| Review | The Hills Have Eyes Part 2 (1985) | Director | Wes Craven |
|---|---|
| Writer | Wes Craven |
| Cast | Tamara Stafford, Kevin Blair, Janus Blythe, John Laughlin, Willard Pugh, Peter Frechette, Penny Johnson, Colleen Riley, Robert Houston, John Bloom and Michael Berryman |
“We should all just get out. Right now!” – Rachel
A cannibalistic clan slaughtered members of Bobby’s (Houston) family seven years before in the desert en route to California and he was fortunate enough to get out along with his sister, brother-in-law and his small baby and Ruby (Blythe), a member of the clan who turned against her kin to help the city folk. Now Bobby is the owner of a motorcross team that’s scheduled to compete in or around the desert area where he lived through his horror.
Bobby can’t face a return to those surroundings, so he elects to stay behind. His partner in the business, Rachel, goes with the team in a bus. Unbeknownst to the team; Rachel is actually Ruby, the former member of the cannibal clan who has now integrated normal society with aplomb. The team that goes for the ride consists of Roy (Blair, actually going by the name Kevin Spirtas for a long time now) and his blind girlfriend Cass (Stafford), Hulk (Laughlin), Harry (Frechette), Foster (Pugh), Jane (Riley) and Sue (Johnson).
Along the way they decide to take a short cut and the bus breaks down near a deserted mining area. Turns out that Pluto (Berryman), a member of the cannibal clan from earlier is watching them and accompanying him is a cousin named The Reaper (Bloom). Soon the team finds itself perishing one by one as the cannibals get to work.
This is a messy film. It’s always been regarded as a major misfire, and it’s said that Craven himself disowned it. Made for a low budget, in fact so low that not all the shooting schedule was completed. Craven started the film before he embarked on “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984) but it was released in theatres the year after, and he reportedly finished the film with only the footage that had been completed. The resulting film shows all the signs of a troubled shoot. It’s full of plot holes, illogical happenings, goofy dialogue and exchanges and, simply, very weird stalking and killing scenes that look like they were very rushed. While the first film was an unflinching and hard hitting horror film, this one feels like a strange slasher that doesn’t show any of the good stuff and feels incomplete.
But there’s something about the film that simply works and it’s anything but boring. Granted, you have to be a big fan of slasher films to zero in on the positives and come away fairly satisfied. For one; it was shot on gorgeous locations in Joshua Tree and the motor racing scenes are not only scenic but fairly exciting and entertaining. The crew on the film may have been rushed but they definitely delivered a slick looking flick in every department. The location around the deserted mine is very attractive looking. Once the film goes inside the mine and surrounding areas, there are some very atmospheric shots and the whole look of the film, particularly after nighttime falls, is technically well pulled off.
The group is largely a very likeable bunch played by some decent actors. Stafford does well as Cass in what’s probably the most demanding role. Blythe, Blair, Pugh, Frechette and Johnson (way before she was President David Palmer’s obnoxious wife in “24”) are solid and Laughlin steals the show as Hulk. Berryman is always a noteworthy presence whenever he appears on-screen but, unfortunately, he’s mostly played for (some lame) laughs. Bloom, as The Reaper, isn’t all that scary but he’s somewhat memorable.
“Friday the 13th” devotees are in for a treat as they’ll recognize numerous music cues from composer Harry Manfredini. I don’t know if it’s exactly the same cues or maybe some that were simply left out but this feels overly familiar with the “Friday” franchise. And it’s so unlike anything that Craven had done or did since. Manfredini’s “Friday” music is so iconic for slasher buffs and to have this hodgepodge of sounds in this film is simply weird…but attractively weird and ends up being a plus.
And then there’s Craven. Many simply cannot fathom how he directed this around the same time he made his most classic and influential horror film. Those who feel like they have to make excuses on his part point to the film’s low budget, the amount of difficulties the crew faced and the fact that he, like many others, simply had to get a paycheck at a time when he was going through a slump. But I don’t feel any apologies, or disownment, is necessary. Craven made the best of out of a dire situation and delivered a film that’s quite memorable…in a bad and a good way. A good crew made sure the look of it was more than fine and, apparently, a half-hearted Craven musters more out of a paper thin story, cardboard characters and incomplete shoots than many, I would think.
And finally I have to comment on another heavy shot of criticism laid at the film throughout the years; it’s use of flashbacks early in the film. And the fact that a dog has one as well. Film critic Leonard Maltin says “loaded with flashback footage” and that’s very misleading. “The Hills Have Eyes Part 2” has a runtime of 90 minutes and the flashback footage amounts to seven minutes. And aren’t dogs creatures with a mind? Well, this has always been a silly stab at the film IMO and should be discarded completely.
Physical Copy
My copy of “The Hills Have Eyes Part 2” is
the region B Limited Edition Blu-ray issued by Arrow Video in 2019. The film
looks and sounds great. Some wear and tear is noticeable but the image quality is
terrific. The extras aren’t many but they’re great. There’s a half-hour making
of featurette that includes interviews with producer Peter Locke, actors
Berryman and Blythe, production designer Dominick Bruno, composer Manfredini
and first assistant director John Callas. They discuss the film in a candid
manner is it’s a good watch. Then there’s an excellent commentary by The
Hysteria Continues dudes and they’re always fun to listen to. The limited
edition also included postcards, a poster, a long booklet with enjoyable essays
and attractive packaging. Kudos to Arrow for giving such a trashed film the
red-carpet treatment.
Why physical copy?
I always encourage the acquisition of physical copies as I dread the day when films will only exist as files on computers and through streaming services. The companies that put the effort into making the discs, create new artwork or reproduce the originals, issue booklets and much more deserve all the financial support they can. Therefore I will always mention the Blu-rays or DVD’s (and yes; also if I review something streamed through Netflix or the like) even though I gain nothing from it personally.
