The Hitch-Hiker - Twilight Zone Episode REVIEW
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- Опубліковано 8 сер 2024
- Our Twilight Zone Marathon of REVIEWS continues with the classic episode, 'The Hitch-Hiker'. Inger Stevens stars as Nan Adams. No matter how fast she drives, Nan cannot escape a creepy hitch-hiker who she passes again and again. What does he want from her?
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#TheHitchHiker #RodSerling #TwilightZone
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00:00 - Intro
00:50 - Episode Breakdown / Commentary
04:48 - Episode Review / Trivia - Розваги
!["The Hitchhiker" [remastered] ORSON WELLES - SUSPENSE Radio's Best Episodes](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8eZ1sImDFwE/mqdefault.jpg)
The Hitchhiker was written by Lucille Fletcher for radio's Mercury Theatre starring Orson Wells. It was very popular and was done again for the radio show Suspense again starring Orson Wells. It starts with him saying goodbye to his mother.
1:44 interesting pair of correlated things to note in this moment:
A: Hy-Test stems from the old school term "high test gasoline", meaning premium
B: Magnum is a type of high-powered ammunition, aka something that KILLS STUFF, aka fitting in with the death theme.
They really did good by making Death look ominous yet friendly and inviting and comforting. Another good episode with death was Nothing in the Dark. Side note: If Death really looks like a young Robert Redford, he can take me whenever he wants. 😍😍😍
Another unsettling aspect of this whole thing is the Ultimate fate of lead actress Inger Stevens,, who died by suicide. I'm not saying it's connected anymore than people say Heath Ledger's death was connected to playing The Joker in The Dark Knight, it's just a creepy footnote.
I'm OK when things are left up to interpretation, makes it more fun. My favorite theory would have to be that Nan is stuck in limbo. For me, that's the worst place a person (or spirit) can be, just stuck between where you were and where you're supposed to go (wherever that may be). Congrats again on your milestone! It's so well deserved, you'll be getting to 20k, 50k, then 100k before we know it! Great work as always!
Hey Rainbow, yeah I'd been meaning to mention the milestone. I owe everyone, you included, and other content creators and people who just watch a huge thanks for the support. As as for the limbo topic, I agree.... that to me seems awful. There's a video-game based movie where a character ends up like that, its spoilery but you probably know the one I am talking about.
Excellent analysis of this great episode. And Inger Stevens was just a gorgeous actress in this classic.
She was so good in this. I wish she had done a few more episodes. Thanks Rob!
@@FeverDreamlandTheater She was in one more episode but had an ugly wig on. She was also in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
I can't find it on here. It's called Low Clouds Coastal Fog.
This is was actually my introduction into the series when my high school English teacher showed me in the 9th grade. Still unnerving to this very day.
Ah very cool! Agreed it is thoroughly unnerving. Thanks for watching Personarose. Be well!
The Hitchhiker is one of my favorite TZ episodes too! I always thought the people Nan was interacting with were ghost. Lol. Well done Anthony!
Nye! Wassup, hope you've been well. There's definitely some ghost action in the episode one way or the other, lol. Thanks for checking in. : )
I always loved the beautiful 57 58? Mercury turnpike cruiser.
Hey Twin-Silos Farm! Agreed, what a ride! According to Martin Grams Unlocking the TZ book, it was a 1959 Mercury.
O yes I saw this one Anthony. Poor thing she was dead! Anthony I am going to hit the red button and now I will get all your notifications. Really enjoyed it. You bring the episode alive. That I thank you for.🙂
Brilliant review. That opener! Gotta go check this episode out asap. Top content as always Anthony! Thanks!
Ha ha yeah, the opener....that's my not so subtle attempt to hook viewers with a scare, hopefully, lol. Thanks as always for watching my friend. Be well!
I was thinking the hitch-hiker guy isn't really Death because she is already dead. He is an angel or spirit guide trying to help her "cross over to the other side".
Hi Susan, thats a nice interpretation, I like that. We're seeing things from her POV and she is scared so she may be perceiving him as threatening. Once she accepts she is gone, he can help her cross over.
Are all the people she talked to, especially the Sailor, dead, as well? I NEED TO KNOW, Rod!!!
Glad to see you gave credit to Eleanor Audley, who also played Oliver's mother on Green Acres. Although she wasn't given credit by the show, that distinctive voice is unmistakable.
Oh no doubt, I knew she sounded familiar, when I discovered it was Eleanor Audley, I figured that was perfect for trivia about the episode. Thank you for watching Carl!
this is one of the episodes (besides Jess-Belle, Night Call, and Long Distance Call) that really gives me the creeps. A very good atmospheric piece.
Hey Melissa, thanks so much for catching up on these reviews & commenting! It's much appreciated.
Dude fantastic video as always. The hitchhiker is such a horror gem. To this day it creeps me out. I love towards the open when the mechanic tells her the angels are watching her. When I watch it back I’m like oh man they gave it away right there! So clever. Can’t wait for your video on the different incarnations of death in the zone. Also would be stoked to hear your thoughts on the different incarnations of devils. Julie Newmar for the win
Hey Grande. Great observation man. True, her fate was kind of given away in the opening. I think there were other lines too foreshadowing the end like the price of her auto work was cheaper than a funeral and that she was going so fast instead of calling a mechanic, someone should have called for a hearse. Twilight Zone incarnations of Devils is an older vid I did. One of my earliest ones, so a little rough. LoL, thanks as always for watching man!
Twilight Zone Vs The Devil
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Great review as always Anthony! Catching up with some videos I've missed on your channel of late. The Hitchhiker is a true classic. It may not make it into my Top 10 but it would definitely be in the Top 20. I think the keys to its success really are its simplicity & the genuine suspense it creates. The "I believe you're going my way" line was ingrained in my brain from the Twilight Zone DVD menu which if you left on would just replay with a bunch of other memorable quotes. This one also really helped me learn how to appreciate the details and small moments in the episode so that you could actually describe it to someone else beyond just a one-liner which might sound lame without the intricate developments along the way.
Yeah hands down this was a true classic. It's funny you noted the "I believe you're going my way" line was ingrained in your brain from the Twilight Zone DVD menu...I think for me the Major from '5 Characters in Search of An Exit' got me. I think he screamed "WHO ARE WE!?" 😂
I love these videos Anthony. It’s almost as good as watching the episodes. I ALWAYS say I need to watch the old episodes I watched as a kid and I always forget! I’m going to go and source some tonight!!
I agree with the personification of death btw.
Fantastic content as always. Big congrats on 1K!
Hey Lisa! Always a pleasure to hear from you & thank you for the kind words. : ) Have a great weekend.
Hi Anthony! I missed your voice and I have so much catching up to do with your quality content so let me first start with this one. I don't like driving alone too so this will be my Twilight Zone haha. Your theory of her being in the limbo fits the best. Awesome vid bro! And congrats on that milestone, can't wait to see you hit 2K soon!
Hey, hey, wassup Kevin, welcome back! And thanks for checking in. Hope you've been well brother.
Great analysis review as always the Hitch-Hiker is a true classic! TZ is a true gem.
Selina! Wassup, thanks for stopping by. : ) Thanks for the kind words & have a nice weekend.
@@FeverDreamlandTheater You Too!
My favorite Twilight 🛸Zone channel
Thanks Ty! Appreciate hearing that! Have a good one!
Amazing video as always Anthony. Still waiting on those Monsters. They are long overdue on Maple Street.
Hey Terence! Don't worry the monsters are coming, I promise. : ) Be well & thanks as always for checking in. Have a good one!
This one scared me so much ! I couldn't sleep without looking under the bed & closet for weeks !
I hear you, it is among the scariest in the series.
Yes! 5 out of 5 stars. Classic TZ stuff here.
Awesome trivia about the Radio play with Wells. This is a good one. Congratulations on your milestone!
Mr. Dan! Yeah the radio play info was new to me, I also would have thought there would be more TZ's based off radio-plays because Rod grew up on radio. Surprisingly, I think this was the only episode based on a radio play. Anyway, thanks as always for watching & commenting. Have a good one!
Inger Stevens was a beauty.....sadly she committed suicide at age 36. But she left a nice body of work behind as a her legacy. This was such a strong episode and one of my favorites as well. Great review Anthony!!
There's a good Alfred Hitchcock Hour episode w/ her
Yeah Inger was incredible in this. While I was researching I read that bit about her, so sad and so young. Unfortunately there are more than few Twilight Zone actors who certainly had their struggles. Glad to hear you enjoyed the review my friend!
Hey JC I'm finally getting into those again. On Peacock you can watch a few seasons of Hitchcock for free with ads.
@@FeverDreamlandTheater I DVR them on my cable box. They're on Me Tv after the twilight zone every week night
Indeed a great episode. And as over done as the twist is now, it certainly wasn't at that point. It must have been mind blowing at the time. Then the hitcher himself. I think what makes him look so creepy is how he looks kind, yet there is an obvious menace just beneath the surface.
And I'm in the school of her being a ghost. Perhaps ghosts are just people that don't know their dead.
Another top notch video, Ant-Man.
Hey Rob, thanks for checking in. When I was thinking about Nan either being a ghost or in limbo, I think I lean toward her being a ghost. But the more I thought about it, the more it broke my brain, lol. Anyway, be well man!
@@FeverDreamlandTheater I know a good brain repair guy. Just let me know.
As always, another fine review my friend! This episode always me on the edge of my seat.I absolutely love the revelation at the end. Caught me off guard when I first watched it. Bittersweet message that death is an inevitability and we must accept it.
Agreed. That was my take away too, not exactly the most pleasant thought so I didn't want to dwell on it too much but you are right. Even the hitch-hiker staring at us feels like that could be the ominous message. Thanks for watching Charles! Be well man.
"...from this moment on Nan Adam's companion on a trip to California will be terror, her route fear, her destination quite unknown."
......................................................................................................
With a Serling intro like this, I challenge anyone to prove to me that this isn't a flat-out horror episode with an unhappy ending. To defend my position let me compare this was an equally creepy episode, "The After Hours", where Ann Francis as Marsha White wakes up seemingly alone in a department store after it closed.
She is then confronted with [SPOILER ALERT] mannequins who come to life and frighten her. Well the eerie showdown just turns out to be Marsha, who turns out to be a mannequin herself, got back late from her scheduled time to pose as a human. Well, as they say in basketball, no harm no foul, and after being chided she turns back to her real wooden self.
The episode is certainly horror for most of the run time (it reaches a fever pitch of eeriness when she starts hearing disembodied voices crying out, "Marsha!...Marsha!"), but ends humorously as the department manager does a double take at Marsha mannequin he had only the day before dealt with as a human, then stares out at the camera with a bewildered look, breaking the fourth wall. Yes, it had been a horror for much of the air time, he's wordlessly telling us, but the ending isn't really horror, just a quirky twist. Nothing bad really happened to Marsha, she just reverted to her "normal" state of being.
With "The Hitch-Hiker", however, the darkness of tone never relents. Where is Nan going with her scarecrow occupant? where is he taking her? It's not made clear, but I just have a strong feeling that it's not somewhere I want to go. Note Rod's specific language in the intro. He says that _"from this moment on Nan Adam's companion on a trip to California will be terror."_ Not that terror's going to be her companion most of the way, but then it disappears and her hereafter gets better afterwards...no, it's with her "from this moment".
Again, I'm open to other interpretations, but this seems an open-and-shut case. I'd like to root for an happier outcome for Nan, but I'm finding it a difficult sell.
Thanks for including the background info. I'm not sure why Louise Fletcher thought a man rather than a woman driving across the country would be more effective. I think having a woman in the role, especially back in the 1960's, heightens the sense of vulnerability of the character. Aside from a brief clip, I've never listened to the radio version with Orson Wells, but it's something I should do to compare the two, and maybe be able to get a feel for what Mrs. Bernard Herrmann had in mind.
Hey Galantski. Always great to hear from you! I'm totally with you, this is easily one of the stand-out horror episodes. There's nothing in here in the way of breathing room or even light humor. It's constant tension, with Nan either seeing the hitch-hiker or Nan in fear of seeing him yet again. On a first viewing, you are certainly wondering about his true identity and that adds to the terror.
@@FeverDreamlandTheater If you don't mind, I'd like to take a little deeper dive as you've brought up some thought-provoking points. The question about where this is taking place is particularly interesting, and I have another thought.
Let's look back at a similarly-themed episode (though with a much happier ending): "The Hunt". In that one, old man Hyder Simpson dies while out coon hunting with his trusty hound dog Rip. It takes a while for him to figure out he's dead, but unlike with Nan, he doesn't have interplay with other people until the end, and then it's only with an angel and a devil who appear as mountain men.
The devil almost talks him into entering through a gate he claims leads to Heaven, but Hyder won't go through it because Rip isn't welcome. Later, the angel finds Simpson and tells him that he almost entered Hell, then takes him through the {Heavenly Gate. The environs are the familiar woodlands the old man knows so well, even on the other side of the respective gates.
In the case of Nan Adams I'm taking a liberty . Let's say that prior to the action at the start of the episode, but after her fatal accident, she is back driving. (I know, I know, what about the car repair we see? For now, I'm chalking it up to post mortem amnesia,) Now, let's say that instead of the pair of gates Hyder encounters, Nan has a choice of two toll booths to go through, and not having the equivalent of a Rip to warn her, she goes unwittingly through the _wrong_ one, and is now on a road to Hell from whence she can't turn back.
This could explain why she can speak to people as they're dead too. All of them are also inextricably on the road to perdition, but all of them are on their own separate arrival times. This is why is only Nan is able to see the hitch-hiker. Maybe the others haven't had their personal disturbing Death figures appear to them yet, figures that might be different in their creepiness, but all stalkers one way or another.
Inger Stevens is the star in this episode, as much for her set of fearful facial expressions as for her wonderful narration. Although Stevens handles the heavy lifting with her performance, Leonard Strong manages to come off as vaguely sinister without ever being openly threatening.
A third character who, I submit, is rather terrifying in her own way is Mrs. Whitney, voiced superbly by Eleanor Audley. What makes her portrayal so memorable is the complete lack of any empathy at a moment when Nan desperately is seeking something--anything--to reassure her. Mrs. Whitney almost seems like a minion of the netherworld tasked to the last vestige of hope left for Nan. There is another "character" that signals to me the unpleasant fate awaiting Nan, and that's Bernard Herrmann's brooding, doom-laden score at the very end of the episode at 4:28. which fits in with Strong's quote, to my mind leaves no doubt that Nan's not going to have a happy hereafter.
I think that some viewers familiar with _T.Z's_ tendency to spell out in large letters how people who are clearly deserving of their unhappy fates, such as the former Nazi officer in "Deaths-Head Revisited" is haunted by the ghosts of the prisoners at Dachau, a ne'er-do-well millionaire's attempt to trick three nemeses into groveling before him backfires in "One More Pallbearer", a greedy family wearing "The Masks" soon regret the behavior that led to their faces becoming horrible caricatures, etc. But what did Nan Adams do to deserve her fate? We're never told, but it seemingly had to be something really bad.
I've linked the Orson Welles radio version, which I've listened to in parts, It's interesting to note the differences: besides the gender swap (Welles's character--Ronald Adams-- picks up a woman instead of a sailor, but with similar results), some parts sound more poetic than Serling's rewrite, such as while waiting for his call to go through to New York, the narration has him declare, "I read somewhere that love banishes demons", which also makes his fear more explicit, but oddly enough in other places more clunky, too, as where the long distance operator has him feed a seemingly endless number of coins into the pay phone.
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@@FeverDreamlandTheater At the risk of being annoying, like that shabby scarecrow guy, a couple more brief--and I promise, BRIEF--comments.
Concerning Hitchcock's interest, it would have been interesting to see his interpretation. The shots of Nan through the windshield remind me a bit of those of Marion Crane driving in _Psycho,_ and there's a lot of tension in both.
Sometimes I like to see if I can ramp up the creep factor (I have something coming for your review of John Carpenter's _The Thing_ ). Imagine if at the point where Mr. Death says "I believe you're going my way", he adds a version of what she said to the sailor: _"I like you. I thought that we could be friends, and I could take you out."_
I love this episode ! One of my favorites. Happy late twilight zone day. This episode is still so creepy and intense to watch and think about
No doubt, yeah lately I've been more in the mood for the underrated and odd episodes, but I figured for this day, it would be cool to do a big one.
Definately sounds like an intriguing and sinister episode which plays on our fears regarding strangers! Unnerving! Awesome review! :)
Hey SciFirst, thanks man! You are spot on, I think the fear of strangers is certainly very prominent.
Omg Anthony I’m so sorry I missed this review. An excellent episode. I love this one, my dream is to drive Route 66 one day so this is cool. Great car too. I like that it’s an open ended type of story. I think she’s just realizing she’s passed and has to come to terms with it. Love the trivia bits you’ve included. Really fun review and congrats on your milestone✌️
Hey Karen, no worries at all! Thanks so much! : )
Excellent analysis of this great episode.
Thanks M. Ramadhan! I appreciate hearing that! Take care!
Leonard Strong had a small role in this episode, but he made it count.
I'd recognize Eleanor Audley legendary voice anywhere.📞
She had such an iconic voice. 😁
Another great review! I keep saying i need to binge watch these episodes. I am slacking. lol
Aw that's okay man, whenever you can. I think at the moment they are on Hulu, Paramount Plus and Amazon.
@@FeverDreamlandTheater Sure thing!
Love Inger Stevens
She was great in this.
Yes! You do such a good job!
Heeeey wassup Pax, hope you've been well. Thank you, I appreciate hearing that. Have a good one!
An excellent episode and review. Congratulations on your milestone! I’m truly looking forward to seeing your future reviews on the rest of the episodes 💗
Back to the Hitchhiker, I always wondered weather or not the others Nan interacted were also dead too? You made a good point about the sailor possibly not being trustworthy.
I think the gender switch was fine. Personally, changing the protagonist into a woman increases the feel of the episode. It’s kinda complicated and too long to explain fully, but in short, I feel if it was a guy instead of Nan, the episode wouldn’t feel as powerful like we know it.
Hi Holly! Thank you for watching & for the kind words! I'm fine with Serling's gender swap in this case too. In fact, from the episodes I've covered so far, whenever Rod adapted the work of others he always changed / adjusted the original stories. In pretty much all cases I feel like his changes improved things or made sense for the purposes of television. I agree with you, the episode wouldn’t feel as powerful otherwise. On the topic of ghosts, to me the sailer felt like a ghost. I imagined that maybe he was someone who had been lost at sea, everyone else felt a bit more like normal people. It's tough to say, I don't know for sure.
This episode had to inspire the 🎥 Carnival Of Souls.
Let's gooooooo..... Coffee and a TZ episode....👍
ha ha, good morning Bones! Thanks for checking in bro.
Am I reaching or is her dying at 27 a nod to the "27 Club" or was this before that term was coined?
Dayummmmm!! I like that twist, this sounds like a great episode. I've started recording the show again, I watched the episode "The Obsolete Man" which for me is a fantastic episode.
Stuck on Limbo is what I'd go with :)
Hey MMS! Good to hear! Yeah when it comes to the Burgess Meredith episodes, most will mention "Time Enough At Last" which is a classic.... but "The Obsolete Man" is really great too. Thank you for watching bro. Have a good one!
@@FeverDreamlandTheater I think I've seen two episodes with him in, I forget the name but he played Satan that helped a Chap become a success with his business
@@TheMovieMassacreShow That's the 3rd and the fourth was a comedy one, not really my favorite of the bunch. LoL
@@FeverDreamlandTheater I'll keep recording the show and steam roll through it until I find them
Heyyyy Anthony here watching my friend
Wassup Hilda, thank you for stopping by! : ) hope you have a great weekend!
Happy Twilight Zone day ❤️❤️🖤🖤 could you do " The Big tall wish" episode
Happy Twilight Zone day! Hey Kaleidoscope Kai. No prob, I covered that one a little while back. Here it is...
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Hey when you are done with TZ I hope you will consider Alfred Hitchcock Presents and the darker. The Alfred Hitchcock Hour if at all possible love your reviews
Hey Sharri, I would love to, we DL'd the free version of Peacock (with ads) the other night and there's a few seasons on there. At the very least as I would my way through them maybe a top 10 favorite episodes or something would be cool. Thanks for watching!
Like #58 very cool video and new viewer here!! Happy Monday, Hope you enjoy the rest of your week!
-PO3 Podcast
Thank you! You too!
Nice video. Sharing. Sending my support.
Much appreciated! Thanks!
nice
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Amazing ❤️👍🌸🌸🤣🛎🛎🛎
Thanks for visiting!