The Hitch-Hiker

The Hitch-Hiker


Starring:Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, William Talman, José Torvay, Sam Hayes, Wendell Niles, Jean Del Val, Clark Howat, Natividad Vacío, Henry A. Escalante, George Navarro, Ed Hinton, Orlando Beltran, Rosa Turich, Kathy Riggins, Felipe Turich, Collier Young, Martin Garralaga, Wade Crosby, Jerry Lawrence
Director: Ida Lupino
Studio: Alpha Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video
Ida Lupino, Hollywood's sole female filmmaker of the 1950s, directs an all-male cast in a taut, 70-minute thriller. Frank Lovejoy and Edmund O'Brien are two war buddies taking a break from the wives for a Mexican fishing trip; a hitchhiker they pick up turns out to be a crazed killer wanted in nine states (William Talman, later the perennially defeated district attorney on Perry Mason) who forces them at gunpoint to drive him through the desert. Talman's Everett Myers is a fascinatingly abstract creation, filmed by Lupino first as a discorporate flurry of hands and feet, then as a satanic figure whose grinning, key-lighted face seems to float by itself in space. With his paralyzed right eye (he sleeps with it wide open), Myers may represent the return of the fascist evil the two men confronted during the war; he may also represent something inherently violent in the American male that, having been liberated by the war, has to be faced down and defeated by the two vets before they can return to a normal life. Lupino's use of the desert setting, rich with associations of nuclear devastation, seems to look forward to the science fiction films that would flourish later in the decade. --Dave Kehr
The Hitch-Hiker
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Restored classic.
  • Horrible copy of a good movie !
  • The Hitch-Hiker
  • "You've always had it good, so you're soft."
  • Fishing Trip Takes Turn for the Worse with "Hitch-Hike Slayer" Aboard.
 The Hitch-Hiker
Starring: Edmond O'Brien , Frank Lovejoy , William Talman , José Torvay , and Sam Hayes
Director: Ida Lupino
Manufacturer: Kino Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:
  1. The Crooked Way
  2. Detour
  3. The Blue Gardenia
  4. D.O.A.
  5. The Big Combo

ASIN: 6305683875
Release Date: 2000-01-18

Amazon.com essential video

Ida Lupino, Hollywood's sole female filmmaker of the 1950s, directs an all-male cast in a taut, 70-minute thriller. Frank Lovejoy and Edmund O'Brien are two war buddies taking a break from the wives for a Mexican fishing trip; a hitchhiker they pick up turns out to be a crazed killer wanted in nine states (William Talman, later the perennially defeated district attorney on Perry Mason) who forces them at gunpoint to drive him through the desert. Talman's Everett Myers is a fascinatingly abstract creation, filmed by Lupino first as a discorporate flurry of hands and feet, then as a satanic figure whose grinning, key-lighted face seems to float by itself in space. With his paralyzed right eye (he sleeps with it wide open), Myers may represent the return of the fascist evil the two men confronted during the war; he may also represent something inherently violent in the American male that, having been liberated by the war, has to be faced down and defeated by the two vets before they can return to a normal life. Lupino's use of the desert setting, rich with associations of nuclear devastation, seems to look forward to the science fiction films that would flourish later in the decade. --Dave Kehr

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Restored classic........2007-06-11

This is the restored & digitally mastered VHS edition of Ida Lupino's film-noir classic The Hitch-Hiker (ISBN 1557394873), and the tape includes a special feature showing the restoration, comparing the sharp contrast the director originally intended to the faded prints it was restored from. It's a captivating story about two men driving from California into Mexico, where they're car-jacked by a fugitive murderer.

3 out of 5 stars Horrible copy of a good movie !.......2007-04-02

I believe Alpha Videos spent more time and money on the boxing cover of this good film noir movie than they did on the clean up of it !
The movie starts off very splotchy during the credits, cleans up a little bit
but goes in and out of bad and very bad on the sound and picture.
The ending scene is so dark, I have no idea what is going on.
Alpha should be ashamed of themselves for putting this garbage out!
I guess at this price I got what I paid for!!

3 out of 5 stars The Hitch-Hiker.......2007-03-25

The story itself is outstanding. However, the movie is almost unwatchable because it is very dark and full of "scratches." I wished they would have cleaned it up to make it more pleasing to watch.

3 out of 5 stars "You've always had it good, so you're soft.".......2006-07-02

"The Hitch-Hiker", directed by actress Ida Lupino is touted as film noir, and it's included in many compendium DVD sets. But even so, after finally watching the film, I think it's a stretch to call it 'noir'--this film suffers for the lack of one of those really evil film noir female characters. And at least for this film noir fan, those evil women are one of the greatest aspects of film noir.

The plot of "The Hitch-Hiker" is simple--two married men escape from their wives for a fishing trip. On their way to Mexico, they stop and pick up a hitch-hiker. As luck would have it, the hitch-hiker, Emmett Meyers (William Talman) is an escaped killer who's hitched and killed his way south of the border. Meyers plays twisted cat-and-mouse games with the two men--even using them for target practice at one point. Meyers is a sinister figure whose paralyzed eyelid translates into an inability to close that lid when sleeping, so that his captives can't tell if he's asleep or staring right at them.

One of the more interesting aspects of the film is the resentment Meyers has towards the two men--mechanic Roy Collins (Edmond O'Brien) and draughtsman Gilbert Bowen (Frank Lovejoy). Meyers identifies with his two victims in a sense--they're about the same age, etc. But Bowen and Collins are decent fellows who are fiercely loyal to each other. Meyers--a career criminal--is a loner, an outsider who despises Collins and Bowen for their respectable lives.

The film's first few scenes are tense, but that sense of tension is lost as the film wears on. There are attempts to create tension as Meyers herds his captives through certain encounters (in the small Mexican market, for example), but the level of tension is merely lukewarm. The film remains a fairly mediocre crime drama focusing on the dilemma of the hostages weighing a decision to cooperate and perhaps live--or escape--even if it means dying in the attempt.

The Alpha DVD print is decent--a couple of white splotches appear on the print on a few occasions, and there are no extras--displacedhuman

4 out of 5 stars Fishing Trip Takes Turn for the Worse with "Hitch-Hike Slayer" Aboard........2005-09-04

"The Hitch-Hiker" is a 1-hour-and-10-minute low budget suspense that has the distinction of being the only classic film noir directed by a woman. It was directed by Ida Lupino, who starred in a few film noirs herself, and went on to direct many television series. The screenplay was based on an unpublished story by Daniel Mainwaring, who wasn't credited by RKO, because Howard Hughes didn't like his politics. The film is introduced with the declaration "This is the true story of a man and a gun and a car." It was inspired by a real crime that took place in the early 1950s.

Two friends, Roy Collins (Edmund O'Brien) and Gil Bowen (Frank Lovejoy), are seeking some rest and relaxation on a fishing trop to Mexico, where they pick up a hitchhiker. The hitchhiker immediately pulls a gun on them and identifies himself as wanted killer Emmett Myers (William Talman). Myers holds the men constantly at gunpoint as they make their way toward Santa Rosalia, where Myers intends to evade pursuit by crossing a river. Myers plays sadistic games with Roy and Gil, and reminds them, "You guys are gonna die, that's all. Just a question of when," as both Mexican and American authorities hone their search for the missing men. In a comically cruel twist of fate, Emmett is afflicted with an eye that doesn't stay shut, so no one can tell if he is awake or asleep.

I found the opening of "The Hitch-Hiker", when we see the atrocities of a ruthless, faceless murderer, to be the most effective part of the film. Director Ida Lupino really creates a sense of menace in a few minutes. After that, the film is fine but predictable. Collins is hot-headed and emotional, while Bowen is more even-tempered and less impulsive. It is unclear which strategy is best under the circumstances, which adds a little interest. But this is not one of Edmund O'Brien's more memorable performances. There's just not much to it. William Talman is more memorable as thoroughly sociopathic Emmett Myers. The film's perspective on Mexico and Mexicans is interesting. Conversations that take place in Spanish are not translated. Gil Bowen appears to be fluent in Spanish himself. And Mexico is not the haven for American criminals that it usually is in movies. Mexican authorities work hard to catch Myers. "The Hitch-Hiker" didn't always keep my interest, but it's a solid B-movie, intended for the second half of a double bill. 3 ½ stars.

The DVD (Kino Video 2000): This print is unrestored but acceptable. There are some white specks and the sound could use a little cleaning up. There are no bonus features or subtitles.
The Hitch-Hiker
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Restored classic.
  • Horrible copy of a good movie !
  • The Hitch-Hiker
  • "You've always had it good, so you're soft."
  • Fishing Trip Takes Turn for the Worse with "Hitch-Hike Slayer" Aboard.
 The Hitch-Hiker
Starring: Edmond O'Brien , Frank Lovejoy , William Talman , José Torvay , and Sam Hayes
Director: Ida Lupino
Manufacturer: Alpha Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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( H )( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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  1. The Crooked Way
  2. Detour
  3. The Blue Gardenia
  4. D.O.A.
  5. The Big Combo

ASIN: B000098ZS3
Release Date: 2003-06-24

Amazon.com essential video

Ida Lupino, Hollywood's sole female filmmaker of the 1950s, directs an all-male cast in a taut, 70-minute thriller. Frank Lovejoy and Edmund O'Brien are two war buddies taking a break from the wives for a Mexican fishing trip; a hitchhiker they pick up turns out to be a crazed killer wanted in nine states (William Talman, later the perennially defeated district attorney on Perry Mason) who forces them at gunpoint to drive him through the desert. Talman's Everett Myers is a fascinatingly abstract creation, filmed by Lupino first as a discorporate flurry of hands and feet, then as a satanic figure whose grinning, key-lighted face seems to float by itself in space. With his paralyzed right eye (he sleeps with it wide open), Myers may represent the return of the fascist evil the two men confronted during the war; he may also represent something inherently violent in the American male that, having been liberated by the war, has to be faced down and defeated by the two vets before they can return to a normal life. Lupino's use of the desert setting, rich with associations of nuclear devastation, seems to look forward to the science fiction films that would flourish later in the decade. --Dave Kehr

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Restored classic........2007-06-11

This is the restored & digitally mastered VHS edition of Ida Lupino's film-noir classic The Hitch-Hiker (ISBN 1557394873), and the tape includes a special feature showing the restoration, comparing the sharp contrast the director originally intended to the faded prints it was restored from. It's a captivating story about two men driving from California into Mexico, where they're car-jacked by a fugitive murderer.

3 out of 5 stars Horrible copy of a good movie !.......2007-04-02

I believe Alpha Videos spent more time and money on the boxing cover of this good film noir movie than they did on the clean up of it !
The movie starts off very splotchy during the credits, cleans up a little bit
but goes in and out of bad and very bad on the sound and picture.
The ending scene is so dark, I have no idea what is going on.
Alpha should be ashamed of themselves for putting this garbage out!
I guess at this price I got what I paid for!!

3 out of 5 stars The Hitch-Hiker.......2007-03-25

The story itself is outstanding. However, the movie is almost unwatchable because it is very dark and full of "scratches." I wished they would have cleaned it up to make it more pleasing to watch.

3 out of 5 stars "You've always had it good, so you're soft.".......2006-07-02

"The Hitch-Hiker", directed by actress Ida Lupino is touted as film noir, and it's included in many compendium DVD sets. But even so, after finally watching the film, I think it's a stretch to call it 'noir'--this film suffers for the lack of one of those really evil film noir female characters. And at least for this film noir fan, those evil women are one of the greatest aspects of film noir.

The plot of "The Hitch-Hiker" is simple--two married men escape from their wives for a fishing trip. On their way to Mexico, they stop and pick up a hitch-hiker. As luck would have it, the hitch-hiker, Emmett Meyers (William Talman) is an escaped killer who's hitched and killed his way south of the border. Meyers plays twisted cat-and-mouse games with the two men--even using them for target practice at one point. Meyers is a sinister figure whose paralyzed eyelid translates into an inability to close that lid when sleeping, so that his captives can't tell if he's asleep or staring right at them.

One of the more interesting aspects of the film is the resentment Meyers has towards the two men--mechanic Roy Collins (Edmond O'Brien) and draughtsman Gilbert Bowen (Frank Lovejoy). Meyers identifies with his two victims in a sense--they're about the same age, etc. But Bowen and Collins are decent fellows who are fiercely loyal to each other. Meyers--a career criminal--is a loner, an outsider who despises Collins and Bowen for their respectable lives.

The film's first few scenes are tense, but that sense of tension is lost as the film wears on. There are attempts to create tension as Meyers herds his captives through certain encounters (in the small Mexican market, for example), but the level of tension is merely lukewarm. The film remains a fairly mediocre crime drama focusing on the dilemma of the hostages weighing a decision to cooperate and perhaps live--or escape--even if it means dying in the attempt.

The Alpha DVD print is decent--a couple of white splotches appear on the print on a few occasions, and there are no extras--displacedhuman

4 out of 5 stars Fishing Trip Takes Turn for the Worse with "Hitch-Hike Slayer" Aboard........2005-09-04

"The Hitch-Hiker" is a 1-hour-and-10-minute low budget suspense that has the distinction of being the only classic film noir directed by a woman. It was directed by Ida Lupino, who starred in a few film noirs herself, and went on to direct many television series. The screenplay was based on an unpublished story by Daniel Mainwaring, who wasn't credited by RKO, because Howard Hughes didn't like his politics. The film is introduced with the declaration "This is the true story of a man and a gun and a car." It was inspired by a real crime that took place in the early 1950s.

Two friends, Roy Collins (Edmund O'Brien) and Gil Bowen (Frank Lovejoy), are seeking some rest and relaxation on a fishing trop to Mexico, where they pick up a hitchhiker. The hitchhiker immediately pulls a gun on them and identifies himself as wanted killer Emmett Myers (William Talman). Myers holds the men constantly at gunpoint as they make their way toward Santa Rosalia, where Myers intends to evade pursuit by crossing a river. Myers plays sadistic games with Roy and Gil, and reminds them, "You guys are gonna die, that's all. Just a question of when," as both Mexican and American authorities hone their search for the missing men. In a comically cruel twist of fate, Emmett is afflicted with an eye that doesn't stay shut, so no one can tell if he is awake or asleep.

I found the opening of "The Hitch-Hiker", when we see the atrocities of a ruthless, faceless murderer, to be the most effective part of the film. Director Ida Lupino really creates a sense of menace in a few minutes. After that, the film is fine but predictable. Collins is hot-headed and emotional, while Bowen is more even-tempered and less impulsive. It is unclear which strategy is best under the circumstances, which adds a little interest. But this is not one of Edmund O'Brien's more memorable performances. There's just not much to it. William Talman is more memorable as thoroughly sociopathic Emmett Myers. The film's perspective on Mexico and Mexicans is interesting. Conversations that take place in Spanish are not translated. Gil Bowen appears to be fluent in Spanish himself. And Mexico is not the haven for American criminals that it usually is in movies. Mexican authorities work hard to catch Myers. "The Hitch-Hiker" didn't always keep my interest, but it's a solid B-movie, intended for the second half of a double bill. 3 ½ stars.

The DVD (Kino Video 2000): This print is unrestored but acceptable. There are some white specks and the sound could use a little cleaning up. There are no bonus features or subtitles.
D.O.A./The Hitch-Hiker
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • "The Leader in Film Noir, B-Westerns & Serials...VCI Enertainment"
 D.O.A./The Hitch-Hiker
Starring: D.O.a. (1950)/Hitch Hiker (1953)
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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  1. The Big Combo
  2. Scarlet Street/The Red House
  3. Blonde Ice
  4. No Way Out (Fox Film Noir)
  5. Woman on the Run

ASIN: B000EJ9V9I
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Description

Actors: Edmond O'Brien, Pamela Britton, Luther Adler, Beverly Campbell, Frank Lovejoy, William Talman, Jose Torvay; Two of Edmond O'Brien's classic features: D.O.A. and The Hitch-Hiker. D.O.A. is the classic drama of suspense with Edmond O'Brien giving one of his finest performances as Frank Bigelow, a real-estate salesman whose life suddenly turns into a bizarre nightmare. "This is the City--Los Angeles, California", intones the narrator of this tense crime drama, The Hitch-Hiker, told in semi-documentary style. A psychotic killer uses the storm drains of the city to hide from the police. Good performances by the entire cast. DVD Bonus & Features: Menu Selection, Bonus: "Univeral Newsreel, 1949 in Review" & "Universal Newsreel 1953 - Year of Catastrophes", DVD-9, Dolby Digital Mono, 191 min, Color & B&W, 1.33:1, NR, 1945, 1947

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "The Leader in Film Noir, B-Westerns & Serials...VCI Enertainment".......2006-07-23

VCI Entertainment presents "D.O.A./The Hitch-Hiker - Edmond O'Brien" --- (Dolby digitally remastered)...featuring top performances by actors to die for from the '40s and '50s with outstanding drama and screenplays...from little known films we now refer to "film noir" that will leave you intrigued with all the suspense...so pop some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the movie.

First up we have "D.O.A." (1950) (83 min. B/W)...under director Rudolph Mate, producer Leo C. Popkin, screenplay by Russell Rouse and Clarence Greene, music score by Dimitri Tiomkin ...the cast includes Edmond O'Brien (Frank Bigelow), Pamela Britton (Paula Gibson), Luther Adler (Majak), Beverly Campbell (Miss Foster), Lynne Baggett (Mrs. Philips), William Ching (Holliday), Henry Hart (Stanley Philips), Neville Brand (Chester), Laurette Luez (Marla Rakubian), Jess Kirkpatrick (Sam Haskell), Cay Forrester (Sue),Virginia Lindley (Jeanie), Michael Ross (Dave), Carolyn Hughes (Kitty), Jerry Paris (Bell Hop), Frank Gerstle (Dr. MacDonald), Beverly Garland (Miss Foster), Lawrence Dobkin (Dr. Schaefer). . . . . .our story is a strange one, never before were these words ever uttered on "I want to report a murder...mine."...from then on it's a roller coaster ride with flashbacks galore up to the present time...Edmond O'Brien is told he has received a deadly poison known as iridium...within 24 hours O'Brien must locate his murderer, not telling his fiancee Pamela Britton what is going she must help him trace the shipment of iridium...the suspense is almost unbearable and the acting in each scene is superb...with no antidote he has at most, a week to live...the question is who did this and why, this is a nail biter. . . . . .special footnote, Edmond O'Brien had a famous quote - "Versatility is a dangerous thing. It's very satisfying to portray many types of roles, but often your own identity gets lost. Seldom does a producer say, 'This is an Eddie O'Brien part.' On the other hand, while the rewards may be great in fame and financially for stars, the work becomes monotonous. No actor who plays himself is a happy person."...Mr. O'Brien was truly a great actor during his time on stage and in films.

BIOS:
1. Edmond O'Brien
Birth Date: 9/10/1915 - New York, New York
Died: 5/09/1985 - Inglewood, California
2. Pamela Britton (aka: Armilda Jane Owen)
Birth Date: 3/19/1923 -Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Died: 6/17/1974 - Arlington Heights, Illinois
3. Rudolph Mate (aka: Rudolph Mayer)(Director/Cinematographer)
Birth Date: 1/21/1898 - Krakau (Kraków), Poland, Austria-Hungary [now Kraków, Poland]
Died: 10/27/1964 - Hollywood California

SPECIAL BONUS FEATURES:
1. Universal Newsreel 1949 in Review
2. Universal Newsreels 1953 Year of Catastrophes

Second on the double bill is "The Hitch-Hiker" (1953) (71 min. B/W)....under director Ida Lupino, producer Collier Young, screenplay by Robert L. Joseph, Ida Lupino, Daniel Mainwaring and Collier Young, musical score by Leith Stevens ....the cast includes Edmond O'Brien (Ray Collins), Frank Lovejoy (Gilbert Bowen),.William Talman (Emmett Myers), José Torvay (Capt. Alvarado), Sam Hayes (Sam), Wendell Niles (Wendell), Jean del Val (Inspector General), Clark Howat (Government Agent), Natividad Vacio( Jose). . . . . .our story has two good friends Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy going on a fishing trip only to have their plans changed by William Talman, who gives a terrific performance as the man they pick up "The Hitch-Hiker"...holding the men hostage and using them for target practice, the taunting never stops from the time they threesome meet...one interesting note though, Talman has a bum eye so you never know if he's awake or asleep...this tense thriller is skillfully directed by Ida Lupino, this maybe the only film noir she ever directed...the tension builds, unpredictable right up to the very end.

BIOS:
1. Frank Lovejoy
Birth Date: 3/28/1914 - Bronx, New York
Died: 10/02/1962 - New York, New York
2, William Talman
Birth Date 2/04/1915 - Detroit, Michigan
Died: 8/30/1968 - Encino, California
3. Ida Lupino (Director/Writer/Actress)
Birth Date: 2/04/1918 - Camberwell, London, England, UK
Died: 8/03/1995 - Los Angeles, California

Great job by VCI Entertainment for releasing "D.O.A./The Hitch-Hiker", featuring Edmond O'Brien, digital transfere with a clean, clear and crisp print...looking forward to more of the same from the '40s and '50s vintage...order your copy now from Amazon or VCI Entertainment, stay tuned once again with a top notch "Classic Film Noir" that only VCI Entertainment (King of the Serials) can deliver...just the way we like 'em!

Total Time: 191 mins on DVD ~ VCI Home Video 5013 ~ (3/28/2006)
Film Noir Triple DVD Feature (Fear In the Night / D.O.A. / The Hitch-Hiker)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Film Noir Triple DVD Feature (Fear In the Night / D.O.A. / The Hitch-Hiker)
    Starring: Ida Lupino , DeForest Kelley , and Edmond O'Brien
    Manufacturer: Good Times Video
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    3. Film Noir Double Feature, Vol. 2: The Chase/Bury Me Dead
    4. Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 2 (Born to Kill / Clash by Night / Crossfire / Dillinger (1945) / The Narrow Margin (1952))
    5. The Blue Gardenia

    ASIN: B00019G4LE
    Release Date: 2004-03-30
    Orson Welles in "The Hitch Hiker"
    Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    • Disappointing at best
    • Unanticipated Intrigue
    		 Orson Welles in "The Hitch Hiker"
    Starring: Orson Welles
    Director: Michael Anthony Jackson
    Manufacturer: Mind City Productions
    ProductGroup: DVD
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    ASIN: B000B9V8OW
    Release Date: 2005-10-01

    Product Description

    In an ongoing effort to perserve the past and promote the future, Mind City Productions is proud to present the first installment of a unique new animated series in "RadioVisioN". With a focus on some of the greatest performances of the past 100 years, our combination of modern CGI animation techniques and Hollywood cinematography create the "RadioVision" experience. In this award winning visual adaption of a 1930's original broadcast of "The Mercury Theater on the Air", the legendary Orson Welles stars as Ronald Adams. A man who, during a cross country trip, is slowly driven to question his own sanity. Complete with a haunting score by the immortal Bernard Herrmann and a suspense filled story by Lucille Fletcher. We hope the suspense will be quite visible as we present another spine-tingler by name... 'The Hitch Hiker'. (USA, B+W eng. runtime: 27 min feature, 97 min total with outakes and additonal materials)

    Customer Reviews:

    1 out of 5 stars Disappointing at best.......2006-02-24

    I approached this DVD with an open mind, even though I believe radio shows turned into animation is akin to the colorization of classic black and white films. It did not take long to confirm my suspicions. The animation is computer generated and jerky, and the characters robotic in movement and general appearance, and Ronald Adams' car seems to be more like a fugitive from a ZZ Top album than from 1940. Don't waste your money on this turkey.

    5 out of 5 stars Unanticipated Intrigue.......2005-10-04

    Not recognizing the story by it's title, and not particularly a huge fan of animation, I plugged this DVD into my machine with only mild interest and little expectation. And within the first three minutes I was hooked! The feature itself is a mere half an hour length, and it ended way before I was ready for it to finish. The presentation evoked feelings I haven't experienced in years, with Orson Welle's commanding voice bringing me back to long car rides home from my grandparents house, sitting next to my father in the front seat, and listening to recordings of the old radio shows on the powerhouse "WJR Detroit - The Great Voice of the Great Lakes." There is a quality in the animation of this version of "The Hitch Hiker" which makes the story seem bigger and more important, like wonderful illustrations in a classic book. And there is an absolute intrigue in this production that will appeal to old and young alike. This story has been captured in various productions throughout the years, but none like this. This is a fresh and unique concept, combining the vocal performance of a master story teller with the visual allure of a gallery of wonderful renderings. I haven't finished watching all of the extras on this DVD, and I don't that I will. But the feature presentation was well worth the price, and I've shared it with many of my family and friends who are anticipating the next installment in this series as much as I am. Bravo!
    The Hitch-Hiker
    Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
    • Restored classic.
    • Horrible copy of a good movie !
    • The Hitch-Hiker
    • "You've always had it good, so you're soft."
    • Fishing Trip Takes Turn for the Worse with "Hitch-Hike Slayer" Aboard.
    		 The Hitch-Hiker
    Starring: Edmond O'Brien , Frank Lovejoy , William Talman , José Torvay , and Sam Hayes
    Director: Ida Lupino
    Manufacturer: ROAN
    ProductGroup: DVD
    Binding: DVD

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    ASIN: 6305636486
    Release Date: 1999-10-26

    Amazon.com essential video

    Ida Lupino, Hollywood's sole female filmmaker of the 1950s, directs an all-male cast in a taut, 70-minute thriller. Frank Lovejoy and Edmund O'Brien are two war buddies taking a break from the wives for a Mexican fishing trip; a hitchhiker they pick up turns out to be a crazed killer wanted in nine states (William Talman, later the perennially defeated district attorney on Perry Mason) who forces them at gunpoint to drive him through the desert. Talman's Everett Myers is a fascinatingly abstract creation, filmed by Lupino first as a discorporate flurry of hands and feet, then as a satanic figure whose grinning, key-lighted face seems to float by itself in space. With his paralyzed right eye (he sleeps with it wide open), Myers may represent the return of the fascist evil the two men confronted during the war; he may also represent something inherently violent in the American male that, having been liberated by the war, has to be faced down and defeated by the two vets before they can return to a normal life. Lupino's use of the desert setting, rich with associations of nuclear devastation, seems to look forward to the science fiction films that would flourish later in the decade. --Dave Kehr

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Restored classic........2007-06-11

    This is the restored & digitally mastered VHS edition of Ida Lupino's film-noir classic The Hitch-Hiker (ISBN 1557394873), and the tape includes a special feature showing the restoration, comparing the sharp contrast the director originally intended to the faded prints it was restored from. It's a captivating story about two men driving from California into Mexico, where they're car-jacked by a fugitive murderer.

    3 out of 5 stars Horrible copy of a good movie !.......2007-04-02

    I believe Alpha Videos spent more time and money on the boxing cover of this good film noir movie than they did on the clean up of it !
    The movie starts off very splotchy during the credits, cleans up a little bit
    but goes in and out of bad and very bad on the sound and picture.
    The ending scene is so dark, I have no idea what is going on.
    Alpha should be ashamed of themselves for putting this garbage out!
    I guess at this price I got what I paid for!!

    3 out of 5 stars The Hitch-Hiker.......2007-03-25

    The story itself is outstanding. However, the movie is almost unwatchable because it is very dark and full of "scratches." I wished they would have cleaned it up to make it more pleasing to watch.

    3 out of 5 stars "You've always had it good, so you're soft.".......2006-07-02

    "The Hitch-Hiker", directed by actress Ida Lupino is touted as film noir, and it's included in many compendium DVD sets. But even so, after finally watching the film, I think it's a stretch to call it 'noir'--this film suffers for the lack of one of those really evil film noir female characters. And at least for this film noir fan, those evil women are one of the greatest aspects of film noir.

    The plot of "The Hitch-Hiker" is simple--two married men escape from their wives for a fishing trip. On their way to Mexico, they stop and pick up a hitch-hiker. As luck would have it, the hitch-hiker, Emmett Meyers (William Talman) is an escaped killer who's hitched and killed his way south of the border. Meyers plays twisted cat-and-mouse games with the two men--even using them for target practice at one point. Meyers is a sinister figure whose paralyzed eyelid translates into an inability to close that lid when sleeping, so that his captives can't tell if he's asleep or staring right at them.

    One of the more interesting aspects of the film is the resentment Meyers has towards the two men--mechanic Roy Collins (Edmond O'Brien) and draughtsman Gilbert Bowen (Frank Lovejoy). Meyers identifies with his two victims in a sense--they're about the same age, etc. But Bowen and Collins are decent fellows who are fiercely loyal to each other. Meyers--a career criminal--is a loner, an outsider who despises Collins and Bowen for their respectable lives.

    The film's first few scenes are tense, but that sense of tension is lost as the film wears on. There are attempts to create tension as Meyers herds his captives through certain encounters (in the small Mexican market, for example), but the level of tension is merely lukewarm. The film remains a fairly mediocre crime drama focusing on the dilemma of the hostages weighing a decision to cooperate and perhaps live--or escape--even if it means dying in the attempt.

    The Alpha DVD print is decent--a couple of white splotches appear on the print on a few occasions, and there are no extras--displacedhuman

    4 out of 5 stars Fishing Trip Takes Turn for the Worse with "Hitch-Hike Slayer" Aboard........2005-09-04

    "The Hitch-Hiker" is a 1-hour-and-10-minute low budget suspense that has the distinction of being the only classic film noir directed by a woman. It was directed by Ida Lupino, who starred in a few film noirs herself, and went on to direct many television series. The screenplay was based on an unpublished story by Daniel Mainwaring, who wasn't credited by RKO, because Howard Hughes didn't like his politics. The film is introduced with the declaration "This is the true story of a man and a gun and a car." It was inspired by a real crime that took place in the early 1950s.

    Two friends, Roy Collins (Edmund O'Brien) and Gil Bowen (Frank Lovejoy), are seeking some rest and relaxation on a fishing trop to Mexico, where they pick up a hitchhiker. The hitchhiker immediately pulls a gun on them and identifies himself as wanted killer Emmett Myers (William Talman). Myers holds the men constantly at gunpoint as they make their way toward Santa Rosalia, where Myers intends to evade pursuit by crossing a river. Myers plays sadistic games with Roy and Gil, and reminds them, "You guys are gonna die, that's all. Just a question of when," as both Mexican and American authorities hone their search for the missing men. In a comically cruel twist of fate, Emmett is afflicted with an eye that doesn't stay shut, so no one can tell if he is awake or asleep.

    I found the opening of "The Hitch-Hiker", when we see the atrocities of a ruthless, faceless murderer, to be the most effective part of the film. Director Ida Lupino really creates a sense of menace in a few minutes. After that, the film is fine but predictable. Collins is hot-headed and emotional, while Bowen is more even-tempered and less impulsive. It is unclear which strategy is best under the circumstances, which adds a little interest. But this is not one of Edmund O'Brien's more memorable performances. There's just not much to it. William Talman is more memorable as thoroughly sociopathic Emmett Myers. The film's perspective on Mexico and Mexicans is interesting. Conversations that take place in Spanish are not translated. Gil Bowen appears to be fluent in Spanish himself. And Mexico is not the haven for American criminals that it usually is in movies. Mexican authorities work hard to catch Myers. "The Hitch-Hiker" didn't always keep my interest, but it's a solid B-movie, intended for the second half of a double bill. 3 ½ stars.

    The DVD (Kino Video 2000): This print is unrestored but acceptable. There are some white specks and the sound could use a little cleaning up. There are no bonus features or subtitles.

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