Discover Christopher Nolan’s Favourite Dark ’80s Horror Thriller, ‘The Hitcher’
Christopher Nolan is currently one of the most renowned directors in the world.
While Nolan is undeniably a genius capable of transforming any story into high art, his tastes aren’t limited to critically acclaimed films. Earlier this year, Nolan made headlines by expressing his love for the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise, calling it “a tremendous action franchise” and admitting he has “no guilt” about enjoying it.
Although Nolan hasn’t yet ventured into straight-up horror, he has a fondness for the genre, naming the 1986 film ‘The Hitcher’ as one of his favourite guilty pleasures. There’s no shame in loving one of Rutger Hauer’s best performances!
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‘The Hitcher,’ with a screenplay by Eric Red, initially had a much different vision. In a 1986 article for the Los Angeles Times, script development executive David Bombyk described the first draft as an excessively long 190 pages, resembling a slasher film with extreme brutality and gore. Bombyk noted, “It was not the kind of thing you showed to a studio executive. It was extremely brutal and extremely gory.”
Despite this, Bombyk saw potential in ‘The Hitcher,’ believing it could be toned down to emphasize implied horror rather than explicit gore. Producer Ed Feldman aimed for a horror film with style and artistic value, rather than another ‘Nightmare on Elm Street.’
After a script rewrite, Robert Harmon was chosen to direct in his feature film debut. The cast included C. Thomas Howell, Jeffrey DeMunn, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, but Rutger Hauer stole the show as the terrifying hitchhiker. Hauer’s character, devoid of supernatural powers, instils fear through his actions and his indifference to being caught. He wants Jim (Howell) to catch him as he commits his crimes along a Texas desert highway.
Released in February 1986, ‘The Hitcher’ flopped at the box office, earning only $5.8 million. It currently holds a 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, mostly from modern reviews, as initial critical reception was poor. Roger Ebert panned the film, calling it “diseased and corrupt,” criticizing it for disguising a deeper relationship as a violent thriller.
Despite its initial failure, ‘The Hitcher’ gained a cult following through video rentals and cable TV, leading to a 2007 remake starring Sean Bean. The remake also flopped, but the fact that Hollywood saw fit to remake it speaks to its enduring impact. One of its fans is Christopher Nolan, who has expressed his love for various films, including ‘The Hitcher.’ Nolan has mentioned on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’ that he enjoys a wide range of movies, from Kubrick’s masterpieces to comedies like ‘Talladega Nights.’
In an article for Film Comment, Nolan praised ‘The Hitcher,’ highlighting Rutger Hauer’s performance as one of the finest and most influential of his career. Hauer’s hitchhiker character chooses Jim at random, revealing himself as a serial killer and daring Jim to stop him. The film’s horror unfolds on a desolate highway, drawing comparisons to ‘Duel,’ where an evil truck driver randomly targets David Mann.
– Farheen Ali
