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The Hills Have Eyes
1977 90 min United States of America R 18+
★6.4
Horror
Director: Wes Craven
Trailers
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Description
Taking an ill-advised detour en-route to California, the Carter family soon run into trouble when their RV breaks down in the middle of the desert. Stranded, they find themselves at the mercy of monstrous cannibals lurking in the surrounding hills.
Budget:
$350,000
Worldwide:
$25M
Starring
Susan Lanier
Actor
Robert Houston
Actor
John Steadman
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 2017
— Best Special Blu-ray/DVD Edition
Key opinion
Wes Craven's 1977 original is viewed as a historically significant horror prototype that effectively establishes a sense of oppressive isolation. However, opinions are sharply divided regarding its contemporary merit, with many finding the pacing and performances dated compared to the 2006 remake.
| Originality | The dog, Beast, is universally highlighted as the film's most rational, courageous, and memorable character. | |
| Production | The film successfully creates a palpable, oppressive atmosphere of isolation through its stark, desert-bound setting. | |
| Acting | The performances are polarized; while some praise the cast's intensity, many viewers dismiss the acting as flat, primitive, or unintentionally comical. | |
| Pacing | The pacing is a major point of contention, with supporters praising the brisk build-up of suspense and critics lamenting the jarring shifts between slow, static dialogue and sudden, underdeveloped violence. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is viewed as a dated genre exercise, criticized for its thin plot and illogical character decisions, though valued by others as a classic foundation for the slasher subgenre. |