Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Hitch Hike to Hell (1977)

Director: Irvin Berwick

Starring: Robert Gribbin, Russell Johnson, John Harmon, Randy Echols, Dorothy Bennett, Mary Ellen Christie, Kippi Bell, Sheryl Lynn

More info: IMDb

Tagline: There is no such thing as a free ride!

Plot: Howard is a mild-mannered young man who drives a truck for a commercial laundry. He's also a mother-obsessed psycho who picks up young female hitchhikers, rapes them and kills them. As the bodies start piling up, the police finally begin to investigate.



My rating: 6/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I really dig this flick.  It's low budget, the acting is all over the place and it's got one of those great, cheesy country tunes over the opening credits (and with the title in the song!).  Russell Johnson (The Professor from GILLIGAN'S ISLAND) acts his ass off as if he's going for an Oscar.  He's hilarious without trying.  Robert Gribbin plays the killer, Howard Martin, and he's clearly not the thespian that Johnson is but he's also hilarious.  Play a drinking game where you knock one back every time Howard's face freezes with that wide-eyed, deer-in-the-headlights look.  Classic.  Usually films of this ilk have a few dull spots but not this one.  It moves along at a pretty good clip for an 84 minute picture like this.  I'm not saying this a great flick and that you're going to like it but it works for me.  Besides, it's a Something Weird Video release that includes KIDNAPPED COED (1976) (which isn't nearly as fun) and a bunch of extras that make it worth your while.

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