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What is it lately
with the cult horror film market? I’m
not complaining mind you, but it seems every
time I turn around some studio is releasing
one of the films I grew up with on DVD.
And they’re not content to just get
the movie out there, they go to painstaking
lengths to make sure the target audience
is satisfied. Just a couple of weeks ago
it was Pioneer’s release of “The
Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Now we have
Anchor Bay Entertainment’s Special
Edition 2-disc set of “The Hills Have
Eyes.”
When the DVD showed up the other day the
first thing I noticed was the face of Michael
Berryman on the cover. Berryman has long
been one of the more recognizable faces
in the horror industry with his balding
and almost pointed head. Though he’s
been in quite a few films over the years,
and even played a starship captain in “Star
Trek: The Next Generation” and a guardian
angel in “The X-Files”, he is
probably most recognized for his portrayal
of the cannibalistic Pluto in “The
Hills Have Eyes.”
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Originally released in 1977, “The Hills
Have Eyes” was one of director Wes Craven’s
early films, pre-dating the self-parody that was
the “Scream” series. His style was
much more visceral back then and much less ‘hip’,
and I admittedly prefer this older work as far
as its gritty realism. Even when directing the
first (and best) “Nightmare on Elm Street”,
Craven still kept the look and feel of the film
dark, frightening and almost believable. It wasn’t
until after the first ‘Freddy’ outing
that he started moving more into the mainstream.
In case you somehow missed this film over the
years, or horror just isn’t your cup of
tea, “The Hills Have Eyes” is a story
of survival. It takes place out in a remote southwestern
desert, where a family is traveling on their way
to California. Unfortunately, their car breaks
down in the middle of nowhere. Even more unfortunate,
they are not alone. They find themselves stalked
by a family of inbred cannibals, bent on capturing
their next meal.
What is so great about this film is that it not
only delivers horror on a physical level, but
a psychological one as well. When watching it
you really have to ask yourself what you would
do in their situation. How much could you endure
before you started fighting back? How long before
you resort to the same type of brutality that
is being meted out your way? In “The Hills
Have Eyes,” it’s not just the car
that breaks down, but also the family itself.
Watching them go from civilized to savage is in
itself almost as frightening as the threat they
face.
This is one of those films that deserve a Special
Edition DVD release. And I have to once again
hand it to the folks at Anchor Bay. With “The
Hills Have Eyes” they took what was a low
budget film, and as such never really looked that
clean, and meticulously restored it to a point
where it looks better than it ever has. You can
still tell by the grain that it was shot on a
dime, but it is almost devoid of blemishes. And
even with the limitations of the original sound,
the restoration process yielded a really great
audio track.
Having loved the film for all its violence and
intensity, I was almost giddy with glee as my
eyes poured over the back of the case to see what
extras lie within. The commentary track by Craven
and producer Peter Locke is relaxed and conversational.
They seem unafraid to touch on the good points
of the film as well as the bad and all in all,
it’s quite an entertaining commentary.
“Looking Back on The Hills Have Eyes”
is an all-new documentary that, running just under
an hour, contains a ton of interviews with the
original cast and crew. It was kind if fun seeing
some of them as they look today, and I especially
enjoyed the comments from Dee Wallace Stone. Its
been so long since I had seen the film that I
almost forgot (okay, completely forgot) that she
was even in it. (And if you don’t know who
Stone is, think “E.T.” and “The
Howling”) This is followed by an episode
of “The Filmmakers” which focuses
on Craven’s career. Along with these great
features is an alternate ending, which runs about
10 minutes. As with most alternate endings, it
ends being obvious why they went the direction
they did.
“The Hills Have Eyes” is not for
everyone, and certainly not for the squeamish.
It’s often harsh and brutal, and bears no
resemblance to the films Craven has unleashed
upon today’s MTV generation. Thank God.
Directed by: Wes Craven
Starring: Susan Lanier, Robert Houston, Martin
Speer, Dee Wallace, Russ Grieve, John Steadman,
Michael Berryman, Virginia Vincent, James Whitworth
Extras: Audio Commentary by Writer/Director Wes
Craven and Producer Peter Locke, “Loking
Back on The Hills Have Eyes” All-New Documentary,
“The Directors: The Films of Wes Craven”,
Alternate Ending, Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots,
Behind the Scenes Photos, Posters & Advertising
Art, Original Storyboard Art, Wes Craven Bio,
DVD-Rom: Original Screenplay and Screen Savers
Specifications: Widescreen (1.85:1) Enhanced for
16x9 Televisions, 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround EX,
6.1 DTS –ES, Dolby Surround, Mono
Studio: Anchor Bay
Release Date: 9/23/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: R
Website
We'll give The Hills Have Eyes an A.
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