The Hills Have Eyes (1977 version)

THE HILLS HAVE EYES (1977 version)

An auteur film (written and directed by Wes Craven) about a family (the Carters) from Cleveland whose car (pulling a camping trailer) crashes in the middle of nowhere en route to Los Angeles, the 1977 version of The Hills Have Eyes has a slow first half balanced by a flurry of violent action in the final forty-five minutes.  The Carters find themselves under attack by a savage family that dwells in the hills near the car crash site.  There are bloody casualties on both sides before the ordeal ends.  To go into much more detail would be to spoil some of the movie’s finer surprises.

My main complaint about this project is the abrupt ending that leaves the viewer in the dark about how the survivors ultimately return to civilization (or if they do so at all).  The first half borders on being boring, but the pace really picks up after the midpoint.  Gritty and realistic, the original version of The Hills Have Eyes may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoyed the journey to the finale even though the members of the Carter family are somewhat bland and unmemorable.  The antagonists, on the other hand, are fascinating and terrifying (at one point, they plan to devour a baby they’ve kidnapped from the Carters).  If you’re looking for a decent chilling tale about primal survival against difficult odds, spend ninety minutes with The Hills Have Eyes.