by Robert Harmon
  The Room by Rutger Hauer (approx. 11 mins/1:2.35 letterbox) + an audio commentary by Rutger Hauer