Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Hitch-Hike Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 29, 2016

Pasquale Festa Campanile's "Hitch-Hike" a.k.a. "Autostop rosso sangue" (1977) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors 88 Films. The only supplemental feature on the disc is a collection of trailers for other releases from the distributors. Also included with this release is a collectible poster artcard. In English or Italian, with optional English subtitles for the Italian track. Region-B "locked".

The travelers

Walter (Franco Nero, A Quiet Place in the Country) and his beautiful wife Eve (Corinne Clery, The Story of O) frequently make love, but both can tell that the other isn’t happy with their marriage. When they can no longer suppress their frustration, they have long and exhausting arguments. They verbally abuse and even hurt each other, but later on regret their actions.

On their way to California, Walter and Eve pick up Adam (David Hess, House on the Edge of the Park), a handsome hitchhiker whose car has broken down. Walter quickly makes it obvious that he does not like Adam’s personality, while Eve instantly warms up to the stranger and even gives him a few inviting looks. Much to their surprise, Adam pulls out a gun and threatens to use it if they do not follow his orders. The three then embark on a wild and dangerous journey through the desert.

The film’s relentless energy is what gives it its identity. There is only one segment in the very beginning where for a very short period of time the tempo is fairly relaxed, but after the inebriated Walter confronts an old couple the film switches in overdrive mode and stays that way until the final credits roll.

The characters are very wild and unpredictable. One’s initial impression is that the only loose cannon is the stranger, but after the three travelers get to know each other a little better one begins to wonder whether Walter and Eve might have split personalities that could change the balance of powers. Their frustration then gradually becomes a key factor in their relationship with the stranger and further complicates the situation. As a result, instead of going down a familiar path, the film produces a number of very effective twists.

The dialog is rough and some of the sex scenes quite revealing, but this is hardly surprising. Similar to the many ultra-violent cop thrillers (also known as poliziotteschi) that became popular in Italy during the 1970s, the film has a very distinctive macho attitude which basically gives it the authentic period look these types of projects needed in order to sell. The film also has two official audio tracks: English, which was offered to international distributors, and Italian, which was used for the Italian market.

Nero is very convincing as the feisty Italian reporter who feels that he has made a number of unnecessary sacrifices throughout his life to prove that he did not marry his wife for her money. Clery, a truly beautiful French actress who shortly after this film would appear in Moonraker, is excellent as the young seductress. Hess also does not disappoint as the maniac who is convinced that it is only a matter of time before he reaches Mexico and begins a new life.

The film was directed by Pasquale Festa Campanile, who was even more prolific as a writer. Campanile’s directing credits include such gems as Adultery Italian Style, The Libertine, and Where Are You Going All Naked?. As a writer he contributed to such classics of Italian cinema as The Assassin, The Leopard, Rocco and His Brothers, and The Lovemakers.

The playful, at times borderline psychedelic soundtrack was created by the legendary Ennio Morricone.

Hitch-Hike Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Pasquale Festa Campanile's Hitch-Hike arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of 88 Films.

There are areas of the film that look quite good. In these areas, clarity ranges from decent to good and depth can be pleasing (see screencapture #1). However, there are traces of light scanner noise that make other areas of the film look rather harsh (see screencaptures #7 and 12). The grain isn't as well exposed and resolved as it should be and as a result detail is compromised. Fortunately, the effect isn't overly distracting, but the larger your screen is, the easier it will be for you to spot its presence. Contrast levels are stable, but they have been slightly elevated. Colors remain stable, but there should be a better range of nuances. Image stability is good. However, I noticed quite a few wavy/wobbly patterns. There are no large debris, cuts, damage marks, or stains to report in our review. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Hitch-Hike Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 2.0 and Italian LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the Italian track.

I viewed the film with the original English track. Clarity is very good but depth is slightly inconsistent. However, it is very easy to tell that the film's original sound design isn't overly impressive. I am fairly certain that post-production work was also done and as a result some of the dialog feels somewhat uneven. Still, the exchanges are very easy to follow. Ennio Morricone's soundtrack also breathes easily throughout the entire film, though it needs to be said that its role is secondary. There are no pops, audio dropouts, or digital distortions to report in our review.

Hitch-Hike Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer Reel - a collection of trailers for other 88 Films releases.

• Cover - reversible cover with the original Italian title for the film.

• Collectible Poster Artcard - please see the screencaptures at the bottom of our review.

Hitch-Hike Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I thoroughly enjoyed Pasquale Festa Campanile's Hitch-Hike. It has a great period atmosphere and the three leads are excellent. Hopefully, we will see more of Campanile's gems from the 1960s and 1970s transition to Blu-ray soon. The technical presentation is rather uneven, but overall the film looks good enough to recommend to folks who have a soft spot for eccentric Italian thrillers. (If you can play Region-A "locked" discs, I encourage you to add to your libraries Campanile's beautiful psychedelic gem The Slave with Rosanna Schiaffino, which was released on Blu-ray by Mondo Macabro). RECOMMENDED.