Autostop rosso sangue (1977)

Director:

Pasquale Festa Campanile

Writers:

Peter Kane (novel)
Aldo Crudo (screen treatment) ...

Release Date:

July 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Plot:

A bickering couple driving cross-country pick up a murderous hitchhiker whom threatens to kill them unless they take him to a santuary, and in return agrees to split some bank loot he has on him.

Plot Keywords:

Hostage | Hitchhiker | Extreme Violence | Psychopath | Double Cross

Cast

Franco Nero	...	Walter Mancini
Corinne Clery	...	Eve Mancini
David Hess	...	Adam Konitz
Joshua Sinclair	...	Oaks (as John Loffredo)
Carlo Puri	...	Hawk
Ignazio Spalla	...	Bar Owner (as Pedro Sanchez)
Leonardo Scavino	...	Mendoza (as Leon Lenor)
Mónica Zanchi	...	Girl at Camp Site
Benito Pacifico	...	Highway Patrolman #1
Angelo Ragusa	...	Highway Patrolman #2
Luigi Birri	...	Motorcycle Punk #2
Robert Sommer	...	Harry Stetson
Ann Ferguson	...	Lucy Stetson
Fausto Di Bella	...	Motorcycle Punk #1

Also Known As:

Death Drive (UK) (video title)
Hitch Hike
Hitchhike: Last House on the Left (USA) (video title)
The Naked Prey (USA)

Runtime:

104 min | Canada:82 min | UK:98 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (cut) | USA:Unrated | West Germany:18 | France:X (original rating) | UK:18 | Australia:(Banned) (original rating) | Australia:R (censored)

Filming Locations:

Campo Imperatore, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy

Company:

Explorer Film '58

Trivia:

Franco Nero had a broken hand throughout the film because the he actually broke his hand working on a previous production. Because of the injury the script was re-written to have Walter drunkly fall and break his hand early in the film. Also it was re-written that Eve would be driving the car throughout the film, originally it was suppose to be Walter driving.

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever, Volume 1 (2005) (V)

A Forgotten Exploitation Gem

I saw this on the shelves of a local record store today and noticed the Blue Underground logo so I picked it up. Upon further inspection, meaning I just read the box, I noticed that David Hess was the star so I just had to give it a shot. It was a very enjoyable movie that deserves to be recognized much more than it has. I had never even heard of it before today and it was so good that I wish I had so I could have enjoyed it sooner.

David Hess is one of the kings of exploitation and he rules in this film as the hitchhiker that destroys a bickering couple's trip. The other actors weren't bad either. The story is great and even better than most exploitation films because it's very well thought out and has a lot of clever plot twists that you will never see coming. It also has great blood and gore. You won't want to miss it.

Check this one out if you can find it. If you can't find it, sucks to be you!