The Hitcher [1986]

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1986
Running Times: 97 mins
Length: 2656 metres
Format: Metrocolor     35mm     Panavision [anamorphic]
Ratio: 2.35:1
Sound: Dolby Stereo

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: HBO Pictures / Silver Screen Partners
Executive Producers: Edward S. Feldman, Charles R. Meeker
Producers: David Bombyk, Kip Ohman
Co-Producer: Paul Lewis
Unit Production Manager: Paul Lewis
Production Coordinator: Debra Scutari

SCRIPT
Script: Eric Red

DIRECTION
Director: Robert Harmon
1st Assistant Director: Craig Beaudine
2nd Assistant Director: Leigh Webb

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: John Seale
2nd Unit Director of Photography: Charles Minsky
2nd Unit Aerial Photography: Jack Cooperman
Camera Operator: Walt Lloyd
2nd Unit Camera Operators: James L. Carter, Joseph D. Steuben
2nd Unit Panaglide Operator: László Regos
1st Assistant Camera: David Schmier
2nd Unit 1st Assistant Camera: Ross Judd, Bruce Kaye, Mark Simon
2nd Assistant Camera: Brian W. Armstrong, Eyal Geva
Key Grip: Robin P. Knight
Dolly Grip: Philip Sloan
Gaffer: Tim Phelps
Best Boy: Carlos M. Gallardo
2nd Unit Aerial Camera Technician: Wayne Baker
Stills: François Duhamel

EDITING AND POST PRODUCTION
Editor: Frank J. Urioste
1st Assistant Editor: Richard Candib
2nd Assistant Editors: Barry Dresner, Tracey McCampbell
Post Production Supervisor: James L. Honore
Post Production Coordinator: Judi Rosner

MUSIC
Music: Mark Isham
Song Performed By: Mickey Jones [Don't Stop Lovin' Me]
Score Mixer: Samuel Lehmer, Gary Clayton
Music Editor: Nicholas C. Washington

SOUND
Sound Recordist: Robert Nichols II
Production Sound Mixer: Art Names
Re-Recording Mixers: Gregg Landaker, Steve Maslow, Michael Minkler
Sound Editors: Warren Hamilton Jr, Mark A. Mangini
ADR Recordist: Robert Deschaine
ADR Editor: Avram D. Gold
ADR Assistant: Destiny Borden
Supervising Sound Effects Editors: Stephen Hunter Flick, Mark A. Mangini
Foley Recordist: Robert Deschaine
Foley Artist: Joan Rowe

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Pamela Peitzman
Hair: Leslie Ann Anderson
Costume Designer: Jac McAnelly
Costumers: Parker Poole, Simon Tuke

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Supervisor: Arthur Brewer
Special Effects Assistants: Patricia Brewer, Terry W. King, Leo Leoncio Solis
Special Effects Foreman: Ken Estes

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects: Makeup and Effects Laboratories Inc

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Dennis Gassner
Art Director: Dins W.W. Danielsen
Assistant Art Director: J. Rae Fox
Set Decorator: Lynda Burbank
Property Master: Tommy Estridge
Assistant Property Master: Kerry Jennings
Construction Coordinator: Tom O'Brien
Art Department Coordinator: Nancy Haigh
Production Illustrator: William Stout
Title Designer: Dennis Gassner

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Karen Golden
Production Assistants: Katie Carmichael, Gary Glover, Matt Hall, Margaret Krueger, Sal Lombardo, Scott Nyegaard, Lenny Rogel, Rodney Stone
Transportation Coordinator: Steve Hellerstein
Transportation Captains: Russ Buckens, Carl Thompson
2nd Unit Helicopter Pilot: Ross Reynolds
Marketing Consultant: Craig Miller [uncredited]
Catering: Cinema Cafe

LOCATIONS
Locations: Amboy, California, USA; Barstow, California, USA; Death Valley, California, USA; Imperial County, California, USA
Location Manager: Cass Martin

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Eddy Donno
Stunts: Janet Brady, Jophery C. Brown, David Burton, Justin De Rosa, Kenny Endoso, Freddie Hice, Danny Rogers

CASTING
Casting: Penny Perry
Casting Assistant: Megan Branman

CAST
Rutger Hauer [John Ryder]
C. Thomas Howell [Jim Halsey]
Jennifer Jason Leigh [Nash]
Jeffrey DeMunn [Captain Esteridge]
John M. Jackson [Sergeant Starr]
Billy Green Bush [Trooper Donner]
Jack Thibeau [Trooper Prestone]
Armin Shimerman [Interrogation Sergeant]
Gene Davis [Trooper Dodge]
Jon Van Ness [Trooper Hapscomb]
Henry Darrow [Trooper Hancock]
Tony Epper [Trooper Conners]
Tom Spratley [proprietor]
Colin Campbell [construction man]

Jim Halsey is driving a car interstate when, against his better judgment, he picks up a hitch-hiker. It's just the beginning of a terrifying ordeal for Halsey as the hitcher, a deranged serial killer, relentlessly pursues him, framing him for a string of killings.

An intelligent and relentless cross-pollination between the road movies and the slasher boasting an unnerving central performance from Rutger Hauer. Taut direction and a tightly plotted script mark it out as one of the best and most influential thrillers of the 80s - it was still being "remade" well past the turn of the millennium in films like Jeepers Creepers [2000] and Joy Ride [2001].

Germany
DVD Distributor: MCP

UK
Video Distributor: Terror Vision

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Tri-Star Pictures
Video Distributor: HBO Home Video
Laserdisc Distributor: HBO Video [TVL 3756]
DVD Distributor: HBO Home Video [93756]

Australia
Rating: R

Finland
Rating: K-18

France
Rating: -12

Norway
Rating: 18

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 18

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 18

1986
Cognac Festival du Film Policier, France
Critics Award [Robert Harmon] - winner
Grand Prix [Robert Harmon] - winner
TF1 Special Award [Robert Harmon] - winner

1986
February
21: USA - theatrical release

May
3: Japan - theatrical release

June
25: France - theatrical release
27: Sweden - theatrical release

October
31: Finland - theatrical release

November
27: West Germany - theatrical release

1991
May
Day Unknown: UK - television broadcast [on Sky Movies]

1996
June
17: UK - retail video release

1998
October
26: UK - television broadcast [on Channel 5]

1999
June
8: USA - DVD release [HBO Home Video [93756]]

July
10: UK - television broadcast [on Channel 5]

2000
April
21: UK - television broadcast [on Channel 5]
25: Iceland - video release

2001
February
8: UK - television broadcast [on Channel 5]

May
7: Germany - DVD release [MCP]

Never Pick Up A Stranger.

Whatever you do, don't stop for The Hitcher

The terror starts when he stops!

L'auto-stoppeur - French Canadian title
Autostopowicz - Polish title
Carretera al infierno - Spanish title
Hitcher - French title
Hitcher, der Highway Killer - German title
Hitcher, la lunga strada della paura - Italian title
Liftaren - Swedish title
Liftari - Finnish title
A Morte pede Carona - Brazilian title
Terror na Auto-Estrada - Portugese title

SEQUEL
The Hitcher 2: I've Been Waiting [2002]

SEE ALSO
Hourglass [1995]
Jeepers Creepers [2001]
Joy Ride [2001]
Paura nel buio [1989]
Urban Legend [1998]

MAGAZINES

City Limits no.241 [15 May 1986] p.23 [UK]
credits

Empire June / July 1989 p.99 [UK]
review

Films and Filming no.381 [June 1986] pp.34-35 [UK]
review

Flesh and Blood no.7 p.50 [UK]
review

Horror Times no.1 [USA]
review

The Listener vol.115 no.2962 [29 May 1986] p.31 [UK]
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.53 no.629 [June 1986] pp.170-171 [UK]
credits, synopsis, review

Première June 1986 p.26 [France]
review [by Jean-Paul Chaillet]

Shivers no.32 p.15 [UK]
review

Starburst no.215 p.55 [UK]
review

Time Out no.821 [14 May 1986] p.31 [UK]
review

Variety 12 February 1986] p.24 [USA]
credits, review

NEWSPAPERS

Daily Mail 16 May 1986 p.24
review

serial killers; hitch-hikers; trucks; cars; twist endings; gas stations; helicopters; police; manhunts; psychopaths; buses; paranoia; framed for murder; road movie; stalker; slasher

Last Updated: 6 March, 2007