5.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Mark, a disturbed young man, harbors sexual desires for his deceased mother. Driving around the back roads of Va. Beach, Mark seeks out lone females to carry out his twisted sexual fantasies. Enter Daniela, who bares a striking resemblance to mom, who happens to make the mistake of accepting a ride from Mark.
Starring: Joe Balogh, Josie Bissett, Jason Saucier, Robin FoxThriller | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono (192 kbps)
BDInfo verified. 2nd is just the "lossy" track.
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
While credited as “Humphrey Humbert,” 1989’s “Hitcher in the Dark” is the work of Umberto Lenzi, the man who gave the world “Cannibal Ferox,” “Ghosthouse,” and “Spasmo.” A helmer who always favored quantity over quality, Lenzi liked to move fast and collect whatever footage he could, and that professional drive is most apparent in “Hitcher in the Dark,” which plays like a community theater workshop session, only with more lurid writing to power hysterical performances. The general idea here is to offer a serial killer story with deep psychological grooves, turning an encounter between predator and prey into an extended dance of insanity. Lenzi isn’t a refined moviemaker, happy to make something goofy as long as it’s finished, and that’s what happens here, gifting viewers a wild ride of the unsavory and the unintentionally hilarious.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. The results are inviting, with a full sense of detail throughout the viewing experience. Facial surfaces are exact, along with RV interiors. Exteriors are dimensional, capturing the expanse of beaches and drive-ins. Costuming is fibrous. Colors retain true primary power, emerging from beach and period outfits, and greenery is vivid with forests and grass. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in excellent condition.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix delivers a louder listening event, with some age detected in crispier highs, especially during musical offerings. Dialogue exchanges are satisfactory, with comfortable stretches of panic and no issues with unintelligibility. Scoring selections are appreciable, with decent instrumentation.
"Hitcher in the Dark" tries to encourage some suspense with Kevin's pursuit, with the dude getting closer to the horror of the RV, stopping to hunt for clues from people he shouldn't listen to, including one biker who freely admits to being on acid. Lenzi gets violent with the picture, offering scenes of torture and death, and, weirdly, it all seems to be headed toward an incredibly dark conclusion, which is a promising development. The production ultimately pulls its only punch, but they do provide some prime scenes of B-movie silliness to support the viewing experience, finding Lenzi in no mood for directorial refinement. I'd be shocked to learn if there's a moment here that was allowed a second take.
1978
Welcome to Spring Break / Kino Cult #9
1989
2020
2018
2016
2017
2012
Uncut
2008
The Burning / Op de Drempel van de Gruwel / La casa del terror / Pyromaniac / Maniac 2: Non andare in casa / Nie chodz do tego domu / Das Haus der lebenden Leichen
1980
1963
2017
2015
2014
2013
2011
2009
1974
2012
2015
25th Anniversary Edition
1997