He was brilliant. They all were. Glad you enjoyed it. It's not the best looking film ever shot but it was never going to be with all those dark night shots and dimly lit interior scenes. It all comes together and works well on screen so that's all that matters. John.
High praise and you are convincing me to pick this up, if nothing else just for the trip down memory lane. I must have rented it several times back in the 80’s. Thanks again.
It's a better film than we saw on those dowdy VHS tapes, that's for certain. A very clever film and one we could discuss over and over but we simply couldn't see it well enough but in the 1980's. John.
Back in 86 a coworker and myself brought in our vcr's to work on a 12hr nightshift and in the control room with the ole patch cables he dubbed this movie from my copy which I rented from the video store, great times and the youth of today would understandably not have a clue as to how much fun renting/dubbing/watching movies commercial free was back then. Purchased my first Betamax Sony 43 yrs ago this month Nov 1981. Will pick up a copy of this Second Sight release. Cheers!
Morning Robert. I've seen copies of this special set on the shelves on HMV and FOPP so it's not sold out yet. It really is a special pack which given the standard edition is £25 over here, the £50 asking price seems pretty good. It's heavy though so postal costs may stick it up somewhat. John.
Great review John :) I agree that The Hitcher is a brilliant film and Rutger Hauer gives his best performance in this horror/thriller. It has a great story and can be quite terrifying. Ure right that the action and stunts are incredible and I actually prefer this to the overused CGI in many new films these days.
I think all of us prefer in-camera stunts and effects to computer creations but there was a time in the early 1990's when film makers and audiences got a little obsessed with computer animation/graphics. CGI caused a downgrade in image quality too which didn't help cinema in the long run. John.
That's what I call a video disc release. I love how you're creative, making an extended intro before the Movie Collector opening. The review itself is beautiful. I now really want to see this film. Erik.
It never got a theatrical release outside of North America Erik so we've not had the chance to see it in a cinema until now. What a revelation. I had long felt there was a good film hidden in that dowdy VHS trying to get out and Second Sight have unleashed it. Not the best looking film ever made but who cares when it's this good? John.
I didn't know anyone had released a 4K version of it before. Or perhaps you meant that you feel like you've been waiting for it on 4K for years. I learned that Second Sight were working on it about a year ago and I thought it would be time for a re-watch. I was right. A much more impressive film today than it ever was before. It helps when the release is this good though and not a poor quality, cheapo video tape. John.
I hope you like it as much as I did. If you've already seen The Hitcher then you'll know how good it is. It's now even better thanks to the mastering work that's gone into this release. John.
Nice review. I just re-watched this a few years ago. I had watched it quite a few times in the 80's when it was on cable and remembered it well enough as a quality horror-thriller. But, like you, watching it again after so many years was quite the experience. It was actually better than I remembered. And beautiful. I was really taken with the cinematography. Can't wait to watch it again in 4K.
If you watch this 4K on a telly then apparently it looks as good as anything but if you're like me and completely nuts then be prepared that on a bigger screen it is a dark film and therefore somewhat grainy at times and probably not as good as you might expect. I think it suits the film and it all works well up on the screen. And when a film is this good and comes in a special pack like this that makes a big difference to the overall perception. We could talk about the hidden meanings and nuances of The Hitcher for years. A very clever film. John.
@@moviecollector5920 My set-up is comparatively meager. I do have a fairly large screen to show this on, although, my projector is only 1080p so I'll be missing out on the HDR and extra resolution. Still it's a nice enough setup to show most of the benefits of the 4K mastering and my 4K player handles the HDR-to-SDR conversion pretty nicely. My opinion on the movie itself matches yours. I wrote up a review of it when I watched it and I think I said something to the effect that it deserves to exist in the same rarefied air as the best of Hitchcock and DePalma. Warner is officially prepping a stateside release - which is great because I couldn't quite justify the 80 dollar price to import the Second Sight release (although that set looks super luxe). Here's to rediscovery!
I think to see how good any home movie or home video is it's got to be enlarged as big as possible. I've been reviewing for about 30 years now and have had a ten foot screen throughout. It does make the whole process a lot easier. I've just seen Mondo's review and he thinks the image is excellent which it isn't entirely. Trev at Double Bill has about an 8 footer and he's details how grainy much of it is. I try not to watch other reviews if I'm going to do one myself so have avoided them all until this evening. John.
I LOVE your Channel , your description about your experience for first time with each movie is simply amazing and a very god review . Hi from Buenos Aires
Thank you. I do always talk about when I first saw a film because I think it adds my personal history. It's not always possible if it's the first time I've seen a film for a review video of course but that's probably not very often. I hope all is well over there in Buenos Aires. No doubt the weather is a little warmer with you than it is here right now! John.
I must stick that VHS in the player to see how awful it really is. But it did give a representation of a film we'd been denied the chance to see in a cinema and without that I wouldn't have known it well enough to decide to invest fifty smackers in this fabulous Second Sight release. John.
I might have seen a rental video at a friend's house first but my earliest and only recollection is the VHS I pulled off the shelf in this video. The 4K has enabled me to see this historic film in the cinema. Wonderful. John.
rutger and c thomas get all the love on this one but jjleigh brings the heart, she was so understated and brilliant in the role that seeing her character arc was so profound at the time. glad you made us aware of this release, well done
@@moviecollector5920 Not only do each of the stars and most of the actors have interesting film careers (the brother of Midnight Express actor plays one of the cops and also a serial killer for Charles Bronson to dispatch), but Eric Red, the writer, delivered more than a few hits in his troubled career. I remember seeing his name come up a few times at a movie night when, by chance, we rented Hitcher, Near Dark, and Blue Steel for a triple feature.
That's only the CD sized disc collection Victor. We can't have the films in that room as they have to be on the ground floor in this house due to the weight. LaserDiscs are hiding off camera up there though. John.
Loved this film since I rented it on VHS upon release. Can't justify paying £50 for these limited editions though. Maybe if they had an extra disc of content, but not for paper extras. Helluva film! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Evening Stephen. The extras are long and many but all on the 4K and Blu-ray disc. I've actually been through them all which is unusual. The standard edition is going to be £25 so the special seems to look like quite good value by comparison. Second Sight tend to price their releases higher than other releasing distributors but they always seem to put a little bit more into them both in terms of work and fripperies. John.
I think Second Sight have produced 8000 of the special packs Mark whereas the standard 4K is just the single disc. If you fancy the special box it might be worth organizing Santa now. John.
Just got my copy delivered,I was lucky enough to see this in the Cinema all those years ago but the last time I saw it was on VHS, Great review John and I'll be settling down tonight to watch it 👍🏻
I would have left mine for this evening but so many people had asked me to review it and I wouldn't get the chance to do that until sometime next week if I hadn't have got a shift on with a review immediately. Have a great time this evening. John.
It's a clever film Roy and you'll be able to analyze it and re-analyse it ever time you see it. There are so many possible interpretations and I doubt any one person has thought of them all. John.
Legendary movie!! I need to rewatch - it’s been so long but wow what a film. And when she was chained between those juggernaut’s 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮 Cheers for another cracking vlog John.
And that scene was so clever because of the fade to black. Some people believe they really did see something gory but it must have all been in their minds. John.
Hi John, nice review of a fine collection. I ordered it after i saw your review and got it some days before. I am glad to have it in my collection. Before only on DVD. Timeless great movie with Rudger Hauer. Blind Fury is another movie with him that i watched a lot of times. Jens
Tantalizing "review", I bought the deluxe version as a "blind buy" and I am very excited to watch it. Second Sight's presentation is stunning as usual. 🍻
@@moviecollector5920 I used to get discs from a chap that specialised in film reels in Southampton. Can't remember his name I think it was Larry - he advertised in Laserdisc Review back in the day and had a double garage behind his house full of film cans
Great review, and that set is simply beautiful. I preordered the Umbrella blu-ray and I kinda wish I had waited for the Second Sight 4K. That being said the Ymbrella blu-ray is good, and a much needed upgrade over the 4:3 DVD, which was the only way it was available in the US
It's not the best looking film Edward but that's nothing to do with the mastering carried out for this disc release, it's the nature of the film and the negative stocks used in 1986. Excellent work and a brilliant film. John.
Mine is on its way from HMV. Been looking forward to it since it was announced Second Sight were doing it. I still have my DVD release from like 2002 or something
I was about 8 when I first saw this. By that time I'd seen a lot of horror films between cable and video rentals but nothing had me shook as much as the semi truck scene. You don't actually see anything but the idea of what happens is just that shocking. I usually fast forward past that scene whenever I watch this film.
Yes, the premise of that sequence is rather horrible. I'd seen so many horrors by the time I saw the dowdy VHS of The Hitcher that nothing affected me. I know this isn't a horror but that scene was still pretty nasty. John.
I hadn't seen this movie since the VHS rental days and I expect I probably saw it in a 4:3 pan&scan version on a relatively small TV with poor sound. I've always remembered it being a good movie but having seen it again on that 4K the other night I've got to say wow, great movie ! I have a decent 5.1 setup (with the two surrounds being tripoles) and the Atmos mix (which would have played as a Dolby TrueHD on my system) sounded great to me. I agree with everything you've said in your review regarding the picture quality. Great movie, great 4K, great review ! 👍
I could remember much about The Hitcher and I suspected I would think more highly of it today than I did back in its cult VHS days. The 'Scope frame adds a lot but it's all the little nuances that make it so interesting. My own conclusion is a little more grounded than some (evil spirit and such like) but it's up to each of us to make our own interpretation. I like that about it. Glad you had a good time re-watching after all these years. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Absolutely, I tend to like movies that are open to interpretation or encourage you to think in a slightly abstract way, I think they stay with you and have more value/longevity than typical "by the numbers" movies that leave nothing to the imagination. Cheers John !
Great video. Mine arrived on Tuesday. I'm not a fan of keeping cellophane on a box. Being a comic collector, we swap the bags every 3 to 5 years as they degrade. They can rip the paint / ink from the covers. Physical media is different, I know, but it's still thin plastic that won't stop cuts or scratches or dents, it wont stop uv light fading and it will degrade over time and warp under pressure I.e. stacking on shelves, but it is each to their own. The hitcher is great, and I loved this picture and sound. Brilliant as always, and I can't wait for your next one. Excelsior, sir.
Evening Delboy. I've still got some home movies on the shelves with their shrink wrap in place and they're over 40 years old now. The boxes beneath have remained brand new whereas others where I ripped the cellophane off have all aged. I learned my lesson many years ago. Does it matter though? Not a jot! John.
@moviecollector5920 indeed. Great it's worked for you though. Guess it's down to type of plastic and of course boxes....comics get packed you see then stored for years without looking. You will know when you see the ripples of degeneration lol :-)
@@delboy3k1 I've seen that happen with record covers. Nothing on any of my home movies but I suppose shrink wrap is a little different to the plastic covers on records. I wouldn't put anything on paperback books so that would rule out comics too. John.
Great stuff John. I'm excited to get mine! Never seen it but Second sight Kill it with there Collectors editions! This will be many people's best release of 2024 I think.
Every time I see a VHS tape, there's a feeling of sanguine nostalgia and a confusing feeling of "where did the time go?" I believe I saw "The Hitcher" on VHS upon release, after my parents went to bed, as I was far too young to watch it. Too young or not, I could still recognise a quality film when I saw it.
I haven't run that tape in a long, long time. I remember a shadowy film where you could tell Rutger Hauer was in it because you could hear him. I probably hadn't seen it in 30 years or so but that made seeing it again in cinematic quality on a biggish screen all the more special. A great film that all the critics of the day got wrong in 1986. John.
@Movie Collector thanks for another great and detailed review. Stunning packaging and especially the booklet. Was actually tempted today to buy the Hitcher (as I love our Dutch star Rutger Hauer) in Germany today but went for today’s 4K release from Constantin: Der Untergang (downfall). Unfortunately not the 200 minute version as that extended version is only on DVD and licensed to German TV. The cinema version is stunning and already 155 minutes though. The Fall has many great releases with Costner’s Horizon on the way, Longlegs with Nicolas Cage, Paramount’s Born On The 4th Of July and A Bridge Too Far from Imprint. So the Hitcher on the wantslist. Have a great weekend and great trip, John!
Evening Pieter. Is that the film 'Downfall', the Adolf Hitler story of the last days where you feel like you're actually watching Adolf Hitler? A wonderful film that I must see again. I don't know if there would be much of a market for that on 4K over here but I'd like it so that should be enough for them to release it here!!! John.
Hi John! Don't think i've seen you do an unboxing for us yet but what a set to open up!! I like the book and having the script option . This is one like you many raved about when we were younger and renting movies alot but dang I have not seen the Hitcher yet. It's October on the horizon so time to see this one. Hope all goes great on Sunday Cheers D!!
Morning Dave. If you do get a copy of The Hitcher you'll find a clever film in there. It's not the straightforward serial killer movie I regarded it as on that dowdy VHS tape all those years ago. There is so much to it and a whole lifetime of discussions to be had if you really wanted to delve in deeply and analyze it. All the reviews in 1984 seemed to get this one wrong and I expect that's why we didn't get the chance to see it at a cinema over here. John.
I have done similar before Timothy. I remember Jaws over four years ago because postie delivered that and I ripped it open on camera... or I might have been dreaming. John.
I've just re-watched your Jaws, and having seen it several times before, I can tell you that one hardly notices you opening that little package. It happens so fast. But this time, we get a good look at the box and all of it's contents. So no, it's not the same. So again, I congratulate you on your first proper unboxing. 😅
@@TimothyMathetes-e2o Fair point. Let's face it, videos of unboxings are a little boring but because this one was a particularly special release I thought it might be something a little different.
There's no duck on the screen here Paul. Tellies do tend to produce a sort of blue/green hue and that appears to be due to the compression of the image into a tiny screen but I'm only guessing for possible causes. Not a problem with projection it seems. The colours are life like and film like. Without a print to check it against it's impossible to be categoric but it looks like a film so that's good enough for me. The Blu-ray doesn't look like a film. John.
It's a great film that has aged incredibly well... I actually own it on most formats (even the remake on HD-DVD!)... but the original and Hauer's performance is perfect!
To be fair most of the old classics & even films that weren't held in particularly high regard in their day are now aging like fine wine in comparison to most of the modern day dross & reboots etc. Or maybe I'm just getting old & grumpy 🤷♂
I wonder what it would have been like if Sam Elliott had have taken the role. His voice would have been something else. We'll never know but it's a great film and that's just my curiosity getting the better of me. I wouldn't change a thing. John.
Excellent review John, my copy just arrived today, will be watching it over the weekend with a review to follow...haven't seen this since the vhs days so looking forward to seeing it at it's best 😊
It's not the best looking video quality ever Marty but people are telling me it looks wonderful on their tellies so evidently the size differential makes it easier to see the film grain which is quite coarse during some of the interior, dimly lit scenes. I think you'll have a great time with it. Quite a difference to the old dowdy VHS tapes. John.
I think it's mainly the book that makes it impressive. It's probably not the most exciting read as it's a collection of interviews and articles rather than a complete history of how The Hitcher was conceived, planned, shot and received. But it looks and feels like a quality book. It certainly contributes most of the weight to what is a heavy box set. John.
I like how the disposable part of the cover is more cardboard rather than the usual flimsy lined paper that easily gets damaged. I recently got the second sight release of It Follows. I have my eyes on The Hitcher, Late Night With The Devil and The Blair Witch Project.
I've actually asked their publicity company to send me a review disc of Late Night With The Devil but usually that means a BD-R. Still, it will mean I'll be able to include it within another review video to let people know if it looks like another Second Sight class act. The Hitcher certainly is. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Nice. I look forward to that video. Funny how I came across that film actually. I went to London twice this year with a friend, to see a few films at the Prince Charles Cinema, thanks to you, actually. Your video on the 70mm screening of 2001: a space odyssey led us to go and see it there in March. On the second night, we also saw Robocop in 35mm, but a trailer for Late Night With The Devil caught my attention and not long after, we saw it at our local cinema in Bury.
Excellent video as always. I like your shelving for your collection. I have Ikea Billy Bookcases but would prefer a shallower solution like yours. If you dont mind saying, where are they from ? Thanks
They're from Argos. Last time I ordered one it was £28 but I put one on top of another but upside down. In other words each one of those shelving units as you see them is about £60 now. Three years ago they were just £18 each so less than £40 for the pair. John.
Morning Scott. It's not, and never is these days, the cine to video transfer responsible for the image quality of a 4K disc (or any other video format) because the transfers are handled by automated scanners. It's the mastering and the work to remove any detractions from imagery such as negative dust or scratches that is responsible for the final quality on a disc. Don't expect too much from the Hitcher because it was never the best looking film to start with. A dark film and evidently quite a coarse grain negative film stock was used. So many films around that period used coarse grains so I expect that was largely all that was available. John.
I thought I still had the dvd. Mine was a double disk with a short movie called The Room starring Hauer. I hope I didn't get rid of it because of no space. I'm tempted to get this.
I've only ever had the VHS and never felt the need to purchase it again on a newer format until now. But that's the effect Second Sight releases can have on me because they are so special and this one for The Hitcher surely has to be one of their best so far. HMV and FOPP still have copies of the special pack on the shelves everywhere I've been but don't wait too long just in case. Alternatively, the direct link to the Second Sight web shop is in the description area... or at least, it should be! John.
I expect there are a lot of videos you'll never see again Stephen. We're all a bit nuts really but it's nice to look at a movie library on the shelves rather than a boring sift through a streaming channel. John.
Some great comments below so far; here in Australia, the only scraps we have been thrown are a 2024 [16:9] blu-ray Umbrella release of Hitcher, with features below: Extras: Blonde, Blue Eyes: Rutger Hauer Documentary by Simone de Vries Audio Commentary with director Robert Harmon and producer Eric Red The Hitcher - How do these Movies get made? Scene Specific Audio Commentary Trailer / Teasers Can anybody advise if this Umbrella release is satisfactory, or should I import the UK SSF 4K or bluray?
If you're happy with the Blu-ray Andrew then that's all that matters. I believe those extras are on the Second Sight release but I'll probably never get the time to go through them. I did watch the 'How Do These Movies Get Made' which is very good. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Hi John; thanks for the prompt reply sir. I haven't actually bought either bluray yet, but might wait until the price drops either way, cheers Andrew
@@AndrewDyson-u2u I'm not sure the Second Sight releases tend to drop very much in price, if at all Andrew. Certainly the special 4K pack is unlikely to ever be sold for less than £50 as popular box sets like this tend to get sold on at a premium. There might be a sale eventually where the standalone 4K disc version can be had for something like £18. I don't know anything about the Umbrella Blu-ray release but the Second Sight release was from a cine to video transfer of the original negative plus a lot of mastering work. I believe that the negative was believed to be missing (or parts of it) until recently so it's unlikely the Umbrella release will be as good. But you never know. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Cheers John; that local Australian Umbrella Blu-ray release is $40.00AU, which I guess equates to approx £20. The retailer has the random 20% off sale, so that might be my window here lol!
@@AndrewDyson-u2u That does appear to be the more sensible option on Oz Andrew but make sure you lower your expectations before watching because The Hitcher was never the best looking film owing to the low light and the fairly coarse grain nature of some of the available negative stocks in 1986. Second Sight's release has come from the original negative so I don't expect the Umbrella release has which will adversely affect the ultimate quality too. John.
Remember Second Sight from the early days of DVD. They were terrible. Glad to see them turn over a new leaf. Have had the Terrorvision WB VHS, and also the Two Disc edition from Momentum Pictures that I’ve had for 21 years😂 Cannot wait to see this one. My most anticipated buy of the year. A smart horror thriller whose cinematography is jaw dropping, score is atmospheric, performances are sensational, and action and terror sequences are sensational. The Dolby Atmos has received excellent reviews Cannot wait to play it on my system
I don't think you'll be at all disappointed but perhaps don't expect too much from the sound as it may not be quite as impressive as some have said. I don't have an Atmos system as those enormous THX tripoles hanging from the ceiling would be a little life threatening and anything else would spoil the timbre matched sound. But having the two of them up high generates an almost identical effect and I can report both the Dolby Stereo and the Atmos tracks filled the room and had nice surround and certainly not over the top. John.
Hey John, is this the first time you’ve done an ‘unboxing’ video? You were making me nervous though… still holding the sharp cutting knife whilst flicking through the pack contents!… 😯
Here in the US, this film is actually available on "Max", but in shockingly poor quality. Not only is the video a VHS rip, but it's also pan and scanned in a 4:3 crop. It's a shame because I think The Hitcher is beautifully shot, but you'd never know it from the streaming version; the way that most people will end up experiencing it for the first time.
Those of us over the age of 10 here in the UK have only ever seen it as a VHS!!! We didn't even get the chance to see it in a cinema... until last night. John.
I hate how big the Second Sight limited editions are, two books? heavy bulky, I'll buy the standard, is a shame they don't release a nice slim release.
The standard release is in a standard case John so you'll be alright. I think the idea of the special releases are for people who love a particular film and The Hitcher has always had an enthusiastic following, hence why there are 8000 copies of the special pack this time. I remember the controversy and the history of The Hitcher when it made a bit of a splash on VHS which is why I thought I should purchase the £50 pack. I probably wouldn't have done without this UA-cam channel but I'm glad I did. John.
I saw this in the cinema back in the day, it’s like Ponyboy Vs Roy Batty lol.. I was aleady a big fan of Rutger.. You should also watch Flesh and Blood, and Blind Fury.. Those 2 needs a good 4k Bluray transfer..
I saw it several times on VHS Craig. I could see there was a good film in there trying to get out and it's finally just been revealed to me. It makes quite a difference to see it in cinema quality. John.
Hey John. That looks like a really nice boxset from Second Sight. I had their Drive (2011) boxset for a while before I sold it and went with the US release 4K steelbook instead. I may be buying from them again as I found out they are not releasing Late Night With the Devil on 4K in the US and that’s one I really want on 4K with Dolby Vision. So, at some point I’ll have to fork out the money for it. The worst part of it is since I would be importing it from the UK, it wouldn’t get here until after halloween so I just decided to put getting that release on the back burner. Maybe I’ll get it for next halloween. Sean.
They've had 8000 copies done Sean so don't leave it too long. The standard edition only comes with the 4K disc on its own so that seems to make the special pack look like a pretty good deal at fifty smackers. Pricey but something quite special. I dread to think what the shipping would cost though because it's quite heavy. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I also loved the film, Only letdown was me thinking, omg they have a stargate that can take em anywhere in the universe and they end up in Egypt🤣
@@jamessickmore236 Ah, but there is a lot of evidence that civilizations such as the Egyptian empire have been around a lot longer than current archaeologists want to acknowledge. I think that's what a lot of Stargate is based around. Think 14,000 years and perhaps a universe filled with similar civilizations makes more sense. John.
Where I worked in the 1980's people would telephone to complain if a black and white film was being broadcast because they'd paid for a colour television licence. If a film hadn't have been reformatted to fill a television screen there would have been riots. That's how pan and scan came about. But I never took VHS seriously. The only reason I purchased an occasional tape was because Super 8 was expensive and I hadn't invested in LaserVision early on. VHS was largely a joke and still is to this day. But it holds a place in home video history and that's why I've kept some of the tapes. John.
I'd never even heard of Run Lola Run. Looks interesting. Bear in mind that most of these cine to video transfers are handled by film scanning machines so it's the mastering that is the big thing in the whole process. Making a cine transfer look like the original 35mm prints is the key to it all but before computer editing it was all a bit vague at times so a little tweaking where necessary can make the end result look ever better for our tiny home screens. John.
I hope it doesn't suffer from the cursed 4k green tint we see in so many 4k restorations. Dark Knight, Cliffhanger, Event Horizon, First Blood great films looks abysmal 4k due to the 'Authentic' green film look.
Cliffhanger is the only one I've had that green hue with. But it still looked great and it should be possible to bleed it out with a little jiggery pokery. It seems that tellies suffer most with this blue/green tint and that is likely due to the comparatively diminutive size compressing the colours. John.
@@TackJorrance I have more than 1000 physical films here and some are really quite old now and from the days before low fade stocks. None are faded to green. Pink is the normal hue they turn. John.
As I understand RUTGER went to an Asylum to researching mentally ill patients to Mimic there behaviors. We see how well and how creepy 😳 he portraied this character
To be fair to the Royal Mail, they're in terminal, inevitable decline now so the fact that we ever get anything at all is a bit of a miracle. I hope yours turns up tomorrow. The Hitcher will be perfect for Saturday night. John.
It's the film I've been waiting longer than any other for an upgrade above 720p DVD & what a package & restoration it is. Definitely worth waiting for. It's a film I've always been very fond of. Just don't ask Roger Ebert for his opinion on it. 😆
Just about every reviewer got The Hitcher wrong when it was first released. That probably meant we didn't get the chance to see it over here other than on the poor VHS release. Idiots the lot of them and no one should ever take any notice ever again... other than right here of course! John.
6:33 I D'oh!!!!! I was just doing the dishes and washing a coffee cup up while listening thinking, hmmmmm.... do I need to quickly dry my hands and stop, skip, or power down the phone in case a clanger is coming? And no sooner I thought it. You said " is the ***** a... " and I nearly broke my phone with water and luckily the dropped coffee cup survived. So I have to reluctantly agree some others sadly. That before discussing an uncovered hidden gem to encourage a new audience for it makes, definitely make a wee little disclosure first to avoid any thoughts or opinions that could taint the viewers experience who might see it for the very first time. I should have avoided taking the risk on a video to a film I've never seen. I usually don't watch videos on material I've not watched first, but I enjoy your content that much I was curious. Oh well.. no harm. Thumbs up goes on and bell very much active for the next one 😊
I'm not aware I gave anything away other than you'll be making up your own mind Jeff. I deliberately avoided anything more than that but let me know what you think after you've seen it because there are any number myriad answers to what it's all about. A great film that every reviewer in 1986 seems to have got wrong. And that's probably why we didn't get the chance to see it over here. John.
Overall great video but I absolutely disagree with your assessment of the image. I am watching it on a LG G4 65 inch TV paired to a Panasonic UB9000, so I am watching it on the best hardware you can buy. As someone who owns this movie on DVD (Hitcher was never on blu-ray in the US), I am absolutely blown away by this restoration 4K native image. It is incredible. The grain is perfect 1980s grain. The colors and the sound pop so much I had to pause the film multiple times to just enjoy the sunsets, the sunrise, the scenery, and a few shots of the blue clouded skies. This is a top 5 4K film of 2024 and one of the best ever 4K discs I have ever seen.
The Hitcher is very good, no doubt about that, but watch it on a big screen and you'll find it much easier to assess which film looks better than another. I'm not sure how big 65 inches really is but it's only around four and a half feet wide. To see the best and to get a feel for what every other release has to match up to, have a look at TENET and see if you can discern the superiority of that one. If it's not a stand out, obvious, far superior image quality film to The Hither then you're 'gonna need a bigger screen'. Probably best next time to get a video projector but keep the telly for when you don't fancy a night at the cinema. Glad to know you're so pleased with the Second Sight release of The Hitcher. I'm just surprised to see so many copies still available on shelves of HMV stores and the West End branch of FOPP because I expected it to sell out quickly. John.
@@moviecollector5920 well, it’s sold out on Amazon even though I pre-ordered it and then I got an email saying they could not fulfill my order. I was able to pick it up on second sites website thankfully.
@@danielwalters2045 I think each new release has to go to the British Board of Film Classification for certification. I suppose a home video of a film or video requires an update every time a new format comes along which will be the case with a 4K. Something I can check sometime with Second Sight or one of the other releasing companies. John.
Got my copy today watched it earlier looked really good, and it still holds up. C Thomas Howell was 17 when made this film.
He was brilliant. They all were. Glad you enjoyed it. It's not the best looking film ever shot but it was never going to be with all those dark night shots and dimly lit interior scenes. It all comes together and works well on screen so that's all that matters.
John.
still got my old VHS and saw it at the cinema back in the day.great film
We weren't given the chance of seeing it in the cinema over here David.... until last Thursday night that is!
High praise and you are convincing me to pick this up, if nothing else just for the trip down memory lane. I must have rented it several times back in the 80’s. Thanks again.
It's a better film than we saw on those dowdy VHS tapes, that's for certain. A very clever film and one we could discuss over and over but we simply couldn't see it well enough but in the 1980's.
John.
Back in 86 a coworker and myself brought in our vcr's to work on a 12hr nightshift and in the control room with the ole patch cables he dubbed this movie from my copy which I rented from the video store, great times and the youth of today would understandably not have a clue as to how much fun renting/dubbing/watching movies commercial free was back then. Purchased my first Betamax Sony 43 yrs ago this month Nov 1981. Will pick up a copy of this Second Sight release. Cheers!
Morning Robert. I've seen copies of this special set on the shelves on HMV and FOPP so it's not sold out yet. It really is a special pack which given the standard edition is £25 over here, the £50 asking price seems pretty good. It's heavy though so postal costs may stick it up somewhat.
John.
Great review John :) I agree that The Hitcher is a brilliant film and Rutger Hauer gives his best performance in this horror/thriller. It has a great story and can be quite terrifying. Ure right that the action and stunts are incredible and I actually prefer this to the overused CGI in many new films these days.
I think all of us prefer in-camera stunts and effects to computer creations but there was a time in the early 1990's when film makers and audiences got a little obsessed with computer animation/graphics. CGI caused a downgrade in image quality too which didn't help cinema in the long run.
John.
That's what I call a video disc release.
I love how you're creative, making an extended intro before the Movie Collector opening.
The review itself is beautiful. I now really want to see this film.
Erik.
It never got a theatrical release outside of North America Erik so we've not had the chance to see it in a cinema until now. What a revelation. I had long felt there was a good film hidden in that dowdy VHS trying to get out and Second Sight have unleashed it. Not the best looking film ever made but who cares when it's this good?
John.
Great review! Ordered mine today... can't wait.
It is a wonderful release in every respect so I hope you like it as much as I do. John.
Thanks for the review and can’t wait to pick this up. Always a pleasure to watch the great Rutger Hauer at work.
He was wonderful in the Guinness adverts.
Another great review.
I have had the Hitcher 4k for seems like years - actually it has been…
Thank you for your reviews as always.😊
I didn't know anyone had released a 4K version of it before. Or perhaps you meant that you feel like you've been waiting for it on 4K for years. I learned that Second Sight were working on it about a year ago and I thought it would be time for a re-watch. I was right. A much more impressive film today than it ever was before. It helps when the release is this good though and not a poor quality, cheapo video tape.
John.
Thank you for reviewing this! I was wondering if I should pick it up. We all appreciate the work you put into these and I’ll pick it up!
I hope you like it as much as I did. If you've already seen The Hitcher then you'll know how good it is. It's now even better thanks to the mastering work that's gone into this release.
John.
Nice review. I just re-watched this a few years ago. I had watched it quite a few times in the 80's when it was on cable and remembered it well enough as a quality horror-thriller. But, like you, watching it again after so many years was quite the experience. It was actually better than I remembered. And beautiful. I was really taken with the cinematography. Can't wait to watch it again in 4K.
If you watch this 4K on a telly then apparently it looks as good as anything but if you're like me and completely nuts then be prepared that on a bigger screen it is a dark film and therefore somewhat grainy at times and probably not as good as you might expect. I think it suits the film and it all works well up on the screen. And when a film is this good and comes in a special pack like this that makes a big difference to the overall perception. We could talk about the hidden meanings and nuances of The Hitcher for years. A very clever film.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 My set-up is comparatively meager. I do have a fairly large screen to show this on, although, my projector is only 1080p so I'll be missing out on the HDR and extra resolution. Still it's a nice enough setup to show most of the benefits of the 4K mastering and my 4K player handles the HDR-to-SDR conversion pretty nicely. My opinion on the movie itself matches yours. I wrote up a review of it when I watched it and I think I said something to the effect that it deserves to exist in the same rarefied air as the best of Hitchcock and DePalma. Warner is officially prepping a stateside release - which is great because I couldn't quite justify the 80 dollar price to import the Second Sight release (although that set looks super luxe). Here's to rediscovery!
I got mine yesterday. I thought it looked and sounds amazing. This has got to be my favourite release so far in 2024.
I think to see how good any home movie or home video is it's got to be enlarged as big as possible. I've been reviewing for about 30 years now and have had a ten foot screen throughout. It does make the whole process a lot easier. I've just seen Mondo's review and he thinks the image is excellent which it isn't entirely. Trev at Double Bill has about an 8 footer and he's details how grainy much of it is. I try not to watch other reviews if I'm going to do one myself so have avoided them all until this evening.
John.
I LOVE your Channel , your description about your experience for first time with each movie is simply amazing and a very god review . Hi from Buenos Aires
Thank you. I do always talk about when I first saw a film because I think it adds my personal history. It's not always possible if it's the first time I've seen a film for a review video of course but that's probably not very often. I hope all is well over there in Buenos Aires. No doubt the weather is a little warmer with you than it is here right now!
John.
looking forward to revisiting this again when mine arrives - used to have the old VHS years ago
I must stick that VHS in the player to see how awful it really is. But it did give a representation of a film we'd been denied the chance to see in a cinema and without that I wouldn't have known it well enough to decide to invest fifty smackers in this fabulous Second Sight release.
John.
John, Mine is in the post. I remember watching this on cable tv back in the days.❤
I might have seen a rental video at a friend's house first but my earliest and only recollection is the VHS I pulled off the shelf in this video. The 4K has enabled me to see this historic film in the cinema. Wonderful. John.
rutger and c thomas get all the love on this one but jjleigh brings the heart, she was so understated and brilliant in the role that seeing her character arc was so profound at the time. glad you made us aware of this release, well done
I think Second Sight have done 8000 of the box sets Chris so if you fancy it, even at fifty smackers, don't hang around too long. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Not only do each of the stars and most of the actors have interesting film careers (the brother of Midnight Express actor plays one of the cops and also a serial killer for Charles Bronson to dispatch), but Eric Red, the writer, delivered more than a few hits in his troubled career. I remember seeing his name come up a few times at a movie night when, by chance, we rented Hitcher, Near Dark, and Blue Steel for a triple feature.
Nice movie collection that you have
That's only the CD sized disc collection Victor. We can't have the films in that room as they have to be on the ground floor in this house due to the weight. LaserDiscs are hiding off camera up there though.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I see
Loved this film since I rented it on VHS upon release. Can't justify paying £50 for these limited editions though. Maybe if they had an extra disc of content, but not for paper extras.
Helluva film! Glad to hear you enjoyed it.
Evening Stephen. The extras are long and many but all on the 4K and Blu-ray disc. I've actually been through them all which is unusual. The standard edition is going to be £25 so the special seems to look like quite good value by comparison. Second Sight tend to price their releases higher than other releasing distributors but they always seem to put a little bit more into them both in terms of work and fripperies.
John.
I saw the movie in the cinema back in the day I think I rented it on vhs as you did it was a great film I will get the 4k for Christmas
I think Second Sight have produced 8000 of the special packs Mark whereas the standard 4K is just the single disc. If you fancy the special box it might be worth organizing Santa now.
John.
Just got my copy delivered,I was lucky enough to see this in the Cinema all those years ago but the last time I saw it was on VHS, Great review John and I'll be settling down tonight to watch it 👍🏻
I would have left mine for this evening but so many people had asked me to review it and I wouldn't get the chance to do that until sometime next week if I hadn't have got a shift on with a review immediately. Have a great time this evening.
John.
Great work as always John...... Never seen this but gonna keep an eye out for it, sounds right up my alley.
It's a clever film Roy and you'll be able to analyze it and re-analyse it ever time you see it. There are so many possible interpretations and I doubt any one person has thought of them all. John.
Legendary movie!! I need to rewatch - it’s been so long but wow what a film. And when she was chained between those juggernaut’s 😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮
Cheers for another cracking vlog John.
And that scene was so clever because of the fade to black. Some people believe they really did see something gory but it must have all been in their minds. John.
Hi John, nice review of a fine collection. I ordered it after i saw your review and got it some days before. I am glad to have it in my collection. Before only on DVD. Timeless great movie with Rudger Hauer. Blind Fury is another movie with him that i watched a lot of times. Jens
And I've never seen Blind Fury Jens so that could cost me!
John.
Can't wait to see this 4k realise, love this move.
I love it now too. I always struggled with it before because the VHS simply couldn't cope with the darkness throughout so much of The Hitcher. John.
I'll be picking up the regular 4k on Monday. Another classic 80's Favourite.
Have a look at the special pack if there's one in stock Bill because it really is just that - special.
John.
Tantalizing "review", I bought the deluxe version as a "blind buy" and I am very excited to watch it. Second Sight's presentation is stunning as usual. 🍻
Morning Mark. I think you'll be pleased with your latest purchase. I certainly am. John.
One of my favourite films. Can’t wait to see the release 👍
I think you're going to like it!
Adore your videos. So relaxing and enjoyable.
This one had to be done in a bit of a rush so I'm pleased to learn you enjoyed it. Thank you.
John.
Had this on PAL Laserdisc back in the day. Good review...
Now why did I never even see a PAL LaserDisc of The Hitcher? I must have missed that completely. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I used to get discs from a chap that specialised in film reels in Southampton. Can't remember his name I think it was Larry - he advertised in Laserdisc Review back in the day and had a double garage behind his house full of film cans
Great review, and that set is simply beautiful. I preordered the Umbrella blu-ray and I kinda wish I had waited for the Second Sight 4K. That being said the Ymbrella blu-ray is good, and a much needed upgrade over the 4:3 DVD, which was the only way it was available in the US
It's not the best looking film Edward but that's nothing to do with the mastering carried out for this disc release, it's the nature of the film and the negative stocks used in 1986. Excellent work and a brilliant film.
John.
Mine is on its way from HMV. Been looking forward to it since it was announced Second Sight were doing it. I still have my DVD release from like 2002 or something
The VHS couldn't cope with the darkness so it just gave an impression of what was happening. The 4K isn't like that!!!
John.
I was about 8 when I first saw this. By that time I'd seen a lot of horror films between cable and video rentals but nothing had me shook as much as the semi truck scene. You don't actually see anything but the idea of what happens is just that shocking. I usually fast forward past that scene whenever I watch this film.
Yes, the premise of that sequence is rather horrible. I'd seen so many horrors by the time I saw the dowdy VHS of The Hitcher that nothing affected me. I know this isn't a horror but that scene was still pretty nasty.
John.
Love your personal touch. Great video as always!
Thank you Mark. John.
Sweet. Can't wait for my copy to get home.
Second Sight send out early so it shouldn't be too much longer. Might even come tomorrow for Saturday evening viewing.
John.
I hadn't seen this movie since the VHS rental days and I expect I probably saw it in a 4:3 pan&scan version on a relatively small TV with poor sound. I've always remembered it being a good movie but having seen it again on that 4K the other night I've got to say wow, great movie ! I have a decent 5.1 setup (with the two surrounds being tripoles) and the Atmos mix (which would have played as a Dolby TrueHD on my system) sounded great to me. I agree with everything you've said in your review regarding the picture quality. Great movie, great 4K, great review ! 👍
I could remember much about The Hitcher and I suspected I would think more highly of it today than I did back in its cult VHS days. The 'Scope frame adds a lot but it's all the little nuances that make it so interesting. My own conclusion is a little more grounded than some (evil spirit and such like) but it's up to each of us to make our own interpretation. I like that about it.
Glad you had a good time re-watching after all these years.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Absolutely, I tend to like movies that are open to interpretation or encourage you to think in a slightly abstract way, I think they stay with you and have more value/longevity than typical "by the numbers" movies that leave nothing to the imagination. Cheers John !
Great video. Mine arrived on Tuesday. I'm not a fan of keeping cellophane on a box. Being a comic collector, we swap the bags every 3 to 5 years as they degrade. They can rip the paint / ink from the covers. Physical media is different, I know, but it's still thin plastic that won't stop cuts or scratches or dents, it wont stop uv light fading and it will degrade over time and warp under pressure I.e. stacking on shelves, but it is each to their own. The hitcher is great, and I loved this picture and sound. Brilliant as always, and I can't wait for your next one. Excelsior, sir.
Evening Delboy. I've still got some home movies on the shelves with their shrink wrap in place and they're over 40 years old now. The boxes beneath have remained brand new whereas others where I ripped the cellophane off have all aged. I learned my lesson many years ago. Does it matter though? Not a jot!
John.
@moviecollector5920 indeed. Great it's worked for you though. Guess it's down to type of plastic and of course boxes....comics get packed you see then stored for years without looking. You will know when you see the ripples of degeneration lol :-)
@@delboy3k1 I've seen that happen with record covers. Nothing on any of my home movies but I suppose shrink wrap is a little different to the plastic covers on records. I wouldn't put anything on paperback books so that would rule out comics too.
John.
Great stuff John. I'm excited to get mine! Never seen it but Second sight Kill it with there Collectors editions! This will be many people's best release of 2024 I think.
It's not in the number one spot here Lewis. I'll leave you to keep guessing there.
John.
Every time I see a VHS tape, there's a feeling of sanguine nostalgia and a confusing feeling of "where did the time go?" I believe I saw "The Hitcher" on VHS upon release, after my parents went to bed, as I was far too young to watch it. Too young or not, I could still recognise a quality film when I saw it.
I haven't run that tape in a long, long time. I remember a shadowy film where you could tell Rutger Hauer was in it because you could hear him. I probably hadn't seen it in 30 years or so but that made seeing it again in cinematic quality on a biggish screen all the more special. A great film that all the critics of the day got wrong in 1986. John.
@@moviecollector5920 To me, VHS was like the talking dog. It's not that the dog spoke well, it's that it spoke at all. 👍
thanks for the presentation! cheers
You're welcome. John.
@Movie Collector thanks for another great and detailed review. Stunning packaging and especially the booklet.
Was actually tempted today to buy the Hitcher (as I love our Dutch star Rutger Hauer) in Germany today but went for today’s 4K release from Constantin: Der Untergang (downfall). Unfortunately not the 200 minute version as that extended version is only on DVD and licensed to German TV. The cinema version is stunning and already 155 minutes though.
The Fall has many great releases with Costner’s Horizon on the way, Longlegs with Nicolas Cage, Paramount’s Born On The 4th Of July and A Bridge Too Far from Imprint. So the Hitcher on the wantslist.
Have a great weekend and great trip, John!
Evening Pieter. Is that the film 'Downfall', the Adolf Hitler story of the last days where you feel like you're actually watching Adolf Hitler? A wonderful film that I must see again. I don't know if there would be much of a market for that on 4K over here but I'd like it so that should be enough for them to release it here!!!
John.
Hi John! Don't think i've seen you do an unboxing for us yet but what a set to open up!! I like the book and having the script option . This is one like you many raved about when we were younger and renting movies alot but dang I have not seen the Hitcher yet. It's October on the horizon so time to see this one. Hope all goes great on Sunday Cheers D!!
Morning Dave. If you do get a copy of The Hitcher you'll find a clever film in there. It's not the straightforward serial killer movie I regarded it as on that dowdy VHS tape all those years ago. There is so much to it and a whole lifetime of discussions to be had if you really wanted to delve in deeply and analyze it. All the reviews in 1984 seemed to get this one wrong and I expect that's why we didn't get the chance to see it at a cinema over here.
John.
Congratulations on your first unboxing.
I have done similar before Timothy. I remember Jaws over four years ago because postie delivered that and I ripped it open on camera... or I might have been dreaming. John.
I've just re-watched your Jaws, and having seen it several times before, I can tell you that one hardly notices you opening that little package. It happens so fast. But this time, we get a good look at the box and all of it's contents. So no, it's not the same. So again, I congratulate you on your first proper unboxing. 😅
@@TimothyMathetes-e2o Fair point. Let's face it, videos of unboxings are a little boring but because this one was a particularly special release I thought it might be something a little different.
@moviecollector5920 I enjoyed it. I rewatched it today. I've been watching many of your old videos too. I quite like doing that.
Alright John you win again, I’ll order this one too 😆
Skint again!
Thank you John.
Have a gold star Cheekster!
@@moviecollector5920 ⭐
That packing job is wonderful. Where did you purchase it? Here in the states they pack boxes terribly.
Direct from Second Sight Films. John.
Did you find that the colours looked accurate? Some screen shots from other reviews look a bit teal. I don't see any on the shots here.
There's no duck on the screen here Paul. Tellies do tend to produce a sort of blue/green hue and that appears to be due to the compression of the image into a tiny screen but I'm only guessing for possible causes. Not a problem with projection it seems. The colours are life like and film like. Without a print to check it against it's impossible to be categoric but it looks like a film so that's good enough for me. The Blu-ray doesn't look like a film.
John.
It's a great film that has aged incredibly well... I actually own it on most formats (even the remake on HD-DVD!)... but the original and Hauer's performance is perfect!
To be fair most of the old classics & even films that weren't held in particularly high regard in their day are now aging like fine wine in comparison to most of the modern day dross & reboots etc. Or maybe I'm just getting old & grumpy 🤷♂
I wonder what it would have been like if Sam Elliott had have taken the role. His voice would have been something else. We'll never know but it's a great film and that's just my curiosity getting the better of me. I wouldn't change a thing.
John.
Hope to see something like this for a 4K Vanishing Point! I know, I know, I keep hoping, but one day...
I can't remember ever seeing Vanishing Point but it's one I'd like to see so I'm with you there.
John.
Excellent review John, my copy just arrived today, will be watching it over the weekend with a review to follow...haven't seen this since the vhs days so looking forward to seeing it at it's best 😊
It's not the best looking video quality ever Marty but people are telling me it looks wonderful on their tellies so evidently the size differential makes it easier to see the film grain which is quite coarse during some of the interior, dimly lit scenes. I think you'll have a great time with it. Quite a difference to the old dowdy VHS tapes.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Indeed John...I'll be watching it on the LG Oled, test out the Dolby Vision 😁
Such a beautiful set
I think it's mainly the book that makes it impressive. It's probably not the most exciting read as it's a collection of interviews and articles rather than a complete history of how The Hitcher was conceived, planned, shot and received. But it looks and feels like a quality book. It certainly contributes most of the weight to what is a heavy box set.
John.
OK, I'm super curious to understand movie your filing rule - they appear quite random, but I suspect there is a logic?
They go on the shelf in the order they're watched. Nothing more than that other than when we moved I split the DVD's from the Blu-rays.
John.
I like how the disposable part of the cover is more cardboard rather than the usual flimsy lined paper that easily gets damaged. I recently got the second sight release of It Follows.
I have my eyes on The Hitcher, Late Night With The Devil and The Blair Witch Project.
I've actually asked their publicity company to send me a review disc of Late Night With The Devil but usually that means a BD-R. Still, it will mean I'll be able to include it within another review video to let people know if it looks like another Second Sight class act. The Hitcher certainly is.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Nice. I look forward to that video.
Funny how I came across that film actually. I went to London twice this year with a friend, to see a few films at the Prince Charles Cinema, thanks to you, actually. Your video on the 70mm screening of 2001: a space odyssey led us to go and see it there in March.
On the second night, we also saw Robocop in 35mm, but a trailer for Late Night With The Devil caught my attention and not long after, we saw it at our local cinema in Bury.
Excellent video as always. I like your shelving for your collection. I have Ikea Billy Bookcases but would prefer a shallower solution like yours. If you dont mind saying, where are they from ? Thanks
They're from Argos. Last time I ordered one it was £28 but I put one on top of another but upside down. In other words each one of those shelving units as you see them is about £60 now. Three years ago they were just £18 each so less than £40 for the pair.
John.
Thanks so much for the reply, really appreciate you taking the time. Keep up the good work. Take care. @moviecollector5920
Brilliant content as always movie collector great transfer!
Morning Scott. It's not, and never is these days, the cine to video transfer responsible for the image quality of a 4K disc (or any other video format) because the transfers are handled by automated scanners. It's the mastering and the work to remove any detractions from imagery such as negative dust or scratches that is responsible for the final quality on a disc. Don't expect too much from the Hitcher because it was never the best looking film to start with. A dark film and evidently quite a coarse grain negative film stock was used. So many films around that period used coarse grains so I expect that was largely all that was available.
John.
As per usual great video!
Thank you M-JG. John.
What are the film's on the left star something
Never seen this film looks ok mine you
The Last Starfighter. I reviewed that one the week before I think. John.
Absolute classic!
Thank you Jay. The film isn't bad either!!! John.
I thought I still had the dvd. Mine was a double disk with a short movie called The Room starring Hauer. I hope I didn't get rid of it because of no space. I'm tempted to get this.
I've only ever had the VHS and never felt the need to purchase it again on a newer format until now. But that's the effect Second Sight releases can have on me because they are so special and this one for The Hitcher surely has to be one of their best so far. HMV and FOPP still have copies of the special pack on the shelves everywhere I've been but don't wait too long just in case. Alternatively, the direct link to the Second Sight web shop is in the description area... or at least, it should be!
John.
Ah ha! I like it. Mine are in director and genre order - but there’s over 10,000 in there so need a way of locating!
I expect there are a lot of videos you'll never see again Stephen. We're all a bit nuts really but it's nice to look at a movie library on the shelves rather than a boring sift through a streaming channel.
John.
I love Mark Isham bro ❤ he’s the goat
I think he also scored 'Nell' which was a great soundtrack and a film I need to see again. Only ever saw it in the cinema when first released. John.
Had an HMV 20% voucher and bought this monster of a package release... 😅
What a good deal that was then. Well done.
Great video
Thank you. John.
salut voila encore une bonne vidèo sur se 4k UHD
Merci encore Alain. John.
Some great comments below so far; here in Australia, the only scraps we have been thrown are a 2024 [16:9] blu-ray Umbrella release of Hitcher, with features below:
Extras:
Blonde, Blue Eyes: Rutger Hauer Documentary by Simone de Vries
Audio Commentary with director Robert Harmon and producer Eric Red
The Hitcher - How do these Movies get made?
Scene Specific Audio Commentary
Trailer / Teasers
Can anybody advise if this Umbrella release is satisfactory, or should I import the UK SSF 4K or bluray?
If you're happy with the Blu-ray Andrew then that's all that matters. I believe those extras are on the Second Sight release but I'll probably never get the time to go through them. I did watch the 'How Do These Movies Get Made' which is very good.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Hi John; thanks for the prompt reply sir. I haven't actually bought either bluray yet, but might wait until the price drops either way, cheers Andrew
@@AndrewDyson-u2u I'm not sure the Second Sight releases tend to drop very much in price, if at all Andrew. Certainly the special 4K pack is unlikely to ever be sold for less than £50 as popular box sets like this tend to get sold on at a premium. There might be a sale eventually where the standalone 4K disc version can be had for something like £18.
I don't know anything about the Umbrella Blu-ray release but the Second Sight release was from a cine to video transfer of the original negative plus a lot of mastering work. I believe that the negative was believed to be missing (or parts of it) until recently so it's unlikely the Umbrella release will be as good. But you never know.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Cheers John; that local Australian Umbrella Blu-ray release is $40.00AU, which I guess equates to approx £20. The retailer has the random 20% off sale, so that might be my window here lol!
@@AndrewDyson-u2u That does appear to be the more sensible option on Oz Andrew but make sure you lower your expectations before watching because The Hitcher was never the best looking film owing to the low light and the fairly coarse grain nature of some of the available negative stocks in 1986. Second Sight's release has come from the original negative so I don't expect the Umbrella release has which will adversely affect the ultimate quality too.
John.
Remember Second Sight from the early days of DVD. They were terrible. Glad to see them turn over a new leaf. Have had the Terrorvision WB VHS, and also the Two Disc edition from Momentum Pictures that I’ve had for 21 years😂 Cannot wait to see this one. My most anticipated buy of the year. A smart horror thriller whose cinematography is jaw dropping, score is atmospheric, performances are sensational, and action and terror sequences are sensational. The Dolby Atmos has received excellent reviews Cannot wait to play it on my system
I don't think you'll be at all disappointed but perhaps don't expect too much from the sound as it may not be quite as impressive as some have said. I don't have an Atmos system as those enormous THX tripoles hanging from the ceiling would be a little life threatening and anything else would spoil the timbre matched sound. But having the two of them up high generates an almost identical effect and I can report both the Dolby Stereo and the Atmos tracks filled the room and had nice surround and certainly not over the top.
John.
Hey John, is this the first time you’ve done an ‘unboxing’ video? You were making me nervous though… still holding the sharp cutting knife whilst flicking through the pack contents!… 😯
Rest assured that the knife is somewhat blunt Stephen. That's why I used it. John.
Here in the US, this film is actually available on "Max", but in shockingly poor quality. Not only is the video a VHS rip, but it's also pan and scanned in a 4:3 crop. It's a shame because I think The Hitcher is beautifully shot, but you'd never know it from the streaming version; the way that most people will end up experiencing it for the first time.
Those of us over the age of 10 here in the UK have only ever seen it as a VHS!!! We didn't even get the chance to see it in a cinema... until last night. John.
I hope you’re happy, ordered today, don’t tell my wife!
I'll be seeing your wife later Gary... but I'll try to keep schtum!
@@moviecollector5920 now I’m really nervous, my wife thinks your hot!
@@moviecollector5920 I hope you’re buying lunch, $38 in the States for the standard and $75 for the one with all the tats.
@@garyharper2943 I'll buy lunch Gary, don't worry about that. I'm generous when it comes to supplying a nice bag of chips!
@@moviecollector5920 I hope fish is included!
I hate how big the Second Sight limited editions are, two books? heavy bulky, I'll buy the standard, is a shame they don't release a nice slim release.
The standard release is in a standard case John so you'll be alright. I think the idea of the special releases are for people who love a particular film and The Hitcher has always had an enthusiastic following, hence why there are 8000 copies of the special pack this time. I remember the controversy and the history of The Hitcher when it made a bit of a splash on VHS which is why I thought I should purchase the £50 pack. I probably wouldn't have done without this UA-cam channel but I'm glad I did.
John.
I saw this in the cinema back in the day, it’s like Ponyboy Vs Roy Batty lol.. I was aleady a big fan of Rutger.. You should also watch Flesh and Blood, and Blind Fury.. Those 2 needs a good 4k Bluray transfer..
I think I've seen Flesh & Blood Rick. But I think besides Blade Runner, Rutger Hauer was best in the Guinness commercials. John.
Saw it a long time ago. Wasn’t bad John
I saw it several times on VHS Craig. I could see there was a good film in there trying to get out and it's finally just been revealed to me. It makes quite a difference to see it in cinema quality. John.
Hey John. That looks like a really nice boxset from Second Sight. I had their Drive (2011) boxset for a while before I sold it and went with the US release 4K steelbook instead. I may be buying from them again as I found out they are not releasing Late Night With the Devil on 4K in the US and that’s one I really want on 4K with Dolby Vision. So, at some point I’ll have to fork out the money for it. The worst part of it is since I would be importing it from the UK, it wouldn’t get here until after halloween so I just decided to put getting that release on the back burner. Maybe I’ll get it for next halloween.
Sean.
They've had 8000 copies done Sean so don't leave it too long. The standard edition only comes with the 4K disc on its own so that seems to make the special pack look like a pretty good deal at fifty smackers. Pricey but something quite special. I dread to think what the shipping would cost though because it's quite heavy.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 not sure why but I think youtube blocks my replies to your replies sometimes. Happened just now I think.
Sean.
Ah, I see you have the SG1 collection 👍😁 one of my favorite tv shows
We only got up to the end of series 5... so far. I love the film though and I really must spin the LaserDisc of that again sometime soon.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 I also loved the film, Only letdown was me thinking, omg they have a stargate that can take em anywhere in the universe and they end up in Egypt🤣
@@jamessickmore236 Ah, but there is a lot of evidence that civilizations such as the Egyptian empire have been around a lot longer than current archaeologists want to acknowledge. I think that's what a lot of Stargate is based around. Think 14,000 years and perhaps a universe filled with similar civilizations makes more sense. John.
@@moviecollector5920 I know but i wanted to see incredible futuristic civilizations 😒
Pan and scan. I remember how I thought that was a bad thing, but man.... How did we even bother watching a movie in that way?
Where I worked in the 1980's people would telephone to complain if a black and white film was being broadcast because they'd paid for a colour television licence. If a film hadn't have been reformatted to fill a television screen there would have been riots. That's how pan and scan came about.
But I never took VHS seriously. The only reason I purchased an occasional tape was because Super 8 was expensive and I hadn't invested in LaserVision early on. VHS was largely a joke and still is to this day. But it holds a place in home video history and that's why I've kept some of the tapes.
John.
If you get the opportunity take a look at the new 4k remaster of "Run Lola Run", its an absolutely incredible transfer ( great film too ).
I'd never even heard of Run Lola Run. Looks interesting. Bear in mind that most of these cine to video transfers are handled by film scanning machines so it's the mastering that is the big thing in the whole process. Making a cine transfer look like the original 35mm prints is the key to it all but before computer editing it was all a bit vague at times so a little tweaking where necessary can make the end result look ever better for our tiny home screens.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 Run Lola Run is well worth your time. Barry Norman gave it a 10 out of 10, its a cinephiles delight.
Did you buy ?
Yes. £50 plus a couple of pounds for delivery direct from Second Sight Films. John.
I hope it doesn't suffer from the cursed 4k green tint we see in so many 4k restorations. Dark Knight, Cliffhanger, Event Horizon, First Blood great films looks abysmal 4k due to the 'Authentic' green film look.
Cliffhanger is the only one I've had that green hue with. But it still looked great and it should be possible to bleed it out with a little jiggery pokery. It seems that tellies suffer most with this blue/green tint and that is likely due to the comparatively diminutive size compressing the colours.
John.
@@TackJorrance I have more than 1000 physical films here and some are really quite old now and from the days before low fade stocks. None are faded to green. Pink is the normal hue they turn. John.
As I understand RUTGER went to an Asylum to researching mentally ill patients to Mimic there behaviors. We see how well and how creepy 😳 he portraied this character
Today he'd just have to watch people on the street!
So true!
I thought it doesn't come out until the 30th
Direct orders get sent a little early. John.
@@moviecollector5920 Oh, I see. I'm Just gonna go to hmv on the day, as early as I can.
Don’t have this one…maybe. You’re lucky with all the packaging, Half of my Steelbooks from Amazon show up with a dent!
Amazon Gary? But I won't go on about them on here! John.
@@moviecollector5920 Sometimes they’re my best option. I have no stores within 50 miles.
Lucky you got it. Second Sight sent mine on Monday and it still hasn’t arrived. RM are a joke.
To be fair to the Royal Mail, they're in terminal, inevitable decline now so the fact that we ever get anything at all is a bit of a miracle. I hope yours turns up tomorrow. The Hitcher will be perfect for Saturday night.
John.
@@moviecollector5920It certainly will
It's the film I've been waiting longer than any other for an upgrade above 720p DVD & what a package & restoration it is. Definitely worth waiting for. It's a film I've always been very fond of. Just don't ask Roger Ebert for his opinion on it. 😆
Just about every reviewer got The Hitcher wrong when it was first released. That probably meant we didn't get the chance to see it over here other than on the poor VHS release. Idiots the lot of them and no one should ever take any notice ever again... other than right here of course!
John.
The VHS carries an 18 rating , the 4K a 15. How censorship has changed in the past 38 years.
@jasonthomas4151 Yeah I noticed its certification had been revised. Interesting.
@@jasonthomas4151 Another 38 years and it will be a U and on at cinemas in a double bill with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
It'd be difficult to ask Ebert for his opinion on account of a slight case of death
Enjpy the BBFC/Talking Pictures event on Sunday! K x
Thanks Keith. Tell Raj to behave himself! John.
6:33 I
D'oh!!!!! I was just doing the dishes and washing a coffee cup up while listening thinking, hmmmmm.... do I need to quickly dry my hands and stop, skip, or power down the phone in case a clanger is coming?
And no sooner I thought it.
You said " is the ***** a... " and I nearly broke my phone with water and luckily the dropped coffee cup survived.
So I have to reluctantly agree some others sadly. That before discussing an uncovered hidden gem to encourage a new audience for it makes, definitely make a wee little disclosure first to avoid any thoughts or opinions that could taint the viewers experience who might see it for the very first time.
I should have avoided taking the risk on a video to a film I've never seen. I usually don't watch videos on material I've not watched first, but I enjoy your content that much I was curious. Oh well.. no harm. Thumbs up goes on and bell very much active for the next one 😊
I'm not aware I gave anything away other than you'll be making up your own mind Jeff. I deliberately avoided anything more than that but let me know what you think after you've seen it because there are any number myriad answers to what it's all about. A great film that every reviewer in 1986 seems to have got wrong. And that's probably why we didn't get the chance to see it over here.
John.
Im the 1st comment 🙂
Actually the third by the time you hit 'return' Joe but well done anyway. John.
Why does so much garbage come with the disc?
That was packing Pietro. A beautiful release like this has to be protected from the inevitable damage if it wasn't in a huge box.
John.
Overall great video but I absolutely disagree with your assessment of the image. I am watching it on a LG G4 65 inch TV paired to a Panasonic UB9000, so I am watching it on the best hardware you can buy.
As someone who owns this movie on DVD (Hitcher was never on blu-ray in the US), I am absolutely blown away by this restoration 4K native image. It is incredible. The grain is perfect 1980s grain. The colors and the sound pop so much I had to pause the film multiple times to just enjoy the sunsets, the sunrise, the scenery, and a few shots of the blue clouded skies.
This is a top 5 4K film of 2024 and one of the best ever 4K discs I have ever seen.
The Hitcher is very good, no doubt about that, but watch it on a big screen and you'll find it much easier to assess which film looks better than another. I'm not sure how big 65 inches really is but it's only around four and a half feet wide. To see the best and to get a feel for what every other release has to match up to, have a look at TENET and see if you can discern the superiority of that one. If it's not a stand out, obvious, far superior image quality film to The Hither then you're 'gonna need a bigger screen'. Probably best next time to get a video projector but keep the telly for when you don't fancy a night at the cinema.
Glad to know you're so pleased with the Second Sight release of The Hitcher. I'm just surprised to see so many copies still available on shelves of HMV stores and the West End branch of FOPP because I expected it to sell out quickly.
John.
@@moviecollector5920 well, it’s sold out on Amazon even though I pre-ordered it and then I got an email saying they could not fulfill my order. I was able to pick it up on second sites website thankfully.
Hitcher on vhs rated 18.
Ultra 4K Disc rated 15 ?
Give it another 38 years and it will be shown in nursery schools.
@@moviecollector5920
Don’t know why they change age ratings like that ?
@@danielwalters2045 I think each new release has to go to the British Board of Film Classification for certification. I suppose a home video of a film or video requires an update every time a new format comes along which will be the case with a 4K. Something I can check sometime with Second Sight or one of the other releasing companies. John.