Release Date: 22 July 1977
Run Time: 89 minutes
Origin: USA
Mimi's Rating: 3 1/2 ear necklaces out of 5
Killbillies get taken out by man's best friend. You gotta love it.
This cannibal classic follows the Carter family as they make their way through the Nevada desert en route to Los Angeles. Despite gas station owner Fred's (John Steadman) warnings to stay on the main road the family trip soon goes amiss when patriarch Bob (Russ Grieve) is startled by a passing jet and crashes the family car and trailer.
When Bob decides to walk back to Fred's place, little does he know he's leaving his family in peril. You see, there's another family out in the desert, and they're hungry. Will they survive the hunger of the hill-folk? Find out in: The Hills Have Eyes!
While this is an influential film in the hillbilly/cannibal sub-genre it does fizzle out a bit after the iconic mid-movie set piece. The movie does succeed in giving us a family that we can care for and it is satisfying to see them turn the tables during the film's finale. Even the family dog, Beast, gets his revenge.
Bonus: It includes an early sighting of 80s mom, Dee Wallace (warning it goes poorly for her).
Why you should watch:
You want to see the film that helped popularize the Hillbilly/Cannibal subgenre.
You like when dogs kick ass.
You like your horror film with grit and rough edges.
Why you shouldn't watch:
You don't want to sit through a rape scene.
You don't like babies in peril.
You don't like a movie where the dog dies.