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The Hills Have Eyes

The Hills Have Eyes

List Price: $29.98
Your Price: $26.98
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: They should have hit that rabbit.
Review: If you are between 25-35 years old you were a young child when this movie came out. I am 28 now, when I first saw "The Hills have Eyes" I was at an age where it was extremely scary. As I watch it today it still has a chill factor and remains disturbing. The location is a big part of things and adds a feeling of the characters being trapped or stranded. The desert location is amazingly creepy and atmosheric. Wes Craven's idea was good and I believe he brought it vividly to life in this classic horror film made in the late 70's. This 2 disc DVD is in DTS ES 6.1 (soundtrack), which makes for much better sound. The second disc has two featurettes: Looking back on The Hills have Eyes (&) The films of Wes Craven. Both of the featurettes are nearly one hour long each. There is also an alternate ending, which was quite interesting. I won't tell you about it, you should just take a look. Actor James Whitworth's unique look and creepy expressions allow him to easily steal the show.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE HILLS HAVE MORE THAN EYES!
Review: IMAGINE BEING STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE,BUT NOT REALLY BEING ALL ALONE.THE THING WITH THIS MOVIE IS THAT IT COULD REALLY HAPPEN.THIS MOVIE SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER.IT DOESN'T SCARE ME TODAY, BUT I STILL FIND IT VERY CREEPY AND UNSETTLING.ANCHOR BAY HAS TO BE COMMENDED ON THIS ONE.THE PICTURE IS CRISP AND CLEAR AND BETTER THAN ANY VERSION OF THIS MOVIE IV'E EVER SEEN.THE SOUND IS IN 5.1 DIGITAL EX AND 6.1 DTS AND THE 5.1 IS AWESOME.THE 5.1 SOUND ADDS A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION TO THE CREEPINESS OF THIS MOVIE.THIS IS A TRUE CULT CLASSIC FULLY RESTORED FROM THE ORIGINAL NEGATIVES AND WORTHY OF OWNERSHIP.DISC TWO HAS LOTS OF BONUS FEATURES.TURN OUT THE LIGHTS,CLOSE THE BLINDS AND PREPARE TO BE CREEPED OUT.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: A DVD zone DELIVERANCE
Review: It has often been said that if you have interesting mean guys, your movie can't be entirely bad. It's the case with Wes Craven's THE HILLS HAVE EYES, a film presented by Anchor Bay in a special and definitive edition. If one isn't concerned at all by the fate reserved to most of the members of the politically correct Carter family, each of the appearances of Pluto, Jupiter or another member of this degenerate family is rather surprising if not frightening.

The only problem is that the theme of THE HILLS HAVE EYES had already be magistrally treated by John Boorman 5 years before in DELIVERANCE. And that there wasn't anything to add to that masterpiece. So Wes Craven's movie suffers a lot from this comparison and if it wasn't for the quality of the acting of Michael Berryman, the film wouldn't deserve any attention.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: You would have to be an inbred to really love this movie
Review: Kind of a boring horror movie that is not very scary or entertaining. I give it two stars because I like the creepy bald guy. There are a couple of cool scenes but it is nowhere near the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre(Or the new one, or any of the sequels for that matter!) One scene that kind of was scary was when the bad guys were going to eat a baby. That is kind of disturbing to any one who is human hopefully. I think the problem with this movie to me was I did not care about the characters. I was indifferent to their plight. Please rent this first before you buy it. I think you will thank me. Buy "Last House On The Left" instead. 100 times better.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Cult favorite finally sees the light of day on DVD.
Review: Knowing today what we know about Wes Craven, his older movies are a hit-and-miss experience. Movies like "Last House on the Left" and "The Hills Have Eyes" are both excellent horror movies, despite their relentless brutality and amateur-night production values. "The Hills Have Eyes" is now available for the first time on DVD (and for the first time in over 10 years in any format), and it is a must-have for Craven fans, and horror fans in general.

By today's standards, "The Hills Have Eyes" is tame and less shocking visually, but in terms of theme, it still packs a mean punch. It is essentially about two families: a white collar family stranded in the desert, and a cannibalistic, nomadic family who have a taste for human flesh. One must fight off the other, and it is, according to Craven, the battle between opposite ends of the food chain, where one invariably becomes the other in order to survive. The violence is tempered somewhat from "Last House on the Left", but there are definitely some graphic moments. The story is smartly written, the dialogue is well delivered and believable. Considering the fact that this was a low-budget movie, the acting is nothing stellar. But rarely do you get that in horror films, so it is unlikely anyone will mind. If you haven't seen this movie yet, you owe it to yourself to experience it. You can see how Craven's style was being formed in these early films, and you can see how it evolved in later films like "A Nightmare on Elm Street" and "Scream".

If the movie itself is not the main selling point, the DVD package is. The movie has been remastered, in widescreen, taking out most of the grain and fuzz that plagued the VHS versions. On the first disc, there is the Audio Commentary by Wes Craven and "Hills Have Eyes" producer Peter Locke. As with most Craven commentaries, it is smart, full of anecdotes and trivia, and fun to watch. I recommend listening to the commentary before watching any of the documentaries, since most of what is told in the documentaries is repeated in the commentary and thus will make it redundant. The first documentary I watched was an episode of "The Directors" and it was on the career of Wes Craven. It covers his entire career up to this date, and has interviews with many people who worked with him in the past. It is fascinating, and a story that movie buffs would love to hear. It runs 60 minutes. The second is even better, and better for this DVD because it focuses exclusively on "The Hills Have Eyes". It is called "Looking Back on The Hills Have Eyes". It consists of interviews of Craven, Peter Locke, the principle cast, and other key players. How they made this movie is just as interesting as the movie itself, so fans will definitely get a kick out of it. This one also runs for almost 60 minutes. Both documentaries are well made, and worth repeated viewings.

Being a long time Wes Craven fan, I was so happy that they finally released "The Hills Have Eyes" on DVD. Younger horror fans, or people who favor splatter and special effects, might not warm to the film due to the age and amateur qualities of the film. But for true horror fans, this is an essential addition to your collection.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not as good as its predecessor.
Review: Last House introduced a genre; Hills just continues it, but fairly weakly. First off, the acting is just as poor as LH (Dee Wallace, who never exactly became a film legend, included. Her high point was Cujo), but the plot is far shallower. It's watchable, and you still get into it on a purely visceral/animal level, but too many things just aren't believeable or are just too convenient. Still I guess it can satisfy the animalistic urges in all of us to a degree. The extras are OK; the interviews are interesting, the alternate ending laughable.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: They may have eyes...but are they blind...
Review: lol i crack myself up! anyways--yea i rented this from blockbuster not really knowing what to expect, and i get it home and i find myself in the same situation as I did in Texas Chainsaw Massacre 77', except this was a little more...fun i guess...it made me jump a lot more, even tho the acting wasnt the greatest, neither was the score...or the quality of the picture...or the story line...eh it was a middle of the road video....the 2nd disc sucks too...hardly any features...not enough to make a 2nd disc...and the ending...both alternate and orginal, werent the greatest...the movie doesnt really have an ending..it just...stops...and i said to myself "wow this is the worst ending i've ever seen" but what do you expect from a low budget 70s horror movie...if youre expecting titanic...youre gonna be disappointed, but if youre in for a semi scary good time....this will blow your skirt up

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: I guess it takes a die-hard craven fan
Review: Low budget horror can be done well, but this film was simply awful. The characters are neither believable nor scary. The acting is pitiful and the dialogue is preposterous. It isn't even laughably bad, just plain boring and annoying. You'll look across the sofa at your friend/partner and say, "What the heck is this, and why all the hype?"
One thing does recommend the DVD version, however: The follow-up, modern day interviews with Craven, the Producer, and the cast. For the first ten minutes I had to ask myself whether they were serious in their praise and awe of this trash, or they were doing an Academy Award deserving spoof. After 20 jaw dropping minutes you'll know which.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: That 70s Massacre
Review: Once again, much credit to Anchor Bay, a company dedicated to giving fans what they want. Here's a movie that badly needed some cleanup and remastering, and they've done it, plus more.

This is one of Wes Craven's early films, a kind of classic 70-style horror movie, definitely in the same sadistic vein as Craven's debut Last House on the Left, and certainly The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Overall, the film is okay, but clearly a bit amateurish and very low budget. The effort is there, some of Craven's style is there, and it can get creepy.

A hapless, all-American family is riding through the desert (apparently Nevada, or California, it's unclear) looking for an old, abandoned silver mine someone left to them. They find themselves way off the beaten path, right by a firing rage used by the Air Force to blow things up, and indeed, when jets start roaring overhead, they run their car off the road and crack an axel.

They're now prey for a demented group of mutant cannibals who roam the desolate landscape, killing and eating whatever they can find. Pretty soon the family is split up, with some members out looking for help and most staying back at the car and trailer with the dogs.

The strong points are the atmosphere and the sense of dread and menace that hangs over much of the film. This modern, happy American family is rocketed back in time and they must use their wits and might to fight back, and indeed they're driven to acts more savage than their attackers, a major theme of Last House.

Hills could clearly have benefitted from a higher budget, better acting, and better resources. However, the grainy, low budget feel of the film lends it much appeal.

The film does drag a bit at times, and some of the acting is terrible, as expected. The story is basic but has a kind of universal appeal. I'm surprised there hasn't been a remake, actually, what with recent 70s horror re-releases and remakes, though I don't doubt Hollywood's bankruptcy of ideas may drive them to it. These days remakes often jettison the very elements of the originals that made them classics, which is a shame. While I thought the Texas Chainsaw remake was satisfying in its own way (certainly stylistically) I thought it lacked some of the suspense and menace of the original, as well as the social commentary, qualities that Hills does share.

The film is given a tremendous treatment by Anchor Bay. The first disc contains the film in the best quality we're ever likely to see. The picture is incredible; no more poor tape copies or appalling prints, and there are numerous sound mixes on here, depending on your preference and home setup. It's up there with the excellent Texas Chainsaw DVD that saw a similarly grainy and faded picture give way to a totally restored print.

The second disc is full of features, most notable a lengthy documentary made in 2003 featuring Wes Craven and a good portion of the cast, including the amazing Michael Perryman who needed no makeup to play Pluto. (Perryman was born with many physical birth defects, thus his unique appearance.) There are trailers, TV spots, and even a neat bit where you see the before and after effects of the restoration of the film. You can appreciate how sharp and clear the print is on this set.

Overall, another great effort by Anchor Bay. This is a no-brainer for fans of the film, and indeed people were wondering where it was after they released Hills 2 on DVD first (a pretty poor sequel.) Studios and directors could learn a thing or two about cult horror and sci fi films; they often get the most reverent DVD releases, and Anchor Bay has a long list of them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Hills Have More Than Eyes!!!
Review: Only true horror fans appreciate this masterpiece.I being an avid horror fan visit every horror convention I can and who I feel is the true star of this film Michael Berryman has been at every one.Hes the scariest nice guy you would ever want to meet.This new dvd will be a definite in my collection.Great acting and lots of scares make this one a keeper.Get a copy while they last.YOU WONT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!


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