The Hitcher
Sometimes described as a gruesome take on Duel, Robert Harmon’s 1986 horror film takes a different but no less unnerving path than Spielberg’s 1971 thriller. C. Thomas Howell is the careless motorist who makes the mistake of giving a lift to a memorably deranged Rutger Hauer. Jennifer Jason Leigh co-stars.
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About Brian Trenchard-Smith
Brian Trenchard-Smith has been burning to make genre films ever since seeing Hitchcock’s Vertigo at age 13. So far he has directed 42 Crimes Against Cinema, and counting (He’s an enthusiastic recidivist.) The Fantaspoa International Fantastic Film Festival recently gave him a career achievement award. His cult hits include The Man from Hong Kong, Turkey Shoot, BMX Bandits, Stunt Rock, Dead End Drive In, The Siege of Firebase Gloria. He has also made over 100 trailers ranging from Hammer horrors to Australian films of the 70′s and 80′s. His latest film is Drive Hard, a quirky action comedy with John Cusack and Thomas Jane. He hopes to shoot a Sci-Fi action picture in Tianjing, China later this year. Brian shares a passion for history with his wife Byzantine historian Dr. Margaret Trenchard-Smith. His first novel Alice Through The Multiverse, and his autobiography Adventures in the B Movie Trade, are available on Amazon and Kindle.
One of my favourite screenings ever was a showing of The Hitcher with Rutger Hauer in attendance, which was held while he was in Halifax appearing in Jason Eisener’s Hobo With a Shotgun. His enthusiasm for the film all these years later was evident, and it was a thrill to see how much he enjoyed being in the presence of his fans, who packed the theatre for a chance to see the Dutch acting legend and to experience this classic thriller on the big screen where it belongs. After the Q&A, Hauer stuck around for photos and autographs, and enjoyed every minute of it. Now THAT’S a star.