7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
While on a cross-country drive, a bitter writer and his beautiful wife pick up a stranded motorist. But when this hitcher turns out to be a depraved psychopath, their road trip takes a vicious detour into sex and savagery where the miles are marked in mayhem and vengeance is the ultimate rule of thumb.
Starring: Franco Nero, David Hess, Corinne Clery, Joshua Sinclair, Ignazio SpallaForeign | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Italian: LPCM 2.0
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
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
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).
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.
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.
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